Electronic airbag control unit having an autonomous event data recorder
First Claim
1. An electronic control unit for an airbag, said control unit having:
- a data recorder unit which has a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory and a copy circuit, the copy circuit being designed to copy data from the volatile memory to the nonvolatile memory during a second operating phase of the control unit;
a protocol unit which is designed to record vehicle and/or accident data in the volatile memory arranged in the data recorder unit during a first operating phase of the control unit;
a first power supply unit which is connected to the control unit and supplies the protocol unit and further components of the control unit with power; and
a second power supply unit which is connected to the data recorder unit and supplies the data recorder unit with power during the second operating phase, and does not supply the protocol unit with power during the second operating phase.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an electronic control unit for an airbag, said control unit having a data recorder unit that has a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory and a copy circuit. The copy circuit is designed to copy data from the volatile memory to the nonvolatile memory during a second operating phase of the control unit. A protocol unit designed to record vehicle and/or accident data in the volatile memory is arranged in the data recorder unit during a first operating phase of the control unit. A first power supply unit is connected to the control unit and supplies the protocol unit and further components of the control unit with power and a second power supply unit is connected to the data recorder unit and supplies the latter with power.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electronic control unit for an airbag, said control unit having:
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a data recorder unit which has a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory and a copy circuit, the copy circuit being designed to copy data from the volatile memory to the nonvolatile memory during a second operating phase of the control unit; a protocol unit which is designed to record vehicle and/or accident data in the volatile memory arranged in the data recorder unit during a first operating phase of the control unit; a first power supply unit which is connected to the control unit and supplies the protocol unit and further components of the control unit with power; and a second power supply unit which is connected to the data recorder unit and supplies the data recorder unit with power during the second operating phase, and does not supply the protocol unit with power during the second operating phase. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of recording event triggered data, the method comprising:
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detecting an event; storing event related data in a first RAM, wherein storing is performed by a first circuit coupled to a first power supply during a first phase of operation; transferring the data from the first RAM to a non-volatile memory using a copy circuit during a second phase of operation; and supplying power to the copy circuit, and the first RAM, during the second phase of operation, supplying power comprising supplying power from a second power supply, wherein the second power supply does not supply power to the first circuit during the second phase of operation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of recording automotive accident data, the method comprising:
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charging a buffer capacitor coupled to a first RAM, a copy circuit and a non-volatile memory; detecting an accident; storing accident related data in a second RAM, wherein storing is performed by a controller during a first phase of operation, wherein the second RAM and the controller is powered by a power supply; transferring the accident related data from the second RAM to the first RAM during an end of the first phase of operation; transferring the data from the first RAM to a non-volatile memory using the copy circuit during a second phase of operation after the first phase of operation; and supplying power from the buffer capacitor to the copy circuit, the first RAM, and the non-volatile memory during the second phase of operation, wherein the buffer capacitor does not supply power to the second RAM and the controller. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification