IP Library Granted Patent US 9,919,670
Granted Patent B2
US 9,919,670 · App. 14/827,331 · Granted Mar 20, 2018

System and method for occupant height

Inventors: Jialiang Le (Canton, MI); Manoharprasad K. Rao (Novi, MI); Ming Dong (Troy, MI)
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
B60R21/01516B60R21/01538B60R21/01552B60N2/02B60N2/0252B60N2/48B60N2/62B60N2/64B60N2/66B60N2/68B60R16/037B60R21/013B60R21/015B60R21/0152B60R21/16B60R21/239B60R21/276B60R2021/01265
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,919,670
App. No.
14/827,331
Granted
Mar 20, 2018
Kind
B2
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.

Claims (29)

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.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2015
From: LE, JIALIANG; RAO, MANOHARPRASAD K.; DONG, MING
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 036334/0615 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 14741575 · Jun 17, 2015
Related Publication 20160368452A1 · Dec 22, 2016