METHOD OF PREDICTING AN EMPTY SEAT CONDITION IN AN OCCUPANCY SENSING SYSTEM

A method of predicting an empty seat condition for a vehicle seat having an occupancy sensing system with a sensor array assembly. The method includes determining a first resultant value based on the change between the differences among a first series of sensor readings taken from the sensor array over a predetermined period of time, and determining a second resultant value based on the change between the differences among a second series of sensor readings taken over a different predetermined period of time. The first and second resultant values are summed and if the summed value is negative the change in the first and second resultant values is calculated in terms of time to determine if it is greater than a predetermined value. Further, the the vehicle seat is classified as empty if the summed value is negative and calculated change is greater than the predetermined amount.