Method and apparatus for controlling a front actuatable restraining device using side satellite safing sensors

• US 7,840,325 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Hibner, Christopher John, Foo, Chek-Peng, Mudaliar, Nikhil Bhaskar, Weiss, Kevin Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US11/172,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 340/436, 280/730.2, 280/735
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01027 Safing sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01336 using filtering

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system including a crash accelerometer (32) for sensing frontal crash acceleration and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof. A side crash accelerometer (46, 48) senses transverse crash acceleration and provides a second crash acceleration signal indicative thereof. A controller (50) actuates the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the first crash acceleration signal and the transverse crash acceleration signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system comprising:

a crash accelerometer for sensing frontal crash acceleration and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;

a side crash accelerometer sensing transverse crash acceleration and providing a second crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; and

a controller determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value in response to the first crash acceleration signal, comparing the determined crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement value against a threshold value selected as a function of said second crash acceleration value, said controller actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the comparison of the determined crash velocity value as a function of the crash displacement value against the selected threshold value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a crush-zone sensor located in a crush-zone location of the vehicle, said controller actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system in further response to an output from said crush-zone sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said crush-zone sensor is an accelerometer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said crash accelerometer is centrally located within the vehicle having an axis of sensitivity parallel to a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle.

5. A method for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system comprising the steps of:

sensing frontal crash acceleration and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;

sensing transverse crash acceleration and providing a second crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;

determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value in response to the first crash acceleration signal;

comparing the determined crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement value against a threshold value selected as a function of said second crash acceleration value; and

actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the comparison of the determined crash velocity value as a function of the crash displacement value against the selected threshold value.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of sensing crash acceleration at a crush-zone location of the vehicle and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system in further response to the sensed crash acceleration at the crush-zone location.

7. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system comprising:

a crash accelerometer for sensing frontal crash acceleration and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;

a crush zone accelerometer sensing crash acceleration and providing a second crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; and

a controller determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value in response to the first crash acceleration signal, comparing the determined crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement value against a threshold value selected as a function of said second crash acceleration value, said controller actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the comparison of the determined crash velocity value as a function of the crash displacement value against the selected threshold value.

8. A method for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system comprising the steps of:

sensing frontal crash acceleration and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;

sensing crash acceleration at a crush zone location and providing a second crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;

determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value in response to the first crash acceleration signal,

comparing the determined crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement value against a threshold value selected as a function of said second crash acceleration value, said controller; and

actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the comparison of the determined crash velocity value as a function of the crash displacement value against the selected threshold value.