Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method employing multiple crash evaluation algorithms for actuating a restraint system in a passenger vehicle

US4994972A · kind A · utility

50Cited by
9References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 6, 1989
Grant dateFeb 19, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 6, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60R21/01332
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Apparatus and method are presented for actuating a passenger restraint system in a passenger vehicle. A sensor senses vehicle deceleration and provides a deceleration signal having a value which varies in accordance therewith. A plurality of crash evaluation circuits each respond to the deceleration signal for evaluating the deceleration signal in accordance with respectively different crash evaluation algorithms. Each evaluation circuit provides a vote signal when its evaluation of the deceleration signal indicates that the restraint system should be actuated. The vote signals are summed to provide a summation signal. The summation signal has a fractional value dependent upon the ratio of the number of vote signals to the total number of evaluation votes. The restraint sytsem is actuated when the summation signal exceeds a threshold level.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.