Temic Telefunken Microelectronic Gmbh

Messerschmitt-boelkow-blohm Gmbh

Messerschmitt-bolkow-blohm Gmbh

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft

Trw Limited

Trw Automotive Electronics & Components Gmbh & Co. Kg

Bayern-chemie Gesellschaft Fuer Flugchemische Antriebe

Peter Hora

Hans Spies

Gunter Fendt

Alfons Woehrl

Guido Wetzel

Horst Laucht

Richard Baur

Guenter Anton Fendt

Helmut Steurer

Norbert Muller

Derrick Zechmair

Gerhard Wagner

Karl E Nilsson

Willibald Watzka

Alfons Wohrl

Bernd Werner

Helmut Rauh

Guenther Fendt

S&ouml;ren Lemcke

Manfred Ammler

Kenneth Francis

Gunther Fendt

Derrik Zechmair

Johannes Drexler

Heinz Bader

Andreas Bernitt

Alfons W&ouml;hrl

Norbert Mueller

The invention relates to a device for distance measurement, comprising a transmission element ( ) for emitting pulsed acoustic or electromagnetic waves. Said transmission element is provided at a first end of a distance (L) or at a known distance from said first end. The device contains a receiving element ( ) for the emitted waves. Said receiving element ( ) receives said waves at a second end of the distance (L) or, after reflection at the second end, at the first end. An evaluation and control unit ( ) calculates the distance (L) from the running time and the signal speed. According to the invention, a telescope tube ( ) with two engaging tube elements ( ) is used between the first and second end. The transmission element ( ) and the receiving element ( ) are arranged on the tube elements ( ) respectively or are coupled thereto via waveguides. One of the tube elements can also be coupled to a displaceable element which can change location.

Device for measuring distance

A distributed vehicle safety system (,) includes an actuatable safety system device (e.g.,,) and a central controller (,) for outputting communication regarding actuation of the device. A communication bus (,) extends from the central controller (,) toward the device (,) and conveys the communication. A bus plug unit (,) of a connection assembly (e.g.,,) is located remote from the device (,). The bus plug unit (,) is connected to the bus (,) and controls actuation of the device (,) in response to communication on the bus. Preferably, the bus plug unit (,) includes a portion (,) that interrupts a normally through-connected portion (,) of the bus (,), and includes portions (,and,) that connect to a conductor (,) of the bus on two sides of the interrupted portion upon connection of the bus plug unit to the bus.

Distributed vehicle safety with bus connection components having a remotely-located initiation electronics arrangement and a bus tap arrangement

A subassembly, intended for use in motor vehicles in particular, consisting of a one-piece or multi-part housing, a plug unit with connecting pins formed integrally with the housing, and a circuit board to accommodate components, wherein the circuit board is configured and arranged in such a way that the connecting pins of the plug unit are guided directly onto or into the circuit board.

Subassembly having a housing with an integral electrical plug unit

The invention concerns a method for the recognition of insulation defects in a circuit adapted for connection to a low-ohmic current source or sink having off-load voltage U.sub.n0, Towards this end the circuit is initially subjected, in a separated state, to a diagnostic voltage from a current limited current source or sink whose off-load voltage U.sub.h0 corresponds to exceeds or, respectively, is less than the voltage U.sub.n0. A decision is made as to the presence or absence of an insulation defect based on the current and/or voltage dependence during application of the diagnostic voltage. Finally, in the event that a defect is present, an error message is issued and the low-ohmic current source or sink is not connected to the circuit for self-diagnosis. Otherwise, the low-ohmic current source is connected to the circuit, or the sink, in sequential fashion for self-diagnosis testing. In this fashion even hidden insulation defects are recognized. The invention also concerns a system for carrying out this method.

