Method and apparatus for sensing a vehicle crash in real time using a frequency domain integration and summation algorithm
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling actuation of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
- sensing means for providing a time domain vibratory electric signal having frequency components indicative of a vehicle crash condition;
means for transforming the time domain vibratory electric signal over at least two time intervals into associated frequency domain signals;
means for integrating each of the frequency domain signals;
means for summing the integrals of the frequency domain signals; and
means for actuating the passenger restraint system when the sum of the integrals of the frequency domain signals indicates a predetermined type of vehicle crash is occurring.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling actuation of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle. The apparatus includes an accelerometer for providing a time domain vibratory electric signal having frequency components indicative of a vehicle crash condition. An A/D converter converts the accelerometer signal into a digitized signal. A fast Fourier transform device transforms the digitized time domain vibratory electric signal over at least two time intervals into frequency domain signals. The amplitudes of all the frequency bins over the entire frequency spectrum for each frequency domain signal are summed to provide a value corresponding to the integral of the amplitudes of all the frequency bins over the entire frequency spectrum for the associated frequency domain signal. The integral values of the frequency domain signals are summed. A microcomputer monitors the sum of the integral values of the frequency domain signals and actuates the passenger restraint system when the sum of the integral values of the frequency domain signals is greater than a predetermined threshold thereby indicating a particular type of vehicle crash is occurring.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling actuation of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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sensing means for providing a time domain vibratory electric signal having frequency components indicative of a vehicle crash condition; means for transforming the time domain vibratory electric signal over at least two time intervals into associated frequency domain signals; means for integrating each of the frequency domain signals; means for summing the integrals of the frequency domain signals; and means for actuating the passenger restraint system when the sum of the integrals of the frequency domain signals indicates a predetermined type of vehicle crash is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for controlling actuation of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a time domain vibratory electric signal having frequency components indicative of a vehicle crash condition; transforming the time domain vibratory electric signal over at least two time intervals into associated frequency domain signals; integrating each of the frequency domain signals; summing the integrals of the frequency domain signals; and actuating the passenger restraint system when the sum of the integrals of the frequency domain signals indicates a predetermined type of vehicle crash is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification