Airbag system collision history recording method

• US 20030168839A1
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyoshi, Kentaro
• Granted Patent: US 6,915,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor

Abstract

Acceleration data on acceleration that a vehicle undergoes are written in a readable memory, the acceleration being detected by an acceleration sensor. When an airbag is inflated, the time of the inflation is determined. Either acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during a predetermined time period before or after the determined time or acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during two predetermined time periods before and after the determined time are read from the readable memory, and the acceleration data read from the memory are stored in a nonvolatile memory as a collision history.

Claims

1. An airbag system collision history recording method comprising the steps of:

turning on an airbag ignition circuit based on acceleration data on acceleration that a vehicle undergoes when the vehicle is involved in a collision, the acceleration being detected by an acceleration sensor, so as to inflate an airbag;

writing the acceleration data in a readable memory;

determining a time when said airbag is inflated;

reading either acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during a predetermined time period before or after said determined time or acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during two predetermined time periods before and after said determined time from said readable memory; and

storing the acceleration data read from said readable memory in a nonvolatile memory as a collision history.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said storing step is the step of storing the acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during the predetermined time period before said determined time in non-chronological order from data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes at said determined time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said storing step is the step of storing the acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during the predetermined time period after said determined time after storing the acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during the predetermined time period before said determined time.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said storing step is the step of, after storing acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during a first predetermined time period immediately before said determined time, storing acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during a second predetermined time period immediately after said determined time, and, after that, storing acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during a third predetermined time period before said first predetermined time period and then storing acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during a fourth predetermined time period after said second predetermined time period.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said storing step is the step of storing the acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during the predetermined time period after said determined time in non-chronological order.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said storing step is the step of storing the acceleration data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes during the predetermined time period after said determined time in non-chronological order from data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes most recently to data on acceleration that the vehicle undergoes at said determined time.