Airbag deployment-control process and apparatus therefor
First Claim
1. A method for control of a deployment of an airbag for a seat in a motor vehicle upon issuance of a deployment request by a vehicular computer within said motor vehicle, said method comprising:
- intercepting said deployment request issued by said vehicular computer and intended for a deployment activator coupled to said airbag;
calculating a load mass of a load within said seat;
establishing a load temperature of said load;
ascertaining a load height of said load;
adjudicating a deployment status for said deployment of said airbag in response to said load mass, said load temperature, and said load height, wherein said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is to be one of a pass status and an inhibit status;
passing said deployment request to said deployment activator when said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is said pass status; and
inhibiting said deployment request from being passed to said deployment activator when said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is said inhibit status.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process (100) and apparatus (20) for control of a deployment of an airbag (28) for a seat (30) in a motor vehicle (22). Upon issuance of a deployment request (RD) by a vehicular computer (24) intended for a deployment activator (26), a processor (36) intercepts the deployment request (RD). The processor (36) then receives a load mass (M), a load temperature (T), and a load height (H) from a mass sensor (38), a thermal-imaging sensor (52), and a proximity sensor (54), respectively. The processor (36) adjudicates the load mass (M), load temperature (T), and load height (H), to determine a deployment status (SD). A deployment status (SD) of pass (SP) is adjudicated when the load mass (M) is greater than or equal to a reference mass (MR), the load temperature (T) is greater than or equal to a reference temperature (TR), and the load height (H) is greater than or equal to a reference height (HR). A deployment status (SD) of inhibit (SI) is adjudicated otherwise. The processor (36) then passes or inhibits the passage of the deployment request (RD) accordingly.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for control of a deployment of an airbag for a seat in a motor vehicle upon issuance of a deployment request by a vehicular computer within said motor vehicle, said method comprising:
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intercepting said deployment request issued by said vehicular computer and intended for a deployment activator coupled to said airbag; calculating a load mass of a load within said seat; establishing a load temperature of said load; ascertaining a load height of said load; adjudicating a deployment status for said deployment of said airbag in response to said load mass, said load temperature, and said load height, wherein said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is to be one of a pass status and an inhibit status; passing said deployment request to said deployment activator when said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is said pass status; and inhibiting said deployment request from being passed to said deployment activator when said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is said inhibit status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for control of a deployment of an airbag for a seat in a motor vehicle upon issuance of a deployment request by a vehicular computer within said motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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a mass sensor coupled to said seat and configured to determine a load mass of a load within said seat; a thermal-imaging sensor focused upon said seat and configured to determine a load temperature of said load; a proximity sensor focused upon said seat and configured to determine a load height of said load; and a processor configured to; intercept said deployment request issued by said vehicular computer and intended for a deployment activator; adjudicate a deployment status for said deployment request in response to said load mass, in response to said load temperature, and said load height, said deployment status being one of a pass status and an inhibit status; pass said deployment request to said deployment activator when said deployment status is said pass status; and inhibit said deployment request from being passed to said deployment activator when said deployment status is said inhibit status. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for control of a deployment of an airbag for a seat in a motor vehicle upon issuance of a deployment request by a vehicular computer within said motor vehicle, said method comprising:
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intercepting said deployment request issued by said vehicular computer and intended for a deployment activator coupled to said airbag; coupling a mass sensor to said seat; focusing a thermal-imaging sensor upon said seat; focusing a proximity sensor upon said seat; receiving a load mass of a load within said seat from said mass sensor; receiving a load temperature of said load from said thermal-imaging sensor; receiving a load height of said load from said proximity sensor; adjudicating a deployment status for said deployment of said airbag to be one of; a pass status when one of; said load mass is less than a first predetermined mass; and said load mass is greater than or equal to a second predetermined mass, said load temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature, and said load height is greater than or equal to a predetermined height; and said inhibit status when one of; said load mass is greater than said first predetermined mass and less than said second predetermined mass; said load temperature is less than said predetermined temperature; and said load height is less than said predetermined height; passing said deployment request to said deployment activator when said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is said pass status; and inhibiting said deployment request from being passed to said deployment activator when said adjudicating activity adjudicates said deployment status is said inhibit status.
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Specification