Method and apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraining device using XY crush-zone satellite accelerometers
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system in a vehicle comprising:
- a central crash accelerometer at a central vehicle location sensing crash acceleration in a direction of a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and providing a central crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;
a crush zone crash accelerometer at a forward location of the vehicle sensing transverse crash acceleration in a direction transverse to the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and providing a transverse crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; and
a controller actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the central crash acceleration signal and the transverse crash acceleration signal, said controller determining a crash velocity value from said central crash acceleration signal and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system by comparing said crash velocity value against a first velocity threshold function when said transverse crash acceleration signal from said crush zone crash accelerometer is at a first value and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system by comparing said crash velocity value against a second velocity threshold function when said transverse crash acceleration signal from said crush zone crash accelerometer is at a second value.
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Abstract
An apparatus is provided for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system including a central crash accelerometer sensing crash acceleration at a central vehicle location and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof. A crush zone crash accelerometer senses transverse crash acceleration at a forward location of the vehicle. A controller actuates the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the central crash acceleration signal and the transverse crash acceleration signal from the crush zone sensor.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system in a vehicle comprising:
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a central crash accelerometer at a central vehicle location sensing crash acceleration in a direction of a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and providing a central crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; a crush zone crash accelerometer at a forward location of the vehicle sensing transverse crash acceleration in a direction transverse to the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and providing a transverse crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; and a controller actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the central crash acceleration signal and the transverse crash acceleration signal, said controller determining a crash velocity value from said central crash acceleration signal and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system by comparing said crash velocity value against a first velocity threshold function when said transverse crash acceleration signal from said crush zone crash accelerometer is at a first value and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system by comparing said crash velocity value against a second velocity threshold function when said transverse crash acceleration signal from said crush zone crash accelerometer is at a second value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system in a vehicle comprising:
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a central crash accelerometer at a central vehicle location sensing crash acceleration in a direction of a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and providing a central crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; a crush zone crash accelerometer at a forward location of the vehicle sensing transverse crash acceleration in a direction transverse to the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and providing a transverse crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; and a controller actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the central crash acceleration signal and the transverse crash acceleration signal, said controller determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value from said central crash acceleration signal and actuates actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement when said transverse crash acceleration signal from said crush zone crash accelerometer is at a first value and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement when said transverse crash acceleration signal from said crush zone crash accelerometer is at a second value. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A method for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system in a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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sensing crash acceleration in a direction of the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle at a central vehicle location; sensing transverse crash acceleration in a direction transverse to the front-to-rear axis at a forward location of the vehicle; and actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the sensed central crash acceleration and the sensed transverse crash acceleration by determining a crash velocity value from said sensed central crash acceleration and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value when said sensed transverse crash acceleration is at a first value and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value when said sensed transverse crash acceleration is at a second value.
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8. A method for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system in a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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sensing crash acceleration in a direction of a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle at a central vehicle location; sensing transverse crash acceleration in a direction transverse to the front-to-rear axis at a forward location of the vehicle; and actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the sensed central crash acceleration and the sensed transverse crash acceleration by determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value from said sensed central crash acceleration and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement when said sensed transverse crash acceleration is at a first value and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement when said sensed transverse crash acceleration is at a second value.
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Specification