JPH09315263A - On-vehicle controller with occupant detecting function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily detect whether a thing is placed on a front-seat passenger or not and whether an occupant exist on the front-seat passenger or not by detecting the existence of occupant on the basis of a change of the output of an ultrasonic receiver with the movement of an occupant sitting on a seat, and controlling an on- vehicle device on the basis of the detected output. SOLUTION: When an occupant 14 bends one's posture forward into the condition C, a standing wave is formed between a position X1 of an ultrasonic wave generating unit 10 and a position X3 of a body of the occupant 14 in the condition C. The constant number of wave of this standing wave is reduced, and the signal by the number of reduction is received by an ultrasonic wave receiver 12, and the signal is output from the ultrasonic wave receiver 12 during the time of a change of the occupant 14 from the condition B to the condition C. On the basis of this output, a discriminating circuit discriminates whether this movement is a movement of the occupant 14 on a front-seat passenger or a movement generated when a thing, which is placed on the front-seat passenger, is moved by the external force such as the acceleration when a brake or the like is operated, and automatically controls the operation of the on- vehicle device. Consequently, a judgment whether an occupant exists in a front-seat passenger or not and whether a thing is placed on the front-seat passenger or not is easily detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an on-vehicle controller with an occupant detection function for detecting whether an occupant is sitting on a seat of a vehicle or the like and controlling an in-vehicle device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, before describing a vehicle-mounted controller with an occupant detection function according to the present invention, a vehicle occupant protection device such as an airbag device will be described with reference to FIG. That is, FIG. 12 shows a vehicle occupant protection device provided so that both the driver's seat and the passenger's seat airbags are deployed in the event of an accident. Acceleration caused by a collision occurring in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is shown. A signal is input from the acceleration sensor 1 to the airbag deployment control circuit 2, and the scale of the collision is judged based on the magnitude and duration of the acceleration signal input therein, and a serious accident (an accident that causes a serious injury to a passenger or the like). )
If it is determined that the ignition current is supplied to the first detonator 3 for the driver's seat to drive the ignition, the airbag in the driver's seat is deployed, and the airbag for the passenger's seat is deployed via the deployment timing control circuit 4. The second and third detonators 5 and 6 for driving are driven at different timings to inflate the passenger airbag.

[0003]

However, in the vehicle occupant protection system as described above, for example, even when a driver is driving alone without a passenger, a collision accident occurs. When the vehicle is repaired and reused because the ignition current is supplied to all of the first, second and third detonators 3, 5, 6 even though no one is sitting in the passenger seat. However, there is a problem in that the vehicle occupant protection device cannot be partially replaced, but all must be replaced, which increases repair costs.

Therefore, in the United States and other countries, insurance companies have already made a move to reduce insurance premiums for systems with partial replacement, and the trend in the Japanese industry is when there is no passenger in the passenger seat. It is moving in a direction to prevent the airbag for the passenger seat from being deployed. So, the problem is, at present, a switch that turns on with load when sitting in the passenger seat, such as a mechanical seating switch, a sheet-like switch plate laid on the seat like a cushion, etc., The switch operated by the load has a problem that it is impossible to distinguish a luggage from a person.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an apparatus for automatically controlling the operation of an in-vehicle apparatus by easily distinguishing a luggage from a person with a simple principle and a simple configuration. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

An on-vehicle controller with an occupant detection function according to the present invention generates a standing wave between a chair and a sound wave generator mounted on the vehicle body side, and generates a sound wave within the standing wave generation region. A receiver is arranged, and based on a change in the output of the sound wave receiver accompanying the movement of the occupant sitting on the chair, an occupant detection unit for detecting the presence of the occupant is provided, and based on the detection output from the occupant detection unit. Control the in-vehicle device.

According to the present invention, if a human is sitting in the seat, the human always moves unlike a luggage. Therefore, if a standing wave is formed between the vehicle side and the human, the wave number of the standing wave will change when the human moves. Since it changes, it can be easily detected whether the object existing in the seat is a human being or an object by detecting it with a sound wave receiver. The operation of the vehicle-mounted device is automatically controlled based on the detected output.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1. An embodiment according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 9. 1 to 4 are diagrams for explaining the principle of the present invention. First, in FIG.
8 and 9, is an ultrasonic wave generator integrally provided with an airbag module 31 provided near the glove box 30 in front of the passenger seat.
The ultrasonic wave 13 is emitted toward the central portion of the backrest 32a of the passenger seat 32 by being driven by the oscillator 11 of FIG. On the other hand, the emitted ultrasonic waves 13 are reflected by the backrest 32a of the passenger seat 32 or the body of the occupant 14 sitting in the passenger seat 32, and the ultrasonic wave generator 10 and the backrest 32a of the passenger seat 32, or the passenger. A standing wave is generated between the body of the occupant 14 sitting in the seat 32 and the body.

The oscillator 11 starts oscillating when a door state switch (not shown) is switched from an off state to an on state when the door on the passenger seat 32 side is closed. When it is determined that a person is sitting in the passenger seat by the determination circuit 22 described later, the power supply from the power supply circuit 24 is stopped and the oscillation is stopped.

