Air bag apparatus

• US 6,253,132 B1
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takai, Hideo, Ando, Junichi, Ikegami, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIBSON, ERIC M
• Application Number:
  US09/224,996
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 280/734, 280/735, 307/10.1, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors

Abstract

An air bag apparatus to be disclosed has an air bag, an air bag driver for performing drive of the air bag to develop the air bag, and an air bag control device for controlling the drive of the air bag driver as a basic arrangement. The air bag control device has an arrangement in which an air bag operation selecting device having information related to selection of an operation state of the air bag driver can be connected to the air bag control device. Further, the air bag control device has a non-volatile storage device, determines a connection state of the air bag operation selecting device to the air bag control device, and stores information related to the determined connection state in the non-volatile storage device.

Claims

1. An air bag apparatus comprising:

an air bag;

an air bag driver which drives said air bag to develop; and

an air bag control device controlling said air bag driver, said air bag control device having

a non-volatile storage device, and

an air bag operation selecting device capable of being connected to said air bag control device, said air bag operation selecting device having information related to selection of an operation state of said air bag driver,

wherein said air bag control device determines a connection state corresponding to presence or absence of connection of said air bag operation selecting device to said air bag control device, and stores information related to the detected connection state in said non-volatile storage device.

2. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air bag control device controls said drive of said air bag driver according to said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storage device and on the basis of said information related to said selection of said operation state of said air bag driver.

3. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an occupant sensing device sensing information related to seating of an occupant,

wherein said air bag control device further controls said drive of said air bag driver on said basis of said information sensed by said occupant sensing device.

4. An air bag apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said occupant sensing device further senses information related to a condition to which a seat is set.

5. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air bag control device further determines that a communication state between said air bag control device and said air bag operation selecting device is one of normal and abnormal.

6. An air bag apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a warning unit, wherein said air bag control device operates said warning unit when said communication is abnormal.

7. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of air bags are arranged as said air bag, and said air bag drivers are arranged in correspondence with said plurality of air bags.

8. An air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air bag control device uses said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storage device when an ignition switch is set in an ON state.

9. An air bag apparatus comprising:

an air bag;

an air bag driver activatable to drive said air bag to develop; and

an air bag control device controllling said air bag driver, said air bag control device having a non-volatile storage device, an air bag operation selecting device capable connection to said air bag control device, and said air bag operation selecting device having information related to selection of an operation state of said air bag driver,

wherein said air bag control device determines a presence or absence of connection of said air bag operation selecting device to said air bag control device, and stores information related to the detected connection state in said non-volatile storage device, said air bag apparatus further comprising;

an occupant sensing device sensing information related to seating of an occupant;

a first communication line connecting said occupant sensing device and said air bag control device to each other, a signal corresponding to said information related to said said seating of said occupant sensed by said occupant sensing device being transmitted to said air bag control device through said first communication line; and

a second communication line connecting said air bag operation device and said air bag control device to each other, a signal corresponding to said information related to said selection of said operation state of said air bag driver and belonging to said air bag operation selecting device being transmitted to said air bag control device through said second communication line, and said second communication line being connected to said first communication line in parallel,

wherein said air bag control device determines said connection state through said second communication line and stores said information indicative of said connection state in said non-volatile storage device.

10. An air bag apparatus comprising:

an air bag;

an air bag driver activatable to drive said air bag to develop; and

an air bag control device which controls said air bag driver, said air bag control device having;

a non-volatile storage device, and

an air bag operation selecting device capable of connection to said air bag control device, said air bag operation selecting device having information related to selection of an operation state of said air bag driver,

wherein said air bag control device determines a presence or absence of connection of said air bag operation selecting device to said air bag control device, and stores information related to the detected connection state in said non-volatile storage device, and

wherein said air bag control device further determines that a communication state between said air bag control device and said air bag operation selecting device is normal when said air bag operation selecting device responds within a predetermined period of time.

11. An air bag apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, when said air bag operation selecting device does not respond within a predetermined period of time, and said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storage device corresponds to a state in which said air bag operation selecting device is connected, said air bag control device determines said communication state is abnormal.

12. An air bag apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said air bag control device stores information related to said communication state in said non-volatile storage device, when said communication state is abnormal.

13. An air bag apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, when said air bag operation selecting device does not respond within a predetermined period of time, and said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storage device corresponds to a state in which said air bag operation selecting device is not connected, said air bag control device does not determine said communication state.

14. An air bag apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said air bag control device updatees said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storing device to indicate that said air bag operation selecting device is set and receives a signal corresponding to said information related to said selection of said operation state of said air bag driver and belonging to said air bag operation selecting device, when said communication state is normal and said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storage device corresponds to a non-connection state.

15. An air bag apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said air bag control device receives said signal corresponding to said information related to said selection of said operation state of said air bag driver and belonging to said air bag operation selecting device, when said communication state is normal and said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storage device corresponds to a connection state.

16. An air bag apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a warning unit, wherein said air bag control device operates said warning unit when said communication is abnormal.

17. An air bag apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said air bag comprises a plurality of air bags and a plurality of corresponding said air bag drivers.

18. An air bag apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said air bag control device uses said information related to said connection state stored in said non-volatile storage device when an ignition switch of a vehicle in which the air bag is disposed, is set in an ON state.