Siemens Vdo Automotive Corporation

Siemens Automotive Corporation

Scott M Morell

Ralf Oestreicher

Harold Lichtinger

Dan Reich

Michelle Homann

Charles R Cook, Jr

Daniel Reich

Marten Swart

Brian Michael Curtis

Horst Belau

Harald Lichtinger

Dennis Ziesmer

Michael Baker

A method and system for determining weight and/or position of a vehicle seat occupant to be used for controlling the reaction of a safety restraint system. A plurality of spaced weight sensors are disposed between a seating surface and seat mounting surface to provide output signals indicative of an applied weight on each sensor. The sensors are spaced such that the sensors measure the weight applied to a seat back and the seating surface. A controller calculates the weight and/or position of the seat occupant in response to the output signals of the sensors. The controller sends the weight and position of the seat occupant to the safety restraint system to be used to tailor or suppress the reaction of the safety restraint system.

Method and system for determining weight and position of a vehicle seat occupant

A vehicle weight classification system determines the weight of a seat occupant for controlling airbag deployment. Strain gauge sensors preferably provide signals having a magnitude that is indicative of the weight of the seat occupant. A converting module converts the sensor signals into timing information. A microprocessor, which includes a timer module, receives the timing information and makes a weight determination from the timing information.

Signal processing in a vehicle classification system

A method and system for controlling a vehicle occupant safety system based on crash severity. The system uses an acceleration signal indicating the acceleration of the vehicle upon occurrence of a crash to determine whether to trigger a restraint device. A controller implements a crash sensing algorithm to determine whether the severity of the crash warrants deployment of the safety restraint. The algorithm uses a predicted velocity and an acceleration peak time derived from the acceleration signal. The predicted velocity is indicative of the relative velocity between the passenger and the vehicle at a predetermined time following detection of a crash event. The acceleration peak time is the time period between peak acceleration values that correspond to contacting of significant structural elements of the vehicle, such as the bumper and the radiator. The two values are compared to their respective thresholds and if both of them exceed their thresholds then a deployment signal is generated to trigger the safety restraint.

Method and system for controlling a vehicle occupant safety system based on crash severity

A vehicle weight classification system recognizes the various factors that influence system performance. Some of the factors are compensated for using analog signal processing circuitry or techniques. Other factors are compensated for using digital signal processing techniques. The unique combination of analog and digital approaches, rather than pure analog or pure digital, provides an effective solution at addressing the various factors that influence signals and system performance in a vehicle weight classification system while keeping the cost and complexity of the system within acceptable limits.

Signal processing in a vehicle weight classification system

A system for measuring the weight of a seat occupant is used to control airbag deployment. The system includes a seat bottom that receives a vertical seat occupant weight force. The seat is divided into four quadrants, a front right quadrant, a left front quadrant, a left rear quadrant, and a right rear quadrant. Each quadrant includes a sensor that generates a weight signal corresponding in magnitude to the seat occupant weight in the respective quadrant. Each weight signal is comprised of a vertical force component and an error component induced by braking or deceleration forces acting on the seat bottom in a non-vertical direction. The sensors are orientated within their respective quadrants such that two sensors generate a positive error reading and two sensors generate a negative error reading. When the weight signals from each quadrant are added together to determine the total seat occupant weight, the error is eliminated as the positive and negative error components cancel each other out. The seat occupant weight is determined by adding the vertical force components from each of the weight signals together.

Method and apparatus for sensing seat occupant weight

A vehicle occupant protection activation system includes a satellite sensor which communicates with a safety controller for controlling each safety system. If a heightened likelihood of a vehicle crash or roll-over condition exists, the satellite sensor sends a safing message to the safety controller. When the safing message is received by the safety controller, it responds to the satellite sensor with a safing response including a seed message therein. The seed message is temporarily stored in the safety controller and is also stored by the satellite sensor. If it is determined that the event requires deployment, the satellite sensor sends a deploy command to the safety controller that includes the seed message therein to authenticate the command. The safing controller is thus assured that the deploy command is authorized and inadvertent deployment due to a single point fault in the satellite sensor is prevented.

Safing method for a vehicle occupant protection safety system

A system for measuring seatbelt forces is used to control deployment of vehicle airbags. The system includes a seatbelt anchor assembly having a bracket mounted to a vehicle structure adjacent to a vehicle seat. A seatbelt mechanism has a belt portion that is looped through the bracket. The seatbelt is used to secure passengers or an infant car seat to the vehicle seat. A sensor is engaged with the anchor assembly and is used to measure the magnitude of forces exerted on the seatbelt by the passenger or car seat. The sensor generates a signal representative of the seatbelt forces, which is used to control deployment of the airbag.

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White Lake, MI, United States of America

Scott M Morell