Air bag device start control device

• US 20060113778A1
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keihin Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Keihin Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seikai, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01027 Safing sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01322 comprising variable thresholds, e.g. depending from other collision parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01558 monitoring crash strength
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/33 Arrangements for non-electric triggering of inflation electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

An activation control device for an airbag device decreases the management costs by generalization of satellite sensors. There is provided at least one impact detection section disposed at a predetermined position of a vehicle, which detects a degree of shock applied to the vehicle; and a main control section connected to the impact detection section by communication, which determines a collision state based on an output signal of the impact detection section received from the impact detection section, and controls activation of the airbag device installed in the vehicle. The impact detection section receives and stores threshold data relating to a detected degree of shock, from the main control section, and controls transmission of an output signal to the main control section based on the stored threshold data. The main control section stores predetermined threshold data corresponding to each impact detection section disposed in the vehicle; and transmits the stored threshold data to the corresponding impact detection section.

Claims

1. An activation control device for an airbag device comprising:

at least one impact detection section disposed at a predetermined position of a vehicle, which detects a degree of shock applied to the vehicle; and

a main control section connected to the impact detection section by communication, which determines a collision state based on an output signal of the impact detection section received from the impact detection section, and controls activation of the airbag device installed in the vehicle;

wherein the impact detection section comprises;

a threshold storage section for storing threshold data relating to a detected degree of shock;

a storage control section which receives the threshold data from the main control section and stores the threshold data in the threshold storage section; and

a transmission control section which controls transmission of an output signal to the main control section based on threshold data stored in the threshold storage section; and

the main control section comprises;

a threshold storage memory section which stores predetermined threshold data corresponding to each impact detection section disposed in the vehicle; and

a setting control section which transmits the threshold data stored in the threshold storage memory section to the corresponding impact detection section.

2. The activation control device for an airbag device according to claim 1, wherein:

the impact detection section comprises a transmission data storage section for storing transmission data which has a one-to-one correspondence with the threshold data;

the storage control section receives the transmission data from the main control section and stores it in the transmission data storage section;

the transmission control section, in a situation where a degree of shock detected by the impact detection section within itself exceeds a threshold corresponding to any of the threshold data stored in the threshold storage section, transmits transmission data corresponding to the threshold data, stored in the transmission data storage section, to the main control section;

the main control section comprises;

a transmission data storage memory section which stores predetermined transmission data which has a one-to-one correspondence with the threshold data stored in the threshold storage memory section; and

a detection section which detects a degree of shock detected by the impact detection section, by referring to stored information in the transmission data storage memory section, based on transmission data received from the impact detection section; and

the setting control section transmits the transmission data which is stored in the transmission data storage memory section to the collision detector section in which the corresponding threshold data is set.

3. The activation control device for an airbag device according to claim 1, wherein:

the impact detection section comprises a self-diagnosis section which diagnoses a storage state of the threshold storage section furnished within itself, and transmits the diagnosis result to the,-main control section; and

the main control section determines the normality of the impact detection section based on the diagnosis result received from the impact detection section.

4. The activation control device for an airbag device according to claim 3, wherein

the main control section, in a situation where it did not receive from the impact detection section a diagnosis result showing normality of the impact detection section, outputs a determination result indicating that the impact detection section is not normal.

5. The activation control device for an airbag device according to claim 2, wherein:

the impact detection section comprises a self-diagnosis section which diagnoses a storage state of the threshold storage section and the transmission data storage section furnished within itself, and transmits the diagnosis result to the main control section; and

the main control section determines the normality of the impact detection section based on the diagnosis result received from the impact detection section.

6. The activation control device for an airbag device according to claim 5, wherein

the main control section, in a situation where it did not receive from the impact detection section a diagnosis result showing normality of the impact detection section, outputs a determination result indicating that the impact detection section is not normal.