Activaton control unit and control method thereof for occupant protection apparatus
First Claim
1. An activation control unit (12) for an occupant protection apparatus (30) comprising:
- a first sensor (14) disposed in a predetermined location in a vehicle (10), the first sensor (14) outputting a signal indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10);
second sensors (16, 18) disposed farther forward than the location in which the first sensor (14) is disposed in the vehicle (10), the second sensors (16, 18) outputting signals indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10); and
activation controlling means for determining whether to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) mounted in the vehicle (10), characterised in that;
the activation controlling means makes a determination to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) when i) a deceleration (GF) obtained based on an output signal from the first sensor (14) exceeds a first threshold value (High), or ii) the deceleration (GF) obtained based on the output signal from the first sensor (14) exceeds a second threshold value (Low) that is smaller than the first threshold value (High) and a deceleration (Gs*) obtained based on output signals from the second sensors (16, 18) exceeds a third threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3) which changes according to a predetermined pattern.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A floor sensor (14) is disposed at a center portion of a vehicle body (10) and front sensors (16, 18) are disposed at front portions of the vehicle body (10). An airbag apparatus (30) always activates when a value determined by the relationship between a floor deceleration (GF) detected by the floor sensor (14) and a change in floor velocity (Vn) exceeds a High Map toward the high side of the floor velocity. The airbag apparatus (30) also activates on the condition that the value determined by the relationship between the front deceleration (Gs*) detected by the front sensors (16, 18) and the change in floor velocity (Vn) exceeds a Front Map toward the high side of the floor deceleration (GF) when the value determined by the relationship between the floor deceleration (GF) detected by the floor sensor (14) and the change in floor velocity (Vn) exceeds the Low Map but does not exceed the High Map toward the high side of the floor velocity.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An activation control unit (12) for an occupant protection apparatus (30) comprising:
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a first sensor (14) disposed in a predetermined location in a vehicle (10), the first sensor (14) outputting a signal indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10);
second sensors (16, 18) disposed farther forward than the location in which the first sensor (14) is disposed in the vehicle (10), the second sensors (16, 18) outputting signals indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10); and
activation controlling means for determining whether to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) mounted in the vehicle (10), characterised in that;
the activation controlling means makes a determination to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) when i) a deceleration (GF) obtained based on an output signal from the first sensor (14) exceeds a first threshold value (High), or ii) the deceleration (GF) obtained based on the output signal from the first sensor (14) exceeds a second threshold value (Low) that is smaller than the first threshold value (High) and a deceleration (Gs*) obtained based on output signals from the second sensors (16, 18) exceeds a third threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3) which changes according to a predetermined pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 10, 11, 12)
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4. An activation control unit (12) for an occupant protection apparatus (30), comprising:
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a first sensor (14) disposed in a predetermined location in a vehicle (10), the first sensor (14) detecting a signal indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10);
second sensors (16, 18) disposed farther forward than the location in which the first sensor (14) is disposed in the vehicle (10), the second sensors (16, 18) detecting signals indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10) and;
activation determining means for determining whether to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) based on whether the deceleration (GF) obtained based on the output signal from the first sensor (14) exceeds the first threshold value (High, Low), characterised by comprising threshold value changing means for changing the first threshold value (High, Low) in accordance with whether the deceleration (Gs*) obtained based on the output signals from the second sensors (16, 18) exceeds a second threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3) that changes in predetermined pattern. - View Dependent Claims (5, 8, 9)
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6. An activation control unit (12) for an occupant protection apparatus (30), comprising:
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a first sensor (14) disposed in a predetermined location in a vehicle (10), the first sensor (14) detecting a signal indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10);
second sensors (16, 18) disposed farther forward than the location in which the first sensor (14) is disposed in the vehicle (10), the second sensors (16, 18) detecting signals indicative of a deceleration acting on the vehicle (10);
threshold value setting means for setting one value, from among at least two values (High, Low), as the first threshold value based on the output signals from the second sensors (16, 18); and
activation determining means for determining whether to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) based on whether the deceleration (GF) obtained based on the output signal from the first sensor (14) exceeds the fist threshold value set by the threshold value setting means, characterised in that the threshold value setting means sets one value, from among at least two values (High, Low), as the first threshold value when the deceleration (Gs*) obtained based on the output signals from the second sensors (16, 18) does not exceed the second threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3); and
the threshold value setting means sets the other value, from among the at least two values (High, Low), as the first threshold value when the deceleration (Gs*) obtained based on the output signals from the second sensors (16, 18) exceeds the second threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3). - View Dependent Claims (7)
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13. An control method of an activation control unit (12) for an occupant protection apparatus (30), characterised by comprising the steps of:
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detecting a first deceleration (GF) acting on a predetermined location in a vehicle (10);
detecting a second deceleration (Gs*) acting on a location farther forward than the predetermined location in the vehicle (10); and
making a determination to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) when i) the first deceleration (GF) exceeds a first threshold value (High), or ii) the first deceleration (GF) exceeds a second threshold value (Low) that is smaller than a first threshold value (High), and the second deceleration (Gs*) exceeds a third threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3) which changes according to a predetermined pattern. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An control method of an activation control unit (12) for an occupant protection apparatus (30), characterised by comprising the steps of:
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detecting a first deceleration (GF) acting on a predetermined location in a vehicle (10);
detecting a second deceleration (Gs*) acting on a location farther forward than the predetermined location in the vehicle (10); and
determining whether to activate the occupant protection apparatus (30) based on whether the first deceleration (GF) exceeds a first threshold value (High, Low) which is set according to whether the second deceleration (Gs*) exceeds a second threshold (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3) that changes in a predetermined pattern; and
changing the first threshold value (High, Low) in accordance with whether the second deceleration (Gs*) exceeds the second threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3). - View Dependent Claims (17, 20, 21)
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18. An control method of an activation control unit (12) for an occupant protection apparatus (30), characterised by comprising the steps of:
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detecting a first deceleration (GF) acting on a predetermined location in a vehicle (10);
detecting a second deceleration (Gs*) acting on a location farther forward than the predetermined location in the vehicle (10);
setting one value, from among at least two values (High, Low), as a first threshold value;
based on the second deceleration (Gs*);
determining whether to activate the occupant protective apparatus (30) mounted in the vehicle (10) based on whether the first deceleration (GF) exceeds the set first threshold value (High, Low); and
setting one value, from among at least two values (High, Low), as the first threshold value (High) when the second deceleration (Gs*) does not exceed the second threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3) and setting the other value (Low), from among the at least two values (High, Low), as the first threshold value when the second deceleration (Gs*) exceeds the second threshold value (Gs1,Gs2,Gs3). - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification