Acceleration sensor status detecting apparatus

• US 7,281,522 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Riko Company Limited.
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokai Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Hiroyuki, Sato, Kenichi, Hirose, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUFTY, JOHN PAGE
• Application Number:
  US11/711,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 230 Days
• Field of Search: 73/13.8, 73/13.7, 731/181, 123/492, 188/378, 188/379, 701/34, 702/116, 702/104, 702/96
• US Class Current: 123/492
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups

Abstract

An acceleration sensor state detecting apparatus for detecting a state of an acceleration sensor provided at a vibrating body includes a calculating method for calculating a difference between measured results of the acceleration sensor obtained per first predetermined time that is shorter than a vibration period of the vibrating body, and a determining method for determining that the acceleration sensor is in an error state in a case that a state in which the difference calculated falls into a range between a predetermined upper limit value and a predetermined lower limit value continues for a second predetermined time or more.

Claims

1. An acceleration sensor state detecting apparatus for detecting a state of an acceleration sensor provided at a vibrating body, comprising:

a calculating means for calculating a difference between measured results of the acceleration sensor obtained per first predetermined time that is shorter than a vibration period of the vibrating body; and

a determining means for determining that the acceleration sensor is in an error state in a case that a state in which the difference calculated falls into a range between a predetermined upper limit value and a predetermined lower limit value continues for a second predetermined time or more.

2. An acceleration sensor state detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time is equal to or smaller than a third of a half period of the vibration period.

3. An acceleration sensor state detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a frequency detecting means for measuring a vibration frequency of the vibrating body, wherein at least one of the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time is determined on the basis of a measured result of the frequency detecting means.

4. An acceleration sensor state detecting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a frequency detecting means for measuring a vibration frequency of the vibrating body, wherein at least one of the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time is determined on the basis of a measured result of the frequency detecting means.