Occupant restraint system and control method with variable occupant position boundary
First Claim
1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:
- restraint means actuatable for restraining a vehicle occupant, said restraint means having a plurality of function levels;
sensor means for sensing the occupant and providing a signal indicative thereof;
determination means for determining position and velocity of the occupant relative to a vehicle reference location, in response to the signal;
actuation control means for controlling actuation of said restraint means;
level control means, responsive to the determined occupant position, for controlling said restraint means to be at a first one of said function levels when the occupant is positioned on one side of a boundary located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle reference location and for controlling said restraint means to be at a second one of said function levels when the occupant is positioned on the other side of the boundary; and
adjustment means for repositioning the boundary relative to the vehicle reference location responsive to the determined occupant velocity.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A restraint system (10) includes an actuatable occupant restraint module (18), which is controlled in a method for restraining a vehicle occupant (12). A restraint control determination function (68) controls actuation of the restraint module (18) using information from a vehicle collision sensor (30). An occupant sensor (34) senses the occupant and provides a signal indicative thereof. A position determination function (46) determines position of the occupant (12) using the signal, and an occupant velocity determination function (70) determines velocity of the occupant relative to a vehicle reference location, as a time derivative of the occupant position. An OOP determination function (52) determines if the occupant (12) is in an occupant out-of-position zone (OOP) (62). If the occupant (12) is within the OOP zone (62), actuation of the restraint module (18) is prevented. A boundary adjustment function (72) repositions a boundary (64) of the OOP zone (62) as a function of the determined occupant velocity. Another embodiment includes an adjustable zone (258), in which adjustable aspect(s) (219) are adjusted.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:
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restraint means actuatable for restraining a vehicle occupant, said restraint means having a plurality of function levels; sensor means for sensing the occupant and providing a signal indicative thereof; determination means for determining position and velocity of the occupant relative to a vehicle reference location, in response to the signal; actuation control means for controlling actuation of said restraint means; level control means, responsive to the determined occupant position, for controlling said restraint means to be at a first one of said function levels when the occupant is positioned on one side of a boundary located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle reference location and for controlling said restraint means to be at a second one of said function levels when the occupant is positioned on the other side of the boundary; and adjustment means for repositioning the boundary relative to the vehicle reference location responsive to the determined occupant velocity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for controlling an occupant restraint module in a vehicle occupant restraint system, the restraint module having a plurality of function levels, said method comprising:
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sensing an occupant and providing a signal indicative thereof; determining position and velocity of the occupant relative to a vehicle reference location, in response to the signal; controlling the restraint module, including controlling actuation of the restraint module, and controlling the function level of the restraint module to be at a first one the function levels when the occupant is positioned on one side of a boundary spaced from the vehicle reference location and to be at a second one of the function levels when the occupant is positioned on the other side of the boundary; and repositioning the boundary relative to the vehicle reference location responsive to the determined occupant velocity. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:
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restraint means actuatable for restraining a vehicle occupant; sensor means for sensing the occupant and providing a signal indicative thereof; determination means for determining position and velocity of the occupant relative to a vehicle reference location, in response to the signal; actuation control means for controlling actuation of said restraint means; enable means, responsive to the determined occupant position, for enabling said actuation control means to control actuation of said restraint means when the occupant is positioned on one side of a boundary located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle reference location and for preventing said actuation control means from causing actuation of said restraint means when the occupant is positioned on the other side of the boundary; and adjustment means for repositioning the boundary relative to the vehicle reference location as a function of the determined occupant velocity. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for controlling an occupant restraint module in a vehicle occupant restraint system, said method comprising:
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sensing an occupant and providing a signal indicative thereof; determining position and velocity of the occupant relative to a vehicle reference location, in response to the signal; controlling actuation of the restraint module; enabling actuation of the restraint module when the occupant is positioned on one side of a boundary spaced from the vehicle reference location and preventing actuation of the restraint module when the occupant is positioned on the other side of the boundary; and repositioning the boundary relative to the vehicle reference location as a function of the determined occupant velocity. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification