Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

James W Griggs, Iii

Clinton Boyd

Scott D Gagnon

J B Canterberry

Timothy Ilyes

John C Fisher

James Price Sowers

Said Shafik Nakhla

Scott Darrell Gagnon

Robert Perry Pettypiece, Jr

Michael Sutherland

A smart igniter bus system has a repeater connected by a bus to a controller, and one or more smart igniters connected by the bus to the repeater so that the repeater is between the smart igniters and the controller. The repeater receives data transmitted on the bus by the controller and processes the signal sent by the controller with onboard logic. Utilizing the onboard logic, the repeaters are preprogrammed to rebroadcast control signals sent by the controller or to only rebroadcast selected signals, or to generate and transmit new command signals.

Method of controlling the initiation of a smart igniter

A frequency addressable ignitor control device utilizes electronic bandpass filters tuned to a unique center frequency and bandwidth for each ignitor. Energy generated by the system's controller comprises one or more narrow pulses whose center frequency corresponds to one or more bandpass filter/ignitor assemblies and sufficient energy for activation. A plurality of bandpass filter/ignitor assemblies are connected in parallel in the system. The controller generates electrical pulses of different frequencies transferred to the plurality of bandpass filter/ignitor assemblies via a two wire ignitor bus. Bandpass filter/ignitor assemblies whose filter allows sufficient energy to pass to an ignitor bridge element initiates the ignitor's explosive charge. The controller generates energy to the ignitor with appropriate sequence of frequencies and delays resulting in the desired detonation of appropriate individual bandpass filter/ignitor assemblies in the desired sequential order each with the desired delays.

Frequency addressable ignitor control device

Smart igniter communications repeater

A smart ignitor control system has communications output electronic circuitry and communications input electronic circuitry. The communications output electronic circuitry generates output serial clock, data, and handshaking signals for communication with a master ASIC that is adapted to communicate with a smart ignitor. The communications input electronic circuitry inputs data and handshaking signals from a master ASIC. Smart ignitors are in circuit communication with the master ASIC via an ignitor bus. Optionally, additional circuitry digitizes analog voltages and waveforms from the ignitor bus and transmits the digitized data to an electronic information processor.

Smart ignitor control system

A vehicle occupant sensing apparatus is provided for use with an associated vehicle having a seat. The vehicle occupant sensing apparatus includes a first range measurement system for sensing a first distance from the first range measurement system towards a first area of the seat, a second range measurement system for sensing a second distance from the second range measurement system toward a second area of the seat and a controller. The controller includes operating means for operating the first and second range measurement systems and determining means for determining if an object is located on the seat in response to the first and second distances. In this way it can be determined if a child seat is present on the seat of the associated vehicle and further whether it is a front facing or back facing child seat.

Vehicle occupant sensing apparatus and method

An airbag deployment controller has a plurality of sensors interposed between a rigid member and a seat pan member such that the weight supported by a portion of the seat cushion which the rigid member underlies is transferred from the rigid member to the seat pan via said sensors. The sensors sense the magnitude of the force transferred therethrough. A device processes signals from the sensors to determine the weight that the portion of the seat cushion which the rigid member underlies is bearing. The signal processing device controls the activation and operation of an airbag as a function of the presence and weight of a seat occupant. Optionally, the tension on a seat belt may also be sensed and processed as a parameter for controlling the deployment of an airbag.

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Bradenton, FL, United States of America

James W Griggs, Iii