Converter for signals between a safety device and a safety control device for a vehicle

• US 8,489,289 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Mueller, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US12/195,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701 34- 36, 701/39, 701 45- 49, 701/301, 701/29.1, 701/29.2, 701/31.7, 701/32.8, 701/33.7, 701/34.4, 340/901, 340/903, 340/904, 340/436, 455/95, 455/99, 367/909, 116/32, 296/193.11, 296/35.2, 29618701- 30, 267136-1417, 280/781, 280/784, 180/232, 188371-380, 188266-3225
• US Class Current: 701/46
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01184 Fault detection or diagnostic circuits in power circuits B60R2021/01129
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over

Abstract

Disclosed is a converter (200) for signals between a safety device (300) and a universal safety control device (100) for a vehicle. At the converter (200) the safety control device (100) can be connected at a control device interface (200.1) and at least one type of safety devices (300.2) can be connected at at least one safety device interface (200.2) and wherein the converter (200) converts a signal of the safety control device (100) into a signal, which is suitable for the respectively connected type of safety device (300.2), to the respective safety device interface (200.2). It is proposed to embody the converter (200) such that it detects a condition at the safety device interface (200.2), in particular a diagnostics condition signal and converts it into a condition accordingly predefined at the control device interface (200.1), preferably in a manner which does not require an adaptation of the control device or of its software.

Claims

1. A device for transferring signals between a safety device (300) and a universal safety control device (100) for a vehicle, the device comprising:

a converter (200) and a safety control device (100), wherein the converter (200) and the safety control device (100) can be connected at a control device interface (200.1) and at least one safety device (300.2) can be connected at an at least one safety device interface (200.2) and wherein the converter (200) converts a signal of the safety control device (100) into a signal, which is suitable for the respectively connected safety device (300.2), to the respective safety device interface (200.2), wherein the converter (200) is embodied so that it detects a condition at the safety device interface (200.2), such as a diagnostics condition signal and converts it in a condition predefined at the control device interface (200.1);

wherein the safety control device (100) includes a universal interface (100.1), and wherein the universal interface (100.1) is a squib driver; and

wherein the at least one safety device interface (200.2) is a solenoid driver and the at least one safety device (300.2) is a solenoid actuator operable to move a vehicle hood between a normal position and an elevated position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the converter comprises a diagnostics unit (200.3) to diagnose at least one condition at the safety device interface (200.2) as well as at least one switching means (S) for producing a predefined condition at the control device interface (200.1).

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the diagnostics unit (200.3) recognizes a discrepancy of an electric resistance or voltage drop on the safety device interface from a predefined range, such as a short circuit or an interruption, and then produces by means of the switching means (S) a change of the electric resistance or voltage drop on the control device interface (200.1).

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the change of the electric resistance or voltage drop on the control device interface (200.1) is effected in such manner that the signal from the safety control device (100) is continued to be received by the converter (200).

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one switching means (S) is one of a transistor, a field effect transistor, and a relay.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one predefined error at the safety device interface (200.2) evokes the same error at the control device interface.

7. A device for transferring signals in a vehicle comprising:

a safety control device (100);

a first safety device (300.1) connectable to the safety control device (100);

a converter (200) connected at a universal interface (100.1) of the safety control device (100), wherein the universal interface (100.1) is a squib driver;

a second safety device (300.2) connected at an at least one safety device interface (200.2) on the converter (200), wherein the second safety device (300.2) is a solenoid actuator operable to move a vehicle hood between a normal position and an elevated position;

wherein the converter (200) converts a signal from the safety control device (100) into a signal suitable for the second safety device (300.2); and

wherein the converter (200) detects a condition at the safety device interface (200.2), and converts the condition to a second predefined condition at the control device interface (200.1).

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the converter comprises a diagnostics unit (200.3) to diagnose the condition at the safety device interface (200.2) as well as at least one switching means (S) for producing the second predefined condition at a control device interface (200.1).

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the diagnostics unit (200.3) recognizes a discrepancy of an electric resistance or voltage drop on the safety device interface from a predefined range, and produces a change of the electric resistance or voltage drop on the control device interface (200.1) with the switching means (S).

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the change of the electric resistance or voltage drop on the control device interface (200.1) is effected in such manner that the signal from the safety control device (100) is continued to be received by the converter (200).

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one switching means (S) is one of a transistor, a field effect transistor, and a relay.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein at least one predefined error at the safety device interface (200.2) evokes the same error at a control device interface.

13. A device for transferring signals in a vehicle comprising:

a safety control device (100);

a pyrotechnical actuator (300.1) connectable to the safety control device (100);

a converter (200) connected to the safety control device (100) at a control device interface (200.1), wherein the universal interface (100.1) is a squib driver;

a solenoid actuator (300.2) connected at an at least one safety device interface (200.2) on the converter (200);

wherein the converter (200) converts a signal from the safety control device (100) into a signal suitable for the solenoid actuator (300.2), wherein the solenoid actuator (300.2) is operable to move a vehicle hood between a normal position and an elevated position; and

wherein the converter (200) detects a condition at the safety device interface (200.2), and converts the condition to a second predefined condition at the control device interface (200.1).

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the converter comprises a diagnostics unit (200.3) to diagnose at least one condition at the safety device interface (200.2) and at least one switching means (S) for producing the second predefined condition at the control device interface (200.1).

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the diagnostics unit (200.3) recognizes a discrepancy of an electric resistance or voltage drop on the safety device interface from a predefined range, and wherein the switching means (S) produces a change of the electric resistance or voltage drop on the control device interface (200.1).

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the change of the electric resistance or voltage drop on the control device interface (200.1) is effected in such manner that the signal from the safety control device (100) is continued to be received by the converter (200).

17. The device of claim 13, wherein at least one predefined error at the safety device interface (200.2) evokes the same error at the control device interface.