Method and system for the recognition of insulation defects

In the case of a data transmission system for the exchange of digital data between a central processor unit and several peripheral control modules which are connected to the former by a bus system such that communication is enabled and which are provided for the purpose of activating one each, respectively, out of several safety devices such as airbags or belt tensioning systems, or similar devices, in a motor vehicle, and wherein these peripheral control modules are each provided with one buffer capacitor whose energy content is sufficient for operating the respective module, and the device driven by this module, within specifications over a limited period of time, the bus system is designed as a single wire system for the purpose of achieving a simple setup and reducing installation and fitting costs. In this single wire system the control modules are supplied with electrical operating energy, and digital data are transmintted, by the same line sections. In the data communications mode of the central processor unit and the control modules, the energy supply of the modules is effected by their buffer capacitors. The transmission of the digital data from the central processor unit to the control modules as well as the passing on of such data is effected by modulating a direct voltage whose maximum level U.sub.S is significantly lower than the maximum voltage level U.sub.B up to which the buffer capacitors can be recharged. The recharging of the buffer capacitors is effected in charge mode periods nested in between transmission operation phases of the central processor unit and the peripheral control modules.

Data transmission system

The invention concerns a procedure for selectively connecting a status detection device--from a group of such devices based on different physical action principles, in particular belt buckle status detection, and seat occupation detection, within a passive safety system for motor vehicles, in particular an airbag system, and/or a belt pretensioning system,--to the signal input of a control unit, using a single wire connection, by causing the control unit to activate an appropriate current/voltage supply in accordance with the physical action principle, and by appropriately processing the signals generated by the status detection device, which signals will then be fed to the control unit for evaluation. Furthermore, an interface circuit is specified for implementing the procedure according to the invention.

Procedure for connecting a status detection device of a passive safety

In a method and system for transmitting digital data, a data acceptance clock signal generator that has a controllable clock frequency in a peripheral module is correspondingly adapted to clock frequency information derived from a synchronization pulse train transmitted by a central unit. The same oscillator is used as a frequency source for determining the clock frequency information and for generating the data acceptance clock pulse. In this manner, simple RC oscillators are adequate to fulfill any requirements of long time accuracy of the oscillator. The clock frequency can be changed in that the central unit simply transmits altered clock frequency information. It is also possible to carry out an adjustment or adaptation in the case of deviations of the oscillator frequency in the peripheral unit. Preferably, the clock frequency information is derived from the reciprocal value of the time duration of at least one synchronization pulse, which is determined in a quantized manner by a first counter in a clock frequency information acquisition circuit which counts the number of oscillator pulses occurring during the synchronization pulse. The resulting count value is provided to a data acceptance clock signal generator, which is clocked by the same oscillator and counts the number of oscillator pulses until reaching a prescribed threshold value, whereupon it outputs a corresponding clock signal. By properly adapting numerical elements, it is also possible to process pulse width modulated signals using the present method and apparatus.

Method and control system for the synchronized transmission of digital

An arrangement for supplying electrical power to at least one load arranged along a power supply line, preferably in motor vehicles, is characterized by having a power supply facility that has at least one input for a supply voltage and at least one output for the supply voltage and a testing device, by the testing device being designed to test an output for the supply voltage to establish whether a short-circuit, i.e. a resistance of too low a value, exists at this output, and by the power supply facility having a switching device and being designed in such a way that a supply voltage fed to it is switched through by the switching device to the output tested by the testing device only when the test has established the non-existence of a short-circuit. This allows the power supply to be maintained if a single fault occurs.

Arrangement for electrical power supply

An ignition circuit output stage which is driven by one or several microprocessors. Up to now different modes of operation each required their own different ignition circuit output stage. The ignition circuit output stage according to the invention is programmable - that is, using one and the same output stage, different modes of operation can be selected such as, for example, the unregulated or output stage mode as well as the regulated and limited output current mode. The circuit essentially consists of a down converter which, when activated, will regulate and limit the discharge current. The down converter can be activated and deactivated by means of an appropriate signal. When the down converter is in its deactivated state, an unregulated discharge takes place; this is the output stage mode. With the programmable output stage it is possible to select the best mode of operation for the relevant application case--such as, for example, operation without inductance as well as energy supplied directly from the onboard battery--without different output stage ICs being required.

