Enhanced occupant seating inputs to occupant protection control system for the future car

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to determine seat orientation information; and

a control unit (i) comprising an interface configured to receive said seat orientation information and (ii) configured to (a) analyze said seat orientation information, (b) determine when to deploy a corrective measure comprising a lateral air bag curtain and (c) modify said corrective measure in response to said seat orientation information, wherein (A) said control unit (i) deploys said corrective measure using a default arrangement in a first mode and (ii) deploys said modified corrective measure in a second mode and (B) said corrective measure is configured to mitigate lateral contact between two or more occupants.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit determines said first mode when said seat orientation information indicates a default arrangement of seats in a vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit determines said second mode when said seat orientation indicates seats in a vehicle have been modified beyond a threshold.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said seat orientation information comprises an amount of sideways rotation of a vehicle seat with respect to a front facing position.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said rotation of said vehicle seat comprises a radian measurement determined with respect to a default rotation angle that is directed towards a front of a vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said seat orientation information comprises an angle of recline of a vehicle seat.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said (i) seat orientation information indicates that a vehicle occupant is rotated away from a front of a vehicle and in a reclined position and (ii) said corrective measure is modified to prevent said vehicle occupant from moving towards said front of said vehicle during a rapid deceleration scenario.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein (i) said seat orientation information further comprises an indication that a seatbelt is connected and (ii) said corrective measure is modified to lift a front of a bottom portion of a seat to align said seatbelt to prevent said vehicle occupant from moving towards said front of said vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein (i) said seat orientation information further comprises an indication that a seatbelt is not connected and (ii) said corrective measure is modified to lift a bottom portion of a seat and a backrest of a seat to block movement of said vehicle occupant towards said front of said vehicle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said corrective measure is modified to inhibit deployment of an occupant air bag.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein (i) said corrective measure is modified in response to said seat orientation information indicating a number of seats of a vehicle are rotated towards a center of said vehicle and (ii) said modified corrective measures deploy a vertical cross configured air bag from said center of said vehicle.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said seat orientation information comprises sensor data from each of a plurality of seats within a vehicle.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said corrective measures comprise at least one of electronic seatbelt controls, seat lifters and bags-in-belts.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said corrective measure is configured to mitigate lateral contact between an occupant and an object.