Method and apparatus for controlling an actuatable occupant protection device

US6341252B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• TRW Limited · US

Inventors

• Chek-Peng Foo · Ann Arbor, US
• Carl A. Munch · Troy, US
• Steven M. Cash · Cedar Falls, US
• Timothy DeZorzi · South Lyon, US
• Farid Khairallah · Farmington Hills, US
• Stephen R. W. Cooper · Fowlerville, US
• Huahn-Fern Yeh · Novi, US
• Paul Leo Sumner · Farmington Hills, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 21, 1999
• Grant date: Jan 22, 2002
• Expiry date: Dec 21, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R2021/01272
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for controlling actuation of at least one actuatable protection device (18, 20, 22, 24) includes a controller (26) having a first sensor input effective to receive a first sensor signal (64, 66, 70) having a value indicative of a first condition of an occupant of the vehicle seat (14, 16). The apparatus (10) also includes a second sensor input effective to receive a second sensor signal (82, 84, 86, 88, 94) having a value indicative of a second condition of the occupant of the vehicle seat (14, 16). The controller (26) is operative to determine a default value for the value of the first sensor signal (64, 66, 70) upon determining that the value of the first sensor signal is either outside an expected range of values or is absent. The controller (26) is operative to provide a control signal (136, 174, 176) to control actuation of at least one actuatable protection device (18, 20, 22, 24). The control signal (136, 174, 176) 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.