Passenger protection system for protecting passenger in vehicle from collision

• US 20070000711A1
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ueno, Yukiyasu, Yamaguchi, Atsushi
• Application Number:
  US11/476,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20070000711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01068 between different sensors and airbag control unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01115 specific data frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0119 Plausibility check
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01317 monitoring seat belt tensiont
• 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

Abstract

A passenger protection system includes: a first to third sensors for detecting an impact of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle; a determination element for determining a side collision of the vehicle on the basis of signals outputted from the first to third sensors; a first communication passage for connecting among the first and second sensors and the determination element to transmit signals from the first and second sensors to the determination element; and a second communication passage for connecting between the third sensor and the determination element to transmit a signal from the third sensor to the determination element.

Claims

1. A passenger protection system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a first sensor for detecting an impact of the vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle;

a second sensor for detecting the impact of the vehicle in the lateral direction of the vehicle;

a third sensor for detecting the impact of the vehicle in the lateral direction of the vehicle;

a determination element for determining a side collision of the vehicle on the basis of signals outputted from the first to third sensors;

a first communication passage for connecting among the first sensor, the second sensor and the determination element in order to transmit signals outputted from the first sensor and the second sensor to the determination element; and

a second communication passage for connecting between the third sensor and the determination element in order to transmit a signal outputted from the third sensor to the determination element.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the determination element determines that the side collision is occurred when the impact of the vehicle corresponding to the signal of each sensor is larger than a predetermined threshold of the sensor.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the threshold of the third sensor is smaller than the threshold of the first sensor, and smaller than the threshold of the second sensor.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed on one side of the vehicle so that each of the first sensor and the second sensor functions as a satellite sensor,

one of the first sensor and the second sensor functions as a main sensor for determination of the collision, and

the other one of the first sensor and the second sensor functions as a sub sensor for the determination of the collision.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein

the third sensor is disposed in the determination element, and

the third sensor is an acceleration sensor.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein

the sub sensor is disposed on a center of the vehicle in the lateral direction of the vehicle.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed on one side of the vehicle so that each of the first sensor and the second sensor functions as a satellite sensor, and

the third sensor is disposed on the other side of the vehicle so that the third sensor functions as another satellite sensor.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a passenger protection unit functioning on the basis of the determination of the determination element.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first communication passage is a bus line.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor is disposed on one side of the vehicle,

the second sensor is disposed on a center of the vehicle so that the second sensor and the first sensor are disposed on almost a same latitudinal line of the vehicle,

the third sensor is disposed on the center of the vehicle so that the third sensor is apart from the second sensor,

the first sensor is a main sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle,

the second sensor is a first sub sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle, and

the third sensor is a second sub sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor is disposed on one side of the vehicle,

the second sensor is disposed on the one side of the vehicle so that the second sensor is apart from the first sensor,

the third sensor is disposed on a center of the vehicle so that the third sensor and the second sensor are disposed on almost a same latitudinal line of the vehicle,

the first sensor is a main sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle,

the second sensor is a first sub sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle, and

the third sensor is a second sub sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor is disposed on one side of the vehicle,

the second sensor is disposed on the one side of the vehicle so that the second sensor is apart from the first sensor,

the third sensor is disposed on the other side of the vehicle so that the third sensor and the first sensor are disposed on almost a same latitudinal line of the vehicle,

the first sensor is a main sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle,

the second sensor is a first sub sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle, and

the third sensor is a second sub sensor for detecting the impact on the one side of the vehicle.