Automotive electronic safety network
First Claim
1. A vehicle having an airbag deployment system, the airbag deployment system comprising:
- a module housing;
an airbag associated with said housing;
an inflator assembly arranged in said housing for inflating said airbag;
airbag inflation determining means for generating a signal indicative of whether deployment of said airbag is desired, said airbag inflation determining means comprising a crash sensor arranged separate and at a location apart from said housing; and
an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent said housing and coupled to said airbag inflation determining means, said controller controlling inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly in response to the signal generated by said airbag inflation determining means.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An occupant protection device deployment system and safety network including at least one module housing, at least one deployable component such as an airbag associated with each housing, a deployment initiator associated with each housing for initiating deployment of the component, a determination unit for determining that deployment of one or more of the components is desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within, adjacent or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective deployment initiator and the determination unit via an electrical bus for causing the deployment initiator to deploy the component in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling operation of the initiator.
309 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A vehicle having an airbag deployment system, the airbag deployment system comprising:
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a module housing;
an airbag associated with said housing;
an inflator assembly arranged in said housing for inflating said airbag;
airbag inflation determining means for generating a signal indicative of whether deployment of said airbag is desired, said airbag inflation determining means comprising a crash sensor arranged separate and at a location apart from said housing; and
an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent said housing and coupled to said airbag inflation determining means, said controller controlling inflation of said airbag by said inflator assembly in response to the signal generated by said airbag inflation determining means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle having an occupant protection system, the system comprising:
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a plurality of occupant protection devices, each of said occupant protection devices comprising a housing and a component deployable to provide protection for the occupant;
deployment determining means for generating a signal indicating for which of said deployable components deployment is desired, said deployment determining means comprising at least one crash sensor arranged separate and at a location apart from said housings; and
an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent each of said housings and coupled to said deployment determining means, each of said controllers controlling deployment of said deployable component of the respective one of said occupant protection devices in response to the signal generated by said deployment determining means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A vehicle having an occupant protection device system, the system comprising:
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occupant protection devices, each of said occupant protection devices comprising a housing and a component deployable to provide protection for an occupant;
at least one sensor system for providing an output signal relevant to deployment of at least one of said deployable components;
deployment determining means for generating a signal indicating for which of said deployable components deployment is desired, said deployment determining means comprising at least one crash sensor arranged separate and at a location apart from said housings;
an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent each of said housings and coupled to said at least one sensor system and said deployment determining means; and
an electrical bus electrically coupling said at least one sensor system, said deployment determining means and said controllers, the signals from said at least one sensor system and said deployment determining means being sent over said bus to said controllers, each of said controllers controlling deployment of said deployable component of the respective one of said occupant protection devices in consideration of the signals from said at least one sensor system and said deployment determining means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A vehicle having an occupant protection system, the system comprising:
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an occupant protection device for protecting an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle;
initiation means for initiating deployment of said occupant protection device;
power means for storing sufficient energy to enable said initiation means to initiate deployment of said occupant protection device;
an electronic controller connected to said power means for monitoring voltage of said power means and controlling said initiation means;
a diagnostic module arranged to receive a signal from said controller as to whether the voltage of said power means is sufficient to enable said initiation means to initiate deployment of said occupant protection device; and
an electrical bus electrically coupling said controller and said diagnostic module. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A vehicle having an occupant protection system, the system comprising:
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an occupant protection device having an activatable component for providing occupant protection;
activation determining means for generating a coded signal indicative of whether activation of said component of said occupant protection device is desired; and
an electrical bus electrically coupling said occupant protection device and said determining means, the coded signal generated by said determining means being sent over said bus from said determining means to said occupant protection device to enable activation of said component of said occupant protection device. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for controlling activation of an occupant protection system for protecting an occupant in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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arranging an occupant protection device having an activatable component for providing occupant protection in the vehicle;
generating a coded signal in a crash sensor indicative of whether activation of the component is desired;
electrically coupling the occupant protection device and the crash sensor by means of an electrical bus; and
directing the coded signal generated in the crash sensor over the bus from the crash sensor to the occupant protection device to enable activation of the component of the occupant protection device. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
arranging the component in a housing of the occupant protection device; and
arranging the crash sensor separate and at a location apart from the housing of the occupant protection device.
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55. The method of claim 52, wherein the bus includes a single pair of wires.
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56. The method of claim 52, wherein the component is at least one airbag and the occupant protection device comprises a module housing including the at least one airbag and an inflator for inflating the at least one airbag.
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57. The method of claim 56, further comprising the steps of:
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arranging a control unit in or proximate the module housing; and
coupling the control unit to the inflator and via the bus to the crash sensor such that the coded signal generated by the crash sensor is directed from the crash sensor to the control unit, the control unit initiating inflation of the at least one airbag by the inflator upon receiving the coded signal from the crash sensor.
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58. The method of claim 57, wherein the control unit is arranged in the module housing.
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59. The method of claim 56, further comprising the step of providing a power supply in the module housing for enabling initiation of the inflator.
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60. The method of claim 52, further comprising the steps of:
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detecting the position of the occupant to be protected by the component; and
controlling activation of the component in consideration of the detected position of the occupant.
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61. The method of claim 52, further comprising the steps of:
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arranging the component in a module housing of the occupant protection device; and
providing a power supply in the module housing for supplying power to initiate activation of the component.
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Specification