Abstract: A plastic housing with a sleeve-shaped metal insert has a mounting side for attachment to a mounting side of a metal carrier body by a connector element. The plastic housing has a mounting flange defining an opening and a top edge of the flange. The sleeve-shaped metal insert is arranged in the opening of the mounting flange, and has a top edge extending over the top edge of the mounting flange and an opening therethrough. The plastic housing has projecting plastic material on the mounting side of the mounting flange which provides a spacing between the sleeve-shaped metal insert and the metal carrier body by enclosing in the shape of a ring the lower edge of the opening in the mounting flange. The projecting plastic material insulates the sleeve-shaped metal insert from the metal carrier body and provides a seal against the effects of moisture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for sealing pressure compensation openings in components in particular of a motor vehicle control unit. Previously, pressure compensation openings were sealed in the interior of the housing by a watertight and gas-permeable material affixed by adhesion. In accordance with the invention, the opening is sealed from the outside with a two-layered material where a wide-area first layer consists of a material that can be inscribed and a second layer, which can also be provided over just a part of the total area, is a watertight and gas-permeable membrane. At those places where pressure compensation occurs, the first layer is removed so that only the membrane acts. The first layer can be used here as a label. Advantages offered by this device are that the housing and the membrane are joined over a much larger area, the process can be monitored, and one process step is saved.

Abstract: Process and circuit layout for using an independent capacitor for the momentary retention of an output voltage when an input voltage is lost. To facilitate a reduction in capacitance in independent circuits of this type at a constant amount of charge, the input voltage is transformed by a DC/DC up converter to a higher capacitor voltage, which is stored in the independent capacitor and the capacitor voltage is transformed by a DC/DC down converter to the output voltage for the load element, which is less than the capacitor voltage. As the DC/DC down converter can utilize capacitor voltages until the output voltage is reached, the residual voltage remaining in the independent capacitor (C) is no longer used. The independent time interval is correspondingly short. According to the invention, the capacitor is disconnected from the output of the DC/DC up-converter and connected to its input when the input voltage is less than a reference voltage.

Abstract: In the case of a data transmission system for the exchange of digital data between a central processor unit and several peripheral control modules which are connected to the former by a bus system such that communication is enabled and which are provided for the purpose of activating one each, respectively, out of several safety devices such as airbags or belt tensioning systems, or similar devices, in a motor vehicle, and wherein these peripheral control modules are each provided with one buffer capacitor whose energy content is sufficient for operating the respective module, and the device driven by this module, within specifications over a limited period of time, the bus system is designed as a single wire system for the purpose of achieving a simple setup and reducing installation and fitting costs. In this single wire system the control modules are supplied with electrical operating energy, and digital data are transmintted, by the same line sections.

Abstract: For electrically and mechanically connecting a printed circuit board bonding pad to a metallic housing part, in particular for connecting to ground, friction-type connections such as screw fastenings or rivets are usually provided for connecting the printed circuit board directly to the housing part. However, since the printed circuit boards are mostly made of plastic material and the forces at the friction-type connections diminish, the electrical connection may become loose, especially in the aging process. To prevent this a connecting element comprising a base surface having a hole for inserting the friction-type connection to the housing part and at least one contact finger on the base surface are provided, whereby the contact finger provides connection to the printed circuit board bonding pad. The base surface is insensitive to mechanical loads at the friction-type connection and can distribute these evenly. Electrical connection is guaranteed and fabrication simplified.

Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure for selectively connecting a status detection device--from a group of such devices based on different physical action principles, in particular belt buckle status detection, and seat occupation detection, within a passive safety system for motor vehicles, in particular an airbag system, and/or a belt pretensioning system,--to the signal input of a control unit, using a single wire connection, by causing the control unit to activate an appropriate current/voltage supply in accordance with the physical action principle, and by appropriately processing the signals generated by the status detection device, which signals will then be fed to the control unit for evaluation. Furthermore, an interface circuit is specified for implementing the procedure according to the invention.

Abstract: An arrangement for supplying electrical power to at least one load arranged along a power supply line, preferably in motor vehicles, is characterized by having a power supply facility that has at least one input for a supply voltage and at least one output for the supply voltage and a testing device, by the testing device being designed to test an output for the supply voltage to establish whether a short-circuit, i.e. a resistance of too low a value, exists at this output, and by the power supply facility having a switching device and being designed in such a way that a supply voltage fed to it is switched through by the switching device to the output tested by the testing device only when the test has established the non-existence of a short-circuit. This allows the power supply to be maintained if a single fault occurs.