That is, the ultrasonic waves having a constant frequency f0 (Hz) generated by the ultrasonic generator 10 are occupants sitting in the passenger seat 32 (passengers in the B state shown by the thick solid line in FIG. 1) 14
Since a standing wave is formed between and, when the occupant 14 bends forward from the B position to the C position in front of the body, the standing wave changes and how the standing wave is detected. How to do this will be described below. First, in FIG. 1, between the position X1 of the ultrasonic generator 10 and the position X2 of the body of the occupant 14 in the B state, the ultrasonic wave 1 as shown in FIG.
3 is generated between the position X1 of the ultrasonic generator 10 and the position X2 of the body of the occupant 14 in the B state.
A node (or an antinode) of the ultrasonic wave 13 is located at every predetermined interval (determined by the relationship between frequency and sound velocity) T0 with reference to the position X1 of 0.

Here, when the occupant 14 bends his body forward to the C state (shown by a thin solid line in FIG. 1), the position X1 of the ultrasonic generator 10 and the position X3 of the body of the occupant 14 in the C state are set. As shown in Fig. 2 (B), the number of standing waves in the standing wave formed during the period decreases (1 in Fig. 2), and the reduced signal (Fig. 2 (C)) The ultrasonic receiver 12 outputs the signal shown in FIG. 2C while the occupant 14 is changed from the B state to the C state (or from the C state to the B state) by being received by the ultrasonic wave receiver 12.

Next, a case where the passenger 14 slides the passenger seat 32 forward will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, the ultrasonic waves of a constant frequency generated from the ultrasonic wave generator 10 generate a standing wave between the passenger sitting in the passenger seat 32 (shown by a thick solid line in FIG. 3).

Therefore, when the occupant 14 in the B state slides his / her body forward from the position X2 to reach the position X3 in the C state (shown by the thin solid line in FIG. 3), the position X1 of the ultrasonic generator 10 is reached. The number of waves standing between the body position X3 of the occupant 14 in the C state and the position X3 of the body of the occupant 14 in the C state is reduced by four, and the signals for the four waves are received by the ultrasonic receiver 12, and the occupant 14 is in the C state from the B state 2 from the ultrasonic receiver 12 to FIG.
The signal shown in (C) is output.

Next, based on the above principle, the ultrasonic receiver 1
The electrical processing method of the signal received by the device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. When the occupant 14 moves the seat in the front-rear direction and the occupant 14 changes the posture in the front-rear direction, for example, when the ultrasonic receiver 12 receives the wave shown in FIG. 6A, the output from the ultrasonic receiver 12 Signal (Fig. 6
(See (A)) is amplified by the amplifier circuit 16 and then supplied to the bandpass filter 17. Bandpass filter 17
The frequency band is set so as to extract only the signal component associated with the displacement of the occupant 14 (see FIG. 6B). 1
An absolute value circuit 8 takes the absolute value of the signal extracted by the band pass filter 17 (see FIG. 6C).

A Schmitt circuit 19 converts the signal C output from the absolute value circuit 18 into a pulse signal D and counts it with a counter 20. Reference numeral 21 denotes a distance calculation circuit, which calculates the movement amount (or displacement amount) of the occupant based on the count value of the counter 20. That is, this moving amount is calculated by (sound velocity / ultrasonic frequency) × count value.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a judgment circuit, which is the distance calculation circuit 21.
Each time the distance is calculated by, the time required for the movement, that is, the time required from the reception of the ultrasonic signal to the stop of the ultrasonic signal (or the time at which the ultrasonic signal is considered to be stopped) is calculated from the timing circuit 25. Based on the time signal, the calculated amount of movement by one motion of the human being and the time required for that are arranged in time series, and compared with the pattern stored in the pattern storage circuit 23. If it is judged that there is no passenger in the passenger seat 32 by judging whether it is the movement of the passenger or the movement when the object placed in the passenger seat 32 is moved by an external force such as acceleration generated by a brake operation or the like. The result is supplied to the control terminal X of the switch circuit 26 shown in FIG. 7 to turn off the switch function,
Moreover, a signal for turning off the power supply circuit 24 is output. Further, it is turned on when it is determined that there is an occupant in the passenger seat 32.

Next, the operation of the above structure will be described. For example, when the door is closed and the ignition switch is closed for traveling, power is supplied to each circuit from the power supply circuit 24 and the ultrasonic wave generator 10 keeps the constant frequency f0 (H).
The ultrasonic wave of z) is emitted toward the backrest 32a of the passenger seat 32. Therefore, for example, when the occupant 14 is seated in the passenger seat 32 and moves in the front-rear direction, a sine wave signal having a wave number proportional to the amount of movement is detected from the ultrasonic receiver 12, counted by the counter 20, and then the distance. When the distance is calculated by the calculation circuit 21 and compared with the pattern stored in the pattern storage circuit 23 by the determination circuit 22, when it is determined that the passenger 14 is in the passenger seat 32, the control of the switch circuit 26 shown in FIG. An ON signal is supplied to the terminal X to turn on the switch so that the detonators 5, 6 of the airbag on the passenger side can be driven based on the output from the deployment timing control circuit 4.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, 30a is a lid of the glove box, 31a is a lid for popping out and deploying the airbag, and 33 is a steering member.

