JPH07237487A - In-seat detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect height of a person seated, by utilizing pressure distribution in a back rest part of a seat. CONSTITUTION:When a person is seated, deformation by movement of the human body is received by the first/second pressure sensing detecting means 1, 7 arranged in a back rest part of a set 11, to generate voltage by a piezoelectric effect. In an output of the first pressure sensing detecting means 1, after passing through the first wave filter means 2, amplitude of a pressure sensing signal is enlarged by the first amplifying means 3. Output of the first amplifying means 3, after converted into a digital signal in the first D/A converting means 4, is input to a signal processing means 5. Similarly, also an output of the second pressure sensing detecting means 7 is input to the signal processing means 5 via a similar process. In the inside of the signal processing means 5, by ratio of an output of the first wave filter means 2 to an output of the second wave filter means 8, height of the human body seated is estimated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an occupant detection device for detecting the presence or absence of a person in a seat and the size of a human body in the seat. It is used for grasping the size and vacant seats, air-conditioning control in the vehicle, sound field control, etc.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of seat detection device, for example, microswitches are arranged in a seat, and it has been determined that the microswitch is closed due to a load when a human body is seated and a person is seated.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned device has a problem that the height (size) of a seated person is unknown.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The first object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a plurality of pressure-sensitive detection means on the backrest of a seat to detect the height of a seated person based on these output signals. And

Further, when the seated person is small, for example, in the vehicle, the state inside the vehicle, such as raising the seat, cannot be changed by the human body, which makes it inconvenient and uncomfortable because the outside cannot be seen from the vehicle window. It was A second object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of pressure-sensitive detection means on the backrest of a seat to detect the height of a seated person based on these output signals, and to detect the height of the seated person. The state of the seat is accordingly changed to provide a comfortable sitting comfort.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the seating detection device according to the present invention comprises at least two or more pressure-sensitive detection means provided on a seat back portion and a plurality of the pressure-sensitive detection means. It has a signal processing means for processing the output and a display means for displaying the output of the signal processing means.

In order to achieve the second object, the seating detection apparatus of the present invention is such that at least two pressure-sensitive detection means provided on the seat and the seat back portion, and outputs of the plurality of pressure-sensitive detection means. And a seat drive means for changing the state of the seat according to the output of the signal processing means.

[0008]

According to the present invention, with the above-described structure, the height of a person who is sitting can be easily detected by using the pressure sensing means.

Further, the state of the seat is changed according to the height of the person so as to provide a comfortable sitting feeling for the person who is sitting.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the presence detection device. 1 is the first for detecting a pressure change on the seat surface caused by a seated person.
Of the first pressure sensitive detection means 1, 2 is a first filtering means for filtering only a specific frequency component of the signal from the first pressure sensitive detection means 1, and 3 is a first amplifying means for amplifying the output of the first filtering means 2. 1, 1 is amplification means, 4 is first A / D conversion means for A / D converting the output of the first amplification means 3, and 5 is signal processing means for processing the signals of the first A / D conversion means 4, 6 is a display means for displaying the processing result of the signal processing means 5, 7 is a second pressure sensing means for detecting a pressure change on the seat surface caused by a seated person, 8
Is a second filtering means for filtering only a specific frequency component of the signal from the second pressure sensing means 7, 9 is a second amplifying means for amplifying the output of the second filtering means 7, Second
The second A / D converting means 11 for A / D converting the output of the amplifying means 9 is a seat.

Next, the operation of the configuration of the present invention will be described. First
As the pressure-sensitive detection means 1 and the second pressure-sensitive detection means 7, for example, a polymeric piezoelectric material such as polyvinylidene fluoride processed into a thin film is formed into a thin film and flexible electrode films are attached to both surfaces to form a tape. It is a molded one, here seat 11
It is placed under the table cloth.

