Robert Boschgmbh

Hugo Weller

Peter Taufer

Werner Nitschke

Wolfgang Drobny

Wilfried Burger

Bernhard Mattes

Edmund Jeenicke

Albrecht Clement

Knut Balzer

Gustav Virgilio

Michael Henne

Rudiger Becker

Klaus Reischle

Willi Kuhn

The invention relates to a microprocessor circuit arrangement having a watchdog circuit, which monitors the proper program flow for the processor and which must be triggered in specific time intervals by the microprocessor, since otherwise it will reset (reset function) the microprocessor to the program start or the like. For reasons of simplification, it is proposed that when the microprocessor (2) recognizes that a malfunction has occurred, it spuriously triggers the watchdog circuit (5) in a selective manner to release a reset function coming from the watchdog circuit (5).

Microprocessor circuit arrangement with watchdog circuit

Vehicle occupant safety system and method for operating the same

In an evaluation process for output signals of an acceleration-sensitive sensor in restraint systems for vehicle occupants, the output signals of the sensor are picked up and evaluated periodically. In a normal, uncritical operating state the evaluation occurs after relatively long intervals of time. If indications suggest a critical operating state, that is, an accident, however the evaluation of the output signals of the sensor occurs at shorter intervals of time.

Evaluation process and evaluation device for sensor output signals

Method of operating a safety device for vehicle occupants

Method for actuating a safety device for vehicle occupants

Safety device for car passengers

In a method for controlling the release of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle, an acceleration signal is measured and integrated with respect to time to obtain a velocity signal. A release threshold value for the velocity signal is determined. If the velocity signal then falls below the release threshold value, thus indicating a vehicle collision, the passenger restraint system is released. The release threshold value is controlled depending on the type of accident situation and upon the operating parameters of the vehicle to increase the release sensitivity of the passenger restraint system. For example, the release threshold value is adjusted based on the value of the velocity signal. If the velocity signal decreases in value, then the release threshold is lowered to a more sensitive value.

Method for controlling the release of passenger restraint systems

A voltage supply circuit has an energy reserve, which is charged by a voltage transformer, and a comparator circuit, which controls switching circuit components. When the supply voltage is at its nominal value, a first switching circuit component is closed, with the result, that the energy reserve is operated in open circuit and is charged by the voltage transformer. When the supply voltage drops below a threshold, the comparator circuit opens the first switching circuit component and closes a second switching circuit component with the result that, at this point, the charged energy reserve is available for the voltage supply to the circuit configuration normally supplied with voltage from the supply voltage and the voltage transformer is disconnected from the supply voltage.

Voltage supply circuit

To prevent spurious operation of a controlled operating element (12), typically a safety element which can be irreversibly triggered, such as a trigger or firing cartridge of a passenger restraint airbag, while providing for reliable operation in case of a crash of a vehicle in which the airbag is installed, a control signal is derived from a computer (10) processing input signals. The transmission of the control signals from the computer (10) to the operating element (12) is through a time delay stage (30) which has a time delay of sufficient length to permit the computer to correct, if necessary, signals from its output (16) and to carry out tests on the output signals from the computer apparatus. An evaluation circuit (18) continuously compares the output signals with check values. The check values may be derived from, for example a second computer similar to the computer, or from stored representative values. If the comparison indicates coincidence, the operating control signal from the computer is transmitted to the operating element (12). If, however, e.g. due to extraneous disturbances, a deviation between the test samples and the signals derived from the output (16) of the computer indicates a deviation, transmission of the control signals from the computer (10) to the operating element (12) is prevented, and the computer is controlled to repeat its computation, or part of a computation cycle.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of a

To permit rapid checking of possible malfunctions or erroneous computations in data processing cycles, in which a plurality of computer units carry out processing of data, especially to supervise and control safety apparatus, each one of the units generate intermediate information data at predetermined time intervals, which intermediate information data are transmitted to each one of the other units. The so-received intermediate information data are buffer-stored and compared in all the units with locally generated check data. If the comparison indicates coincidence, computation is continued through subsequent processing cycles; if an error is detected, at least that computer unit which processes the data erroneously is reset to repeat at least the preceding computation cycle, and the unit which detected the error is placed into a 'set-and-hold' mode. The intermediate information data may be derived, for example, in form of a quotient of a beginning and terminal address; additionally, the time of arrival of the intermediate information data can be checked against a time marker, thereby detecting and providing for correction of both computation as well as timing errors.

Method of monitoring an error correction of a plurality of computer

A control unit (7) for an internal combustion engine (ICE) (1) in a motor vehicle includes a control parameter computation unit 6 which provides output signals controlling the ignition instant of an ignition unit (5) and the fuel injection characteristics of the fuel injection unit 4, thereby controlling operation of the ICE. Depending on an operating parameter of the ICE (1), preferably load, the ignition angle is corrected by an ignition angle correction unit (11) by adding a correction factor, dynamically, as the load changes. The correction factor is determined, preferably, by sensing incremental changes in loading and, equally incrementally, changing the ignition angle, repetitively, as the loading changes. The method can be realized entirely by software within a known ignition angle correction unit (7).

Method of controlling the operation of an automotive internal combustion

An electronic arrangement is disclosed for generating a fuel metering signal which is formed by applying the formula ti=f[x.sub.n, g (U.sub.Batt, y)]. Accordingly, the battery voltage is corrected by means of a characteristic field. In this arrangement, allowance can be made for particularly speed and/or load dependent values in addition to the battery voltage.

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Oberriexingen, Germany

Hugo Weller