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Method and control unit for controlling an occupant protection means of a vehicle

  • US 9,156,421 B2
  • Filed: 12/03/2012
  • Issued: 10/13/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling an occupant protection arrangement that includes at least two levels of protection for an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising:

  • determining, by processing circuitry and using a yaw rate sensor, a yaw direction of the vehicle;

    identifying, by the processing circuitry, a presence of at least one of (i) a left rear occupant of the vehicle and (ii) a right rear occupant of the vehicle, and determining, by the processing circuitry, a respective lateral movement space available in the vehicle for the at least on of (i) the left rear occupant and (ii) the right rear occupant;

    selecting, by the processing circuity, one of the at least two levels of protection of the occupant protection arrangement as the level to be used for the at least one of (i) the left rear occupant and (ii) the right rear occupant in the event of an impact of the vehicle based on the yaw direction of the vehicle and the lateral movement space determined to be available in the vehicle for the at least one of (i) the left rear occupant and (ii) the right rear occupant; and

    controlling, by the processing circuitry, the occupant protection arrangement to provide a protection at the selected level to the at least one of the (i) the left rear occupant and (ii) the right rear occupant during the impact.

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