Vehicle Occupant Presence and Position Sensing System United States Patent Number: Inventor: Peter Norton of Farmington, MI

What it is… Pressure sensor system used to create the classification of type of object in a car seat and its position on the seat. ◦It also calculates the weight of the object. ◦Determines whether the seat belt is latched. ◦Based on type of object, decides whether the airbag system should be turned on or off.

Summary of the Claims The System Claims: ◦To have sensors that respond to distance using a reference location to the actual location of the object, there by classifying the object into categories. ◦To have categories of the object in normal seated position or object in other position. ◦To have categories of person or object. ◦To have sensor to define object as a person or an infant car seat.

Summary of the Claims The System Claims: ◦To have sensor to recognize whether the seat is occupied or vacant. ◦To have categories defining object as child or adult. ◦To determine, based on object data, if airbag system should be on or off.

Conclusion of Invention This system provides means of classifying seat occupants into 3 categories: ◦Adults ◦Children ◦Cargo If the object is an Adult, the system accounts for person’s location on the seat. Depending on the type of object the system determines whether airbag system should be on or off.