When the human body is seated, the first pressure-sensitive detecting means 1 and the second pressure-sensitive detecting means 7 arranged on the backrest of the seat 11 are deformed by the body motion of the human body, and a voltage is generated by the piezoelectric effect. To do. The output signal of the pressure-sensitive detection means arranged in the seat includes signals based on various information such as the movement of the human body and the vibration peculiar to the seat. Therefore, the output of the first pressure-sensitive detection means 1 passes through the first filtering means 2 in which an optimum frequency for extracting the vibration of the human body is preset, and then the first amplification means 3 outputs the pressure-sensitive signal of the pressure-sensitive signal. Increase the amplitude. The output of the first amplification means 3 is the first D / A conversion means 4
The signal is converted into a digital signal by and then input to the signal processing means 5. The signal processing means 5 performs signal processing such as autocorrelation processing of the signal so as to extract the vibration of the human body from the signal of the first pressure sensitive detection means 1. If the signal processing means 5 cannot detect the vibration of the human body well, the signal detecting means 5 may send a control signal to change the center frequency or band frequency of the first filtering means 2.

Similarly, the output of the second pressure sensitive detecting means 7 passes through the second filtering means 8 and then the second amplifying means 9 increases the amplitude of the pressure sensitive signal. The output of the second amplification means 9 is converted into a digital signal by the second D / A conversion means 10 and then input to the signal processing means 5. Here, when the signal processing means 5 cannot detect the vibration of the human body well, the signal detecting means 5
Alternatively, the control signal may be sent from the control unit to change the center frequency or band frequency of the second filtering means 8.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In FIG. 1, the first pressure-sensitive detection means 1 is arranged at a higher position than the second pressure-sensitive detection means 7. The outputs of the first filtering means 2 and the second filtering means 8 are shown in FIG. In FIG. 2A, x is the output of the first filtering means 2 and y is the output of the second filtering means. In this case, when a tall person is seated, the human body has reached the first pressure-sensitive detection means. Therefore, it can be seen that large signals are generated from both the first pressure sensitive detection means 1 and the second pressure sensitive detection means 7 due to the vibration of the human body. In FIG. 2B, x is the output of the first filtering means 2 and y is the output of the second filtering means. In this case, when a person with a short height is seated, the human body does not reach the first pressure sensitive detection means. Therefore, the output due to the vibration of the human body is large only from the second pressure sensing means 7. This means that the first pressure-sensitive detection means 1 detects only the fluctuation of the outer cloth of the seat 11 due to the vibration of the human body.

The output is classified as shown in FIG.
In FIG. 3, a region x has a sufficient height when the output of the first filtering means 2 and the output of the second filtering means 8 are approximately proportional to each other and the human body is in contact with the two pressure-sensitive means substantially equally. It can be presumed that the pressure-sensitive detection means 1 of No. 1 has reached. Figure 3
The region y of 1 is a pressure-sensitive detecting means whose height is the first when the output of the second filtering means 8 is substantially larger than the output of the first filtering means 2 and the human body is in strong contact with the lower pressure-sensitive means. It can be estimated that it has not reached 1. Furthermore, the region z in FIG.
When the output of the filtering means 2 is substantially larger than the output of the second filtering means 8, it means that a large signal is generated in the upper part of the backrest. For example, it can be presumed that something is hooked on the backrest part, or that the human body is hugging only from above the seat 11 to the upper part. It is possible to estimate the height of the human body sitting on the basis of the signal of the pressure-sensitive detecting means by inserting the judgment standard or the like based on this region in the signal processing means 5.

The signal processing means 5 estimates the height of the seated person by the extracted vibration of the human body and outputs the information to the display means 6. When an acoustic display means such as a buzzer is used as the display means 6, by changing the frequency of the buzzer according to the height of the seated human body, it is possible to perceive how high a person is currently seated.

Another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 12 is a seat drive means for adjusting the height of the seat 11 by the output of the signal processing means 5. Similar to the above embodiment, the height of the human body sitting on the seat can be grasped by the outputs of the first filtering means 2 and the second filtering means 8. The signal processing means 5 outputs a signal to the seat driving means 12 so as to change the state of the seat 11 according to the estimated height. For example, when adjusting the height of the seat, when it is determined that the height is small, the seat drive means 12 raises the height of the seat by a certain amount.

Description will be given of a case where the seat is used in a vehicle. When a short child sits down, the outside may not be visible from the car window and the child may not be able to rest. However, the use of this device raises the seat so that even a child can fully see through the car window. For this reason, children who were uncomfortable in the front passenger seat and who were at risk of driving can enjoy the outside scenery leisurely, and the driver can concentrate on driving as well. Can be obtained. Furthermore, although the seat height is changed in the above embodiment, the seat angle and temperature may be controlled.

