Seat Occupant Sensor: Description and Operation

OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR (OCS)

DESCRIPTION
The system is intended to classify the occupancy status of the front passenger seat in a motor vehicle based upon the measured force on the bottom seat cushion.
The system also communicates to the SRSCM whether to allow or inhibit the deployment of the passenger airbags and/or pretensioner based upon this status. The system should not be confused with an occupant position recognition system, or any other occupant proximity sensor.
The Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) utilizes bladder placed between the passenger seat cushion and suspension to measure the occupant's loading force on the vehicle seat. The bladder is connected to pressure sensor and ultimately to an electronic control unit (ECU). Both of which are mounted under the seat pan. The quantitative force determined by the system is compared to a given threshold for determination of passenger airbag suppression.
1. Topper Board : Provide stable and smooth reaction surface for Bladder, together with Felt Pad.
2. Bladder : Sense occupant weight and provide fluid pressure input to Pressure Sensor.
3. Push pins : Use to secure the Bladder assembly on the seat pan and maintain the correct Bladder position during seat assembly.
4. BACKER Board : Provide stable and smooth reaction surface for Bladder, together with Felt Pad.
5. Felt Pad : Provide stable reaction surface for Bladder, together with Backer Board, and protect Bladder Assembly from the seat frame environment.
6. ECU : Utilizing data from the Pressure Sensor, BTS (Belt Tension sensor), and Compensation Tables, determine if PAB (Passenger Airbag) will be suppressed.
7. Pressure Sensor : Sense pressure input from Bladder and covert the pressure input to a voltage signal for ECU