Embodiment 2. Another embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. This embodiment detects whether or not there is an occupant 14 in the passenger seat 32, and when it judges that the occupant 14 is present, enables the passenger occupant protection device for the passenger seat and automatically operates the seat heater. It is a thing. That is, in FIG. 10, reference numeral 50 denotes an occupant detection means, which is included in the circuit configuration shown in FIG.
2. An amplifier circuit 16, a bandpass filter 17, an absolute value circuit 18, a Schmitt circuit 19, a counter 20, a distance calculation circuit 21, a judgment circuit 22, a pattern storage circuit 23, and a clock circuit 25, and it is judged that the occupant 14 is present. In that case, the signal X is supplied to the switch circuit 26 and the switch 54 described later as an ON signal. Reference numeral 51 denotes a battery, and an ignition switch 52, a seat heater switch 53, a switch 54, and a seat heater 55 are connected in series between both ends of the battery.

As a result, when the occupant 14 is seated in the passenger seat 32, the signal X is output from the occupant detection means 50, the switch circuit 26 and the switch 54 are turned on, and the occupant protection device provided for the passenger seat is provided. When the seat heater switch 53 is manually turned on, the seat heater 5 is automatically activated.
Electric power is supplied to 5 to generate heat.

Embodiment 3 Another embodiment to which the present invention is further applied will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, whether or not the passenger 14 is in the passenger seat 32 is detected, and when it is determined that the passenger 14 is not present, the air blowout from the vehicle air conditioner is automatically prevented from going toward the passenger seat. Is. That is, in FIG. 11, the arithmetic and control circuit 36 includes a vehicle interior temperature sensor 37 and a vehicle exterior temperature sensor 3.
8. Evaporator temperature sensor 39 and solar radiation sensor 40
The detection signals from the vehicle are input, and various signals for controlling the air blowing temperature and the like are created so that these signals match the setting signals from the temperature / air flow rate setting unit 41, and the vehicle interior temperature control means 4 is generated.
When 2 is controlled and the signal X from the occupant detection means 50 is supplied, it is determined that the occupant 14 is seated in the passenger seat 32, and the arithmetic control circuit 36 instructs the blower direction control means 43. When an instruction to create a signal for evenly blowing air to the passenger seat 32 and the driver's seat is made, and when it is determined that the passenger 14 is not seated in the passenger seat 32, the arithmetic control circuit 36 instructs the air blowing direction control means 43. To instruct to create a signal for blowing air only to the driver's seat 32.

Although the switch circuit 26 is used in each of the above embodiments, it goes without saying that the same function can be obtained by using an AND gate.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily detect whether an object is placed in the passenger seat or a person is present with a simple structure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of an occupant detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram for explaining the operation of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another principle of the occupant detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram for explaining the operation of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of an occupant detection device according to the present invention.

6 is a waveform explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the circuit block explanatory diagram of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment when the occupant detection device according to the present invention is applied to a vehicle occupant protection device such as an airbag device.

FIG. 8 is a vehicle explanatory view for explaining the embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of an instrument panel for explaining a state in which an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver are provided.

FIG. 10 is a circuit block explanatory diagram for explaining an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle occupant protection device and a seat heater.

FIG. 11 is a circuit block diagram for explaining another embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle occupant protection device and a vehicle air conditioner.

FIG. 12 is a circuit block explanatory diagram for explaining a general configuration of a conventional vehicle occupant protection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Acceleration Sensor 2 Airbag Deployment Control Circuit 3, 5, 6 Detonator 4 Deployment Timing Control Circuit 10 Ultrasonic Generator 11 Oscillator 12 Ultrasonic Receiver 13 Ultrasonic Wave 14 Crew 18 Absolute Value Circuit 20 Counter 21 Distance Calculation Circuit 22 Judgment Circuit 25 clock circuit 26 switch circuit (or AND gate) 43 air flow direction control means 50 occupant detection means 55 seat heater

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoichi Hashimoto 2-1910, Nisshin-cho, Omiya-shi, Saitama Prefecture Kansei Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Sei Horigoshi 2-1910 Nisshin-cho, Omiya-shi, Saitama Kansei Corporation ( 72) Inventor Yuko Demachi 2-1910 Nisshin-cho, Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture Kansei Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A standing wave is generated between a chair and a sound wave generator attached to the vehicle body, and a sound wave receiver is arranged in a region where the standing wave is generated, and the sound wave receiver accompanies movement of an occupant sitting on the chair. Based on the change in the output of the sound wave receiver,
An in-vehicle controller with an occupant detection function, comprising: an occupant detection unit for detecting the presence of the occupant;