Airbag and restraint system control using seat pressure data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12479384-B2
Application number	US-202318506515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2023
Priority date	Nov 10, 2023
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle airbag and restraint system includes a vehicle seat positioned in a vehicle. At least one pressure sensor is included with the vehicle seat to sense when a user is in contact with the vehicle seat. At least one airbag is opened in response to a vehicle crash event. A controller determines when the user is seated on the vehicle seat in a position different than a normally upright position thereby defining the user being out-of-position, and generates a signal applied by the controller to modify an opening sequence of the at least one airbag when the user is out-of-position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle airbag and restraint system, comprising:
a vehicle seat positioned in a vehicle; at least one pressure sensor included with the vehicle seat to sense when a user is in contact with the vehicle seat; at least one airbag opened in response to a vehicle crash event; a controller determining when the user is seated on the vehicle seat in a position different than a normally upright position thereby defining the user being out-of-position, the controller when the user is out-of-position generating a signal to modify an opening sequence of the at least one airbag; a user warning generated if the user is out-of-position; an in-vehicle camera system operated to identify if the user is out-of-position; an opt-in query requesting the user to enable the vehicle airbag and restraint system; and an override query provided when the user warning is generated providing the user an option to use the vehicle airbag and restraint system functionality for a predetermined trigger.

2 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle seat includes a seat base and a seat back which rotates with respect to the seat base; and the at least one pressure sensor is positioned in at least one of the seat base and the seat back.

3 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one pressure sensor includes a forward pressure sensor and a rearward pressure sensor positioned rearward of the forward pressure sensor in the seat base, and a lower pressure sensor and an upper pressure sensor positioned above the lower pressure sensor in the seat back.

4 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 3 , wherein:
the forward pressure sensor and the rearward pressure sensor independently generate pressure signals when the user is positioned on the seat base and applies pressure to one or both of the forward pressure sensor and the rearward pressure sensor; and the lower pressure sensor and the upper pressure sensor independently generate pressure signals when the user contacts the seat back and applies pressure to one or both of the lower pressure sensor and the upper pressure sensor.

5 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one pressure sensor defines multiple pressure sensors matrixed into an array and disposed in a mat.

6 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the user when seated on the vehicle seat and positioned against the seat back with the seat back in the normally upright position being in a direct path of the at least one airbag when the at least one airbag opens during the vehicle crash event.

7 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure sensor generates pressure signals defining a user pressure profile.

8 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the user is out-of-position if:
the vehicle seat is positioned in a reclined position or a semi-reclined position; and/or the user is out-of-position if the user has one or both user legs raised upward to rest one or both user feet on a control and instrumentation panel.

9 . A vehicle airbag and restraint system, comprising:
a vehicle seat positioned in a vehicle; multiple pressure sensors included with the vehicle seat to sense when a user is in contact with different elements of the vehicle seat, including a seat base and a seat back; a user restraint element provided with the vehicle seat; at least one airbag opened in response to a vehicle crash event; a controller determining a user posture of the user seated on the vehicle seat, the controller also including the user posture to infer the user is identified as being out-of-position to generate a signal to perform a dynamic suppression of the at least one airbag and a modification of the user restraint element; a user warning generated if the user is out-of-position; an in-vehicle camera system operated to identify if the user is out-of-position; an opt-in query requesting the user to enable the vehicle airbag and restraint system; and an override query provided when the user warning is generated providing the user an option to use the vehicle airbag and restraint system functionality for a predetermined trigger.

10 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 9 , including:
a seat pressure profile determined from the multiple pressure sensors; a comfort strategy for the user generated by the controller and applied to adjust multiple comfort elements to provide support and comfort for the user posture; and an unsafe user position determined from the user posture via the seat pressure profile applied to initiate the dynamic suppression of the at least one airbag and the modification of the user restraint element.

11 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 10 , wherein the unsafe user position when determined is used to generate a warning to the user.

12 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 11 , wherein a nature and frequency of the warning is adjusted based on user preferences, including:
an uncomfortable posture being defined as one of an excessive load on a lower back of the user, or an uneven pressure distribution of the user on the vehicle seat compared to a predetermined pressure distribution; and a user comfort is personalized applying user comfort preferences saved by the user.

13 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 12 , wherein the user comfort preferences define a preferred pressure profile applied as an input for a user centric detection.

14 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 11 , wherein an unsafe user posture is pre-defined when the user posture increases a risk for the user during the vehicle crash event.

15 . The vehicle airbag and restraint system of claim 9 , including:
inertial sensor data from the vehicle seat applied by the controller to account for vehicle motion and vibration on a contact pressure of the user sensed by the multiple pressure sensors; and information from vehicle sensors related to road conditions including pot holes, rumble strips and speed bumps, and traffic conditions applied by the controller to mitigate false positive signals directing the dynamic suppression of the at least one airbag and modification of the user restraint element.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Lalwala Mitesh
• Lin Chin-Hsu
• Mankame Nilesh D
• Warey Alok

Classifications

• B60R21/01538

  for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays · CPC title

• B60R21/0132

  responsive to vehicle motion parameters {, e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value} · CPC title

• B60R2021/01302

  monitoring vehicle body vibrations or noise · CPC title

• B60R2021/01304

  monitoring rough road condition · CPC title

• B60R21/01516 Primary

  using force or pressure sensing means · CPC title