Detection and classification of restraint system state

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144388-B2
Application number	US-201715581500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

Systems and method are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method for determining the state of a restraint system provided within a vehicle includes incorporating one or more marker components into a restraint system component located within the vehicle, then receiving sensor data associated with the position of one or more of the marker components. The method further includes determining, with a processor, a state of the restraint system based on the sensor data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of determining the state of a restraint system provided within a vehicle, the method comprising:
incorporating a plurality of marker components into a belt restraint of a restraint system located within the vehicle;
receiving sensor data from a sensor disposed within the vehicle in a position in which the sensor can observe each of the plurality of marker components, wherein the sensor data comprises information as to respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and as to whether each of the plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensor;
determining, with a processor, a state of the restraint system based on the sensor data, wherein the state of the constraint system comprises an extent to which the belt restraint is deployed for an occupant of the vehicle that is using the restraint system, based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components; and
determining, with the processor, a size of the occupant of the vehicle that is using the restraint system, based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the state of the restraint system includes data indicative of the extent to which the belt restraint has been extended from its spool.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including taking an action based on the state of the restraint system and the size of the occupant.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, with the processor, a weight of the occupant of the vehicle that is using the restraint system, based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the step of determining the state of the restraint system comprises, determining, with the processor, the state of the restraint system based on the sensor data, wherein the state of the constraint system comprises an extent to which the belt restraint is deployed for the occupant of the vehicle that is using the restraint system, based on respective three dimensional special positions of the plurality of marker components using the sensor data; and
the step of determining the size of the occupant comprises determining, with the processor, the size of the occupant of the vehicle that is using the restraint system, based on the respective three-dimensional spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of marker components comprise a plurality of horizontal bars; and
the step of determining the size of the occupant comprises determining the size of the occupant based upon how many of the horizontal bars have been detected by the sensors.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining relative sizes of multiple occupants in respective different seats of the vehicle, each seating having its own respective restraint system having a respective belt restraint, based on a difference in respective numbers of marker components that are detected by the sensors with respect to the different respective belt restraints.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of taking the action comprises:
providing a reminder for usage of the restraint system based on the state of the restraint system and the size of the occupant, as determined based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the providing of the reminder is based on a number of occupants that have respective belt restraints properly fastened.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of taking the action comprises:
providing infotainment functionality based on the state of the restraint system and the size of the occupant, as determined based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of taking the action comprises:
adjusting usage of an airbag for the vehicle based on the state of the restraint system and the size of the occupant, as determined based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of taking the action comprises:
adjusting usage of one or more pretensioners of the restraint system based on the state of the restraint system and the size of the occupant, as determined based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

13. A restraint classification system for a vehicle, the restraint classification system comprising:
a restraint system comprising a plurality of restraint system components, including a belt restraint;
a plurality of marker components incorporated into the belt restraint;
a sensor configured to produce sensor data associated with the position of the one or more marker components, wherein the sensor is located within the vehicle in a position in which it can observe a plurality of the restraint system components, and wherein the sensor data includes information as to respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and as to whether each of the plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensor; and
a module, including a processor, configured to:
determine a state of the restraint system, along with a physical characteristic of an occupant using the restraint system, based on the position of the one or more marker components from the sensor data, wherein the state of the constraint system comprises an extent to which the belt restraint is deployed for an occupant of the vehicle that is using the restraint system, based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components; and
determine, with the processor, a size of the occupant of the vehicle that is using the restraint system, based on the respective spatial positions of the plurality of marker components and based on whether each of the respective plurality of marker components has been detected by the sensors.

14. The restraint classification system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor data is at least one of RF data, infrared data, and optical data; and wherein the marker components each include at least one of metallic fibers, metallic paint, and magnetic fibers.

15. The restraint classification system of claim 13 , wherein the restraint system component comprises a woven material, and each marker component comprises metallic fibers incorporated into the woven material.

16. The restraint classification system of claim 13 , wherein:
the plurality of marker components comprise a plurality of sets of horizontal bars, with each set including a different respective number of horizontal bars, across the belt restraint;
and the module is configured to determine, via the processor, the size of the occupant based on the detection of the plurality of sets of hor

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Morrow Tricia E
• Karuppaswamy Senthil

Classifications

• B60R22/001

  Knee, leg or head belts · CPC title

• B60R22/48 Primary

  Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness · CPC title

• B60R2022/4825

  for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• B60R21/01548

  sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor · CPC title