Airbag Systems Company Ltd

Zexel Gmbh

Diesel Kiki Co., Ltd.

Kunihiro Takeuchi

Masami Okano

Hideki Ishizuka

Hideyuki Kaneko

Yasumasa Kanameda

Takeshi Konta

Norikazu Takemoto

If the impact acceleration G which exceeds the predetermined threshold value G.sub.TH is detected within a predetermined time (see step 124 in FIG. 2) after the speed integral value .DELTA.V which exceeds the predetermined threshold value V.sub.TH has been detected (see step 112 in FIG. 2), it is decided that such impact acceleration is caused by the underfloor interference or the seat slide and therefore the side air bag system is not started (see step 126 in FIG. 2). In contrast, if the impact acceleration G which exceeds the predetermined threshold value G.sub.TH is not detected within the predetermined time (see step 124 in FIG. 2) after the speed integral value .DELTA.V which exceeds the predetermined threshold value V.sub.TH has been detected (see step 112 in FIG. 2) it is decided that such impact acceleration is caused by the true clash and therefore the side air bag system is started (see step 120 in FIG. 2).

Start controlling system for a passenger protection system, and

A system for controlling an object such as a vehicle safety device, comprises an EEPROM. A microcomputer is operated to multiply a sensing data such as acceleration by a gain in order to correct it, and control the object based on the corrected sensing data. The EEPROM has three or more memory areas of a first group, and the same number of memory areas of a second group. Numerical values equal to each other are written respectively into the first group memory areas as the gain, and complementary numerical values of the numerical values representing the gain are written respectively into the second group memory areas. The microcomputer is operated to check the data in the EEPROM. An alarm device is actuated when the microcomputer detects that the data is abnormal. A numerical value which belongs to majority in the first group memory areas in the EEPROM, and which is also in complementary relation with a complementary numerical value belonging to majority in the second group memory areas, is selected so as to be used as a proper gain.

Control system for a vehicle safety device with EEPROM memory for

Activators for a plurality of safety devices are connected in parallel relation to each other and connected to a common power source. Switching elements are connected in series to the activators respectively. A common safety switch is connected in serial relation to the activators and connected to the power source. This safety switch is turned on by a lower level of shock than that which is judged as a vehicle collision by a micro computer. The micro computer judges whether or not the vehicle has collided based on an acceleration information from an acceleration sensor. The micro computer controls the switching elements such that the switching elements are cyclically and alternately turned on at the moment a vehicle-collision judgment is made.

Safety system for vehicles

In the apparatus, a CPU 5 receives through its first and second I/O terminals a pair of voltages proportional to a terminal voltage of an electrolytic capacitor 4 serving as an energy reservoir, and a voltage proportional to an output voltage of a booster circuit 1. When the terminal voltage of the electrolytic capacitor 4 exceeds its breakdown voltage, a transistor 9 conducts, which permits the electrolytic capacitor 4 to discharge, whereby the over-voltage condition of the electrolytic capacitor 4 is resolved.

Energy reservoir protection apparatus in vehicle occupant protection

A control system for a vehicle safety device comprises an operation circuit in which a main switching element, an activator, and a safety switch are connected, in series, to a condenser for accumulating electric power. When a vehicle collision has occurred, the safety switch is turned on and the main switching element is turned on in response to a vehicle collision judgment which is made in accordance with a signal from an acceleration sensor. As a result, electric current is supplied to the activator to activate the vehicle safety device. The main switching element is turned off when a time period where an output of an operation instruction signal for actuating the main switching element and the ON-state of the safety switch are realized reaches a preset time period.

Method of controlling a vehicle safety device

A vehicle safety device control system includes a plurality of acceleration sensors. Test pulses are supplied to the plurality of acceleration sensors. In order to judge whether or not each acceleration sensor has failed each acceleration sensor is checked for whether or not it outputs a signal that corresponds to the test pulse. The signal from the failed acceleration sensor is not used when a determining if a collision has occurred; only the signals from the other acceleration sensors are used in this determination.

Control system for vehicle safety device

In a control system for a vehicle safety device, when in addition to the condition that a total integral value of the acceleration and deceleration represented by a signal of an acceleration sensor exceeds a threshold level, the condition that the acceleration integral value becomes predetermined times greater than the deceleration integral value is satisfied, a trigger signal is outputted to the vehicle safety device.

A system for controlling an object such as a vehicle safety device comprises a microcomputer, and reset circuits. The microcomputer judges whether or not an identification data is stored in a specific area of the RAM in order to identify the kind of the resetting method. If the judgment result is 'NO', the object is controlled after an early judgment of the control system is effected. In contrast, if the judgment result is 'YES', the object is controlled without effecting the early checking.

