Smart ignitor control system

• US 6,275,756 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sutherland, Michael, Boyd, Clinton, Griggs, James W., Gagnon, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US09/598,860
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 280/728.1, 280/735, 280/730.2, 280/734, 180/268, 180/282, 342/72, 340/436
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26029 Ignitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor

Abstract

A smart ignitor control system has communications output electronic circuitry and communications input electronic circuitry. The communications output electronic circuitry generates output serial clock, data, and handshaking signals for communication with a master ASIC that is adapted to communicate with a smart ignitor. The communications input electronic circuitry inputs data and handshaking signals from a master ASIC. Smart ignitors are in circuit communication with the master ASIC via an ignitor bus. Optionally, additional circuitry digitizes analog voltages and waveforms from the ignitor bus and transmits the digitized data to an electronic information processor.

Claims

1. A smart ignitor control system comprising:

an electronic information processor supplying output serial clock, data, and handshaking signals to a first memory device;

a communications output electronic circuitry that generates output serial clock, data, and handshaking signals by reading data out from the first memory for communication with a master ASIC that communicates with a plurality of smart ignitors over a data bus the communications output electronic circuitry comprising;

data interface circuitry connecting the electronic information processor to the first memory device;

data interface circuitry for connecting the master ASIC to the first memory device, and

control circuitry controlling the functions of the interface circuitry and the first memory device; and

a communications input electronic circuitry that inputs data and handshaking signals from the master ASIC electronic circuit to a second memory device, comprising;

data interface circuitry connecting the electronic information processor to the second memory device,

data interface circuitry for connecting the master ASIC to the second memory device, and

control circuitry controlling the functions of the interface circuitry and second memory device.

2. The smart ignitor control system of claim 1 further comprising a circuit that digitizes analog voltages and waveforms from the ignitor bus, stores the digitized data in a third memory device then uploads the digitized data to the electronic information processor.

3. A smart ignitor control system comprising:

a computer supplying output serial clock, data, and handshaking signals to a first memory device;

a communications output electronic circuitry that outputs serial clock, data, and handshaking signals by reading data out from the first memory device for communication with a master ASIC that communicates with a plurality of smart ignitors over a data bus, the communications output electronic circuitry comprising;

data interface circuitry connecting the computer to the first memory device;

data interface circuitry connecting master ASIC to the first memory device, and

control circuitry controlling the functions of the data interface circuitry and the first memory device;

communications input electronic circuitry that inputs data, and handshaking signals from the master ASIC to a second memory device comprising;

data interface circuitry connecting the computer to the second memory device,

and

control circuitry controlling the functions of the interface circuitry and second memory device; and

a software program executed by the computer that performs the following functions;

supplying output serial clock, data, and handshaking signals to the first memory device, and

input the data stored in the second memory device, and

decoding, analyzing, displaying, archiving, and linking the data in the second memory device to an electronic information processor screen.

4. A system for communicating with a plurality of smart ignitors, comprising;

a computer,

a first memory in communication with said computer, said first memory storing a plurality of communication signals;

a master ASIC connected to said first memory to receive said plurality of communication signals;

a plurality of smart ignitors, each ignitor having a unique address, said plurality of smart ignitors being connected by a single pair of leads forming a bus, to the master ASIC;

a second memory operatively connected to the master ASIC to receive data transmitted from each of said plurality of smart ignitors;

the computer operatively connected to the second memory to interrogate and display said data transmitted from each of said plurality of smart ignitors and stored in said second memory;

a voltage monitoring circuit connected to the bus formed by the single pair of leads;

an A/D converter connected between said voltage monitoring circuit and a third memory for receiving and storing the digital value of the voltage of the bus, and wherein the computer is operatively connected to the third memory to interrogate and display the digitized value of the voltage of the bus.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of communications signals stored in the first memory includes serial lock, data, and handshaking signals.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the first memory is of the flash type.