Patent · US Expired

Vehicle impact detection system

US5445412A · kind A · utility

27Cited by
14References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 7, 1994
Grant dateAug 29, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 7, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60R21/0136
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A vehicle impact detection system (10) for controlling the actuation of an occupant safety restraint device (24) includes a sensor array (12) affixed to an outer surface (16) of the vehicle for continuously generating a two dimensional output (14) representative of the condition of the outer surface, and a processor/evaluation circuit (20) for performing advanced array signal processing on the sensor array output. The system (10) can reliably predict severe impacts within a few milliseconds of initial impact, and therefore is particularly suited for controlling the actuation of a safety restraint device in response to side impacts.

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