Airbag device having combined fault diagnosis and type signaling indicator

• US 5,916,290 A
• Filed: 10/15/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kiribayashi, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/950,784
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/30, 701/31, 701/32, 701/33, 701/34, 701/35, 701/45, 701/47, 280/735, 280/728.2, 180/287, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.5, 340/426, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01293 programmable for use in different vehicles or with different airbags configurations
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor

Abstract

An electronic control unit in an airbag device generates a data signal for identifying a type of control unit and outputs the data signal. The output data signal is received by a light emitting diode causing the light emitting diode to turn on and off responsive to the data signal. It is possible to easily identify whether the electronic control unit is correctly installed in a vehicle even after the airbag device is mounted in the vehicle, by detecting the variation of the light emitting state of the diode by a photo sensor or the like.

Claims

1. An airbag device comprising:

an electronic control unit which is mounted on a vehicle and which stores control data, said control data being preset in accordance with a type of said vehicle such that different types of vehicles have different control data associated therewith;

an inflator for generating gas responsive to an inflation signal from said electronic control unit;

an airbag which is inflated by said gas provided by said inflator;

a diagnosis circuit for diagnosing a fault of said electronic control unit responsive to an ignition switch of said vehicle being turned on; and

a light emitting element disposed in said vehicle so that a passenger can perceive a light emitting state of said light emitting element for emitting light indicating that a fault diagnosis is being performed by said diagnosis circuit,

wherein said electronic control unit provides, responsive to said ignition switch being turned on, a data signal corresponding to said control data, which identifies a type of said electronic control unit, to said light emitting element only when said light emitting element is in a process of emitting light indicating that said fault diagnosis is being performed, and

wherein said light emitting element varies its light emitting state responsive to said data signal from said electronic control unit.

2. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein said data signal indicative of a type of said electronic control unit is a pulse signal having at least one pulse, and therein said data signal is received by said light emitting element responsive to elapsing of a predetermined period after said diagnosis circuit begins performing a fault diagnosis, and

wherein said light emitting element turns off responsive to said pulse signal.

3. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein said data signal is transmitted as a serial signal to said light emitting element, and

wherein said light emitting element varies said light emitting state so that a light turns on and off at a speed substantially imperceptible to a human eye, responsive to said data signal from said electronic control unit.

4. An airbag device according to claim 1, said electronic control unit includes:

a deceleration sensor for detecting a deceleration generated responsive to a vehicle collision having occurred and for outputting a detected signal responsive thereto; and

a central processing unit for calculating a deceleration value based on said detected signal and for determining an occurrence of said vehicle collision by comparing said deceleration value with a predetermined value.

5. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting element is a light emitting diode.

6. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes a steering wheel and a pad disposed thereon and said electronic control unit is installed in said pad in said steering wheel.

7. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting element is installed in said pad of said steering wheel.

8. An airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a photo sensor detecting said variation of said light emitting state and outputting a variation signal representative thereof; and

type determining unit determining a type of said electronic control unit based on said variation signal.

9. An airbag system comprising:

an electronic control unit which stores control data, said control data being preset in accordance with a type of vehicle such that different types of vehicles have different control data associated therewith;

an inflator for generating gas responsive to an inflation signal generated by said electronic control unit responsive to said electronic control unit determining an occurrence of a vehicle collision based on said control data;

an airbag which is inflated by said gas generated by said inflator;

a diagnosis circuit disposed in said electronic control unit for diagnosing a fault of said electronic control unit responsive to an ignition switch of said vehicle being turned on;

a steering wheel which has a pad for housing said electronic control unit, said inflator and said airbag;

a light emitting element buried in said pad so that a passenger can perceive a light emitting state of said light emitting element, for emitting light to inform said passenger that said diagnosis circuit is performing a fault diagnosis,

wherein said electronic control unit provides, in response to detection of said ignition switch being turned on, a data signal corresponding to said control data, which identifies a type of said electronic control unit, to said light emitting element only when said light emitting element emits light to inform said passenger that said diagnosis circuit is performing said fault diagnosis, and

wherein said light emitting element varies its light emitting state responsive to said data signal from said electronic control unit.

10. An electronic control unit which is mounted on a vehicle and which stores control data, said control data being preset in accordance with a type of said vehicle such that different types of vehicles have different control data associated therewith;

an inflator for generating gas responsive to an inflation signal generated by said electronic control unit responsive to said electronic control unit determining an occurrence of a vehicle collision based on said control data;

an airbag which is inflated by said gas generated by said inflator;

a diagnosis circuit for diagnosing a fault of said electronic control unit responsive to an ignition switch of said vehicle being turned on;

a light emitting element dispose din said vehicle so that a passenger can perceive a light emitting state of said light emitting element, for emitting light to inform said passenger that said diagnosis circuit is performing a fault diagnosis,

wherein said electronic control unit provides, in response to detection of said ignition switch being turned on, a data signal corresponding to said control data which identifies a type of said electronic control unit, to said light emitting element only when said light emitting element emits light to inform said passenger that said diagnosis circuit is performing said fault diagnosis, and

wherein said light emitting element turns on and off at a speed substantially imperceptible to a human eye, responsive to the data signal from said electronic control unit.