Method and apparatus for discriminating a vehicle crash using virtual sensing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraining device, said apparatus comprising:
- sensing means securable to a vehicle for sensing crash acceleration and for providing a crash acceleration signal indicative thereof;
processing means for processing said crash acceleration signal with an occupant spring-mass model so as to provide an adjusted crash acceleration signal; and
discriminating means for controlling said actuatable restraining device in response to said adjusted crash acceleration signal.
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Abstract
A sensor (22) senses crash acceleration and provides a crash acceleration signal indicative thereof. A processor (54) sums the crash acceleration signal with an occupant spring-mass model (56, 60) so as to provide an adjusted or "virtual" crash acceleration signal (64) more nearly representative of the actual acceleration of the vehicle occupant during a crash event. A discriminating circuit (70, 76, 80, 82, 90, 92, 84, 100, 104, 108, and 96) controls the actuatable restraining device (28) in response to the adjusted crash acceleration signal (64).
67 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraining device, said apparatus comprising:
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sensing means securable to a vehicle for sensing crash acceleration and for providing a crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; processing means for processing said crash acceleration signal with an occupant spring-mass model so as to provide an adjusted crash acceleration signal; and discriminating means for controlling said actuatable restraining device in response to said adjusted crash acceleration signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for controlling an actuatable restraining device, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing crash acceleration and providing a crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; processing said crash acceleration signal with an occupant spring-mass model so as to provide an adjusted crash acceleration signal; and controlling said actuatable restraining device in response to said adjusted crash acceleration signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification