Method and apparatus for providing a safing function in a restraining system

• US 8,996,255 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Munch, Carl A.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US11/580,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,091 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/300, 701/301, 701/76, 280/47, 280/31, 280/735, 702/141, 702/94, 702/104, 700/245, 342/70, 342/118, 180/282
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01027 Safing sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01286 Electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/0078 Shock-testing of vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus (10) is provided for controlling an actuatable restraint (14, 16) in a vehicle (12). An sensor (24) is mounted in the vehicle (12) and outputs an electrical signal having a characteristic indicative of a vehicle event. A discrimination circuit (42) is coupled to the sensor (24) and determines if a predetermined event occurred. A safing circuit (50) is coupled to the sensor (24) signal and sequestered from the discrimination circuit (42) for determining if the predetermined event occurred. An actuation device is actuates the restraint when both the discrimination circuit (42) and the safing circuit (50) determine the predetermined event occurred.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit for use in a vehicle safety system, said system having at least one device to be actuated upon a concurrence of at least two separate vehicle crash determinations, said integrated circuit comprising:

at least one sensor providing a sensor signal that changes in response to a condition that is indicative of a vehicle crash event;

a processing circuit for processing said sensor signal to provide one of the vehicle crash determinations to be used by the vehicle safety system;

a first output for supplying externally of the integrated circuit a first output signal that is related to said sensor signal; and

,

a second output for supplying externally of the integrated circuit one of said at least two separate vehicle crash determinations.

2. An integrated circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor signal changes in accordance with vehicle acceleration.

3. An integrated circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor signal changes in accordance with vehicle angular acceleration.

4. A controller for a vehicle safety system, said system having at least one device to be actuated upon a concurrence of at least two separate vehicle crash determinations, said controller comprising:

an integrated circuit including a first sensor providing a first sensor signal that changes in response to a condition that is indicative of a vehicle crash event, a first processing circuit for processing said first sensor signal to provide one of said at least two separate vehicle crash determinations to be used by the vehicle safety system, a first output for supplying externally of the integrated circuit a first output signal that is related to said first sensor signal, and a second output for supplying externally of the integrated circuit a first of said at least two separate vehicle crash determinations;

a second sensor providing a second sensor signal that changes in response to a condition that is indicative of a vehicle crash event;

a second processing circuit for processing the first output signal and the second sensor signal to provide a second of said at least two separate vehicle crash determinations; and

an actuation circuit for actuating said at least one device upon a concurrence of the first vehicle crash determination and the second vehicle crash determination;

wherein the first processing circuit is sequestered from the second processing circuit.

5. A controller as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first sensor signal changes in accordance with vehicle acceleration.

6. A controller as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first sensor signal changes in accordance with vehicle angular acceleration.