Occupant determination apparatus using load sensor

摘要

An occupant determination apparatus includes a load sensor and a determination section. The load sensor detects a load of an occupant seated in a seat of a vehicle to provide the detected load as a load signal. The determination section determines presence or absence of the occupant and a physical size of the occupant by classifying the load signal into a subject class among a plurality of classes that are ordered from small to large according to the physical sizes based on predetermined threshold loads. The subject class is stored as a determined class. The determination section permits the determined class to transition from a present class to an immediately adjacent larger class when the load signal equal to or larger than a threshold load between the present class and the immediately adjacent larger class continues being received for a threshold time.

主权项

1. An occupant determination apparatus comprising:
a load sensor to detect a load of an occupant who is seated in a seat of a vehicle and provide the detected load as a load signal; and a computer having a determination section to receive the load signal and determine (i) presence or absence of the occupant and (ii) a physical size of the occupant by classifying the load signal into a subject class among a plurality of classes, which are ordered from small to large according to the physical size, based on a plurality of threshold loads that are predetermined, the subject class being stored as a determined class, wherein: the determination section performs an inter-class transition that permits the determined class to transition from a present class to an adjacent class that is immediately adjacent to the present class (i) when the load signal, which is equal to or larger than a first threshold load, continues being received for a first threshold time regardless of whether the load signal varies and fluctuates up and down around a first separate threshold load, the first threshold load which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is larger than the present class, the first separate threshold load which is defined to be larger than the first threshold load among the plurality of threshold loads, or (ii) when the load signal, which is smaller than a second threshold load, continues being received for a second threshold time regardless of whether the load signal varies and fluctuates up and down around a second separate threshold load, the second threshold load which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is smaller than the present class, the second separate threshold load which is defined to be smaller than the second threshold load among the plurality of threshold loads.