System and method for obtaining information about components in a vehicle in which reflective devices are arranged in association with each component, a detector detects waves reflected by the reflective device(s), and a processor obtains information about the components from the detected waves. Reflection of waves from each reflective device is transformed into information about the reflective device, such as deriving the distance between the reflective device and the detector from the reflected waves and transforming this distance determination into a determination of the position of the component. In addition to or instead of the position of the component, the orientation of the component can be determined, or the presence of the component. Information derived from the reflective device(s) can be used to control any number and variety of vehicular systems, such as an occupant protection system.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a:
1. a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/058,706 filed Jan. 28, 2002 which is: A. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/543,678 filed Apr. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,813, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/047,704 filed Mar. 25, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,638, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/640,068 filed Apr. 30, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,782, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/239,978 filed May 9, 1994, now abandoned; B. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/891,432 filed Jun. 26, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,833, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/838,920 filed Apr. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,672, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/563,556 filed May 3, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,683, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/437,535 filed Nov. 10, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,387, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/047,703 filed Mar. 25, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,139, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/640,068 filed Apr. 30, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,782, the history of which is set forth above; and
2. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/365,129 filed Feb. 12, 2003 which is: A. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,533 filed Apr. 2, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,248; and B. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/151,615 filed May 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,897, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/543,678 filed Apr. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,813, the history of which is set forth above, and a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/891,432, filed Jun. 26, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,833, the history of which is set forth above; and
3. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/413,426 filed Apr. 14, 2003 which is: A. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/437,535 filed Nov. 10, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,387, the history of which is set forth above; B. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/838,920 filed Apr. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,672, the history of which is set forth above: C. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,533 filed Apr. 2, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,248; and D. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/151,615 filed May 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,897, the history of which is set forth above; and
4. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/733,957 filed Dec. 11, 2003 which is: A. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/437,535 filed Nov. 10, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,387, the history of which is set forth above; B. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/838,920 filed Apr. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,672, the history of which is set forth above; C. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,533 filed Apr. 2, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,248; and D. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/151,615 filed May 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,897, the history of which is set forth above; and
5. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/931,288 filed Aug. 31, 2004, which is: A. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,533 filed Apr. 2, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,248; B. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/151,615 filed May 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,897, the history of which is set forth above; C. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/227,780 filed Aug. 26, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,022, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/838,920 filed Apr. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,672, the history of which is set forth above; and D. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/805,903 filed Mar. 22, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,050,897, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/174,709, filed Jun. 19, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,506, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,533 filed Apr. 2, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,248; and
6. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/940,881 filed Sep. 13, 2004 which is: A. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,533 filed Apr. 2, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,248; B. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/151,615 filed May 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,897, the history of which is set forth above; C. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/227,780 filed Aug. 26, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,022, the history of which is set forth above; and D. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/805,903 filed Mar. 22, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,050,897, the history of which is set forth above; and
7. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/025,501 filed Jan. 3, 2005;
8. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/455,497 filed Jun. 19, 2006;
9. a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/502,039 filed Aug. 10, 2006.
This application contains common subject matter as U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/084,641 filed May 26, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,978, 09/737,138 filed Dec. 14, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,414, 10/356,202 filed Jan. 31, 2002, now U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,793,242, and 10/895,121, filed Jul. 21, 2004.
All of the above-referenced applications are incorporated by reference herein.
