Method and apparatus for sensing a vehicle crash in real time using a frequency domain 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 summing at least one frequency component of one frequency domain signal with at least one frequency component of the other frequency domain signal;
means for actuating the passenger restraint system when the summation of said at least one frequency components 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 corresponding frequency bins of the frequency domain signals are summed over the entire frequency spectrum, bin-to-bin. A microcomputer monitors the sum of the amplitudes of at least one selected frequency bin of the frequency domain signals and actuates the passenger restraint system when the sum is greater than a predetermined threshold thereby indicating a particular type of vehicle crash is occurring.
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Citations
21 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 summing at least one frequency component of one frequency domain signal with at least one frequency component of the other frequency domain signal; means for actuating the passenger restraint system when the summation of said at least one frequency components 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)
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12. 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; summing at least one frequency component of one frequency domain signal with at least one frequency component of the other frequency domain signal; and actuating the passenger restraint system when the summation of said at least one frequency components of the frequency domain signals indicates a predetermined type of vehicle crash is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification