System and method for occupant height

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919670-B2
Application number	US-201514827331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2015
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An image is received from an image sensor. The image includes an occupant's head. A seated height of the occupant is determined based at least in part on a distance from the image sensor to the occupant's head, and a detected angle of a vehicle seat. A safety device is adjusted based at least in part on the seated height of the occupant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
receive an image including an occupant's head from an image sensor;
determine a seated height of the occupant from a top of a vehicle seat base, the seated height based at least in part on a distance from the image sensor to the occupant's head determined from the image, an eye height from the top of the vehicle seat base that is based on the distance from the image sensor to the occupant's head, and a detected angle of a vehicle seat;
receive an occupant weight from a weight sensor;
calculate a mass index based on the seated height and the occupant weight; and
adjust a seat belt payout rate of a safety belt based at least in part on the mass index.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to locate eye pupils in the image of the occupant.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine the seated height of the occupant based at least in part on a distance from the image sensor to the pupils.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine a head posture angle based on the image of the occupant.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the safety device is a seat belt, and the instructions include instructions to adjust a seat belt position based on the mass index.

6. A system, comprising:
an image sensor;
a seat including a seat back, a seat base, and an angle sensor disposed on the seat back; and
a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
receive an image including an occupant's head from the image sensor;
determine a seated height of the occupant from a top of the seat base, the seated height based at least in part on a distance from the image sensor to the occupant's head determined from the image, an eye height from the top of the seat base that is based on the distance from the image sensor to the occupant's head, and a detected angle of the seat;
receive an occupant weight from a weight sensor;
calculate a mass index based on the seated height and the occupant weight; and
adjust a seat belt payout rate of a safety belt based at least in part on the mass index.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine a head posture angle based on the image of the occupant.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the safety device is a seat belt, and the instructions include instructions to adjust a seat belt position based on the mass index.

9. A method, comprising:
receiving an image including an occupant's head from an image sensor;
determining a seated height of the occupant from a top of a vehicle seat base, the seated height based at least in part on a distance from the image sensor to the occupant's head determined from the image, an eye height from the top of the vehicle seat base that is based on the distance from the image sensor to the occupant's head, and a detected angle of a vehicle seat;
receive an occupant weight from a weight sensor;
calculate a mass index based on the seated height and the occupant weight; and
adjust a seat belt payout rate of a safety belt based at least in part on the mass index.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising locating eye pupils in the image of the occupant.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the safety device is a seat belt, the method further comprising adjusting a seat belt position based on the mass index.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Le Jialiang
• Rao Manoharprasad K
• Dong Ming

Classifications

• B60N2/48

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60R21/0152

  using strain gauges · CPC title

• B60R21/013

  including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over · CPC title

• B60R21/239

  characterised by their venting means · CPC title

• B60R21/015

  including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats {, and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use} · CPC title