Abstract: The diagnosis of an open-circuit fault or of a short-circuit in an ignition system is effected by performing asynchronous periodic extraction of samples of current in a switch. A check is made to ensure the satisfaction of certain temporal conditions in respect to a moment of extraction of the samples and comparing the samples, on the basis of that the temporal conditions are satisfied, with predetermined fault threshold values.

Abstract: A method of detecting collisions and controlling safety devices utilizing a capacitive deceleration sensor and a circuit which forms the sensor output signal as well as an analog/numerical converter, a calculator and an actuator controlled by a numerical calculator. The numerical calculator processes the numerical signal which represents the deceleration output from the converter and calculates a weighted acceleration, a mean value for the weighted acceleration, and an algorithm equal to the sum of the mean value and a variable correcting term. This process triggers the actuator when the algorithm exceeds a predetermined threshold.