SEAT OCCUPANCY DETERMINATION APPARATUS AND SEAT OCCUPANCY DETERMINATION METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seat occupancy determination apparatus and a seat occupancy determination method, which can accurately determine a state of seating on a vehicle seat.;SOLUTION: A controller 3 adds up loads detected by a pair of seat occupancy sensors 2R, 2L installed on a vehicle seat to calculate a total load WR+WL. If it is detected that the total load WR+WL has remained equal to or greater than a third threshold load W3 for a prescribed period of time, the controller determines that the vehicle seat 1 is in an "adult seated state", and, if it is detected that the total load WR+WL has remained smaller than the third threshold load W3 for a prescribed period of time and that a buckle of a seat belt device is engaged, the controller determines that the vehicle seat 1 is in a "child seat fastened state". Once a first threshold time T1 has passed after determination of the "child seat fastened state", the controller 3 maintains the "child seat fastened state" without making a transition of the determination result to the "adult seated state" even when the total load WR+WL becomes equal to or greater than the third threshold load W3.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT