Load detection device

• US 9,470,599 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Ryota
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard
• Application Number:
  US15/141,045
• Time in Patent Office: 173 Days
• Field of Search: 701 45- 47
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/00 Auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus

Abstract

A load detection device includes: a load sensor; and a control device connected to the load sensor so as to perform bidirectional communication, wherein the load sensor includes a first controller acquiring load information based on a load detection signal and acquiring failure information based on relation between the load detection signal and a threshold signal, and a load information storage unit storing the load information as load information in failure detection as the failure information is switched to a state where a failure exists, the control device includes a second controller receiving the load information and the failure information in every predetermined communication period, and the second controller includes a waveform reproduction unit sequentially receiving the load information in failure detection and reproducing the load information in failure detection, and a failure determination unit determining presence of a failure based on the reproduced load information in failure detection.

Claims

1. A load detection device comprising:

a load sensor; and

a control device connected to the load sensor so as to perform bidirectional communication,

wherein the load sensor includes

a first controller acquiring load information in every predetermined arithmetic period based on a load detection signal corresponding to a load applied to a seat and acquiring failure information based on magnitude relation between the load detection signal and a threshold signal corresponding to a threshold for detecting a failure, and

a load information storage unit storing the load information in every arithmetic period in a predetermined time as load information in failure detection as the failure information is switched to a state where a failure exists,

the control device includes a second controller receiving the load information and the failure information in every predetermined communication period which is longer than the arithmetic period, and

the second controller includes

a waveform reproduction unit sequentially receiving the load information in failure detection in every arithmetic period in the predetermined time stored in the load information storage unit in every communication period when the failure information indicates the state where a failure exists and reproducing the load information in failure detection, and

a failure determination unit determining presence of a failure based on the reproduced load information in failure detection.

2. The load detection device according to claim 1,

wherein a detection signal of a collision detection sensor which detects presence of a vehicle collision is inputted to the second controller, and

the second controller includes a determination cancel unit which cancels determination of the presence of failure by the failure determination unit when the detection signal of the collision detection sensor indicates a state where a vehicle collision does not exist in the case where the failure determination unit determines that a failure exists.

3. The load detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the load information storage unit is a ring buffer in which storage and update of the load information are stopped in an end period of the predetermined time.

4. The load detection device according to claim 1

wherein the load information in failure detection stored in the load information storage unit is cleared when it is determined that a failure does not exist by the failure determination unit.