Vehicular Bus Including Crash Sensor or Occupant Protection System Control Module

• US 20060232052A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01068 between different sensors and airbag control unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• 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 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558

Abstract

Vehicle including a crash sensor system arranged to determine a crash condition involving the vehicle which might cause injury to a vehicular occupant, at least one module each including an occupant protection device actuatable upon determination of a crash condition in order to protect the occupant from injury during the crash, and a vehicle bus to which the crash sensor system and module(s) are connected. The crash sensor system generates a signal upon a determination of a crash condition and directs the signal over the bus. Each module is arranged to actuate its occupant protection device in consideration of the signal. The signal might be directly sent to the module from the crash sensor system or sent to a control module which processes it and in turn generates a signal to be directed via the bus to the module(s).

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a crash sensor system arranged to determine a crash condition involving the vehicle which might cause injury to an occupant of the vehicle;

at least one module each including an occupant protection device arranged to be actuated upon determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle in order to protect the occupant from injury during the crash; and

a vehicle bus, said crash sensor system and said at least one module being connected to said bus, said crash sensor system being arranged to generate a signal upon a determination of a crash condition and direct said signal over said bus, said at least one module being arranged to actuate said occupant protection device in consideration of said signal,

said at least one module being arranged to generate a signal relating to operation of said module and directing said signal over said bus such that said bus handles bi-directional communications to and from said at least one module.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, said occupant protection device in each of said modules being an airbag.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said crash sensor system is arranged to enable deployment of said airbag in specific ones of said modules associated with one type of crash condition such that when that type of crash condition is detected, deployment of said airbag in all of said associated modules is enabled.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring circuit connected to said bus for monitoring said at least one module, the signal being generated by said at least one module being a signal relating to operational status of said at least one module which is directed over said bus to said monitoring circuit.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a display unit connected to said bus and arranged in a position visible to an operator of the vehicle, said monitoring circuit being arranged to send a message to said display unit upon receiving a signal from said at least one module indicative of inoperability of said at least one module.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said bus is arranged to transmit power and data to said at least one module.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said crash sensor system is arranged to send a coded signal over said bus directly to said at least one module.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, each of said modules being arranged to determine independent of each other whether to actuate said occupant protection device.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein each of said modules includes an occupant position sensor for determining the position of the occupant to be protected upon actuation of said occupant protection device of said module, each of said modules being arranged to consider the determined position of the occupant when determining whether to actuate said occupant protection device.

10. A method for enabling actuation of occupant protection devices in a vehicle, comprising:

arranging a crash sensor system on the vehicle to determine a crash condition involving the vehicle which might cause injury to an occupant of the vehicle;

arranging at least one module on the vehicle, each including an occupant protection device arranged to be actuated upon determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle in order to protect the occupant from injury during the crash;

connecting the crash sensor system and the at least one module to a vehicle bus;

generating a signal via the crash sensor system upon a determination of a crash condition and directing the signal over the bus;

enabling the at least one module to actuate the occupant protection device upon generation of the signal via the crash sensor system; and

generating a signal in the at least one module relating to operation of the module and directing the signal over the bus such that the bus handles bi-directional communications to and from the at least one module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, the occupant protection device in each of the modules being an airbag.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the crash sensor system is arranged to enable deployment of the airbag in specific ones of the modules associated with one type of crash condition such that when that type of crash condition is detected, deployment of the airbag in all of the associated modules is enabled.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising connecting a monitoring circuit to the bus for monitoring the at least one module, the signal being generated by the at least one module being a signal relating to operational status of the at least one module which is directed over the bus to the monitoring circuit.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising connecting a display unit to the bus and arranging the display unit in a position visible to an operator of the vehicle, the monitoring circuit being arranged to send a message to the display unit upon receiving a signal from the at least one module indicative of inoperability of the at least one module.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the bus is arranged to transmit power and data to the at least one module.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the crash sensor system is arranged to send a coded signal over the bus directly to the at least one module.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, each of the modules being arranged to determine independent of each other whether to actuate the occupant protection device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the position of the occupant to be protected upon actuation of the occupant protection device of the module, each of the modules being arranged to consider the determined position of the occupant when determining whether to actuate the occupant protection device.

19. A vehicle electrical system, comprising:

a vehicle bus;

a plurality of modules connected to said bus, each of said modules including an occupant protection device arranged to be actuated upon determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle in order to protect the occupant from injury during the crash;

a crash sensor system connected to said bus and arranged to generate a signal upon a determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle which might cause injury to an occupant of the vehicle and direct said signal over said bus to said modules to enable said modules to actuate said occupant protection device; and

a monitoring system connected to said bus for monitoring operability of said modules, said modules being arranged to generate a signal relating to operational status thereof and direct said signal over said bus to said monitoring system such that said bus handles bi-directional communications to and from said modules.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a display unit connected to said bus and arranged in a position visible to an operator of the vehicle, said monitoring system being arranged to send a message to said display unit upon receiving a signal from any of said modules indicative of inoperability of said module.

