Vehicle occupant sensor system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738396-B2
Application number	US-201514853372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 14, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle occupant sensor system for determining an occupant load distribution in a vehicle having a plurality of passenger seats may include a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors associated with a different one of the plurality of passenger seats for detecting an occupant in each of the plurality of passenger seats, and a weight of the detected occupant; and a computer connected to receive data from each of the plurality of sensors indicative of the weight and passenger seat location in the vehicle of the detected occupant in each of the plurality of passenger seats, and calculate from the data a total weight and center of gravity of the detected occupants in the plurality of passenger seats.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle occupant sensor system for determining an occupant load distribution in a vehicle having a plurality of passenger seats, the sensor system comprising:
a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors mounted in a different one of the plurality of passenger seats for detecting a presence of an occupant in each of the plurality of passenger seats, and a weight of the detected occupant; and
a computer connected to receive data from each of the plurality of sensors indicative of the weight of the detected occupant and a passenger seat location in the vehicle of the detected occupant in each of the plurality of passenger seats, and is programmed to calculate from the data a total weight of and a center of gravity of the detected occupants in the plurality of passenger seats;
wherein the computer is programmed to calculate the center of gravity a plurality of times during one or both of occupant loading of the vehicle and occupant unloading of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer displays an alarm if the center of gravity shifts beyond a predetermined location on the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computer displays an alarm when the center of gravity shifts aft on the vehicle beyond a predetermined distance from a reference plane.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a remote alarm that includes a visual and/or audio alarm, that alerts baggage handlers if the center of gravity shifts aft of the vehicle beyond a predetermined distance from a reference plane.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensors is integrated into a selected one of a seat cushion and a seat bottom of the different one of the plurality of passenger seats.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of sensors is connected to a seat electronics unit located in a seat group associated with the different one of the plurality of passenger seats.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is a cabin system management unit.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is connected to a cabin system control panel, and wherein the computer displays information corresponding to a combined weight of the occupants and the center of gravity of the occupants of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensors transmits a first signal to the computer if the weight of the occupant of an associated one of the plurality of passenger seats is less than a first threshold, a second signal to the computer if the weight of the occupant of an associated one of the plurality of passenger seats is less than the first threshold and less than a second threshold, and a third signal to the computer if the weight of the occupant of an associated one of the plurality of passenger seats is greater than the second threshold.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first signal is indicative of a first passenger weight range, the second signal is indicative of a second passenger weight range, and the third signal is indicative of a third passenger weight range.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first signal is 0 pounds, the second signal is 87 pounds (39.5 kg.), and the third signal is 195 pounds (88.6 kg.).

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes load sensors.

13. An aircraft having a passenger cabin with a plurality of passenger seats and an occupant sensor system for determining an occupant load distribution, the sensor system comprising:
a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors mounted in a different one of the plurality of passenger seats for sensing a weight of an occupant of each of the plurality of passenger seats; and
a computer connected to receive data from each of the plurality of sensors indicative of the weight and a passenger seat location in the vehicle of the occupant of each of the plurality of passenger seats, and is programmed calculate from the data a center of gravity of the occupants of the plurality of passenger seats relative to the passenger cabin;
wherein the computer is programmed to calculate the center of gravity a plurality of times during one or both of occupant loading of the vehicle and occupant unloading of the vehicle.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the computer displays a total passenger weight and the center of gravity to a flight crew of the aircraft.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the computer notifies one or both of baggage handlers to stop unloading cargo from the aircraft, and the flight crew to stop unloading passengers from the aircraft if the computer detects an airplane weight imbalance condition resulting from the location of the center of gravity.

16. A method for determining an occupant load distribution in a vehicle having a plurality of passenger seats, the method comprising:
detecting a presence of an occupant of each of the plurality of passenger seats, and sensing a weight of each occupant with a plurality of sensors, in which each of the plurality of sensors is mounted in a different one of the plurality of passenger seats;
transmitting by the plurality of sensors to a computer data indicative of the detected presence of the occupant of each of the plurality of passenger seats, the sensed weight of each of the occupants, and passenger seat location in the vehicle of each of the occupants of each of the plurality of passenger seats; and
calculating from the data a plurality of times during one or both of occupant loading of the vehicle and occupant unloading of the vehicle a center of gravity of the occupants of the plurality of passenger seats relative to the vehicle by the computer.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising placing a sensor in each of the plurality of passenger seats, the sensor detecting the presence and the weight of the occupant in each of the plurality of passenger seats and transmitting the data.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising displaying an alarm if the center of gravity is beyond a predetermined location on the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising transmitting a first signal if the weight of the occupant of an associated one of the plurality of passenger seats is below a first threshold, a second signal if the weight of the occupant of an associated one of the plurality of passenger seats is between the first threshold and less than a second threshold, and a third signal if the weight of the occupant of an associated one of the plurality of passenger seats is greater than the second threshold.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising transmitting the first signal as 0 pounds, the second signal as 87 pounds (39.5 kg.), and the third signal as 195 pounds (88.6 kg.).

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Regan Casey Charles
• Ayres Stephen William

Classifications

• B64D9/00 Primary

  Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like · CPC title

• G01M1/125

  of aircraft · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G08B5/00 Primary

  Visible signalling systems, e.g. visible personal calling systems or remote indication of seats occupied · CPC title

• G08B3/10

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title