Continental Automotive Systems Us, Inc.

Siemens Vdo Automotive Corporation

Seimens Vdo Automotive Corporation

Jeffrey D Gleacher

Robert M Andres

Manfred Frimberger

Reinhard Hamperl

Douglas McConnell

Telmo Glaser

Reinhart Weber

Thomas J Malbouef, Jr

Matthias Kiening

A method of operating a sensor system includes the steps of determining whether any of a plurality of sensors are malfunctioning in response to a physical stimulus on a vehicle, determining whether an outcome of the first step is plausible based upon expected physical stimuli, and determining whether to execute a decision, such as deploy a vehicle occupant restraint, or fail the sensor if it is producing signals beyond expected physical limits. The decision is executed if it is plausible and not executed if it is not plausible.

Method and system for detecting malfunctioning sensors

The method and system of this invention discriminates between a lateral collision and a static non-collision event by measuring lateral velocity of the vehicle and adjusting a threshold value causing occupant restraint system actuation according to the measured lateral velocity. The threshold value is decreased in response to an increase in lateral velocity and increased or maintained at a higher value when lateral velocity is minimal to prevent actuation caused by a non-crash event such as a door slam.

Side collision plausibility with lateral velocity

A crash detection system () includes a controller () that communicates with a plurality of sensors (). The controller uses a difference between a sensor velocity value and a threshold to discriminate between a roll-over and at least one other type of crash or impact event. If a difference between a sensor velocity and the threshold exceeds the threshold, the controller subtracts that difference from an acceleration influence of a roll-over algorithm to avoid processing sensor data as if a roll-over were happening when, in fact, the event is a different type of crash or impact.

Crash detection system including roll-over discrimination

A vehicle occupant restraining system includes a plurality of safety restraint devices and utilizes a main controller and a safing controller to determine whether or not conditions are proper for deploying each safety restraint device. The system discriminates between front, side, rear, and roll-over impact events and determines which safety restraint devices should be deployed in response to an impact event. The system also independently determines whether to activate a fuel cut-off switch in response to an impact event. The main and safing controllers utilize vehicle data from a main center tunnel sensor assembly and various satellite sensors to make deployment decisions. The safing controller is used to independently verify whether or not the safety restraint should be deployed.

Method and apparatus for determining deployment of a safety restraint device in an occupant restraining system

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West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey D Gleacher