Control unit for a restraint system

• US 7,263,421 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schou, Frank, Ringger, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/539,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20060113840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,270 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 280/734, 280/735, 180/271, 180/272
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01068 between different sensors and airbag control unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01075 between the airbag control unit and pyrotechnic fuses or equivalent actuators
• 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: F42B 33/06 Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs F42B33/004 and F42B33/04 take precedence; elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091

Abstract

A control unit for a restraint system fires all connected pyrotechnic firing elements. The control unit receives for that purpose, via an interface, a software element that configures all the firing circuits and the triggering algorithm for firing all the firing circuits, and that emulates for a safety module sensor values such that the safety module enables all the firing circuits.

Claims

1. A control unit for a restraint system for firing all connected pyrotechnic firing elements, comprising:

a safety module; and

an interface for receiving a software element which is configured such that as a function of the software element all firing circuits, and a triggering algorithm for firing all the firing circuits, are configured, and sensor values for the safety module are emulated such that the safety module enables all the firing circuits.

2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the interface is a CAN bus.

3. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the interface is a K-line.

4. The control unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bus; and

a processor connected via the bus to the safety module and to at least one of (a) at least one sensor module and (b) at least one interface module for a connection of at least one external sensor, the processor emulating sensor values on the bus.

5. The control unit according to claim 4, wherein the bus is a serial peripheral interface bus, the processor being the master and being configured in that the processor transfers the emulated sensor values via a MISO line.

6. The control unit according to claim 5, wherein the MISO line is connected to an I/O port of the processor for transfer of the sensor values.

7. The control unit according to claim 4, wherein the processor contains a boot loader software program that loads and starts the software element.

8. The control unit according to claim 4, further comprising at least one reset switch for restarting the at least one sensor module, the safety module and the firing circuits.