The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 13, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 20, 1998
Chek-Peng (Anson) Foo, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Huahn-Fern (Jeff) Yeh, Novi, MI (US);
Anne Marie Shields, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Wei-Te Chiang, Novi, MI (US);
Kevin D. Weiss, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling an actuatable occupant restraint device for a vehicle (,) having first and second actuatable stages (,). The apparatus includes a crash sensor (,) mounted near the front of the vehicle (,) for providing a crash acceleration signal (,). An average crash acceleration determiner (,) determines an average crash acceleration value, and provides a signal indicative thereof. A controller (,) is operatively coupled to the actuatable stages (,). The controller effects actuation of the first actuatable stage when the determined average acceleration value exceeds a first threshold value (,). The controller (,) determines a crash severity index having a value according to a time interval from when the determined average crash acceleration value exceeds the first threshold value (,) to when it exceeds a second threshold value (,). The controller effects actuation of the second actuatable stage in response to the crash severity index value (,).