Trw Limited

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Mark A Carlin

George W McIver

Roger A McCurdy

Koichi Sugiyama

Ronald A Muckley

James G McCuskey

James Edward Bormann

An apparatus for sensing a vehicle crash condition includes an accelerometer (20) for sensing a vehicle crash condition and for providing a signal having a characteristic indicative of the vehicle crash condition. A crash velocity determining circuit (74) determines a crash velocity value (78) from the accelerometer. Crash metric determining circuits (80, 82, 94, 96, 104, 108) determine crash metric values functionally related to acceleration. Threshold determining circuits (88, 98, 112) determining associated threshold values functionally related to the determined crash velocity value (78). Comparators (90, 100, 116) compare the determined crash metric values against associated threshold values. A controller (34) provides a control signal to control actuation of a restraining device in response to the comparison. A shape monitoring circuit (120) determines if the shape of the acceleration signal matches a predetermined shape. If the shape matches, the controller provides the control signal.

Method and apparatus for sensing a vehicle crash condition using

An apparatus (30) for controlling an actuatable restraining device includes an accelerometer (60) for providing an electrical deceleration signal having a characteristic indicative of vehicle deceleration. An electronic controller (64) is connected to the accelerometer (60) and determines an average crash acceleration (AWIN) value in response to deceleration during a vehicle crash condition. The controller (64) determines a crash velocity value and a variably weighted velocity value (JMM2) equal to crash velocity times a variable weighting factor. The controller (64) provides an actuation signal to actuate the actuatable restraining device (i) when the average velocity value (AWIN) is greater than a first threshold value (WTHRESH) or (ii) when the variably weighted velocity value (JMM2) is greater than a second threshold value (JTHRESH) and the crash velocity is greater than a third threshold value (VTHRESH).

Method and apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraining device

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Hermosa Beach, CA, United States of America

Mark A Carlin