Method and apparatus for controlling an air bag restraint system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint, comprising:
- acceleration sensing means mounted in a door of a vehicle for sensing a sideways acceleration of the door and for providing a signal indicative thereof;
door opening sensing means for sensing an opening event of the vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; and
control means operatively connected to said acceleration sensing means, to said door opening sensing means, and to the occupant restraint for determining sideways velocity of the vehicle in response to said output signal from said acceleration sensing means and for actuating the occupant restraint when said sideways velocity is greater than a predetermined threshold value and for adjusting the value of said predetermined threshold value when said door opening sensing means indicates a vehicle door opening event.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An occupant restraint device (10) for a vehicle includes an air bag (16) mounted in the vehicle door (14) and an accelerometer (30) for measuring sideways acceleration of the door (14). A controller (20) monitors the accelerometer output (34, 36) and determines if the door (14) is in a door opening event or if the vehicle is in a sideways crash condition. The controller (20) actuates the air bag (16) if a vehicle crash condition is detected and disables actuation of the air bag (16) if the vehicle door (14) is determined to be opening.
42 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint, comprising:
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acceleration sensing means mounted in a door of a vehicle for sensing a sideways acceleration of the door and for providing a signal indicative thereof; door opening sensing means for sensing an opening event of the vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; and control means operatively connected to said acceleration sensing means, to said door opening sensing means, and to the occupant restraint for determining sideways velocity of the vehicle in response to said output signal from said acceleration sensing means and for actuating the occupant restraint when said sideways velocity is greater than a predetermined threshold value and for adjusting the value of said predetermined threshold value when said door opening sensing means indicates a vehicle door opening event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for controlling actuation of a vehicle safety restraint, comprising:
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restraining means for restraining occupant movement during a vehicle crash condition; crash sensing means for providing a signal indicative of a vehicle crash condition and providing a signal indicative of an opening vehicle door; actuating means for actuating said restraining means; control means for controlling said actuating means to thereby actuate said restraining means when said signal from said crash sensing means is indicative of a vehicle crash condition; and disabling means for disabling said actuating means to prevent inadvertent actuation of said restraining means when said signal from said crash sensing means is indicative of an opening vehicle door.
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6. A method for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint in a vehicle, comprising:
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mounting an accelerometer to a door of the vehicle; sensing a sideways acceleration of the vehicle in response to an output signal from said accelerometer and providing a signal indicative thereof; sensing opening of a vehicle door in response to an output signal from said accelerometer and providing a signal indicative thereof; and actuating the occupant restraint when said output signal from said accelerometer is indicative of a sideways crash condition and when said vehicle door is not sensed as being open. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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sensing a sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing a signal indicative thereof; sensing opening of a vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; determining sideways velocity of the vehicle in response to said output signal from said sensed sideways acceleration; actuating the occupant restraint when said sideways velocity is greater than a predetermined threshold value; and adjusting the value of said predetermined threshold value when said signal is provided indicative of said vehicle door opening. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint in a vehicle, comprising:
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sensing sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing a signal indicative thereof; sensing opening of a vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; determining (i) an average acceleration value of the vehicle door and (ii) sideways velocity of the vehicle door in response to said output signal from said sensed sideways acceleration; actuating the occupant restraint when both said average acceleration value and said sideways velocity are greater than first and second predetermined threshold values, respectively; and adjusting the value of said second predetermined threshold value when said step of sensing door opening indicates vehicle door opening is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling actuation of a vehicle safety restraint comprising the steps of:
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providing a restraining means for restraining occupant movement during a vehicle crash condition; providing an acceleration signal indicative of a vehicle crash condition; and an opening of a vehicle door; actuating said restraining means when said acceleration signal is indicative of a vehicle crash condition; and disabling said restraining means when said acceleration signal is indicative of opening of the vehicle door.
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17. An apparatus for preventing actuation of an occupant restraint, comprising:
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sensing means for sensing opening of a vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to the occupant restraint for preventing actuation of the occupant restraint when said signal from said sensing means indicates the vehicle door is opening, said control means including timing means for providing a timing signal having a predetermined time period when said signal from said sensing means first indicates that said vehicle door is opening, said control means preventing said actuation of the occupant restraint for said time period of said timing signal.
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18. An apparatus for preventing actuation of an occupant restraint, comprising:
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sensing means for sensing opening of a vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof, said sensing means including an accelerometer mounted in said door for providing a signal indicative of the acceleration of the door during opening of said door; and control means operatively connected to said sensing means and to the occupant restraint for preventing actuation of the occupant restraint when said signal from said sensing means indicates the vehicle door is opening. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint, comprising:
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acceleration sensing means mounted in a door of a vehicle for sensing a sideways acceleration of the vehicle and for providing a signal indicative thereof; door open sensing means for sensing an open vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; control means operatively connected to said acceleration sensing means, to said door open sensing means, and to the occupant restraint for actuating the occupant restraint when said sideways acceleration is indicative of a sideways crash condition and no door open condition is sensed; and wherein said door open sensing means is connected to said acceleration sensing means and indicates a door open condition when said acceleration signal indicates said door is accelerating at a value between predetermined acceleration threshold values, said control means preventing actuation of said occupant restraint if said door open condition is indicated. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint, comprising:
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acceleration sensing means mounted in a door of a vehicle for sensing a sideways acceleration of the vehicle and for providing a signal indicative thereof; door opening sensing means for sensing opening of a vehicle door and providing a signal upon the occurrence of a door opening event; and control means operatively connected to said acceleration sensing means, to said door opening sensing means, and to the occupant restraint for determining (i) an average acceleration value of the vehicle door and (ii) sideways velocity of the vehicle door in response to said output signal from said acceleration sensing means and actuating the occupant restraint when both said average acceleration value and said sideways velocity are greater than first and second predetermined threshold values, respectively, and when the acceleration signal is not the result of a door opening event, wherein said control means further includes means for adjusting said second predetermined threshold value when said door opening sensing means indicates said door opening event is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for preventing inadvertent actuation of an occupant restraint comprising the steps of:
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sensing opening of a vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; preventing actuation of the occupant restraint when said signal from said sensing means indicates the vehicle door is open; and providing a timing signal having a predetermined time period when said step of sensing first indicates the vehicle door is open, said step of preventing occurring for said time period of said timing signal.
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31. A method for preventing inadvertent actuation of an occupant restraint comprising the steps of:
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sensing opening of a vehicle door and providing a signal indicative thereof; preventing actuation of the occupant restraint when said signal from said sensing means indicates the vehicle door is open; and wherein said step of sensing includes sensing acceleration of the door during opening of said door. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification