System for controlling the operation of modules using information transmitted from a control device via a data bus, a trigger device and a test circuit

• US 6,892,121 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schmidt, Claus
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/149,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20030225461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/45, 701/46, 701/42, 701/43, 701/29, 280/735, 280/728.1, 280/734, 280/806, 280/741, 180/282, 180/281, 180/268, 180/274, 180/446, 180/280, 180/271, 307/10.1, 307/9.1, 307/10.6, 340/436, 340/438, 340/479, 340/459, 340/463, 340/464, 340/500, 340/310.01, 340/669, 700/1, 735/142.6
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01027 Safing sensors
• 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: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

In a data communication system, data is transmitted from a control device to a communication interface and from there via a communication bus to additional communication interfaces of trigger devices. The communication interface on the control device side has inputs, to which signals from said control device and a disarming switch can be assigned. The disarming switch can be circumvented by a bypass switch which is controlled by the control device. The state of the signal at the inputs of the communication interface on the control device side is transmitted to coresponding outputs of the communication interfaces of the triggger devices. A trigger device has a safety unit which is used to test at least one trigger unit, when the state of the signal of the outputs authorizes such a test and the trigger voltage source is not yet charged wth the full trigger voltage. In said state, the safety unit also blocks triggering as soon as the trigger voltage has been reached. The inventive system ensures a high degree of functional safety and flexibility.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the operation of modules by transmitting information from a control device via a databus, comprising:

a communications interface which is connected to the control device via a data line and has an input, which communications interface converts data transmitted by the control module into code words which are transmitted via a communications bus and which includes information relating to the data and a signal state of the input, wherein

the communications interface connected to the control device has a plurality of inputs to which signals are configured to be applied, and the communications bus is connected to the modules via a module-end communications interface which has a plurality of outputs to which signals are configured to be applied, the signal state of the inputs being transmitted to the outputs via the communications bus such that there is a predetermined relationship between the signal states of the inputs and outputs, such that functions of the modules are disabled and enabled by means of the signal states of the inputs.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications interface which is connected to the control device has a safing input which is connected to a safing switch and

a control input which is connected to a control output, to which a control signal can be applied, of the control device and in that that the communications bus is connected to the modules via a module-end communications interface which has a safing output and a control output, the signal state of the safing input or of the control input being available at the safing output or the control output to disable or enable functions of the modules.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modules can be addressed selectively by means of a code.

11. A firing device for connection to the communications bus of a system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the communications interface which is configured to be connected to the communications bus and has a safing output, the control output, a code signal output with a firing signal output,

a switching device which has a safing switch which can be activated by the safing output, a control switch which can be activated by control output, a code input with a firing input, a firing-device-specific code signal present at the coding input determining which of the switches is activated, and a firing signal leading to firing of a firing unit when the safing switch is activated and a safing signal is present and/or control switch is activated and/or a control signal is present, and

a safety circuit with an AND element whose inputs are connected to the test output and to the firing voltage source and whose output is connected to a safety switch which connects the safing output to ground if a test signal is applied to the test output and the firing voltage source has a voltage which is not sufficient to fire the firing unit.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein a monitoring device for the safety switch is provided.

4. A system for controlling the operation of modules by transmitting information from a control device via a databus, comprising:

a communications interface which is connected to the control device via a data line and has a sating input connected to a safing switch, which communications interface converts data transmitted by the control module into code words which are transmitted via the communications bus and which include information relating to the data and a signal state of the safing input, wherein

the control devices has a test output to which a test signal is configured to be applied from the control device and which is connected to a further input of the communications interface, and a bypass switch is provided parallel to the safing switch such that when the test signal generated by the control device is present a signal state corresponding to the closed safing switch is present at the safing input irrespective of the switch state of the safing switch, and the communications bus is connected to the modules via a module-end communications interface which has a safing output and at least one further output, the signal state of the safing input or of the further input being available at the safing output or further output to disable or enable functions of the modules.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the test output of the control device is directly connected to a test input of the communications interface, and the further output of the module-end communications interface is formed by a test output.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein safety devices which trigger when there is a front-end impact are configured to be triggered when the safing switch is closed and safety devices which trigger when there is a side impact are configured to trigger when the safing switch is open.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein when a test signal is present the triggering capability of the safety devices which trigger when there is a front-end impact is disabled.

8. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control input is connected to the test output via a switching device such that when there is a test signal present a signal state which corresponds to the presence of a control signal is present at the control input.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the following relationships exist between the signal states at the inputs of the control-device-end communications interface and the possibility of enabling or disabling functions:

when the safing input and control input equal 0, enabling firing in the event of front end impact,

when the safing input equal 0 and the control input equals 1, enabling firing in the event of non-front-end impact,

when the safing input equal 1 and the control input equals 0, disabling firings, and

when the safing input equal 1 and the control input equals 1, enabling all firings.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control-device-end communications interface transmits the signal state of its inputs to the control device.

12. A firing device for connection to the communications bus of a system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the communications interface which can be connected to the communications bus and has the safing output, the test output,

a safing switch which can be activated by the safing output and which connects a firing voltage sources to a firing unit when there is a signal at the safing output and a firing signal is present, and

a safety circuit with an AND element whose inputs are connected to the test output and to the firing voltage source and whose output is connected to a safety switch which connects the safing output to ground if a test signal is applied to the test output and the firing voltage source has a voltage which is not sufficient to fire the firing unit.

14. A safety circuit for a firing device of a vehicle occupant protection system, comprising:

an input to which a signal can be applied and a test input to which a test signal can be applied; and

an AND element having inputs connected to the test output and to a firing voltage source and having an output connected to a safety switch which connects the input to ground if a test signal is applied to the test output and the firing voltage source has a voltage which is not sufficient to fire the firing unit.