Automotive electronic safety network
First Claim
1. An electrical system in a vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of devices used in the operation of the vehicle including at least one crash sensor and at least one airbag module; and
at least one electrical bus each coupling at least a portion of said devices and conveying at least one of power and information to or from said devices coupled to said bus, a first one of said at least one bus coupling said at least one crash sensor and said at least one airbag module, each of said at least one crash sensor generating signals relating to an impact of the vehicle and each of said at least one airbag module comprising a module housing, an airbag associated with said housing, an inflator assembly arranged in said housing for inflating said airbag and an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent said housing and coupled to said first bus, said controller controlling inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly in consideration of the signals generated by said at least one crash sensor, said at least one crash sensor each being arranged separate and at a location apart from said housing of each of said at least one airbag module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Automotive electronic safety network including devices such as a crash sensor and an airbag module and at least one electrical bus each coupling at least a portion of the devices and conveying power and/or information to or from the devices coupled to the bus. Each crash sensor generates signals relating to an impact of the vehicle and each airbag module includes a module housing, an airbag associated with the housing, an inflator assembly arranged in the housing for inflating the airbag and an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent the housing and coupled to the bus. The controller controls inflation of the airbag by the inflator assembly in consideration of the signals generated by the crash sensor(s). Each crash sensor is arranged separate and at a location apart from the housing of each airbag module. The bus can consist of a single pair of wires.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electrical system in a vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of devices used in the operation of the vehicle including at least one crash sensor and at least one airbag module; and
at least one electrical bus each coupling at least a portion of said devices and conveying at least one of power and information to or from said devices coupled to said bus, a first one of said at least one bus coupling said at least one crash sensor and said at least one airbag module, each of said at least one crash sensor generating signals relating to an impact of the vehicle and each of said at least one airbag module comprising a module housing, an airbag associated with said housing, an inflator assembly arranged in said housing for inflating said airbag and an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent said housing and coupled to said first bus, said controller controlling inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly in consideration of the signals generated by said at least one crash sensor, said at least one crash sensor each being arranged separate and at a location apart from said housing of each of said at least one airbag module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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13. An electrical system in a vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of sensors each detecting a physical characteristic of the vehicle, at least one of said sensors being a crash sensor which detects a physical characteristic of the vehicle affected by a crash involving the vehicle;
at least one airbag module each comprising an airbag, an inflator assembly for inflating said airbag and an electronic controller for controlling inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly;
an electrical bus coupling said crash sensor and said at least one airbag module and conveying at least one of power and information to or from said crash sensor and said at least one airbag module; and
a module coupled to said bus and arranged to receive signals from said crash sensor based on the detected physical characteristic of the vehicle and process said signals to provide a control signal to said controller such that inflation of said airbag is controlled by said controller in consideration of the physical characteristic detected by said crash sensor.
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Specification