Malfunction checking control system which checks identification data

A system for controlling a safety device for a vehicle has a first and a second switching element connected in series in this order from a power source toward the ground. A condenser is interposed between a connecting point for both the first and second switching element and the ground in such a manner as to be in parallel relation to the second switching element. The actuating element for the vehicle safety device is connected in serial relation to the condenser between the connecting point and the ground. The control system further has an electric current supply control device. This electric current supply control device periodically effects ON/OFF control operations over the first and second switching elements. Each cycle for effecting the ON/OFF control operation over the first and second switching elements includes a time period where the first switching element is in the ON-state and the second switching element is in the OFF-state as well as a time period where the first switching element is in the OFF-state and the second switching element is in the ON-state. Owing to this arrangement, alternating current is supplied to a squib to actuate the vehicle safety device.

System for controlling safety device for vehicle

In a control apparatus that activates a preloader device and after a timing delay an air bag device when a vehicle collision is detected, the apparatus has a detector for detecting whether or not a seatbelt is buckled, and a timing signal for activating the air bag device is generated without the timing delay if the seatbelt is not buckled, whereby the air bag device can be activated with a timing appropriate to the condition present at the time.

Vehicle safety device control apparatus

An apparatus for controlling a plurality of vehicle safety devices, for example two safety devices, that are normally set to operate in a set time sequence, whereby if the vehicle is in a collision and the first safety device malfunctions, the second safety device is immediately activated to ensure passenger safety.

Apparatus for controlling a plurality of vehicle safety devices

A control system for a vehicle safety device includes a drive circuit. The drive circuit includes a main switching element, and a safety switch which is turned on by an inertia force produced at the time of a collision of the vehicle. The vehicle safety device is activated when the main switching element and said safety switch are both turned on. The control system further includes an acceleration sensing circuit for detecting deceleration of the vehicle, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer judges, based on a deceleration signal from the acceleration sensing circuit, whether or not a collision has occurred, and outputs an ON-instruction signal to the main switching element when the microcomputer judges that the collision has occurred. The microcomputer also judges whether or not the acceleration sensing circuit is subjected to a malfunction, and judges whether the safety switch is in the ON state or the OFF state. The microcomputer outputs an ON-instruction signal to the main switching element when the microcomputer judges that the acceleration sensing circuit is subjected to a malfunction and at the same time when the microcomputer judges that the safety switch is in the ON state.

A control system for a vehicle safety device includes an acceleration detecting device for detecting the deceleration of the vehicle, an integrating device for integrating the deceleration from the acceleration detecting device, a collision judgment device for comparing the integral value, obtained by the integrating device, with a trigger threshold level so as to judge whether or not a collision has occurred, and for outputting an activation instruction signal when the collision judgment device judges that the collision has occurred, and a drive circuit responsive to the activation instruction signal from the collision judgment device so as to activate the vehicle safety device. The control system further includes a deceleration compensation device for adjusting the trigger threshold level in accordance with the deceleration in such a manner that the trigger threshold level becomes low when the deceleration is large and that the trigger threshold level becomes high when the deceleration is small.

A control system for a vehicle safety device includes a pair of acceleration sensing circuits. The outputs of the acceleration sensing circuits correspond to a deceleration of the vehicle in a direction of running of a vehicle, and are in opposite phase with each other. A differential calculation device effects calculation in accordance with the difference between the outputs of the acceleration sensing circuits, so as to cause noises, applied to the acceleration sensing circuits, to cancel each other, thereby preventing an inadvertent activation of the vehicle safety device due to such noises. According to another alternative construction, in order to prevent the inadvertent activation of the vehicle safety device due to the noises, the opposite-phase outputs of the pair of acceleration sensing circuits are integrated by a pair of integrating circuits, and a pair of collision judgment circuits compare the outputs of the integrating circuits with respective threshold levels so as to judge whether a collision has occurred.

A control system for a vehicle safety device includes an acceleration sensing circuit, an analog collision detection system, a digital collision detection system, and a drive circuit which operates the vehicle safety device when the drive circuit simultaneously receives collision detection signals respectively from both of the analog and digital collision detection systems. A microcomputer of the digital collision detection system outputs test pulses to the acceleration sensing circuit, and checks at least one of the output of an integrating circuit of the analog collision detection system and an output of a comparator circuit of the analog collision detection system so as to detect a malfunction of the analog collision detection system, the outputs of the integrating circuit and the comparator circuit being produced in response to the test pulse.

Growing community of inventors

Higashimatsuyama, Japan

Kunihiro Takeuchi