Safing method for a vehicle occupant protection safety system

• US 6,516,259 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Morell, Scott, Ziesmer, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/821,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/46, 180/232, 180/271, 180/282, 280/734, 280/735, 340/436, 340/901
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01027 Safing sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01068 between different sensors and airbag control unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• 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 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor

Abstract

A vehicle occupant protection activation system includes a satellite sensor which communicates with a safety controller for controlling each safety system. If a heightened likelihood of a vehicle crash or roll-over condition exists, the satellite sensor sends a safing message to the safety controller. When the safing message is received by the safety controller, it responds to the satellite sensor with a safing response including a seed message therein. The seed message is temporarily stored in the safety controller and is also stored by the satellite sensor. If it is determined that the event requires deployment, the satellite sensor sends a deploy command to the safety controller that includes the seed message therein to authenticate the command. The safing controller is thus assured that the deploy command is authorized and inadvertent deployment due to a single point fault in the satellite sensor is prevented.

Claims

1. A method of safing a vehicle occupant protection activation system comprising the steps of:

(1) transmitting a safing message from a satellite sensor to a safety controller remote from the satellite sensor;

(2) replying to said safing message with a seed message; and

(3) transmitting a deploy command including said seed message.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (2) further including generating a random seed message.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further including determining whether a heightened likelihood of an event condition exists prior to said step (1).

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said event condition includes a vehicle crash event.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said event condition includes a vehicle roll-over event.

6. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said step (3) occurs after said event condition is confirmed.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (2) further includes arming a vehicle safety system.

8. A method of safing a vehicle occupant protection activation system comprising the steps of:

(1) determining whether a heightened likelihood of an event condition exists;

(2) transmitting a safing message;

(3) replying to said safing message with a seed message;

(4) confirming that said event condition exists; and

(5) transmitting a deploy command including said seed message from a satellite sensor to a safety controller in response to said step (4).

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step (3) further including generating a random seed message.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said event condition includes a vehicle crash event.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said event condition includes a vehicle roll-over event.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step (1) includes sensing a first predetermined condition.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said step (4) includes sensing a second predetermined condition.

14. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step (3) further includes arming a vehicle safety system.

15. A vehicle occupant protection activation system, comprising:

a satellite sensor;

a safety controller in communication with said satellite sensor, said satellite sensor including control logic for determining whether a heightened likelihood of a vehicle crash or rollover event condition exists and for sending a safing message in response thereto;

said safety controller in communication with an occupant protection safety system and said satellite sensor, said safety controller responsive to said safing message with a seed message, said safety controller operable to deploy said occupant protection safety system only in response to a deploy command from said satellite sensor which includes said seed message.

16. The vehicle occupant protection activation system as recited in claim 15, wherein said occupant protection safety system includes side airbag.

17. The vehicle occupant protection activation system as recited in claim 15, wherein said occupant protection safety system includes a seat belt pretensioner.

18. The vehicle occupant protection activation system as recited in claim 15, wherein said occupant protection safety system includes a side curtain airbag.

19. The vehicle occupant protection activation system as recited in claim 15, further including a plurality of satellite sensors.

20. The vehicle occupant protection activation system as recited in claim 15, wherein said vehicle event condition is a vehicle roll-over.

21. A method of safing a vehicle occupant protection activation system comprising the steps of:

(1) transmitting a safing message from a satellite sensor;

(2) replying to said safing message with a seed message from a safety controller;

(3) transmitting a deploy command including said seed message; and

wherein step (2) further comprises replying to a satellite sensor from a safety controller.

22. A method of safing a vehicle occupant protection activation system comprising the steps of:

(1) transmitting a safing message;

(2) replying to said safing message with a seed message; and

(3) transmitting a deploy command including said seed message from a satellite sensor to a safety controller.

23. A method of safing a vehicle occupant protection activation system comprising the steps of:

(1) determining whether a heightened likelihood of an event condition exists;

(2) transmitting a safing message from a satellite sensor to a safety controlled remote from the satellite sensor;

(3) replying to said safing message with a seed message;

(4) confirming that said event condition exists; and

(5) transmitting a deploy command including said seed message in response to said step (4).

24. A method of safing a vehicle occupant protection activation system comprising the steps of:

(1) determining whether a heightened likelihood of an event condition exists;

(2) transmitting a safing message from a satellite sensor;

(3) replying to said safing message from said satellite sensor with a seed message from a safety controller;

(4) confirming that said event condition exists; and

(5) transmitting a deploy command including said seed message in response to said step (4).