Method and system for communicating between sensors and a supplemental restraint system controller

• US 6,513,831 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Weber, Reinhart, Stierle, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Kelly E
• Application Number:
  US09/843,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20010052695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 280/734, 280/735, 280/730.2, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01068 between different sensors and airbag control unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01115 specific data frames
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation

Abstract

A system and method for communicating between a single electronic controller and multiple sensor devices in a vehicle supplemental restraint system includes a unique communication protocol. A series of pulses, each having a chosen duration, are communicated between the sensor device and the controller. The combined sequence and duration of each pulse provides a unique piece of information to the controller regarding the condition sensed by each sensor device, respectively. By controlling the sequence and duration of pulses, each sensor device is able to provide unique information to the controller, which responsively controls the supplemental restraint device as needed.

Claims

1. A method of communicating between an electronic sensor having a sensor portion, a sensor controller and a current absorbing portion and an electronic controller in a vehicle safety system, comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of pulses in a series responsive to a condition sensed by the sensor by selectively controlling the current absorbing portion responsive to the condition sensed by the sensor portion, each pulse having a chosen duration such that the sequence and durations of the pulses are indicative of the sensed condition;

powering the sensor using the sensor controller and determining an amount of time that an amount of current exceeding a chosen threshold is drawn by the sensor from the controller to determine the pulse durations; and

determining a condition sensed by the sensor using the electronic controller based upon the duration and sequence of the pulses.

2. The method of claim 1, including controlling the vehicle safety system responsive to the determined condition.

3. The method of claim 2, including determining whether the determined condition has a severity beyond a chosen threshold and deploying a supplemental restraint device when the determined condition severity exceeds the threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, including controlling the manner of deployment of the supplemental restraint device based upon the determined severity.

5. The method of claim 1, including establishing a set number of pulses included in the series and generating a separator signal portion in between successive series.

6. The method of claim 5, including generating three pulses in the series and assigning a duration to each of the pulses from one of at least three preselected durations.

7. The method of claim 6, including assigning a duration to one of the pulses from one of at least four preselected durations.

8. A system for controlling a supplemental restraint device in a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of sensor devices supported at peripheral locations on the vehicle each sensor device having a sensor portion that generates an electrical signal responsive to a condition of the vehicle, a current absorbing portion and a microprocessor portion that controls the current absorbing portion to thereby generate a series of pulses based upon the electrical signal from the sensor portion, the microprocessor determining an amount of current drawn by the sensor portion and responsively controlling the current absorbing portion such that the duration and sequence of the pulses is indicative of the condition sensed by the sensor portion; and

a controller that communicates with the sensor devices by interpreting the series of pulses that each have a chosen duration to determine a condition sensed by the sensor devices based upon the duration and sequence of the pulses.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor devices each comprise an electronic front sensor that senses a collision event condition.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller determines a severity level of the condition sensed by at least one of the sensing devices and controls deployment of a supplemental restraint device based upon the determined severity level.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller includes a memory portion that contains information that correlates a plurality of condition severity levels to specific pulse duration sequences.

12. A method of communicating between a peripheral sensor device and an electronic controller in a vehicle safety system, comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of pulses in a series responsive to a condition sensed by the sensor device, each pulse having a chosen duration such that the sequence and durations of the pulses are indicative of the sensed condition;

establishing a set number of pulses included in the series;

generating a separator signal portion in between successive series; and

determining a condition sensed by the sensor device using the electronic controller based upon the duration and sequence of the pulses.