Airbag data exchange system

• US 8,996,242 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Cabin Controls
• Original Assignee: Zodiac Cabin Controls
• Inventors: Tischmann, Martin, Kurvink, Jeroen Willem, Dieling, Christian, Glueck, Susanne
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US13/753,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20130197746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• US Class Current: 701/34.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0093 Aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06205 Arrangements of airbags
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

Described are airbag control units having a radio-frequency identification transceiver, at least one battery pack, at least one inflator driver electrically connected to an airbag module, and one or more processors in communication with the radio-frequency identification transceiver, the battery pack, and the inflator driver. Alternatively, the airbag control unit includes signal conditioning hardware in communication with the radio-frequency identification transceiver, the battery pack, and the inflator driver. The airbag control unit retrieves a signal from the battery pack, analyzes the signal to determine battery status and/or voltage, transmits a signal to the inflator driver to perform an airbag status check, detects and analyzes the signal from the inflator driver to determine a status of the airbag module, and transmits the results to the radio-frequency identification transceiver for communication to a radio-frequency identification reader.

Claims

1. An airbag control unit comprising:

(a) a radio-frequency identification transceiver for transmitting a first signal in response to receiving a first wireless transmission;

(b) at least one battery pack;

(c) at least one inflator driver electrically connected to an airbag module;

(d) one or more processors in communication with the radio-frequency identification transceiver, the at least one battery pack, a capacitive buffer, and the at least one inflator driver; and

(e) memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

detect the first signal from the radio-frequency identification transceiver;

retrieve a signal from the at least one battery pack;

analyze the signal from the at least one battery pack to determine a status and voltage of the at least one battery pack;

transmit a signal to the at least one inflator driver commanding the at least one inflator driver to perform an airbag status check of the airbag module;

detect a signal from the at least one inflator driver transmitting a result of the airbag status check;

analyze the signal from the at least one inflator driver to determine a status of the airbag module; and

transmit the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting a second wireless transmission based on the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack.

2. The airbag control unit of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

return to a sleep mode after transmitting the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack to the radio-frequency identification transceiver.

3. The airbag control unit of claim 1, further comprising a second battery pack, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

retrieve a signal from the second battery pack;

analyze the signal from the second battery pack to determine a status and voltage of the second battery pack; and

transmit the status and voltage of the second battery pack to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting the second wireless transmission based additionally on the status and voltage of the second battery pack.

4. The airbag control unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one key switch and an optional key pad for controlling an operational status of the airbag module, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

retrieve information regarding the operational status of the airbag module from memory; and

transmit the operational status of the airbag module to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting the second wireless transmission based additionally on the operational status of the airbag module.

5. The airbag control unit of claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency identification antenna electrically coupled to the radio-frequency identification transceiver.

6. The airbag control unit of claim 5, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is configured to have power induced therein by a radio-frequency identification reader, and wherein

the radio-frequency identification transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit at least the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack to the radio-frequency identification reader.

7. The airbag control unit of claim 6, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is further configured to wirelessly receive and store information transmitted by the radio-frequency identification reader.

8. The airbag control unit of claim 7, wherein the information comprises at least one of a new battery check date, a new expiration date for at least one inflator, a new identification number for the airbag control unit, and an operational status of the airbag module.

9. The airbag control unit of claim 1, further comprising four inflator drivers.

10. A method of analyzing an airbag control unit, the airbag control unit comprising a radio-frequency identification transceiver for transmitting a first signal in response to receiving a first wireless transmission, at least one battery pack, a capacitive buffer, and at least one inflator driver electrically connected to an airbag module, the method comprising:

detecting the first signal from the radio-frequency identification transceiver;

retrieving a signal from the at least one battery pack;

analyzing the signal from the at least one battery pack to determine a status and voltage of the at least one battery pack;

transmitting a signal to the at least one inflator driver commanding the at least one inflator driver to perform an airbag status check of the airbag module;

detecting a signal from the at least one inflator driver transmitting a result of the airbag status check;

analyzing the signal from the at least one inflator driver to determine a status of the airbag module; and

transmitting the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting a second wireless transmission based on the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

returning to a sleep mode after transmitting the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack to the radio-frequency identification transceiver.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising at least one key switch and an optional key pad for controlling an operational status of the airbag module, wherein the method further comprises:

retrieving information regarding the operational status of the airbag module from memory; and

transmitting the operational status of the airbag module to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting the second wireless transmission based additionally on the status and voltage of the second battery pack.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack to a radio-frequency identification reader and to wirelessly receive information transmitted by the radio-frequency identification reader.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting the information wirelessly transmitted by the radio-frequency identification reader; and

storing the information in memory.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the information transmitted by the radio-frequency identification reader comprises at least one of a new battery check date, a new expiration date for at least one inflator, a new identification number for the airbag control unit, and an operational status of the airbag module.

16. A method of analyzing an airbag control unit, the airbag control unit comprising a radio-frequency identification transceiver for transmitting a first signal in response to receiving a first wireless transmission, a controller battery pack, a capacitive buffer, an inflator battery pack, and at least one inflator driver electrically connected to an airbag module, the method comprising:

detecting the first signal from the radio-frequency identification transceiver;

retrieving a signal from the controller battery pack;

analyzing the signal from the controller battery pack to determine a status and voltage of the controller battery pack;

retrieving a signal from the inflator battery pack;

analyzing the signal from the inflator battery pack to determine a status and voltage of the inflator battery pack;

transmitting a signal to the at least one inflator driver commanding the at least one inflator driver to perform an airbag status check of the airbag module;

detecting a signal from the at least one inflator driver transmitting a result of the airbag status check;

analyzing the signal from the at least one inflator driver to determine a status of the airbag module; and

transmitting the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the controller battery pack and the inflator battery pack to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting a second wireless transmission based on the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the controller battery pack and the inflator battery pack.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising at least one key switch and an optional key pad for controlling an operational status of the airbag module, wherein the method further comprises:

retrieving information regarding the operational status of the airbag module from memory; and

transmitting the operational status of the airbag module to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting the second wireless transmission based additionally on the operational status of the airbag module.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the controller battery pack and the inflator battery pack to a radio-frequency identification reader and to wirelessly receive information transmitted by the radio-frequency identification reader.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting the information wirelessly transmitted by the radio-frequency identification reader; and

storing the information in memory.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted by the radio-frequency identification reader comprises at least one of a new battery check date, a new expiration date for at least one inflator, a new identification number for the airbag control unit, and an operational status of the airbag module.

21. An airbag control unit comprising:

(a) a radio-frequency identification transceiver for transmitting a first signal in response to receiving a first wireless transmission;

(b) at least one battery pack;

(c) at least one inflator driver electrically connected to an airbag module;

(d) signal conditioning hardware in communication with the radio-frequency identification transceiver, the at least one battery pack, a capacitive buffer, and the at least one inflator driver;

wherein the airbag control unit is configured to;

detect the first signal from the radio-frequency identification transceiver;

retrieve a signal from the at least one battery pack;

analyze the signal from the at least one battery pack to determine a status and voltage of the at least one battery pack;

transmit a signal to the at least one inflator driver commanding the at least one inflator driver to perform an airbag status check of the airbag module;

detect a signal from the at least one inflator driver transmitting a result of the airbag status check;

analyze the signal from the at least one inflator driver to determine a status of the airbag module; and

transmit the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack to the radio-frequency identification transceiver, wherein the radio-frequency identification transceiver is capable of transmitting a second wireless transmission based on the status of the airbag module and the status and voltage of the at least one battery pack.