US Patent 7359527 Combined occupant weight and spatial sensing in a vehicle

Method and system for obtaining and optionally utilizing information about an occupant of a vehicle includes a weight sensor system arranged in connection with a bottom portion of a seat on which the occupant will be seated to provide data about weight of an occupant, and a spatial sensor system which monitors a space above the seat in which the occupant would be situated if seated in the seat to provide data about occupancy of the space above the seat. Information about the occupant is determined based on data provided by the weight sensor system and the spatial sensor system. The weight sensor system is a bladder arranged in the bottom portion or at least one strain gage mounted on structural members of the seat.