Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.

Schroth Safety Products Gmbh

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

T K Holdings, Inc.

Takata Protection Systems, Inc.

Craig W White

Leonard W Behr

Kevin E Musser

Ray Garcia

Ahad M Zadeh

Stefan Meier-Arndt

Mario Schnetger

James Gregory Stanley

Tony Gioutsos

Daniel N Tabar

Michael P Bruce

James R Paye

Debra A Rice

Brian J Zahn

Jeffrey S Bennett

Kevin E Messer

David C Milo

A method for diagnosing aircraft airbag initiators in air bag systems includes: providing a diagnostic circuit per aircraft seat, the diagnostic circuit being in a normally off condition and enabled by a user activation; providing a power supply independent of aircraft power; providing a momentary switch; providing a visual indicator; receiving a signal indicating user activation of the momentary switch; and responsive to receiving the signal: completing a circuit, regulating a current into the diagnostic circuit to prevent a squib from firing during diagnostic evaluation; detecting a voltage; and providing feedback to the user.

Apparatus, system, and method for diagnosing initiators in airbag systems

The present invention discloses embodiments of an apparatus, system and related method for diagnosing initiators in air bag systems. An embodiment of the system comprises a diagnostic circuit electrically connected between acceleration switches and one or more squib, that is user-activated via a momentary switch, and with user-feedback, wherein a user can diagnose the health of the one or more squib with no power drain while inactive. An embodiment of a method related to the system comprises activating a momentary switch, completing a circuit whereby a diagnostic circuit may function, indicating to the user that the diagnostic circuit is functioning, regulating the current into the diagnostic circuit so that the squib does not fire, boosting the signal to a window comparator, detecting the desired voltage by the window comparator, giving feedback to the user that the voltage is good, too high, or too low. An apparatus embodiment of the present invention may comprise an electronics control module for sensing a crash event and initiating an inflation sequence for one or more airbags with an integrated system for diagnosing one or more initiators. The apparatus may include a housing enclosing one or more circuit boards, to which may be electrically connected one or more wire harnesses which themselves are electrically connected to one or more squibs.

A system for disabling the operation of a vehicle when a driver of a vehicle is seated in a vehicle seat. The system includes an alcohol detection sensor configured to be contacted by the driver and to generate a detection signal based on contact between the driver and the detection sensor. The system also includes a sensing electrode located proximate to the occupant and a sensing circuit configured to provide a sensing signal to the sensing electrode. A controller is provided to detect a change in the detection signal resulting from contact between the driver and the detection sensor. The controller is configured to disable the vehicle when either the blood alcohol concentration of the driver of the vehicle exceeds a threshold or the controller does not detect a change in the detection signal resulting from contact of the driver with the detection sensor.

System and method for disabling a vehicle

A crash detection system comprises two sensors with complementary performance characteristics, a controller evaluates the signals from both sensors to determine whether an airbag should be activated, when an airbag should be activated and whether multiple stages of the airbag should be activated. The first sensor preferably comprises a ball-in-tube sensor and the second sensor preferably comprises an electronic sensing module comprising an accelerometer and a CPU. The CPU receives signals from the accelerometer and the ball-in-tube sensor. The controller activates the airbag only if both sensors generate fire signals. The controller generates an airbag activation signal based upon crash type and the sum of the times required from the beginning of the crash for both sensors to generate fire signals.

Crash detection system

A vehicular crash discrimination system (10) incorporates first (12) and second (14) crash sensors operatively coupled to a logic AND gate (16), which activates a safety restraint system (2). The first crash sensor (12) is mounted in a location which for a preferred sensing characteristic causes susceptibility to activation by crashes which are so directed that the safety restraint system (2) should not otherwise be activated. The second crash sensor (14), having a lower detection threshold than the first crash sensor (12), is mounted at a distinct location and is responsive to crashes for which the safety restraint system (2) is preferably activated, but is not responsive to those crashes which cause false activation of the first crash sensor (12). The instant invention thus provides for a preferred sensing characteristic determined by a first crash sensor mounted in an inferior location without being subject to false activation of the safety restraint system (2). In another aspect, the first crash sensor (2) incorporates a plurality of crash sensing characteristics and the selection of the active sensing characteristic is dependent upon the operative state of the second crash sensor (14).

