Occupant Classification and Airbag Deployment Suppression Based on Weight

1 . A method for obtaining information about an occupant of a motor vehicle for the purpose of controlling a component of the vehicle based on the obtained information, comprising:

arranging a sensor in connection with a seat upon which the occupant is situated;

determining weight of the occupant via the sensor when the occupant occupies the seat; and

classifying the occupant based on the determined weight, the classification of the occupant being used in the control of the component of the vehicle.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a strain gage arranged to measure strain in a member arising from occupancy of the seat by the occupant, the measured strain being correlatable to weight.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a bladder arranged in the seat and containing fluid, fluid pressure arising from occupancy of the seat by the occupant being correlatable to weight.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is a seat, further comprising adjusting the seat based on the occupant's classification.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a table in which different control parameters for the component are stored in association with classifications such that upon operative classification of the occupant, the stored control parameters associated with that classification are retrieved and applied to the component.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

enabling the occupant to manually control the component; and

forming a second table in which the control parameters for the component after manual adjustment by the occupant are stored in association with the classifications such that upon operative classification of the occupant, the stored control parameters associated with that classification in the second table, if any, are retrieved and applied to the component.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is arranged underneath a cushion of the seat.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is arranged on a support structure of the seat.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is arranged in a cushion of the seat.

10 . A method for controlling deployment of an airbag of a vehicle, comprising:

arranging a sensor in connection with a seat upon which the occupant to be protected upon deployment of the airbag is situated;

determining weight of the occupant via the sensor when the occupant occupies the seat; and

suppressing deployment of the airbag based in part on the determined weight.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a plurality of morphological characteristics of the occupant, the step of determining weight of the occupant being one of the morphological characteristics, deployment of the airbag being suppressed based on the determined morphological characteristics.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining whether the occupant is out-of-position for the deployment of the airbag based on the determined morphological characteristics, deployment of the airbag being suppressed when the occupant is determined to be out-of-position.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of determining the plurality of morphological characteristics further includes determining the height of the occupant when the occupant occupies the seat.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor comprises a strain gage arranged to measure strain in a member arising from occupancy of the seat by the occupant, the measured strain being correlatable to weight.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor comprises a bladder arranged in the seat and containing fluid, fluid pressure arising from occupancy of the seat by the occupant being correlatable to weight.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is arranged underneath a cushion of the seat.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is arranged on a support structure of the seat.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is arranged in a cushion of the seat.

19 . An apparatus for mounting a seat on a substrate in a vehicle, comprising

a support structure comprising at least one elongate slide mechanism adapted to be mounted on the substrate and at least one support member for coupling the seat to said at least one slide mechanism, each of said at least one support member comprising an angled structure for connecting a side of the seat to a respective one of said at least one slide mechanism,

at least one strain gage transducer arranged on each of said at least one support member and arranged to provide a measurement of the strain of said at least one support member at the location at which said strain gage transducer is mounted, and

a control system coupled to said at least one strain gage transducer for determining the weight of the occupying item of the seat based on the strain of said at least one support member measured by said at least one strain gage transducer.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said at least one strain gage transducer is arranged on said angled structure.

21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each of said at least one support member further comprises a gusset extending between two locations on said angled structure, said at least one strain gage transducer being arranged on said gusset.