Air bag actuation event discrimination system

• US 6,236,922 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Andres, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/461,905
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 307/10.1, 280/734, 280/735, 180/282, 340/436, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01336 using filtering

Abstract

A system and method for discriminating between events which warrant deployment of an air bag, and events which do not warrant deployment of an air bag. The air bag system is enabled for deployment only if it has been determined that the deployment enabling criteria have been met.

Claims

1. A system for enabling actuation of a vehicle occupant protection device, said occupant protection device actuated by an actuation signal, said system comprising:

a sensor adapted to provide at least one acceleration signal; and

a controller coupled to said occupant protection device and said sensor,

said controller performing an evaluation of said at least one acceleration signal and enabling said actuating signal in response to said evaluation, said evaluation comprising the steps of;

generating a first velocity signal;

comparing said first velocity signal to a velocity threshold;

generating a second velocity signal when said first velocity signal exceeds said velocity threshold; and

enabling said actuating signal if said second velocity signal exceeds said first velocity signal.

2. The vehicle occupant protection system of claim 1, wherein said evaluation performed by said controller further comprises the steps of:

comparing said sensor signal to an acceleration threshold;

generating said first velocity signal only when said sensor signal exceeds said acceleration threshold;

comparing said first velocity signal to said velocity threshold;

generating said second velocity signal when said first velocity signal exceeds said velocity threshold; and

enabling said actuating signal if said second velocity signal exceeds said first velocity signal.

3. The vehicle occupant protection system of claim 1, wherein said evaluation performed by said controller further comprises the steps of:

generating said first velocity signal as a function of said at least one acceleration signal and a predetermined offset; and

generating said second velocity signal as a function of said at least one acceleration signal and said predetermined offset and, after expiry of a predetermined calculation period, also as a function of an incremental offset.

4. The vehicle occupant protection system of claim 2, wherein said evaluation performed by said controller further comprises the steps of:

generating said first velocity signal as a function of said at least one acceleration signal and a predetermined offset; and

generating said second velocity signal as a function of said at least one acceleration signal and said predetermined offset and, after expiry of a predetermined calculation period, also as a function of an incremental offset.