Device for activating a security system in a vehicle

• US 8,401,739 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Wetzel, Guido, Helldrfer, Reinhard, Fendt, Gnter Anton, Weichenberger, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/575,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20110209551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,084 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 701/45, 180/282
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0119 Plausibility check
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01302 monitoring vehicle body vibrations or noise
• 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 21/01332 by frequency or waveform analysis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01336 using filtering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/12 of longitudinal or not specified vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/00 Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for activating a security system in a vehicle including a first and second vehicle sensor (4). The sensor include, respectively, a measuring value sensor (4.1) which can detect acceleration and structure-borne noise, and a central unit (2) which evaluates the signals of at least two vehicle sensors (4) and activates the security system according to the signals. The first and second vehicle sensors have a first direction of sensitivity for at least one measuring value sensor (4.1), which is used to detect acceleration, and a second direction of sensitivity for at least one measuring value sensor (4.1) which is used to detect structure-borne noise.

Claims

1. A device for activating a security system in a vehicle, the device comprising:

at least two vehicle sensors (4), wherein each of the vehicle sensors can record vibrations in frequency ranges, which are generated both by an acceleration and by structure-borne noise, and at least one sensor comprises a measuring value sensor (4.1) for recording vibrations;

a central unit (2) which evaluates signals from the vehicle sensors (4), and which activates the security system according to said signals, wherein the vehicle sensors;

a) comprise a first sensitivity direction (7.1) of at least one measuring value sensor (4.1) for recording the acceleration;

b) a second direction of sensitivity (7.2) of at least one measuring value sensor (4.1) for recording the structure-borne noise; and

c) the first direction of sensitivity (7.1) and the second direction of sensitivity (7.2) of each vehicle sensor (4) are aligned to each other at an angle of almost 90 degrees; and

wherein the vehicle sensors are arranged in relation to each other in such a manner that the first sensitivity direction (7.1) of the first vehicle sensor and the second sensitivity direction (7.2) of the second vehicle sensor, and the second sensitivity direction (7.1) of the first vehicle sensor and the first direction of sensitivity (7.2) of the second vehicle sensor are almost identical.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device conducts a signal verification of at least one of a first signal portion of the acceleration and of the structure-borne noise of a first of the vehicle sensors (4) with a signal portion of the acceleration and/or the structure-borne noise of at least one second of the vehicle sensors (4).

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein an activation signal determined from an acceleration from the first vehicle sensor is linked with a verification signal determined from the structure-borne noise from the second vehicle sensor;

and

an activation signal determined from the acceleration from the second vehicle sensor is linked with a verification signal determined from the structure-borne noise from the first vehicle sensor.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the measuring value sensors (4.1) records the longitudinal structure-borne noise.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the measuring value sensors (4.1) is designed to enable a specific acceleration range to be programmed.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein at least one of measuring value sensors (4.1) is designed to enable a specific acceleration range to be set during the manufacturing process of the vehicle sensor (4).

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a processing unit (4.2) comprises a filter for the selective recording of the acceleration and/or the structure-borne noise.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the filter in the processing unit (4.2) can be programmed, in order to enable the acceleration and/or the structure-borne noise to be recorded selectively.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the filter in the processing unit (4.2) can be adjusted during the manufacturing process of the vehicle sensor (4), in order to enable at least one of the acceleration and the structure-borne noise to be recorded selectively.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a processing unit (4.2) is designed to record the signals from the at least one measuring value sensor with a high amplitude, without overtravelling an amplifying circuit arranged in the processing unit (4.2).

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one measuring value sensor (4.1) is a piezoelectric sensor, a strain gauge, a micromechanical sensor or a magnetic restrictive sensor.

12. A procedure for activating a security system in a vehicle with at least two vehicle sensors (4), which record the vibrations in frequency ranges which are generated both by an acceleration and by structure-borne noise, and which comprises in each case at least one measuring value sensor (4.1) to record vibrations, and a central unit (2) which evaluates the sensor signals from the vehicle signals, and which activates the security system according to said signals, comprising:

recording an acceleration in a first direction of sensitivity (7.1) of at least one measuring value sensor (4.1); and

recording structure-born noise in a second direction of sensitivity (7.2) of at least one measuring value sensor (4.1), wherein the first direction of sensitivity (7.1) and the second direction of sensitivity (7.2) of each vehicle sensor (4) are aligned to each other at an angle of almost 90 degrees and the vehicle sensors are arranged in relation to each other in such a manner that the first direction of sensitivity (7.1) of the first vehicle sensor and the second direction of sensitivity (7.2) of the second vehicle sensor are almost identical.

13. A procedure according to claim 12, wherein a signal verification of a signal portion of the acceleration and/or the structure-borne noise from the first vehicle sensor (4) is conducted with a signal portion of the acceleration and/or the structure-borne noise of at least one second vehicle sensor (4).

14. A procedure according to claim 13, wherein an activation signal determined from the acceleration from the first vehicle sensor is linked with a verification signal determined from the structure-borne noise from the second vehicle sensor, and an activation signal determined from the acceleration from the second vehicle sensor is linked with a verification signal determined from the structure-borne sound from the first vehicle sensor.