Method and apparatus for disabling an actuatable restraint based on determined crash velocity and displacement

• US 6,212,454 B1
• Filed: 07/23/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Hibner, Christopher John, Foo, Chek-Peng (Anson)
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/121,786
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/47, 180/232, 180/268, 180/271, 280/734, 280/735, 340/436, 340/429, 340/903
• US Class Current: 701/45
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint (14) in a vehicle (12) includes an accelerometer (10) for providing a crash acceleration signal. A velocity determiner (60) determines a crash velocity value from the crash acceleration signal. A first comparator (62) compares the determined crash velocity value against a velocity threshold value (64). A displacement determiner (70) determines a crash displacement value from the crash acceleration signal. A second comparator (72) compares the determined crash displacement value against a displacement threshold value (74). A deployment determiner (50) is coupled to and responsive to the accelerometer (10) for determining if a deployment crash event is occurring and for providing a deployment control signal when it determines that a deployment crash event is occurring. The deployment control signal is further processed (80, 82) so that the deployment control signal is prevented from actuating the actuatable restraint (14) when the determined velocity value is greater than said velocity threshold value and the determined displacement value is greater than the displacement threshold value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

crash sensor for sensing a vehicle crash condition;

control means responsive to said crash sensor for providing an actuation signal for actuating said actuatable restraint;

means for determining a crash velocity value;

means for determining a crash displacement value; and

means for preventing said actuation signal from actuation of said restraint when said crash velocity value and said displacement value exceed associated limits.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said crash sensor is an accelerometer that provides a signal having a characteristic indicative of crash acceleration.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for determining said crash velocity value includes an integrator for integrating said crash acceleration signal and said means for determining said crash displacement value includes an integrator for integrating said crash velocity and wherein said means for preventing includes comparators for comparing said crash velocity against its associated limit and for comparing said crash displacement against its associated limit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for preventing includes means for logically ANDing the resultant comparisons of said crash velocity and crash displacement against their associated limits with said actuation signal so that said actuation signal does not actuate said restraint when both said crash velocity and said crash displacement exceed their associated limits.

5. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

an accelerometer providing a crash acceleration signal indicative of crash acceleration of the vehicle;

velocity determining means coupled to said accelerometer for determining a crash velocity value from said crash acceleration signal;

first comparing means for comparing said determined crash velocity value against a velocity threshold value and providing a first comparison signal indicative of the result of said comparison by said first comparing means;

displacement determining means coupled to said accelerometer for determining a crash displacement value from said crash acceleration signal;

second comparing means for comparing said determined crash displacement value against a displacement threshold value and providing a second comparison signal indicative of the result of said comparison by said second comparing means;

deployment determining means coupled to and responsive to said crash acceleration signal for determining if a deployment crash event is occurring and for providing a deployment control signal when it determines that a deployment crash event is occurring;

means for processing said deployment control signal with the first and second comparison signals so that said deployment control signal is prevented from actuating said actuatable restraint when said first comparison signal indicates that said determined velocity value is greater than said velocity threshold value and said second comparison signal means indicates that said determined displacement value is greater than said displacement threshold value.

6. A method for controlling an actuatable restraint comprising the steps of:

sensing a vehicle crash condition;

determining crash velocity;

determining crash displacement; and

actuating said restraint in response to said sensed crash condition, said determined crash velocity, and said determined crash displacement so that said restraint is not actuated if said determined crash velocity and crash displacement exceed associated limits prior to said step of sensing a vehicle crash condition sensing a deployment crash condition.

7. A method for controlling an actuatable restraint in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

sensing crash acceleration of the vehicle and providing a crash acceleration signal indicative of crash acceleration of the vehicle;

determining a crash velocity value from said crash acceleration signal;

comparing said determined crash velocity value against a velocity threshold value;

providing a first comparison signal indicative of the result of said comparison of said crash velocity value against said velocity threshold value;

determining a crash displacement value from said crash acceleration signal;

comparing said determined crash displacement value against a displacement threshold value;

providing a second comparison signal indicative of the result of said comparison of said crash displacement value against said displacement threshold value;

determining if said actuatable restraint should be actuated based on said crash acceleration signal and providing a deployment control signal when it is determined that a deployment crash event is occurring;

processing said deployment signal with the first and second comparison signals so that said deployment control signal is prevented from actuating said actuatable restraint when said determined velocity value is greater than said velocity threshold value and determined displacement value is greater than said displacement threshold value.