Magnetic sensor
First Claim
1. A method of providing for sensing a magnetic perturbation of a vehicle, comprising:
- providing for sensing a magnetic flux within a gap at at least one first location between two portions of a body or structure of the vehicle, wherein said magnetic flux is responsive to a disturbance of said body or structure of said vehicle;
providing for generating at least one signal responsive to the operation of sensing said magnetic flux; and
providing for controlling an element of the vehicle responsive to said signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic flux is sensed within a gap at a first location between two portions of a vehicle body/structure and a signal generated responsive thereto controls an element of the vehicle, wherein the magnetic flux is responsive to a disturbance of the vehicle body/structure. In one embodiment, the first location is proximate to the A-pillar, B-pillar or C-pillar. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the magnetic flux is generated by a coil at a different second location. A gap coil is located within a gap between portions of the vehicle body/structure for generating or sensing magnetic flux. A plurality of gap coils of various orientations provide for multi-axis sensitivity. In another aspect, a magnetic crash sensing system comprises a first coil at a first location, and a plurality of magnetic sensors at a plurality of corresponding second locations.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of providing for sensing a magnetic perturbation of a vehicle, comprising:
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providing for sensing a magnetic flux within a gap at at least one first location between two portions of a body or structure of the vehicle, wherein said magnetic flux is responsive to a disturbance of said body or structure of said vehicle; providing for generating at least one signal responsive to the operation of sensing said magnetic flux; and providing for controlling an element of the vehicle responsive to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A magnetic crash sensing system of a vehicle, comprising:
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a first coil at a first location of the vehicle; a plurality of magnetic sensing elements at a plurality of second locations of the vehicle, wherein said first location is selected from one of a location proximate to a B-pillar of said vehicle, a location proximate to an A-pillar of said vehicle, and a location proximate to a C-pillar of said vehicle, and said plurality of second locations are selected from another of a location proximate to an A-pillar of said vehicle, a location proximate to a C-pillar of said vehicle, and a location proximate to a B-pillar of said vehicle; a time varying signal applied to said first coil, wherein said first coil generates magnetic flux within a body or structure of said vehicle responsive to said time varying signal; and a processor operatively associated with said plurality of magnetic sensing elements, wherein said processor generates a signal responsive to a perturbation of said vehicle responsive to at least one of a plurality of signals from said corresponding plurality of magnetic sensing elements.
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Specification