Process for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle airbag

• US 6,142,513 A
• Filed: 06/16/1998
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SARL
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SARL
• Inventors: Schleeh, Thomas, Schoos, Aloyse
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Restifo, Jeffrey J.
• Application Number:
  US09/011,435
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/734, 280/733
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56

Abstract

The process comprises the determination of the position, particularly the distance between a passenger or driver and the deployment center of the respective airbag and controlling the deactivation of said airbag or a modulation of its deployment as a function of said position or said distance in order to avoid or reduce the risks of accidents due to the inflation of the airbag when the passenger occupies an abnormal position.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of at least one airbag in a motor vehicle, comprising determining the position of an occupant from the center of deployment of the at least one airbag associated with the seat of the occupant and altering the deployment as a function of the position of the occupant, characterized in that at least one electromagnetic-field emitter and at least one electromagnetic-field receiver are provided, each emitter and receiver are arranged in such a way that the electromagnetic field is modified by a movement of the occupant due to at least one conductive marking provided on the seatbelt and in that the position of the occupant is determined as a function of the influence that the position of the occupant has on the electromagnetic field between the at least one emitter and receiver.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one conductive marking provided on the seatbelt is autonomous to act as resonator and interact with the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver, the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver being inductive structures arranged at respective fixed points in the motor vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of altering the deployment comprises disabling the at least one airbag.

4. A method for controlling the operation of at least one airbag in a motor vehicle, comprising determining the position of an occupant from the center of deployment of the at least one airbag associated with the seat of the occupant and altering the deployment as a function of the position of the occupant, characterized in that at least one electromagnetic-field emitter and at least one electromagnetic-field receiver are provided, each emitter and receiver are arranged in such a way that the electromagnetic field is modified by a movement of the occupant in that the position of the occupant is determined as a function of the influence that the position of the occupant has on the electromagnetic field between the at least one emitter and receiver, wherein each emitter and each receiver are arranged separately on the seat belt and at a fixed point in the vehicle, whereby one of said emitter or receiver being fixed and the other being movable.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising at least one autonomous marking on the seatbelt to act as a resonator, each emitter and receiver being inductive structures arranged at fixed points within the motor vehicle.