Controller and control system for an occupant protection device in a motor vehicle and method of transmitting data in the control system

• US 6,223,109 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Paul, Klemens, Kolar, Robert, Francis, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/099,183
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/30, 701/1, 701/45
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01075 between the airbag control unit and pyrotechnic fuses or equivalent actuators
• 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

Abstract

A controller for an occupant protection device in a motor vehicle includes a control unit, a first interface for receiving data, and a second interface. The second interface effects data interchange with a control device remote from the controller and operable with vehicle-specific characteristic operating values. After the controller has received vehicle-specific characteristic operating values for the control device, the characteristic operating values are passed on via the second interface to the control device and are stored there.

Claims

1. A controller for an occupant protection device in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a control unit with a first interface for receiving data and a second interface for data transfer with a control device disposed remote from said controller, the control device being operable in dependence on vehicle-specific characteristic operating values, said control unit having a non-volatile memory;

said control unit receiving signals at said first interface containing vehicle-specific characteristic operating values for the control device and transferring the characteristic operating values to said second interface for transmission to the control device, said control device having a memory; and

said vehicle-specific characteristic operating values transmitted to the controller after manufacture of the controller but before putting the motor vehicle into operation.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said first interface is a diagnostic interface.

3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said memory of said control device is a volatile memory.

4. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle-specific characteristic operating values are fed to the controller after the controller has been installed in the motor vehicle.

5. A control system with a controller for an occupant protection device in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a control unit with a first interface for receiving data and a second interface, said control unit having a non-volatile memory;

a sensor device remote from the controller and operable in dependence on vehicle-specific characteristic operating values, said sensor device including at least one impact sensor and a volatile memory for storing the characteristic operating values;

said control unit receiving signals at said first interface containing vehicle-specific characteristic operating values for said sensor device and transmitting the characteristic operating values to said sensor device via said second interface, said sensor device having a memory; and

said vehicle-specific characteristic operating values transmitted to the controller after manufacture of the controller but before putting the motor vehicle into operation.

6. The control system according to claim 5, wherein said first interface is a diagnostic interface.

7. The control system to claim 5, wherein said memory of said control device is a volatile memory.

8. The control system to claim 5, wherein said vehicle-specific characteristic operating values are fed to the controller after the controller has been installed in the motor vehicle.

9. A control system with a controller for an occupant protection device in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a control unit with a first interface for receiving data and a second interface, said control unit having a non-volatile memory;

a firing device remote from the controller and operable in dependence on vehicle-specific characteristic operating values, said firing device firing a firing element of the occupant protection device and including a memory for storing the characteristic operating values;

said control unit receiving signals at said first interface containing vehicle-specific characteristic operating values for said firing device and transmitting the characteristic operating values to said firing device via said second interface; and

said vehicle-specific characteristic operating values transmitted to the controller after manufacture of the controller but before putting the motor vehicle into operation.

10. The control system according to claim 9, wherein said first interface is a diagnostic interface.

11. The control device according to claim 9, wherein said memory of said firing device is a volatile memory.

12. The control device according to claim 9, wherein said vehicle-specific characteristic operating values are fed to the controller after the controller has been installed in the motor vehicle.

13. A method of transmitting data in a control system for an occupant protection device in a motor vehicle, between a controller and at least one control device, operable in dependence on vehicle-specific characteristic operating values, and including at least one memory, the method which comprises:

transmitting to a controller of a control device in a motor vehicle occupant protection device only characteristic operating values relevant for the operation of a respective control device in a selected vehicle type, the characteristic operating data stored in a non-volatile memory of the controller; and

subsequently, with the controller, passing on the characteristic operating values to the control device and storing the characteristic operating values in a memory of the control device; and

transmitting the vehicle-specific characteristic operating values to the controller after manufacture of the controller but before putting the motor vehicle into operation.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the characteristic operating values are stored in a volatile memory.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle-specific characteristic operating values are fed to the controller after the controller has been installed in the motor vehicle.