Abstract: A vehicle rollover event detector (10) includes a rollover sensor (14). A first accelerometer (80) senses vehicle acceleration in a direction offset from the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle (12) up to a maximum acceleration sensing level and provides a first acceleration signal indicative thereof. A second accelerometer (96) senses vehicle acceleration in the offset direction at acceleration levels in excess of the maximum acceleration sensing level of the first accelerometer and provides a second acceleration signal indicative thereof. A controller (26) selects the first accelerometer or second accelerometer and provides an actuation signal (110) when the signal from the rollover sensor and the selected first or second accelerometers both indicate a vehicle rollover event.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an actuatable occupant restraint device having a plurality of actuatable stages (24, 26), the apparatus including a crash sensor (14, 16) for sensing crash acceleration and providing a crash acceleration signal indicative thereof. A controller (22) determines a velocity value (74) and a displacement value (80) from the crash acceleration signal. A safing function controls enabling and disabling of a deployment control circuit in response to the determined velocity (74) and displacement (80) values. A displacement based velocity threshold (133) and a displacement threshold value (125) define an immunity box. The velocity threshold value (133) varies as a step function of displacement. If the velocity/displacement values are within the immunity box, the safing function is in a disabling condition. If either value is outside of the immunity box, the safing function is in an enabling condition.

Abstract: A rollover sensing system (10) includes a roll rate sensor (14) operative to sense a roll rate of rotation of a vehicle (12) and to provide a roll rate signal having an electrical characteristic indicative thereof. A controller (26) is connected to the roll rate sensor (14) and is operative to determine a roll angle of the vehicle (12) based on the roll rate signal. The controller (26) includes a threshold having a value functionally related to roll angle. The controller (26) determines the occurrence of a vehicle rollover condition in response to the sensed roll rate crossing the threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus (22) for controlling an actuatable side restraining device (24, 26) of a vehicle (20) includes crash sensors (28, 50, 52) sensing a vehicle crash condition and providing associated crash sensor signals (60, 62, 42) indicative thereof. An actuator controller (70) enables actuation of the actuatable side restraining device (24, 26) in response to enhanced discrimination and safing determinations.

Abstract: An apparatus (22) for controlling an actuatable side restraining device (24, 26) of a vehicle (20) includes crash sensors (28, 50, 52) sensing a vehicle crash condition and providing associated crash sensor signals (60, 62, 42) indicative thereof. An actuator controller (70) enables actuation of the actuatable side restraining device (24, 26) in response to enhanced discrimination and safing determinations.

Abstract: A system (10) for controlling an actuatable occupant protection device (44, 46, 52, 48, 50, 54) includes an actuatable headrest device (44, 48) which, when actuated, helps protect an occupant of a vehicle seat (42, 43). A crash sensor (22) is operative to sense a condition of a vehicle (20) and provide a crash sensor signal having an electrical characteristic indicative of the sensed vehicle condition. A controller (24) is coupled to the actuatable headrest device (44, 48) and the crash sensor (22). The controller (24) determines a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value based on the crash sensor signal. The controller (24) has a threshold value functionally related to the determined crash displacement value. The controller (24) controls actuation of the actuatable headrest device (44, 48) in response to the determined crash velocity value relative to the threshold value.

Abstract: A vehicle rollover event detector (10) includes an accelerometer (80) that senses vehicle acceleration in a direction offset from a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle (12) and provides an acceleration signal (101) indicative thereof. A rollover sensor (14) senses vehicle roll and provides a roll signal (32) indicative of vehicle roll about the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle. A controller (26) compares the roll signal (32) against a first rollover threshold (42) when the acceleration signal (101) is less than an acceleration threshold (113) and compares the roll signal (32) against a second rollover threshold (116) when the acceleration signal (101) is equal to or greater than the acceleration threshold (113) and for indicating a vehicle rollover condition when the roll signal is greater than the threshold (42, 116) it is compared against.

