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Control device and method for triggering passenger protection means for a vehicle

  • US 9,975,509 B2
  • Filed: 07/07/2008
  • Issued: 05/22/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A control device for triggering a passenger protection arrangement in a vehicle, the control device comprising:

  • an interface receiving at least one signal derived from both a transmitted signal and a vehicle battery voltage of a vehicle battery that powers the vehicle;

    a trigger circuit that includes a switching threshold input and that is configured to trigger the passenger protection arrangement as a function of a result of a comparison between the at least one signal and a switching threshold provided to the switching threshold input; and

    a threshold deriving circuit that is structured to form the switching threshold;

    wherein;

    the threshold deriving circuit includes (a) a main line that is electrically connected to the switching threshold input of the trigger circuit, (b) a first branching line, and (c) a second branching line;

    the first branching line and the second branching line simultaneously branch from the main line;

    simultaneously, a supply voltage is provided onto an input side of the first branching line and the vehicle battery voltage is provided onto an input side of the second branching line;

    the supply voltage is sourced by an energy reserve that is able to provide the supply voltage for a limited time after a fault occurs in the vehicle battery or a connection of the control device to the vehicle battery; and

    the simultaneous branching of the first branching line and the second branching line from the main line;

    causes a value of a voltage on the main line, which is provided as the switching threshold to the switching threshold input of the trigger circuit, to be set based on whichever of the voltages of the respective input sides of the first and second branching lines is greater and not based on the other of the voltages, even during the simultaneous provision of the supply voltage and the vehicle battery voltage onto, respectively, the input side of the first branching line and the input side of the second branching line;

    causes that, whenever in a non-autarchy mode in which the vehicle battery is faultless and the connection between the control device and the vehicle battery is faultless, the vehicle battery effects the switching threshold without impact on the switching threshold by the supply voltage of the energy reserve; and

    causes that, in response to transition from the non-autarchy mode to an autarchy mode in which the fault occurs in the vehicle battery or in the connection between the control device and the vehicle battery, for the limited time after the occurrence of the fault, the energy reserve effects the switching threshold without impact on the switching threshold by the vehicle battery voltage of the vehicle battery.

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