Electronic safing system

• US 8,180,520 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kiribayashi, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US12/590,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.1, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 701/48, 280/735, 361/248
• US Class Current: 701/31.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01027 Safing sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343

Abstract

The electronic safing system is provided with a safing sensor, a comparator, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer has a programmable analog I/O port which is connected to a built-in AD-DA converter. The programmable analog I/O port can be switched to an analog input port and an analog output port according to an internal register. The programmable analog I/O port is connected to an input terminal of the comparator. When diagnosing the comparing circuit, the microcomputer switches the programmable analog I/O port to the analog output port and outputs a predetermined voltage for diagnosis. Then, the microcomputer diagnoses the comparing circuit by monitoring the output of the comparing circuit.

Claims

1. An electronic safing system, comprising:

a safing sensor which detects a physical quantity responsive to a collision and outputs a voltage according to a detected result;

a comparing circuit including a voltage dividing circuit and a comparator, wherein the voltage dividing circuit sets a reference voltage and is provided by a plurality of resistors connected in a series circuit, which has an end connected to a power source and another end connected to a ground, and wherein the comparator compares the voltage output from the safing sensor with the reference voltage set by the voltage dividing circuit, and outputs a signal according to a comparison result; and

a microcomputer which determines, based on the voltage output from the safing sensor and the signal output from the comparing circuit, whether a collision occurs,

wherein the safing sensor has an output terminal, which is connected to an input terminal of the comparing circuit;

wherein the microcomputer has an A/D port, which is connected to the input terminal of the comparing circuit and the output terminal of the safing sensor, and is settable an input and an output in a selectable manner according to an internal register;

wherein the microcomputer sets the A/D port settable the input and the output to be an output port, and outputs a predetermined voltage for a diagnosis from the A/D port settable the input and the output, when the comparing circuit is diagnosed;

wherein the microcomputer diagnoses the comparing circuit according to the signal output from the comparing circuit; and

wherein the microcomputer switches the A/D port settable the input and the output to be an input port, and inputs the voltage output from the safing sensor, when the microcomputer determines in the diagnosis that the comparing circuit is in a normal condition.

2. The electronic safing system according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined voltage for the diagnosis to be output from the A/D port is higher than the reference voltage set by the voltage dividing circuit.

3. The electronic safing system according to claim 1,

wherein the comparator is configured to saturate the signal output from the comparator to a low level when the dividing resistor in the voltage dividing circuit gets a short-circuit failure or an open-circuit failure.

4. The electronic safing system according to claim 1,

wherein the comparator includes:

an inverting input terminal connected to one of a plurality of series connection points of the plurality of dividing resistors for providing the voltage dividing circuit;

a non-inverting input terminal providing the input terminal of the comparing circuit; and

an output terminal providing an output terminal of the comparing circuit.

5. The electronic safing system according to claim 1,

wherein the comparator includes:

a non-inverting input terminal connected to one of a plurality of series connection points of the plurality of dividing resistors for providing the voltage dividing circuit;

an inverting input terminal providing the input terminal of the comparing circuit; and

an output terminal providing an output terminal of the comparing circuit.

6. The electronic safing system according to claim 1,

wherein the microcomputer performs the diagnosis for at least one of the voltage dividing circuit and the comparator based on the signal output from the comparator.

7. The electronic safing system according to claim 1,

wherein the output terminal of the safing sensor is connected to the input terminal of the comparing circuit via a protective resistor, and

wherein the A/D port settable the input and the output in the microcomputer is connected to an end of the protective resistor on a comparing circuit side.

8. The electronic safing system according to claims 1,

wherein the electronic safing system is mounted on a vehicle, detects a collision of the vehicle, and outputs an initiating signal to an initiating circuit of a passenger safety device in response to a detection result.