21. A vehicle, comprising:

a crash sensor system arranged to determine a crash condition involving the vehicle which might cause injury to an occupant of the vehicle;

at least one module each including an occupant protection device arranged to be actuated upon determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle in order to protect the occupant from injury during the crash;

a control module coupled to said crash sensor system and to said at least one module for controlling said occupant protection device in each of said at least one module based on the determination of a crash condition by said crash sensor system; and

a vehicle bus, said control module and said at least one module being connected to said bus,

said at least one module being arranged to generate a signal relating to operation of said module and directing said signal over said bus to said control module such that said bus handles bi-directional communications to and from said at least one module.

22. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said crash sensor system is connected to said bus and arranged to generate a signal upon a determination of a crash condition and direct said signal over said bus to enable said at least one module to actuate said occupant protection device in consideration of said signal.

23. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, said occupant protection device in each of said modules being an airbag.

24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein said control module is arranged to enable deployment of said airbag in specific ones of said modules associated with one type of crash condition such that when that type of crash condition is detected, deployment of said airbag in all of said associated modules is enabled.

25. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said control module is arranged to monitor said at least one module, the signal being generated by said at least one module being a signal relating to operational status of said at least one module which is directed over said bus to said control module.

26. The vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a display unit connected to said bus and arranged in a position visible to an operator of the vehicle, said control module being arranged to send a message to said display unit upon receiving a signal from said at least one module indicative of inoperability of said at least one module.

27. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said bus is arranged to transmit power and data to said at least one module.

28. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said crash sensor system is arranged to send a coded signal over said bus to said control module.

29. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein said at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, each of said modules being arranged to determine independent of each other whether to actuate said occupant protection device.

30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein each of said modules includes an occupant position sensor for determining the position of the occupant to be protected upon actuation of said occupant protection device of said module, each of said modules being arranged to consider the determined position of the occupant when determining whether to actuate said occupant protection device.

31. A method for enabling actuation of occupant protection devices in a vehicle, comprising:

arranging a crash sensor system on the vehicle to determine a crash condition involving the vehicle which might cause injury to an occupant of the vehicle;

arranging at least one module on the vehicle, each including an occupant protection device arranged to be actuated upon determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle in order to protect the occupant from injury during the crash;

connecting a control module and the at least one module to a vehicle bus;

generating a signal via the crash sensor system upon a determination of a crash condition and directing the signal to the control module;

generating a signal in the control module upon receipt of a signal from the crash sensor system and directing the generated signal to the at least one module to enable the at least one module to actuate the occupant protection device; and

generating a signal in the at least one module relating to operation of the module and directing the signal over the bus to the control module such that the bus handles bi-directional communications to and from the at least one module.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, the occupant protection device in each of the modules being an airbag.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the crash sensor system is arranged to enable deployment of the airbag in specific ones of the modules associated with one type of crash condition such that when that type of crash condition is detected, deployment of the airbag in all of the associated modules is enabled.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the control module monitors the at least one module, the signal being generated by the at least one module being a signal relating to operational status of the at least one module which is directed over the bus to the control module.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising connecting a display unit to the bus and arranging the display unit in a position visible to an operator of the vehicle, the control module being arranged to send a message to the display unit upon receiving a signal from the at least one module indicative of inoperability of the at least one module.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the bus is arranged to transmit power and data to the at least one module.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the crash sensor system is arranged to send a coded signal to the control module.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one module comprises a plurality of modules, each of the modules being arranged to determine independent of each other whether to actuate the occupant protection device.

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining the position of the occupant to be protected upon actuation of the occupant protection device of the module, each of the modules being arranged to consider the determined position of the occupant when determining whether to actuate the occupant protection device.

40. A vehicle electrical system, comprising:

a vehicle bus;

a plurality of modules connected to said bus, each of said modules including an occupant protection device arranged to be actuated upon determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle in order to protect the occupant from injury during the crash;

a control system coupled to said bus for controlling actuation of said occupant protection devices, said modules being arranged to generate a signal relating to operational status thereof and direct said signal over said bus to said control system such that said bus handles bi-directional communications to and from said modules; and

a crash sensor system arranged to generate a signal upon a determination of a crash condition involving the vehicle which might cause injury to an occupant of the vehicle and direct said signal to said control module to enable said control module to actuate said occupant protection devices.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising a display unit connected to said bus and arranged in a position visible to an operator of the vehicle, said control system being arranged to send a message to said display unit upon receiving a signal from any of said modules indicative of inoperability of said module.