Communication Anomaly Detecting Device, and Passenger Detecting Device

• US 20080061989A1
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yasunori, Hiromichi, Mori, Masaki, Sumi, Chiaki, Hagiwara, Isao, Sakai, Morio
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0021 characterised by the type of sensor or measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01115 specific data frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01143 Short circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015

Abstract

An information request portion receives an information request signal transmitted to an information response portion at its own receiving port. The information request portion comprises at least either of a power supply system anomaly determination portion or a ground anomaly determination portion. The power supply system anomaly determination portion determines a short-circuit between a signal line and a power supply system in a case where the information request signal received at the receiving port is always fixed to a H (high) level. The ground anomaly determination portion determines a short-circuit between a signal line and a ground in a case where the information request signal received at the receiving port is always fixed to a L (Low) level. Consequently, the anomaly region of the signal line connecting the information request portion and the information response portion in such a manner that bidirectional digital communications are possible or the cause of the anomaly is specified.

Claims

1. A communication anomaly detector of a communication system, comprising:

an information request portion having a receiving port,

at least one information response portion connected to the information request portion in such a manner that bidirectional digital communications are possible through a signal line, and

a power supply system,

wherein, when the information request portion transmits an information request signal, the information response portion receives the information request signal and transmits an information response signal to the receiving port of the information request portion,

wherein the information request portion, when transmitting the information request signal to the information response portion, receives the information request signal at the receiving port, and

wherein the information request portion comprises at least one of a power supply system anomaly determination portion and a ground anomaly determination portion, the power supply system anomaly determination portion determining a short-circuit between the signal line and the power supply system in a case where the information request signal received at the receiving port is always fixed to a high level, and the ground anomaly determination portion determining a short-circuit between the signal line and a ground in a case where the information request signal received at the receiving port is always fixed to a low level.

2. The communication anomaly detector according to claim 1, wherein the information request portion comprises a signal line/ground line anomaly determination portion for determining that the signal line is opened or that a feeding ground line to the information response portion is opened in a case where the information request signal transmitted to the information response portion is the same as the information request signal received at the receiving port, and the information response signal received at the receiving port from the information response portion is always fixed to a high level.

3. The communication anomaly detector according to claim 1, wherein the power supply system anomaly determination portion determines a short-circuit between the signal line and the power supply system when a state is repeated for a predetermined number of times, in which state the information request signal received at the receiving port is fixed to a high level during the entirety of a predetermined communication period comprising a request period during which the information request portion transmits the information request signal and a response period for awaiting reception of the information response signal from the information response portion.

4. The communication anomaly detector according to claim 1, wherein the ground anomaly determination portion determines a short-circuit between the signal line and the ground when a state is repeated for a predetermined number of times, in which state the information request signal received at the receiving port is fixed to a low level during the entirety of a predetermined communication period comprising a request period during which the information request portion transmits the information request signal and a response period for awaiting reception of the information response signal from the information response portion.

5. The communication anomaly detector according to claim 1, wherein the information request portion is an electronic control device, and the information response portion is a load sensor for acquiring the load information according to a load applied to a seat, and the communication system constitutes an occupant detector, wherein, when the electronic control device transmits the information request signal, the load sensor receives the information request signal and transmits the load information signal as the information request signal to the receiving port of the electronic control device, and the electronic control device receives the load information signal, thereby performing an occupant determination.

6. An occupant detector, comprising:

a plurality of load sensors for acquiring load information corresponding to a load applied to a seat and

a control device connected to the plurality of load sensors in such a manner that bidirectional digital communications are possible through signal lines respectively,

wherein, when the control device transmits information request signals to the plurality of load sensors, the plurality of load sensors receive the information request signals, and the plurality of load sensors transmit load information signals including the load information in response to the received information request signals, and the control device, upon reception of these load information signals, performs an occupant determination,

wherein the control device comprises;

a single port for transmitting the information request signals to the plurality of load sensors and

a plurality of receiving ports for receiving the load information signals from the plurality of load sensors, respectively, the number of the receiving ports being the same as the number of the load sensors.

7. An occupant detector, comprising:

at least one load sensor for acquiring load information according to a load applied to a seat and

a control device connected to the load sensor in such a manner that bidirectional digital communications are possible through a signal system line,

wherein, when the control device transmits the information request signal to the load sensor, the load sensor receives the information request signal, and the load sensor transmits a load information signal including the load information in response to the received information request signal, and the control device receives this load information signal and performs an occupant determination,

the occupant detector comprising;

the control device and

first and second power supply system lines for supplying electricity to the load sensor through the control device, and the potential of the first power supply system line is higher than the potential of the second power supply system line,

wherein the control device comprises a switching element and a pull-up resistor, and wherein the switching element comprises a first terminal connected to the signal system line, a second terminal connected to the second power supply system line, and a control terminal for inputting the information request signal, and wherein the pull-up resistor has one end connected to the first power supply system line and another end connected to the signal system line, and

wherein the load sensor comprises a switching element comprising a first terminal connected to the signal system line, a second terminal connected to the second power supply system line, and a sensor side control terminal for inputting the load information signal.

8. The occupant detector according to claim 7, wherein the load sensor comprises a strain gage for generating a gage voltage according to a strain amount according to a load applied to the seat,

and acquires the load information based on the gage voltage.