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:
Jan. 22, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1999
Chek-Peng Foo, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Carl A. Munch, Troy, MI (US);
Steven M. Cash, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Timothy DeZorzi, South Lyon, MI (US);
Farid Khairallah, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Stephen R. W. Cooper, Fowlerville, MI (US);
Huahn-Fern Yeh, Novi, MI (US);
Paul Leo Sumner, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
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.