Hybrid vehicle crash discrimination system

An occupant position sensing system incorporates an electric field sensor (30) into or on the cover (14) of an air bag inflator assembly (12) for purposes of sensing an occupant proximate the air bag inflator so that the air bag inflator may be disabled, or a warning device (26) may be activated, if the occupant is found to be within the associated danger-zone thereof. The electric field sensor (30) may comprise a plurality of electrodes (16), at least one of which is incorporated into or on the cover (14) of the air bag inflator assembly (12), wherein an occupant proximate the sensor electrodes modifies the associated inter-electrode capacitance (50). The output from the electric field sensor (30) may be used to control a controllable air bag inflation system responsive to occupant position. The instant invention provides improved discrimination between animate and inanimate objects, and improved detection of rearward facing infant seats, with reduced likelihood of false position measurements due to occupant extremities or objects proximate the air bag inflator.

Electric field sensing air bag danger zone sensor

An occupant position sensing system (10) incorporates first (12) and second (42) position sensors, wherein the first position sensor (12) senses the distance to the surface of an object and the second position sensor (42) senses the electric-field-influencing properties of the object for purposes of controlling the activation of a safety restraint system (38). In an exemplary system, the first position sensor (12) incorporates either an infrared beam or an ultrasonic beam as the sensing element, and the second position sensor senses the capacitance of a plurality of electrodes (46) for either disabling an air bag inflator (38) if the combination of the first and second position measurements of an occupant (24) is within a threshold, or for controlling a controllable air bag inflator (38).

Occupant position sensing system

An integrated vehicle occupant energy management system (10) and method (100) performs front and side impact detection (102), determination of occupant position and type (106), and control of seat belt tension (104 and 108) and deployment of one or more air bags (114) from a single unit (12) position at the vehicle's b-pillar. Real time and dynamic management of occupant energy is provided to optimize energy absorption through seat belt tensioning as a first response to a crash situation, and follow-up deployment of one or more air bags as needed.

Integrated vehicle occupant energy management system and method

A vehicle impact detection system (10) for controlling the actuation of an occupant safety restraint device includes a dual, independent sensor arrangement (12) having a vibratory sensor (24) affixed to an outer surface (16) of the vehicle for continuously generating an output signal (14) representative of the condition of the outer surface, and a processor (22) for performing signal processing on the output signal (14) to predict the time at which a second crush sensor (26) will produce an output signal (18). The system (10) allows a single point outer surface sensor to reliably predict severe impacts within a few milliseconds of initial impact, and therefore is particularly suited for controlling the actuation of a safety restraint device in response to side impacts.

Dual, independent sensor vehicle impact detectin system

An acceleration sensor having a sensing mass supported relative to a frame by a plurality of beams having a plurality of resistors integral therewith. The resistance of the beam resistors varies as the sensing mass is displaced relative to the frame in response to acceleration of the frame in a direction generally normal to the plane of beam extension. The displacement of the sensing mass due to such acceleration produces a corresponding change in the output of a Wheatstone bridge incorporating the beam resistors in the legs thereof. At least one leg of the bridge additionally has a resistor of variable resistance in series with the beam resistor thereof, the resistance of which is controlled by a microprocessor, whereby the bridge output is adjusted to compensate for temperature effects and manufacturing tolerances. The output of the electrical control circuit for the sensor is periodically calibrated by electrostatically deflecting the sensing mass relative to the frame, whereby the sensing mass is subjected to the equivalent of a known accelerating field, and using the resultant change in bridge output as a reference value for calibrating the instantaneous changes in bridge output resulting from the acceleration of the sensor frame.

