Separation of abuse conditions and crash events to control occupant restraint devices

• US 20060038387A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Haering, Juergen, Stuetzler, Frank-Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 8,186,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/734
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01322 comprising variable thresholds, e.g. depending from other collision parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

A method of controlling a restraint device in a vehicle. The method comprises sensing an acceleration of the vehicle, analyzing the acceleration with at least two independent thresholds, and activating the restraint device when the analyzed acceleration exceeds the at least two independent thresholds.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a restraint device in a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a condition of the vehicle, the determined condition having a value;

retrieving a no-abuse condition threshold based on the value of the determined condition;

retrieving a deployment condition threshold based on the value of the determined condition; and

generating a restraint device activation signal when the value of the determined condition is above the abuse condition threshold and the deployment condition threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing the abuse condition threshold; and

independently establishing the deployment condition threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the condition of the vehicle further comprises:

sensing an acceleration of the vehicle; and

determining a velocity of the vehicle from the acceleration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transforming the condition into at least one of an acceleration, a velocity, a distance displacement of the vehicle, and a value indicative of energy dissipated in the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the value comprises an acceleration of the vehicle, the method further comprising integrating the acceleration of the determined condition.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a restraint device disable signal when the value of the determined condition is either below the no-abuse condition threshold or below the deployment condition threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating a restraint device if the restraint device activation signal is generated.

8. A method of controlling a restraint device in a vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing an acceleration of the vehicle;

determining a vehicle signal based on the acceleration;

retrieving a no-abuse condition threshold based on the acceleration and the vehicle signal;

retrieving a deployment condition threshold based on the acceleration and the vehicle signal;

comparing a value of the vehicle signal with the no-abuse condition threshold and the deployment condition threshold; and

generating a deployment signal when the value of the determined condition is above the no-abuse condition threshold and the deployment condition threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising activating the restraint device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising integrating the sensed acceleration.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle signal comprises at least one of a filtered acceleration of the vehicle, a velocity of the vehicle, a distance displacement of the vehicle, and a value indicative of energy dissipated in the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

establishing the no-abuse condition threshold; and

independently establishing the deployment condition threshold.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a disabling signal to the restraint device when the value of the determined condition is either below the no-abuse condition threshold or below the deployment condition threshold.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising activating the restraint device if the deployment signal is generated.

15. A method of controlling a restraint device in a vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing an acceleration of the vehicle;

analyzing the acceleration with at least two independent thresholds; and

generating a restraint device activation signal when the analyzed acceleration exceeds the at least two independent thresholds.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining from the acceleration at least one of a velocity, a distance displacement of the vehicle, and a value indicative of energy dissipated in the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the least two independent thresholds comprise a no-abuse condition threshold and a deployment condition threshold.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein analyzing the acceleration further comprises:

retrieving the least two independent thresholds based on the acceleration;

determining a vehicle signal based on the acceleration; and

comparing a value of the vehicle signal with the least two independent thresholds.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a restraint device disable signal when the analyzed acceleration is below is below one of the at least two independent thresholds.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising activating the restraint device when the activation signal is generated.

21. An apparatus for controlling a restraint device in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a vehicle condition having a value indicative of a vehicle acceleration;

a comparator coupled to the sensor, and configured to compare the value indicative of the vehicle acceleration with at least two independent thresholds to produce a comparator output; and

a signal generator coupled to the comparator, and configured to create an activation signal when the comparator output exceeds the at least two independent thresholds.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a memory capable of storing the at least two independent thresholds.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least two independent thresholds comprise a no-abuse condition threshold and an independent deployment condition threshold.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the signal generator activates the restraint device when the comparator output is above the no-abuse condition threshold and above the deployment condition threshold, and disables the restraint device when the comparator output is either below the no-abuse condition threshold or below the deployment condition threshold.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising an analyzer configured to determine from the value at least one of an acceleration, a velocity, a distance displacement of the vehicle, and a value indicative of energy dissipated in the vehicle.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the analyzer comprises an integrator.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a processor coupled to the sensor, and configured to receive the value and to retrieve the at least two independent thresholds.

29. A vehicle comprising:

a sensor coupled to the vehicle, and configured to sense a vehicle condition having a value indicative of vehicle acceleration;

an electronic processing unit coupled to the sensor, having a comparator, the comparator comparing the value with a no-abuse condition threshold and an independent deployment condition threshold, the electronic processing unit generating a deployment signal when the value is above the no-abuse condition threshold and above the deployment condition threshold; and

a restraint device coupled to the electronic processing unit, and configured to be deployed upon receiving the deployment signal.

30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the electronic processing unit further comprises a memory capable of storing the no-abuse condition threshold and the independent deployment condition threshold.

31. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the comparator generates a comparator output, and wherein the electronic processing unit disables the restraint device when the comparator output is either below the no-abuse condition threshold or below the deployment condition threshold.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the electronic processing unit further comprises an analyzer configured to determine from the value indicative of vehicle acceleration at least one of a filtered acceleration, a velocity, a distance displacement of the vehicle, and a value indicative of energy dissipated in the vehicle.