Trw Limited

Steven Michael Cash

Chek-Peng Foo

Huahn-Fern Yeh

Stephen R W Cooper

Carl Andrew Munch

Timothy Dezorzi

Farid Khairallah

Paul Leo Sumner

Shun-Hsin Chang

Flora Maior

A rollover sensing system ( ) includes a roll rate sensor ( ) operative to sense a roll rate of rotation of a vehicle ( ) and to provide a roll rate signal having an electrical characteristic indicative thereof. A controller ( ) is connected to the roll rate sensor ( ) and is operative to determine a roll angle of the vehicle ( ) based on the roll rate signal. The controller ( ) includes a threshold having a value functionally related to roll angle. The controller ( ) determines the occurrence of a vehicle rollover condition in response to the sensed roll rate crossing the threshold.

System and method for sensing vehicle rollover

An apparatus ( ) for controlling actuation of at least one actuatable protection device ( ) includes a controller ( ) having a first sensor input effective to receive a first sensor signal ( ) having a value indicative of a first condition of an occupant of the vehicle seat ( ). The apparatus ( ) also includes a second sensor input effective to receive a second sensor signal ( ) having a value indicative of a second condition of the occupant of the vehicle seat ( ). The controller ( ) is operative to determine a default value for the value of the first sensor signal ( ) upon determining that the value of the first sensor signal is either outside an expected range of values or is absent. The controller ( ) is operative to provide a control signal ( ) to control actuation of at least one actuatable protection device ( ). The control signal ( ) has a value that varies as a function of the value of the second sensor signal and at least one of the received first sensor signal and the determined default value of the first sensor signal.

Method and apparatus for controlling an actuatable occupant protection device

A vehicle rollover sensor (,) includes an optical transmitter (,) for providing a light beam (,) extending in a first direction (,) and an optical receiver (,) for receiving the light beam. A movable member (,) when in a first orientation enables the light beam (,) from the optical transmitter (,) to be directed to the optical receiver (,). The movable member (,) when in a second orientation prevents at least a part of the light beam (,) from being directed to the optical receiver (,). The movable member (,) is supported on the vehicle for movement between the first and second orientations in a direction transverse to the first direction (,), in response to rolling movement of the vehicle of a predetermined amount relative to the first direction. An inertia mass (,) is connected with the movable member (,) to maintain the movable member in a predetermined orientation relative to the ground surface on which the vehicle is disposed. The operativeness of the sensor (,) can be tested whenever the vehicle is not in a rollover condition.

Vehicle rollover sensor

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Cedar Falls, IA, United States of America

Steven Michael Cash