Although the acoustic means is used as the display means in the above-mentioned embodiment, it can be understood by displaying with a light emitting means such as an LED. For example, by changing the brightness of the LED, the blinking pattern, or the like depending on the height of the person, it is possible to perceive how high the person is currently sitting. Further, it is possible to use an image display means as the display means and display the height of the seat back portion on the vertical axis and the output signal strength from the pressure sensitive detection means on the horizontal axis.

In the above embodiment, the acoustic means is used as the display means, but the height of the human body estimated so that it can be directly connected to another control device or measuring equipment as the output of the signal processing means 5 is used. It may be converted into a voltage and output. The display means 6 may send a code corresponding to this voltage to another measuring device with the device address added. For example, it becomes possible to assemble the height signal into a code that enables data exchange by GP-IB and then output it to another measuring device.

In the above embodiment, the signal processing means 5
When the vibration of the human body cannot be detected successfully, the control signal is sent from the signal detecting means 5 so that the center frequency and band frequency of the first filtering means 2 and the second filtering means 8 can be changed. However, when the user changes the setting of the first filtering unit 2 or the second filtering unit 8 or wants to know other information, the user directly operates the setting unit 13 and the first processing unit 5 through the signal processing unit 5. The settings of the filtering means 2 and the second filtering means 8 may be adjusted. This allows the seated object to be determined even if it is not a human body.

When the above seat detection device is used, for example, when it is applied to a seat in a vehicle, the seat belt tightening condition of the safety system is controlled according to the height of the seated human body,
It can be applied to control of air-conditioning blowouts. Also, in an environment where a plurality of seats are used, for example, in a theater or the like, by grasping the number of human bodies with small heights as children, it can be used for air conditioning and assortment of goods in shops. Similarly, when it is used as a seat in an aircraft, a human body with a short height is presumed to be a child, so that it can be used for attention to services and emergency response.

In the above-described embodiment, the output of the filtering means is amplified and then D / A converted and the signal processing is digitized. However, there is no problem even if all the analog signals are processed. .

[0024]

As described above, according to the biological information processing apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The vibration of the seated human body is extracted from the pressure change on the surface of the seat back using the pressure-sensitive detection means that can be easily installed, and the height of the human body is estimated from the state of the vibration signal. be able to.

(2) The state of the seat can be changed depending on the estimated height of the seated human body, and the person using the seat can be made comfortable.

(3) By using an acoustic display means such as a buzzer as the display means, the size of the height can be output as acoustic information and the height can be perceived without seeing the human body in which another person is seated.

(4) By using an image display means such as a CRT as the display means, it becomes possible to two-dimensionally perceive the body pressure distribution of the backrest portion, so that the sitting state can be observed in more detail.

(5) By having a function of displaying an electric signal connectable to the detection / measurement device as the display means, connection with the conventional measurement device or other control device is facilitated, and a wider range of measurement and seat-surrounding Control becomes possible.

(6) Since the band frequency of the center frequency of the filtering means can be changed from the outside, the user can more easily select the information to be measured by his / her own will.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an occupancy detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 (a) is an output waveform diagram of a filtering means when a tall person is seated in the same device; and (b) is an output waveform diagram of a filtering means when a short person is seated in the same device.

FIG. 3 is an output distribution diagram of a filtering means of the same device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an occupancy detection device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st pressure sensitive detection means 5 Signal processing means 6 Display means 7 2nd pressure sensitive detection means 12 Seat drive means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Yoshiaki Watanabe 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Honda R & D Center

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. At least two pressure-sensitive detection means provided on a seat back portion, signal processing means for processing outputs of the plurality of pressure-sensitive detection means, and display means for displaying outputs of the signal processing means. An occupancy detection device having. 2. A seat and at least two or more pressure-sensitive detection means provided on a seat back portion, signal processing means for processing outputs of the plurality of pressure-sensitive detection means, and the seat by the output of the signal processing means. Presence detection device having a seat drive unit that changes the state of the seat. 3. The presence detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means is an acoustic display means for generating an audible signal. 4. The presence detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means is a video display means for generating a visible signal. 5. The presence detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means is an electric signal display means for generating an electric signal connectable to other detection and measurement equipment. 6. The present invention as set forth in claim 1, further comprising filtering means for filtering only a specific frequency component of the signal from the pressure sensitive detection means, and setting means for adjusting the frequency band of this filtering means. Seat detection device.