Delco Electronics Corporation

Jon Paul Kelley

Jiyao Liu

Kevin J Hawes

Robert J Cashler

Frank Bruce Wiloch

In a preferred embodiment, an object orientation sensor device, including: a first LC tag disposed at a first selected location in the object; a driver/reader circuit disposed so as to detect the presence of the first LC tag when the object is in a first orientation and to not detect the presence of the first LC tag when the object is not in the first orientation; and the driver/reader circuit being arranged to energize the first LC tag with a magnetic field and to subsequently detect a first resonant frequency echo produced by the first LC tag when the magnetic field is removed.

Object orientation sensor device

An analog signal processing system and decision logic for controlling airbag deployment includes low pass filter circuitry, differentiation circuitry and integration circuitry operable to receive an analog acceleration signal and provide a differentiated analog bandpass acceleration signal, a reduced bandpass analog acceleration signal, a low pass analog acceleration signal, an analog velocity signal and an analog displacement signal. An interface circuit receives the foregoing analog signals and converts such signals to a number of logic level signals based on comparison with a number of predefined analog threshold signals. A decision logic circuit receives the converted logic level signals and processes such signals to discriminate between severe and non-severe impact events, and control airbag deployment in accordance therewith.

Analog signal processing system and decision logic for controlling

A system having an accelerometer and a micro-controller responsive to acceleration signals for deploying an air bag as well as activating a pretensioner upon frontal impact includes an algorithm for activating the pretensioner upon rear impact. A frontal crash algorithm is executed when the acceleration exceeds a negative threshold and a rear impact algorithm is enabled when the acceleration exceeds a positive threshold. Rear impact severity is tested by integrating positive acceleration samples and issuing an activation command when the integrated value attains a severity threshold value. Noise immunity results from the positive threshold and from resetting the integrated value to zero whenever a negative acceleration sample intervenes in the severity test.

Supplemental inflatable restraint system having a rear impact algorithm

A two-step deployment control method for a supplemental inflatable restraint (SIR) in a vehicle. The deployment decision includes a 'time to wait' step in which the control determines 'when to deploy', and a 'severity' step in which the control determines 'whether to deploy'. The 'time to wait' step is based on an estimation of occupant displacement due to the crash, and the 'severity' step is based on an estimation of the crash severity. The control method is modified to initiate earlier deployment when the acceleration data is indicative of a localized impact which does not involve the full front structure of the vehicle, such as an angle or pole impact.

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Kokomo, IN, United States of America

Jon Paul Kelley