Control device and control method for occupant protection device

• US 10,358,103 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawahara, Terumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinle, Courtney D
• Application Number:
  US15/470,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20170349126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

A control device for an occupant protection device includes a power supply unit and a controller. The power supply unit performs supply of power to a squib for activating the occupant protection device. The controller causes the power supply unit to perform the supply of power at a first timing when a first condition is satisfied and causes the power supply unit to perform the supply of power at a second timing when a second condition is satisfied. At least one of the controller and the power supply unit prohibits, for a predetermined time after performing the supply of power at an earlier one timing of the first and second timings, the supply of power at another timing when the first and second conditions are satisfied.

Claims

1. A control device that controls activation of occupant protection devices each of which include a squib, the control device comprising:

a power supply circuit that supplies power from a power source to one or more squibs for activating one or more devices of the occupant protection devices; and

a controller operatively connected to the power supply circuit, the controller being programmed to;

determine whether a first condition for activating first two or more devices of the occupant protection devices is satisfied;

determine whether a second condition for activating second one or more devices of the occupant protection devices is satisfied;

in response to the first condition being satisfied, cause the power supply circuit to perform the supply of power to first two or more squibs of the first two or more occupant protection devices corresponding to the first condition at timings that are different between a part and a remaining of the first two or more occupant protection devices;

in response to the second condition being satisfied, cause the power supply circuit to perform the supply of power to second one or more squibs of the second one or more occupant protection devices corresponding to the second condition at a timing, the second one or more occupant protection devices being included in the remaining of the first two or more occupant protection devices; and

in response to the first and second conditions being satisfied simultaneously or continuously, perform the supply of power to the second one or more squibs and first one or more squibs of the part of the first two or more occupant protection devices at a first timing, and then prohibit the supply of power to the second one or more squibs to perform the supply of power to first one or more squibs of the remaining of the first two or more occupant protection devices except for the second one or more occupant protection devices at a second timing that is after the first timing.

2. The control device for the occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is further programmed to transmit an activation signal to the power supply circuit in response to each of the first and second conditions being satisfied, and

the power supply circuit comprises:

an output circuit that outputs power to the squib; and

a driver that causes the output circuit to supply the power to the squib when receiving the activation signal from the controller.

3. The control device for the occupant protection device according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further programmed to prohibit transmission of the activation signal corresponding to the second timing for a predetermined time after transmitting the activation signal corresponding to the first timing.

4. The control device for the occupant protection device according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further programmed to cause the driver to prohibit control for the output circuit based on the activation signal corresponding to the second timing for a predetermined time after receiving the activation signal corresponding to the first timing to cause the output circuit to supply the power to the squib.

5. A control method that controls activation of occupant protection devices each of which includes a squib, the control method comprising:

performing supply of power from a power source to one or more squibs for activating one or more devices of the occupant protection devices;

determining whether a first condition for activating first two or more devices of the occupant protection devices is satisfied;

determining whether a second condition for activating second one or more devices of the occupant protection devices is satisfied;

in response to the first condition being satisfied, performing the supply of power to first two or more squibs of the first two or more occupant protection devices corresponding to the first condition at timings that are different between a part and a remaining of the first two or more occupant protection devices;

in response to the second condition being satisfied, performing the supply of power to second one or more squibs of the second one or more occupant protection devices corresponding to the second condition at a timing, the second one or more occupant protection devices being included in the remaining of the first two or more occupant protection devices; and

in response to the first and second conditions being satisfied simultaneously or continuously, performing the supply of power to the second one or more squibs and first one or more squibs of the part of the first two or more occupant protection devices at a first timing, and then prohibiting the supply of power to the second one or more squibs to perform the supply of power to first one or more squibs of the remaining of the first two or more occupant protection devices except for the second one or more occupant protection devices at a second timing that is after the first timing.