Occupant restraint system and method having smart process initiation control
First Claim
1. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
- an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect adjustable for adjusting actuation of said restraint device in response to an adjustment signal;
parameter sensing means for sensing a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to vehicle crash acceleration and for providing a parameter signal indicative thereof;
determination means for determining whether said parameter signal exceeds a threshold value;
characteristic sensing means for sensing an occupant characteristic and for providing an occupant characteristic signal indicative thereof; and
control means for initiating determination of needed adjustment of said adjustable aspect of said restraint device in response to the determination that said parameter signal exceeds the threshold value, for determining adjustment using said occupant characteristic signal, and for providing said adjustment signal indicative of the determined needed adjustment to effect the needed adjustment of said restraint device;
wherein said control means including means for sampling said characteristic signal responsive to the determination that said parameter signal exceeds the threshold value.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle occupant restraint system (10) has an actuatable occupant restraint device (16) with an aspect adjustable for adjusting actuation of the restraint device. An associated control method controls the system (10). Within the system (10), a sensor (40) senses a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to crash acceleration and provides a signal (42) indicative thereof. A threshold determination function (44) of a microcomputer (18) determines whether the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds a threshold value. An occupant characteristic sensor (26) senses an occupant characteristic in response to a determination that the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds the threshold value and provides a signal (28A) indicative thereof. A restraint adjustment controller function (38) of the microcomputer (18) determines adjustment of the adjustable aspect of the restraint device (16) in response to the determination that the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds the threshold value and in response to the signal (28A) from the occupant characteristic sensor (26). The adjustment controller function (38) provides a signal (20A) indicative of the determined adjustment to cause adjustment of the restraint device (16).
44 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
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an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect adjustable for adjusting actuation of said restraint device in response to an adjustment signal;
parameter sensing means for sensing a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to vehicle crash acceleration and for providing a parameter signal indicative thereof;
determination means for determining whether said parameter signal exceeds a threshold value;
characteristic sensing means for sensing an occupant characteristic and for providing an occupant characteristic signal indicative thereof; and
control means for initiating determination of needed adjustment of said adjustable aspect of said restraint device in response to the determination that said parameter signal exceeds the threshold value, for determining adjustment using said occupant characteristic signal, and for providing said adjustment signal indicative of the determined needed adjustment to effect the needed adjustment of said restraint device;
wherein said control means including means for sampling said characteristic signal responsive to the determination that said parameter signal exceeds the threshold value.
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2. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
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an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect adjustable for adjusting actuation of said restraint device in response to an adjustment signal;
parameter sensing means for sensing a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to vehicle crash acceleration and for providing a parameter signal indicative thereof;
determination means for determining whether said parameter signal exceeds a threshold value;
characteristic sensing means for sensing an occupant characteristic and for providing an occupant characteristic signal indicative thereof; and
control means for initiating determination of needed adjustment of said adjustable aspect of said restraint device in response to the determination that said parameter signal exceeds the threshold value, for determining adjustment using said occupant characteristic signal, and for providing said adjustment signal indicative of the determined needed adjustment to effect the needed adjustment of said restraint device;
wherein said characteristic sensing means sensing the occupant characteristic and providing said characteristic signal responsive to the determination that said parameter signal exceeds the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
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an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect adjustable for adjusting actuation of said restraint device in response to an adjustment signal;
parameter sensing means for sensing a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to vehicle crash acceleration and for providing a parameter signal indicative thereof;
determination means for determining whether said parameter signal exceeds a threshold value;
characteristic sensing means for sensing an occupant characteristic in response to a determination that said parameter signal exceeds the threshold value and for providing an occupant characteristic signal indicative thereof; and
control means for determining needed adjustment of said adjustable aspect of said restraint device in response to said occupant characteristic signal and for providing said adjustment signal indicative of the determined adjustment to effect adjustment of said restraint device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for controlling an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect which is adjustable for adjusting actuation of the restraint device, said method comprising:
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sensing a vehicle operating. parameter functionally related to crash acceleration;
providing a parameter signal indicative of the sensed vehicle operating parameter;
determining whether the parameter signal exceeds a threshold value;
sensing an occupant characteristic;
providing an occupant characteristic signal indicative of the sensed occupant characteristic;
determining needed adjustment of the adjustable aspect of the restraint device in response to a determination that the parameter signal exceeds the threshold value and in response to the occupant characteristic signal; and
adjusting the adjustable aspect of the restraint device in response to the determined needed adjustment;
wherein said step of sensing an occupant characteristic is in response to the determination that the parameter signal exceeds the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for controlling an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect which is adjustable for adjusting actuation of the restraint device, said method comprising:
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sensing a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to crash acceleration;
providing a parameter signal indicative of the sensed vehicle operating parameter;
determining whether the parameter signal exceeds a threshold value;
sensing an occupant characteristic in response to a determination that the parameter signal exceeds the threshold value;
providing an occupant characteristic signal indicative of the sensed occupant characteristic;
determining needed adjustment of the adjustable aspect of the restraint device in response to the occupant characteristic signal; and
adjusting the adjustable aspect of the restraint device in response to the determined needed adjustment. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification