Vehicular Electrical System with Crash Sensors and Occupant Protection Systems

• US 20070299587A1
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David, DuVall, Wilbur, Johnson, Wendell
• Granted Patent: US 7,580,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01054 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01061 between the airbag system and other vehicle electronic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01109 power and data signal using transmission medium
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01184 Fault detection or diagnostic circuits in power circuits B60R2021/01129
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• 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 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

Electrical system in a vehicle includes crash sensor systems each arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle and occupant protection systems each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle. The crash sensor system(s) and the occupant protection system(s) are connected to a bus and supplied with power by the bus and communication through the bus. Each occupant protection device is actuated in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by a crash sensor system. Each occupant protection system may include a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of the occupant protection device, diagnostic circuitry for self-diagnosis, an occupant sensor and a controller for controlling actuation of the occupant protection device based on a signal received from a crash sensor system over the bus, and data from the occupant sensor.

Claims

1. An electrical system in a vehicle, comprising

at least one crash sensor system arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle;

at least one occupant protection system each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle; and

a single bus consisting of a pair of wires, said at least one crash sensor system and said at least one occupant protection system being connected to said bus and being supplied with power by said bus and communication through said bus,

each of said occupant protection devices being actuated in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by said at least one crash sensor system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one occupant protection system comprises a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of said occupant protection device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of said at least one occupant protection system comprises a housing, said occupant protection device being arranged in said housing, said power supply being a capacitor arranged in said housing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one occupant protection system comprises an occupant sensor arranged to obtain data about occupancy of the vehicle for use in determining actuation of said occupant protection device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said occupant protection device is an airbag, each of said at least one occupant protection system comprising a module including an occupant position sensor arranged to obtain data about the position of an occupant to be protected upon inflation of said airbag, each of said at least one occupant protection system further comprising a controller coupled to said occupant position sensor for controlling deployment and inflation of said airbag based on the position of the occupant, said controller being arranged in said module, adjacent said module or proximate said module.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one occupant protection system comprises a housing, said occupant protection device being an airbag, each of said at least one occupant protection system further comprising a controller for controlling deployment and inflation of said airbag.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said bus is arranged to provide a signal indicative of a crash involving the vehicle as obtained from said at least one crash sensor system, each of said at least one occupant protective system being arranged to receive the signal and independently determine whether to actuate said occupant protection device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one occupant protection system comprises diagnostic electronics for diagnosing functionality of said at least one occupant protection system.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a central diagnostic module connected to said bus, said diagnostic electronics of each of said at least one occupant protection system being arranged to provide an indication of the functionality thereof to said central diagnostic module.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said central diagnostic module is arranged to provide an indication of the functionality of all of said at least one occupant protection system to a display visible to an occupant of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one crash sensor system is arranged to generate and send a coded signal over said bus to each of said at least one occupant protection system, the coded signal being indicative of a sensed crash condition.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one occupant protection systems comprises a plurality of occupant protection systems, each of said occupant protection systems being assigned an address, said bus being arranged to transfer data in the form of messages each having an address of at least one of said occupant protection systems such that only said at least one of said occupant protection systems assigned to said address is responsive to said message having said address, each of said occupant protection systems being arranged to determine whether messages on said bus include said address assigned to said occupant protection system.

13. An electrical system in a vehicle, comprising

a plurality of crash sensor systems each arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle;

a plurality of occupant protection systems each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle;

a first bus, a discrete portion of said crash sensor systems and a discrete portion of said occupant protection systems being coupled to said first bus and being supplied with power by said first bus and communication through said first bus, each of said occupant protection devices being actuatable in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by one of said crash sensor systems; and

a second bus, a discrete portion of said crash sensor systems and a discrete portion of said occupant protection systems being coupled to said second bus and being supplied with power by said second bus and communication through said second bus, each of said occupant protection devices being actuatable in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by one of said crash sensor systems,

each of said crash sensor systems and each of said occupant protection systems being either coupled to said first bus or to said second bus;

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said occupant protection systems comprises a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of said occupant protection device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of said occupant protection systems comprises a housing, said occupant protection device being arranged in said housing, said power supply being a capacitor arranged in said housing.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said occupant protection systems comprises an occupant sensor arranged to obtain data about occupancy of the vehicle for use in determining actuation of said occupant protection device.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said occupant protection device is an airbag, each of said occupant protection systems comprising a module including an occupant position sensor arranged to obtain data about the position of an occupant to be protected upon inflation of said airbag, each of said occupant protection systems further comprising a controller coupled to said occupant position sensor for controlling deployment and inflation of said airbag based on the position of the occupant, said controller being arranged in said module, adjacent said module or proximate said module.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said occupant protection systems comprises a housing, said occupant protection device being an airbag, each of said occupant protection systems further comprising a controller for controlling deployment and inflation of said airbag.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said first and second buses are arranged to provide a signal indicative of a crash involving the vehicle as obtained from one of said crash sensor systems coupled thereto, each of said occupant protection systems on the respective one of said first and second buses being arranged to receive the signal and independently determine whether to actuate said occupant protection device.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said occupant protection systems comprises diagnostic electronics for diagnosing functionality of said occupant protection system.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a central diagnostic module connected to each of said first and second buses, said diagnostic electronics of each of said occupant protection systems being arranged to provide an indication of the functionality thereof to the respective one of said central diagnostic modules.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said central diagnostic module is arranged to provide an indication of the functionality of all of said occupant protection systems to a display visible to an occupant of the vehicle.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said crash sensor systems is arranged to generate and send a coded signal over said first or second bus to which it is coupled, the coded signal being indicative of a sensed crash condition.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said occupant protection systems is assigned an address, said first and second buses being arranged to transfer data in the form of messages each having an address of at least one of said occupant protection systems such that only said at least one of said occupant protection systems assigned to said address is responsive to said message having said address, each of said occupant protection systems being arranged to determine whether messages on said first or second bus include said address assigned to said occupant protection system.