Occupant restraint system and control method with variable sense, sample, and determination rates
First Claim
1. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
- an actuatable occupant restraint device;
first sensor means for sensing a first occupant condition at a sense rate and for providing a sensed signal indicative of the first sensed occupant condition;
means for sampling said sensed signal at a sample rate;
determination means for making determinations regarding control of said restraint device at a determination rate using the signal samples;
second sensor means for sensing a second occupant condition; and
variation means for varying at least one of said sense rate, said sample rate and said determination rate in response to the second sensed occupant condition.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An occupant restraint system (10), and an associated control method, for a vehicle (16). The system (10) includes an actuatable occupant restraint device (18) which has an adjustable aspect. An ultrasound sensor (34) senses an occupant condition at a sense rate and provides a signal (38) indicative of the sensed occupant condition. An ultrasound signal sampler function (46) of a controller (26) samples the signal (38) at a sample rate. A restraint control determination function (50) of the controller (26) makes determinations regarding control of the restraint device (18) at a determination rate using the signal samples. A weight sensor (56) and at least one seat belt sensor (58, 60) sense occupant conditions (e.g., occupant weight and seat belt status) and provide indicative signals (66, 68, 70) to a rates determination function (84) of the controller (26). The rates determination function (84) determines the sense, sample and determination rates in response to the sensed occupant conditions.
149 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
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an actuatable occupant restraint device; first sensor means for sensing a first occupant condition at a sense rate and for providing a sensed signal indicative of the first sensed occupant condition; means for sampling said sensed signal at a sample rate; determination means for making determinations regarding control of said restraint device at a determination rate using the signal samples; second sensor means for sensing a second occupant condition; and variation means for varying at least one of said sense rate, said sample rate and said determination rate in response to the second sensed occupant condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for controlling an actuatable occupant restraint device of an occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said method comprising:
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sensing a first occupant condition at a sense rate; providing a sensed signal indicative of the first sensed occupant condition; sampling the sensed signal at a sample rate; making determinations regarding control of the restraint device at a determination rate using the signal samples; sensing a second occupant condition; and varying at least one of the sense rate, the sample rate and the determination rate in response to the second sensed occupant condition. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification