Vehicle safety system

• US 6,206,416 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation), TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Erike, Eric C., Shirk, Bryan W., Swann, Timothy A., Faigle, Ernst M., Esterberg, Dean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): JASMIN, LYNDA C
• Application Number:
  US09/410,601
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/806, 701/47
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems

Abstract

A vehicle safety system (10) includes a first vehicle occupant safety device (50) including a first pyrotechnic device (60) that is electrically energizable in response to a first actuation signal (76). The system also includes a second vehicle occupant safety device (50) including a second pyrotechnic device that is electrically energizable in response to a second actuation signal (80). The system includes at least one sensor (14-28) for sensing a first occupant or vehicle condition and for providing a first output signal indicative of the sensed first condition. An electronic control unit (ECU) (30) receives the first output signal (14-28) and in response to the first output signal determines whether one or both of the first and second safety devices should be actuated. An radio frequency (RF) transmitter (40) electrically connected with the ECU (30) is selectively actuatable by the ECU to transmit first and second individually coded RF signals (72, 80). The system (10) includes a first RF receiver (64) electrically connected with the first safety device (50) for receiving the first individually coded RF signal (72) and for providing a first actuation signal (74) for energizing the first pyrotechnic device. The system (10) also includes a second RF receiver electrically connected with the second safety device for receiving the second individually coded RF signal (80) and for providing a second actuation signal for energizing the second pyrotechnic device.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety system comprising:

a first vehicle occupant safety device including a first pyrotechnic device that is electrically energizable in response to a first electrical actuation signal;

a second vehicle occupant safety device including a second pyrotechnic device that is electrically energizable in response to a second electrical actuation signal;

at least one sensor for sensing a first occupant or vehicle condition and for providing a first output signal indicative of the sensed first condition;

an electronic control unit for receiving said first output signal and for determining in response to said first output signal whether one or both of said first and second safety devices should be actuated;

a primary radio frequency transmitter electrically connected with said electronic control unit and actuatable by said electronic control unit to transmit first and second individually coded radio frequency signals;

a first radio frequency receiver electrically connected with said first safety device for receiving the first individually coded radio frequency signal and for providing a first actuation signal for energizing said first pyrotechnic device; and

a second radio frequency receiver electrically connected with said second safety device for receiving the second individually coded radio frequency signal and for providing a second actuation signal for energizing said second pyrotechnic device.

2. A safety system as set forth in claim 1 comprising a second sensor for sensing a second occupant or vehicle condition and for providing a second output signal indicative of the sensed second condition, said electronic control unit receiving said second output signal in addition to said first output signal and using said first and second output signals in determining whether one or both of said first and second safety devices should be actuated.

3. A safety system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first vehicle occupant safety device comprises a first inflator, said first pyrotechnic device being an initiator for said first inflator.

4. A safety system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first vehicle occupant safety device comprises a seat belt webbing pretensioner, said first pyrotechnic device forming a part of said pretensioner.

5. A safety system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first radio frequency receiver is part of a first radio frequency transceiver for receiving said first individually coded radio frequency signal and for providing an actuation signal for energizing said first pyrotechnic device, said primary radio frequency transmitter being a transceiver, said first radio frequency transceiver also being operable to transmit individually coded information about said first safety device to said primary radio frequency transceiver and thereby to said electronic control unit;

said second radio frequency receiver being part of a second radio frequency transceiver for receiving the second individually coded radio frequency signal and for providing an actuation signal for energizing said second pyrotechnic device, said second radio frequency transceiver also being operable to transmit individually coded information about said second safety device to said primary radio frequency transceiver and thereby to said electronic control unit.

6. A safety system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each one of said first and second radio frequency transceivers is operable to transmit individually coded operational status information about its associated safety device to said electronic control unit.

7. A vehicle safety system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each one of said safety devices includes a respective battery for supplying electric power for said safety device.

8. A vehicle safety system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle occupant safety devices each including a respective pyrotechnic device that is electrically energizable in response to an electrical actuation signal, each one of said safety devices also including a respective secondary radio frequency transceiver for receiving an individually coded radio frequency signal and for providing an actuation signal for energizing the associated pyrotechnic device;

a plurality of sensors for sensing a plurality of different occupant and/or vehicle conditions and for providing output signals indicative of the sensed conditions;

an electronic control unit for receiving said output signals and for determining in response to said output signals whether each one of said safety devices should be actuated; and

a primary radio frequency transceiver electrically connected with said electronic control unit and actuatable by said electronic control unit to transmit a plurality of individually coded radio frequency signals to said secondary radio frequency transceivers;

each one of said secondary radio frequency transceivers also being operable to transmit individually coded information about its associated safety device to said electronic control unit.

9. A vehicle safety system as set forth in claim 8 wherein each one of said safety devices includes a respective battery for supplying electric power for said safety device.