Procedure for connecting a status detection device of a passive safety system for motor vehicles to a control unit

• US 5,982,048 A
• Filed: 06/18/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Rauh, Helmut, Fendt, Gunter, Spies, Hans, Hora, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/877,814
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.6, 307/10.7, 280/735, 280/728.1, 280/801.1, 280/802, 280/805, 280/808, 280/748, 280/734, 180/268, 180/270, 180/271, 180/272, 180/273, 180/286, 180/289, 701/1, 701/36, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 340/667, 340/438, 340/457, 340/457.1, 200/61.58 B
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01526 using piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors

Abstract

The invention concerns a procedure for selectively connecting a status detection device--from a group of such devices based on different physical action principles, in particular belt buckle status detection, and seat occupation detection, within a passive safety system for motor vehicles, in particular an airbag system, and/or a belt pretensioning system,--to the signal input of a control unit, using a single wire connection, by causing the control unit to activate an appropriate current/voltage supply in accordance with the physical action principle, and by appropriately processing the signals generated by the status detection device, which signals will then be fed to the control unit for evaluation. Furthermore, an interface circuit is specified for implementing the procedure according to the invention.

Claims

1. A passive motor vehicle security system comprising:

a control unit;

an interface circuit connected to the control unit, said interface circuit having a voltage source for generating an operating voltage and a voltage-stabilized current source for generating an operating current; and

a status detection device for detecting status information for the vehicle security system, connected to and supplying an electrical signal containing said status information to said interface circuit, said status detection device being based on one of a mechanical action and a non-mechanical action, and said interface circuit supplies either an operating voltage or an operating current to said status detection device depending on the action of the status detection device wherein said control unit activates one of the voltage source or the voltage-stabilized current source depending on the action of the status detection device and said interface circuit processes the signal which contains status information and subsequently transmits this processed signal to the control unit for evaluation.

2. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the processed signal will be converted into an analog or digital signal depending on the action of the status detection device.

3. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 2 wherein the control unit has an analog input and a digital input and a digital signal is fed to the digital input and an analog signal is fed to the analog input.

4. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 3 wherein a status detection device based on a mechanical action is operated by means of a micro-mechanical switch and a status detection device based on a non-mechanical action is operated by one of a Hall sensor, an infrared sensor, and a piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, electrodynamic, capacitive or piezo-resistive sensor.

5. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 4 wherein, in the case of a status detection device based on a mechanical action, the control unit will activate the voltage source, and the signal is converted into an analog signal.

6. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 4 wherein, in the case of a status detection device based on a non-mechanical action, the control unit will activate the voltage-stabilized current source, and the signal is converted into a digital signal.

7. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 4 wherein said interface circuit is connected to the status detection device by a multi-wire connection.

8. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 5 wherein said interface circuit is connected to said status detection device by means of a single wire.

9. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 8 wherein the interface circuit further comprises circuit components which, in the case of a connected status detection device based on mechanical action, are connected to the analog input of the control unit, and a comparative circuit for generating a digital circuit which, in the case of a connected status detection device based on non-mechanical action, is connected to the digital input of the control unit, said comparative circuit comparing a voltage potential generated along the single wire connection to a reference voltage.

10. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 9 wherein the circuit components are made up of a resistor network, and the comparative circuit includes the resistor network of the circuit components and a comparator.

11. A passive motor vehicle security system according to claim 10 further comprising a contact pin of a plug connection which is used as the single wire connection.