method and device for checking a sensor signal and for actuating a passenger protection means of a vehicle

• US 20140288780A1
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schweizer, Martin, Nitschke, Werner, Berndt, Steffen, Lottholz, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,950,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01184 Fault detection or diagnostic circuits in power circuits B60R2021/01129
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0119 Plausibility check
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor

Abstract

A method for checking a sensor signal suitable for actuating a passenger protection arrangement of a vehicle. The method includes a step of carrying out a comparison between the sensor signal and at least one reference signal, repeatedly within a predetermined time interval, in order to obtain a plurality of comparison results, and a step of evaluating the sensor signal based on the plurality of comparison results, in order to detect a fault in the sensor signal.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method for checking a sensor signal suitable for actuating a passenger protection arrangement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

comparing the sensor signal and at least one reference signal repeatedly within a predetermined time interval, so as to obtain a plurality of comparison results; and

evaluating the sensor signal based on the plurality of comparison results to detect a fault in the sensor signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the comparing is performed cyclically within the predetermined time interval.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the comparing is performed in a continually alternating manner using a first reference signal and at least one second reference signal.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

checking whether a value of the sensor signal lies within a predetermined value range, wherein the comparing is performed if the value of the sensor signal lies within the predetermined value range.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor signal is evaluated as being faulty if a predetermined number of the plurality of comparison results indicate a minimum deviation between the one sensor signal and the at least one reference signal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor signal and the at least one reference signal represent signals of the sensors, which are situated at different positions in the vehicle and in which the minimum deviation is a function of positions of the sensors.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor signal and the at least one reference signal represent signals of sensors, which are situated in the vehicle, and in which the minimum deviation is a function of the measuring tolerances of the sensors.

18. A method for actuating a passenger protection arrangement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a sensor signal via an interface to a sensor;

receiving at least one reference signal via an interface to at least one reference sensor;

checking the sensor signal by comparing the sensor signal and at least one reference signal repeatedly within a predetermined time interval, so as to obtain a plurality of comparison resultsn, and evaluating the sensor signal based on the plurality of comparison results to detect a fault in the sensor signal; and

actuating the passenger protection arrangement based on the sensor signal, if no fault is detected when the sensor signal is checked.

19. A device for checking a sensor signal suitable for actuating a passenger protection arrangement of a vehicle, comprising:

a comparing arrangement to compare the sensor signal and at least one reference signal repeatedly within a predetermined time interval, so as to obtain a plurality of comparison results; and

an evaluating arrangement to evaluate the sensor signal based on the plurality of comparison results to detect a fault in the sensor signal.

20. A computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for checking a sensor signal suitable for actuating a passenger protection arrangement of a vehicle, by performing the following;

comparing the sensor signal and at least one reference signal repeatedly within a predetermined time interval, so as to obtain a plurality of comparison results; and

evaluating the sensor signal based on the plurality of comparison results to detect a fault in the sensor signal.