Method and apparatus for sensing a rearward facing child seat

Claim 1

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: sensing means for sensing the presence and orientation of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable occupant restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said sensing means senses said child restraining seat on said occupant seat in a predetermined orientation.

Claim 2

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: sensing means for sensing the presence and orientation of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable occupant restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said sensing means senses said child restraining seat on said occupant seat in a predetermined orientation.

Claim 12

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an occupant air bag, comprising: means for detecting the presence and orientation of an identifiable device within an occupant location on an occupant seat of the vehicle and providing an electrical signal indicative of the presence and orientation of said identifiable device within said occupant location; and means for preventing actuation of said air bag when said signal from said detecting means indicates the presence and a predetermined orientation of said identifiable device within said occupant location.

Claim 13

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an occupant air bag, comprising: means for detecting the presence and orientation of an identifiable device within an occupant location on an occupant seat of the vehicle and providing an electrical signal indicative of the presence and orientation of said identifiable device within said occupant location; and means for preventing actuation of said air bag when said signal from said detecting means indicates the presence and a predetermined orientation of said identifiable device within said occupant location.

Claim 14

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an air bag restraint when a child restraining seat is present and rearward facing on an associated occupant seat location, said apparatus comprising: identifiable tag means secured to said child restraining seat at a predetermined location for permitting identification of said child restraining seat and for permitting determination of whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing; sensing means for detecting the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location and for providing an electrical signal indicative of (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing; and means for preventing deployment of said air bag when said signal from said sensing means indicates (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) said child restraining seat is rearward facing.

Claim 15

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an air bag restraint when a child restraining seat is present and rearward facing on an associated occupant seat location, said apparatus comprising: identifiable tag means secured to said child restraining seat at a predetermined location for permitting identification of said child restraining seat and for permitting determination of whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing; sensing means for detecting the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location and for providing an electrical signal indicative of (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing; and means for preventing deployment of said air bag when said signal from said sensing means indicates (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) said child restraining seat is rearward facing.

Claim 21

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an air bag restraint when a child restraining seat is present and rearward facing on an associated occupant seat location, said apparatus comprising: identifiable tag means secured to said child restraining seat at a predetermined location for permitting identification of said child restraining seat and for permitting a determination of whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing, said identifiable tag means being made from an amorphous material that changes magnetic permeability when subjected to an electromagnetic field ("EMF") energy signal, changes in said magnetic permeability effecting generating of a return EMF signal; sensing means for detecting the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location and for providing an electrical signal indicative of (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing, said sensing means including an antenna coil for transmitting an EMF energy signal to subject said tag to said EMF energy signal so that said tag produces an EMF return signal, said antenna coil receiving said return EMF signal from said tag and transforming said return EMF signal into a received electric signal; said sensing means further including bandpass filter means operatively connected to said antenna coil for passing said received electric signal having a predetermined frequency; converter means operatively connected to said bandpass filter means for converting said passed received electric signal to a digital HIGH when said return EMF signal from said tag is present and said child restraining seat is in a rearward facing direction and a digital LOW when said return EMF signal from said tag is not present; means for preventing deployment of said air bag when said signal from said converter means indicates (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) said child restraining seat is in a rearward facing direction; and indicator means operatively connected to said means for preventing deployment for actuating said indicator means when said air bag restraint is prevented from being actuated.

Claim 22

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an air bag restraint when a child restraining seat is present and rearward facing on an associated occupant seat location, said apparatus comprising: identifiable tag means secured to said child restraining seat at a predetermined location for permitting identification of said child restraining seat and for permitting a determination of whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing, said identifiable tag means being made from an amorphous material that changes magnetic permeability when subjected to an electromagnetic field ("EMF") energy signal, changes in said magnetic permeability effecting generating of a return EMF signal; sensing means for detecting the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location and for providing an electrical signal indicative of (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) whether said child restraining seat is rearward facing, said sensing means including an antenna coil for transmitting an EMF energy signal to subject said tag to said EMF energy signal so that said tag produces an EMF return signal, said antenna coil receiving said return EMF signal from said tag and transforming said return EMF signal into a received electric signal; said sensing means further including bandpass filter means operatively connected to said antenna coil for passing said received electric signal having a predetermined frequency; converter means operatively connected to said bandpass filter means for converting said passed received electric signal to a digital HIGH when said return EMF signal from said tag is present and said child restraining seat is in a rearward facing direction and a digital LOW when said return EMF signal from said tag is not present; means for preventing deployment of said air bag when said signal from said converter means indicates (i) the presence of said identifiable tag means within said associated occupant seat location, and (ii) said child restraining seat is in a rearward facing direction; and indicator means operatively connected to said means for preventing deployment for actuating said indicator means when said air bag restraint is prevented from being actuated.

Claim 23

A method for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: sensing the presence and orientation of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle; and preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said child restraining seat is sensed as being present and in a predetermined orientation on said occupant seat.

Claim 24

A method for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: sensing the presence and orientation of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle; and preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said child restraining seat is sensed as being present and in a predetermined orientation on said occupant seat.

Claim 31

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: sensing means for sensing presence of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle, said sensing means including means for sensing an electromagnetic field emanating from said child restraining seat; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said sensing means senses said child restraining seat on said occupant seat.

Claim 32

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: sensing means for sensing presence of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle, said sensing means including means for sensing an electromagnetic field emanating from said child restraining seat; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said sensing means senses said child restraining seat on said occupant seat.

Claim 35

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: field effecting means carried by a child restraining seat for effecting an electromagnetic field; sensing means for providing said electromagnetic field and for sensing the effect of said field effecting means carried by said child restraining seat; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said sensing means senses the presence of said field effecting means carried by said child restraining seat.

Claim 36

An apparatus for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: field effecting means carried by a child restraining seat for effecting an electromagnetic field; sensing means for providing said electromagnetic field and for sensing the effect of said field effecting means carried by said child restraining seat; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said sensing means senses the presence of said field effecting means carried by said child restraining seat.

Claim 37

A method for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: sensing presence of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle by sensing an electromagnetic field emanating from said child restraining seat; and preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said child restraining seat is sensed as being present on said occupant seat.

Claim 38

A method for preventing actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: sensing presence of a child restraining seat on an occupant seat of the vehicle by sensing an electromagnetic field emanating from said child restraining seat; and preventing actuation of said actuatable occupant restraining device when said child restraining seat is sensed as being present on said occupant seat.

Claim 40

An apparatus for preventing activation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: sensing means located in a seat of the vehicle for generating an electromagnetic field; identifier means attachable to a child restraining seat, said identifier means being powered by said electromagnetic field generated by said sensing means for generating a distinctive return signal indicative of the presence of said child restraining seat, said sensing means having means for receiving said distinctive return signal; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable restraining device when said sensing means senses said distinctive return signal.

Claim 41

An apparatus for preventing activation of an actuatable occupant restraining device of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: sensing means located in a seat of the vehicle for generating an electromagnetic field; identifier means attachable to a child restraining seat, said identifier means being powered by said electromagnetic field generated by said sensing means for generating a distinctive return signal indicative of the presence of said child restraining seat, said sensing means having means for receiving said distinctive return signal; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to said actuatable restraining device for preventing actuation of said actuatable restraining device when said sensing means senses said distinctive return signal.