Method and apparatus for providing a safing function in a restraining system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint system in a vehicle, comprising:
- a single integrated circuit having an event sensor mountable in the vehicle for outputting an electrical event signal having an identifiable characteristic upon the occurrence of a predetermined vehicle event and a safing circuit coupled to the event sensor for determining if a predetermined vehicle event occurred and for providing a safing signal in response thereto;
a discrimination circuit coupled to the electrical event signal for determining if the predetermined vehicle event occurred and for providing an event discrimination signal indicative thereof; and
an actuation device for actuating the restraint when both the event discrimination signal and the safing signal indicate that the predetermined vehicle event occurred.
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Accused Products
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 copied 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.
40 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint system in a vehicle, comprising:
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a single integrated circuit having an event sensor mountable in the vehicle for outputting an electrical event signal having an identifiable characteristic upon the occurrence of a predetermined vehicle event and a safing circuit coupled to the event sensor for determining if a predetermined vehicle event occurred and for providing a safing signal in response thereto; a discrimination circuit coupled to the electrical event signal for determining if the predetermined vehicle event occurred and for providing an event discrimination signal indicative thereof; and an actuation device for actuating the restraint when both the event discrimination signal and the safing signal indicate that the predetermined vehicle event occurred. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for controlling an actuatable restraint system in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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mounting a vehicle event sensor in the vehicle, the vehicle event sensor sensing an occurrence of a predetermined vehicle event and having an electrical output signal having an identifiable characteristic upon the occurrence of the predetermined vehicle event; monitoring the sensor output; determining, using a discrimination algorithm, if the monitored sensor output indicates that the predetermined vehicle event occurred; determining, using a safing algorithm sequestered from the discrimination algorithm, if the monitored sensor output indicates that the predetermined vehicle event occurred; and actuating the restraint when both the determination using the discrimination algorithm and the determination using the safing algorithm agree that the predetermined vehicle event occurred. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification