OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM

摘要

A first electric field sensor (12) in a seat bottom (30) identifies whether there is normally seated, forward facing occupant (14) on a vehicle seat (16) by generating an electric field (40) and sensing the effect of proximate objects thereupon. A second electric field sensor (20) determines if an object is within an at-risk zone (22) proximate to a safety restraint system (26) by sensing from a proximate location the electric field (40) generated by the first electric field sensor (12), and is responsive to the degree to which an object detected in the at-risk zone (22) is electrostatically coupled to the vehicle seat (16). A range/proximity sensor (70) may be provided to measure the proximity of an occupant to the seat back, so as to accommodate occupant movement prior to the deployment of the safety restraint system (26), and to improve occupant discrimination.