Restraint system ignition circuit output stage

The invention concerns a method for the automatic recognition and correction of an invalid data set stored in a programmable circuit memory which is part of a group of at least three identical stored data sets, wherein the data sets of the group are compared to each other, and in the event that one data set of the group does not agree with the remaining data sets of the group same is recognized as being invalid and the remaining agreeing data sets are recognized as being valid, and the invalid data set is corrected through replacement with a valid data set. The invention is also directed to a system adapted to carry out this method.

Method for automatic recognition and correction of an invalid data set

A trigger circuit for occupant protection systems in motor vehicles comprises a control unit which will effect the triggering of a means of restraint such as an airbag, depending on sensor signals generated by one or more external sensor units. To achieve a degree of triggering certainty, data interrogation must take place in very short time intervals. A safe transmission of data between the control unit and the sensor units will be ensured if, in accordance with this invention, the information units to be transmitted will each be encoded by means of a PWM signal with a certain period duration. The control unit will check the period duration of the PWM signal received, and, in the event of this actual period duration not matching the specified nominal value, it will not accept the relevant unit of information.

Data transmission process within a data processing system suitable for

A data transmission method in a real-time data processing system, comprising a control unit and at least one function unit linked to this control unit through a data line, is described that permits noise-free and noise-insensitive transmission of data. In accordance with the invention, the data is stored in a buffer memory made up of a shift register and an intermediate storage, before being loaded into a main memory of the function unit. Transfer to the intermediate storage takes place only if certain conditions are satisfied that identify transmission faults. Before the data is stored in the main memory, the data is read-back into the control unit memory for the purposes of checking and there it is compared with the original data. If there is no correspondence, data transmission is performed again. The method in accordance with the invention can be applied advantageously in local networks, and in particular for motor vehicles, where a central control unit is applied for controlling operational sequences through various function units such as triggering circuits for passenger restraint systems or control circuits concerning motor management.

Data transmission method in a real-time data processing system

Increasingly, motor vehicles are being equipped with safety systems for vehicle occupants and where these safety systems are controlled by electrically actuated triggering means such as ignition pills for airbags that in turn are controlled from an output stage. The invention demonstrates a method that ensures safe and uninterrupted operation of these triggering means and which protects the output stage from being destroyed should a fault occur as a result of, for example, an ignition pill by-pass.

Method for activating an output stage for safety systems in a motor

A method and apparatus for recognizing a crash, in a vehicle by measuring vehicle speed change continuously within a limited time periods and comparing the measured values with those determined in prior time periods. Acceleration can be differentiated out by means of the above-mentioned process/arrangement and can be evaluated if, in the case of a high-speed and low-speed crash, it should not be possible to differentiate sufficiently by means of the partial speed difference. Different partial speed differences (by means of observation periods of different durations) can be measured and compared in order to permit ignition in the case of slower (oblique) crashes only within a limited time window in the initial phase of the crash.

Process and apparatus for detecting vehicle impact

To trigger driver and passenger airbags as well as side airbags, the sensor signals generated by collision sensors will be fed into a central control unit for processing. According to this invention, side airbags will be activated by evaluating sensor signals generated by a collision sensor for detecting head-on and side collisions, centrally located within the motor vehicle, as well as by a left-hand and right-hand collision sensor each detecting side collisions, by the control unit generating a triggering signal whenever the centrally located collision sensor and at least one of the two side collision sensors generate a collision signal, with one of these two collision sensors having a greater value, or if the centrally located collision sensor as well as one of the two side collision sensors provide a signal of equal value, with the other side collision sensor simultaneously generating a collision signal with a value either equal or lower than the value of the collision signal generated by the central collision sensor. The process according to this invention will lead to a very high degree of triggering certainty for the entire occupant protection system, and advantageously does not require the use of a mechanical safety switch to trigger the side airbags.

Growing community of inventors

Schrobenhausen, Germany

Peter Hora