Abstract: An ignition circuit output stage which is driven by one or several microprocessors. Up to now different modes of operation each required their own different ignition circuit output stage. The ignition circuit output stage according to the invention is programmable - that is, using one and the same output stage, different modes of operation can be selected such as, for example, the unregulated or output stage mode as well as the regulated and limited output current mode. The circuit essentially consists of a down converter which, when activated, will regulate and limit the discharge current. The down converter can be activated and deactivated by means of an appropriate signal. When the down converter is in its deactivated state, an unregulated discharge takes place; this is the output stage mode.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the automatic recognition and correction of an invalid data set stored in a programmable circuit memory which is part of a group of at least three identical stored data sets, wherein the data sets of the group are compared to each other, and in the event that one data set of the group does not agree with the remaining data sets of the group same is recognized as being invalid and the remaining agreeing data sets are recognized as being valid, and the invalid data set is corrected through replacement with a valid data set. The invention is also directed to a system adapted to carry out this method.

Abstract: This invention concerns a test procedure for a safety system in motor vehicles, in particular occupant protection devices such as airbag, belt tightener, or roll bar sensors. As a rule, the associated safety-critical circuit components of such safety systems will be monitored by additional and separate monitoring processors. According to this invention, a test procedure for these safety-critical circuit components requires little expense and which, using a simple-to-implement monitoring unit, will allow the same test quality to be achieved as with an independent monitoring computer.

Abstract: A trigger circuit for occupant protection systems in motor vehicles comprises a control unit which will effect the triggering of a means of restraint such as an airbag, depending on sensor signals generated by one or more external sensor units. To achieve a degree of triggering certainty, data interrogation must take place in very short time intervals. A safe transmission of data between the control unit and the sensor units will be ensured if, in accordance with this invention, the information units to be transmitted will each be encoded by means of a PWM signal with a certain period duration. The control unit will check the period duration of the PWM signal received, and, in the event of this actual period duration not matching the specified nominal value, it will not accept the relevant unit of information.

Abstract: A data transmission method in a real-time data processing system, comprising a control unit and at least one function unit linked to this control unit through a data line, is described that permits noise-free and noise-insensitive transmission of data. In accordance with the invention, the data is stored in a buffer memory made up of a shift register and an intermediate storage, before being loaded into a main memory of the function unit. Transfer to the intermediate storage takes place only if certain conditions are satisfied that identify transmission faults. Before the data is stored in the main memory, the data is read-back into the control unit memory for the purposes of checking and there it is compared with the original data. If there is no correspondence, data transmission is performed again.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recognizing a crash, in a vehicle by measuring vehicle speed change continuously within a limited time periods and comparing the measured values with those determined in prior time periods. Acceleration can be differentiated out by means of the above-mentioned process/arrangement and can be evaluated if, in the case of a high-speed and low-speed crash, it should not be possible to differentiate sufficiently by means of the partial speed difference. Different partial speed differences (by means of observation periods of different durations) can be measured and compared in order to permit ignition in the case of slower (oblique) crashes only within a limited time window in the initial phase of the crash.

Abstract: Increasingly, motor vehicles are being equipped with safety systems for vehicle occupants and where these safety systems are controlled by electrically actuated triggering means such as ignition pills for airbags that in turn are controlled from an output stage. The invention demonstrates a method that ensures safe and uninterrupted operation of these triggering means and which protects the output stage from being destroyed should a fault occur as a result of, for example, an ignition pill by-pass.

Abstract: To trigger driver and passenger airbags as well as side airbags, the sensor signals generated by collision sensors will be fed into a central control unit for processing.

Abstract: A device for triggering a passive safety system in a vehicle upon detection of an impact. At least two acceleration sensors, the sensitivity axes of which are aligned for detecting an angle of a frontal impact, are each assigned to a signal channel which, in series with the respective impact sensor, comprises an evaluation circuit, particularly an integrator circuit for its output signals, and a threshold value circuit. During the formation of the speed integral, the physical signal course and the course of the signal edges is evaluated by several logic units in a logical unit (LOG) in order to obtain factors which influence the integration constant of integrators (by multiplication and reduction) to enlarge the area that can be evaluated.