Method for calibrating an accelerometer

An air bag firing circuit comprises a firing path which includes in series a safing sensor, a squib, and a FET operated under microprocessor control in response to the output of an electronic crash sensor. A power supply maintains a known voltage across the firing path sufficient to explode the squib upon simultaneous 'closure' of both the safing sensor and the FET operated by the microprocessor in response to crash sensor output. Normally, upon detection of a failure in the electronic crash sensor, its supporting electronics, or the FET actuated in response thereto, the microprocessor reconfigures the firing threshold of the safing sensor, as by applying a current to its integral test coil to increasingly bias the sensor's inertial mass away from its switch contacts. However, if a failure of the safing sensor is detected, reconfiguration of its threshold is inhibited notwithstanding the failure of other circuit components to prevent inadvertent deployment of the air bag. Once the safing sensor is reconfigured, the microprocessor turns on another FET to pull one side of the squib to ground, thereby removing the inoperable FET from the firing path and ensuring continued protection of the vehicle passengers until the sensor is serviced or replaced.

Reconfigurable air bag firing circuit

An acceleration sensor having a sensing mass supported relative to a frame by a plurality of beams having a plurality of resistors integral therewith. The resistance of the beam resistors varies as the sensing mass is displaced relative to the frame in response to acceleration of the frame in a direction generally normal to the plane of beam extension. The displacement of the sensing mass due to such acceleration produces a corresponding change in the output of a Wheatstone bridge incorporating the beam resistors in the legs thereof. At least one leg of the bridge additionally has a resistor of variable resistance in series with the beam resistor thereof, the resistance of which is controlled by a microprocessor, whereby the range of bridge outputs is adjusted to initially compensate for manufacturing tolerances and thereafter compensate for temperature effects and component aging. The resistance is varied by way of the microprocessor switching fixed resistors in paarallel connection with the leg of the bridge.

Self-compensating accelerometer

An air bag firing circuit comprises a firing path which includes redundant acceleration sensors, i.e., two sensors of like threshold connected in parallel. Each sensor comprises normally-open switch means operated by an inertial mass and shunted by a resistor. A battery maintains a known voltage across the firing path while a microprocessor checks the integrity of the firing path by periodically reading and comparing the voltages achieved at various points thereabout. The microprocessor further tests each sensor individually by electromagnetically biasing the sensor's inertial mass in a manner so as to close the switch means thereof while determining the effect of such testing on the voltages achieved about the firing path. Upon the detection of a sensor failure, the microprocessor electromagnetically biases the sensor's inertial mass in a manner so as to maintain the switch means thereof in its open position, whereby the malfunctioning sensor is functionally removed from the firing path without impairing the function of the other sensor connected in parallel therewith.

Air bag firing circuit

A circuit for a actuating a vehicle passenger safety restraint such as an air bag includes pyroelectric sensors, pressure transducers, and ultrasonic acoustic sensors for sensing the presence, weight, and relative position of the passenger within a vehicle, respectively, which information is supplied to a control module controlling operation of the restraint. The control module, which includes processor means, calculates the likely effectiveness of the restraint in preventing or otherwise mitigating injury to the vehicle passenger in the event of subsequent operation of the restraint. A signal lamp is illuminated by the control module in the event that the passenger assumes a position which reduces the calculated likely effectiveness of the restraint below a threshold level therefor, thereby warning the passenger of the heightened risk of injury. Preferably, the control module uses the information generated by the sensors to supplement or otherwise corroborate other information received from inertia-type 'crash' sensors or frangible 'crush' sensors, thereby ensuring operation of the restraint only in those instances where the passenger is indeed placed as risk. Most preferably, the restraint is capable of providing a variable response, and the control module adjusts the response of the restraint prior to triggering the operation thereof so as to provide maximum protection to the passenger against injury.

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Grosse Pointe, MI, United States of America

Craig W White