VEHICLE-OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A vehicle-occupant protection system in a vehicle having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the first lateral side being closer to an occupant seat of an occupant of the vehicle than the second lateral side, the system comprising:
- a first sensor that is disposed on the first lateral side and positioned either forward of or lateral to the occupant seat in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to detect a collision in a width direction of the vehicle;
a second sensor that is disposed on the first lateral side and positioned rearward of the first sensor in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to detect a collision in a width direction of the vehicle;
a movement restraint device that is provided to the occupant seat to restrain the occupant in the occupant seat from moving away from the occupant seat; and
a collision determination section that compares a first detection signal from the first sensor and a second detection signal from the second sensor with a first determination threshold value and a second determination threshold value, respectively, to determine whether a collision has occurred,wherein the collision determination section concludes that a collision has occurred and activates the movement restraint device when the first detection signal from the first sensor exceeds the first determination threshold value in a situation where the second detection signal from the second sensor has not exceeded the second determination threshold value.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle-occupant protection system in a vehicle has a first sensor and a second sensor on a lateral side closer to a seat of an occupant. The first sensor is either forward of or lateral to the seat of the occupant in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The second sensor is rearward of the first sensor. The system further includes a collision determination section, which concludes an occurrence of a collision when a signal of the first sensor exceeds a determination threshold value in a situation where a signal of the second sensor has not exceeded a determination threshold value. Upon concluding the occurrence of the collision, the collision determination section activates a movement restraint device to restrain the occupant from moving away from the seat.
14 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A vehicle-occupant protection system in a vehicle having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the first lateral side being closer to an occupant seat of an occupant of the vehicle than the second lateral side, the system comprising:
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a first sensor that is disposed on the first lateral side and positioned either forward of or lateral to the occupant seat in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to detect a collision in a width direction of the vehicle; a second sensor that is disposed on the first lateral side and positioned rearward of the first sensor in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to detect a collision in a width direction of the vehicle; a movement restraint device that is provided to the occupant seat to restrain the occupant in the occupant seat from moving away from the occupant seat; and a collision determination section that compares a first detection signal from the first sensor and a second detection signal from the second sensor with a first determination threshold value and a second determination threshold value, respectively, to determine whether a collision has occurred, wherein the collision determination section concludes that a collision has occurred and activates the movement restraint device when the first detection signal from the first sensor exceeds the first determination threshold value in a situation where the second detection signal from the second sensor has not exceeded the second determination threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle-occupant protection system in a vehicle having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the first lateral side being closer to an occupant seat of an occupant of the vehicle than the second lateral side, the system comprising:
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a first sensor that is disposed on the first lateral side and positioned either forward of or lateral to the occupant seat in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to detect a collision in a width direction of the vehicle; a second sensor that is disposed on the first lateral side and positioned rearward of the first sensor in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to detect a collision in a width direction of the vehicle; a safing sensor to detect a collision in a width direction of the vehicle and provide redundancy of the first sensor; a movement restraint device that is provided to the occupant seat to restrain the occupant in the occupant seat from moving away from the occupant seat; and a collision determination section that compares a first detection signal from the first sensor, a second detection signal from the second sensor, and a third detection signal from the safing sensor with a first determination threshold value, a second determination threshold value, and a third determination threshold value, respectively, to perform a determination of an occurrence of a collision, the collision determination section including a determination hold section that holds a state of the determination of each of the first sensor and the second sensor, the state of the determination being referenced whether to indicate an occurrence of a collision when the first detection signal of the first sensor exceeds the first determination threshold value or the second detection signal of the second sensor exceeds the second determination threshold value, wherein; at a first time when the first detection signal of the first sensor exceeds the first determination threshold value, the collision determination section concludes that a collision has occurred under a condition that the state of the determination held at the first time by the determination hold section does not indicate an occurrence of a collision while the second detection signal of the second sensor has not exceeded the second determination threshold value at the first time; and the collision determination section activates the movement restraint device when the third detection signal of the safing sensor exceeds the third determination threshold value following concluding that the collision has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification