Showing papers by "James E. Hubbard published in 1998"

Center of weight sensor

Abstract: A sensor system (10) preferably for use in a vehicle airbag deployment system employs spatial shading techniques and centroiding analysis to calculate an equivalent point load in two-dimensional space. The location of the equivalent point load, as well as the weight of the passenger as determined from the sensors (S1-S6), are used to construct a set of fuzzy set logic boundaries defining different modes of deploying the airbag. The fuzzy set logic boundaries may include a full deployment, soft deployment, no deployment and other intermediate deployment zones. In the event of a vehicle airbag incident, the airbag is deployed in accordance with the fuzzy set logic boundary in which the weight and equivalent point load of the vehicle occupant are located.