Abstract: A vehicle rollover event detector (10) includes an accelerometer (80) that senses vehicle acceleration in a direction offset from a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle (12) and provides an acceleration signal (101) indicative thereof. A rollover sensor (14) senses vehicle roll and provides a roll signal (32) indicative of vehicle roll about the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle. A controller (26) compares the roll signal (32) against a first rollover threshold (42) when the acceleration signal (101) is less than an acceleration threshold (113) and compares the roll signal (32) against a second rollover threshold (116) when the acceleration signal (101) is equal to or greater than the acceleration threshold (113) and for indicating a vehicle rollover condition when the roll signal is greater than the threshold (42, 116) it is compared against.

Abstract: A rollover sensing system (10) includes a roll rate sensor (14) operative to sense a roll rate of rotation of a vehicle (12) and to provide a roll rate signal having an electrical characteristic indicative thereof. A controller (26) is connected to the roll rate sensor (14) and is operative to determine a roll angle of the vehicle (12) based on the roll rate signal. The controller (26) includes a threshold having a value functionally related to roll angle. The controller (26) determines the occurrence of a vehicle rollover condition in response to the sensed roll rate crossing the threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle rollover event detector (10) includes a rollover sensor (14). A first accelerometer (80) senses vehicle acceleration in a direction offset from the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle (12) up to a maximum acceleration sensing level and provides a first acceleration signal indicative thereof. A second accelerometer (96) senses vehicle acceleration in the offset direction at acceleration levels in excess of the maximum acceleration sensing level of the first accelerometer and provides a second acceleration signal indicative thereof. A controller (26) selects the first accelerometer or second accelerometer and provides an actuation signal (110) when the signal from the rollover sensor and the selected first or second accelerometers both indicate a vehicle rollover event.

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).

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an actuatable occupant restraint device for a vehicle, the restraining device having a plurality of actuatable stages (24, 26), the apparatus including a crash sensor (14, 16) for sensing crash acceleration and providing a crash acceleration signal indicative thereof. A controller (22) includes an integrator (72, 172) for determining a velocity value from the crash acceleration signal and for providing a velocity signal (74, 174). The controller (22) is coupled to the actuatable device for (i) effecting actuation of a first of the actuatable stages (24) when the determined velocity value exceeds a first threshold value, and (ii) upon the determined velocity value exceeding a second threshold value, determining a crash severity index (112, 212) having a value related to a time interval from when the determined velocity value (74, 174) exceeds the first threshold value (88, 188) to when the determined velocity value exceeds the second threshold value (96, 196).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint (18) and a second actuatable restraint (20) includes a first crash accelerometer (22) for providing a discriminating crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction. A second crash accelerometer (34) provides a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the first direction and a discriminating crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the second direction. A third crash accelerometer (90) provides another safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in either the first or second directions. The first actuatable restraint (18) is actuated when the first accelerometer (22) provides the discriminating crash acceleration signal and either the second or third accelerometers provide a safing crash signal.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint (18) and a second actuatable restraint (20) includes a first crash accelerometer (22) for providing a primary crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction. A second crash accelerometer (34) provides a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the first direction and a primary crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the second direction. The first actuatable restraint (18) is actuated when the first accelerometer (22) provides the primary crash acceleration signal and the second accelerometer (34) provides the safing crash signal. The second actuatable restraint (20) is actuated when the first accelerometer (22) provides the safing crash signal and the second accelerometer (34) provides said primary crash signal.

Abstract: A vehicle crash sensing arrangement includes an accelerometer (12). A crash velocity value (26) is determined in response to sensed crash acceleration. A crash displacement value (32) is determined from the sensed crash acceleration. A velocity varying displacement threshold value (36) determined. The crash displacement value (32) is compared (38) against the variable displacement threshold value (36). The comparator (38) provides a signal indicative of a vehicle crash condition when the crash displacement value is greater than the displacement threshold value.