Electronic control system for a safety device of a motor vehicle

• US 9,421,928 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Hackenberg, Michael, Baur, Richard, Muhr, Stephan, Schilling, Simon, Weidner, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US13/478,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/41, 701/45, 701/472, 702/101, 702/141, 702/147, 702/150, 702/151, 702/188, 702/94, 734/93, 735/141.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups

Abstract

An electronic control system for a safety device of a motor vehicle includes a first sensor for a motion quantity, a computer for converting the motion quantity to a triggering signal for the safety device, and a second sensor for checking the plausibility of the sensor signal supplied by the first sensor. The two sensors are arranged with an identical construction and/or effect and at an at least approximately identical location on a printed circuit board such that, in a proper operating mode, their output signals have different preceding signs and are identical with respect to their amount over their entire operating range.

Claims

1. An electronic control system for a safety device of a motor vehicle equipped with a computer that receives sensor signals and outputs a triggering signal for the safety device, the electronic control system comprising:

a printed circuit board having a defined geometry; and

first and second motion sensors arranged on opposing sides of said printed circuit board, the first and second motion sensors having at least one of an identical construction and an identical operating effect;

wherein;

the first and second motion sensors are arranged at an approximately identical location on the printed circuit board,

the first motion sensor provides a first output signal,

the second motion sensor provides a second output signal, and

the computer determines that the first output signal is plausible based on a determination that the second output signal has an opposite sign and an identical amount as compared with the first output signal,

wherein the first and second sensors are rotation rate sensors that determine rotation rates about a vertical axis, the first and second sensors being fastened via a common footprint on a top and a bottom side, respectively, of the printed circuit board arranged horizontally with respect to the vertical axis.

2. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are acceleration sensors that determine an acceleration in a horizontal direction, the acceleration sensors being fastened side-by-side on a same side of the printed circuit board or one above another on opposite sides of the printed circuit board, the first and second sensors having an opposite direction orientation.

3. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sensors comprises a sensor housing in which is arranged a rotation rate sensor and an acceleration sensor;

and

wherein the housings of the first and second sensors are arranged above one another on a top side and a bottom side, respectively, of the printed circuit board and, are arranged rotated by 180°

in an x-direction and a y-direction, respectively.