Abstract: A rollover determining apparatus and methods for determining whether a vehicle is about to roll over distinguishes a type of rollover that is likely to occur to the vehicle based on the lateral acceleration of the vehicle and the roll angle of the vehicle. Moreover, a determination is made whether the state of the vehicle indicated by a first quantity corresponding to the distinguished type of rollover is in a rollover region determined by a predetermined threshold line. The apparatus and methods can also change the threshold line in accordance with the magnitude of second quantity that is different from the first quantity and that corresponds to the distinguished type of rollover.

Abstract: A satellite sensor and a floor sensor are provided in a forward portion and a central portion, respectively, of a vehicle body. A calculated value and a speed are determined through predetermined processing of a deceleration detected based on an output signal of the floor sensor. If a value determined from the relationship between the calculated value and the speed exceeds a predetermined threshold changing pattern, an airbag apparatus is activated. The threshold changing pattern is set by selecting a map from a Hi map, a Lo1 map, a Lo2 map and a Lo3 map based on a deceleration determined from an output signal of the satellite sensor. If a map different from the current map is to be set as a threshold changing pattern, the threshold changing pattern is set to the desired map after a state that allows the map to be set continues for a time corresponding to a difference between the two maps.

Abstract: A structure and method for enabling a passive vehicle occupant restraint to be activated at the earliest possible timing, irrespective of a type of a collision. A floor sensor measures a deceleration G applied to the length of a vehicle and outputs the deceleration as the measurement G. An arithmetic unit carries out a predetermined arithmetic operation on the measurement G output from the floor sensor, so as to determine a function f(G). A conditional activation unit has a variation pattern of a threshold value T that varies with a variation in velocity v of a non-stationary object. The conditional activation unit reads a threshold value T corresponding to an input velocity v from the variation pattern and compares the threshold value T with the value of the function f(G). In case that the value of the function f(G) exceeds the threshold value T, an activation signal A is input to a driving circuit.

Abstract: An activation control apparatus of an occupant safety system is an activation control apparatus 2 for controlling activation of airbag system 36 mounted on a vehicle in the event of the vehicle colliding with an obstacle, which has a front sensor 30B mounted in the left part of the vehicle, a front sensor 30A mounted in the right part of the vehicle, a collision type identifying part 42 for identifying a type of collision of the vehicle, based on values detected by the front sensor 30B and the front sensor 30A, and an activation control 40 for controlling the activation of the airbag system 36, based on the type of the collision identified by the collision type identifying part 42.

Abstract: An activation control apparatus of an occupant safety system is an activation control apparatus 2 for controlling activation of airbag system 36 mounted on a vehicle in the event of the vehicle colliding with an obstacle, which has a front sensor 30B mounted in the left part of the vehicle, a front sensor 30A mounted in the right part of the vehicle, a collision type identifying part 42 for identifying a type of collision of the vehicle, based on values detected by the front sensor 30B and the front sensor 30A, and an activation control 40 for controlling the activation of the airbag system 36, based on the type of the collision identified by the collision type identifying part 42.

Abstract: An activation control apparatus of an occupant safety system is an apparatus for controlling activation of airbag system 36 mounted on a vehicle in the event of the vehicle colliding with an obstacle, which has front sensors 30A, 30B mounted in the vicinity of a colliding part of the vehicle, a floor sensor 32 mounted behind the front sensors in the vehicle, and an output control 42 for controlling an output of inflators 36A, 36B on the occasion of activation of the airbag system, based on values detected by the front sensors and floor sensor.

Abstract: In an activation controlling apparatus for passive safety device having a control circuit 20 for comparing a value obtained based on a measured value by floor sensor 32 with a threshold and for controlling activation of a passive safety device, a satellite sensor 30 for detecting whether an impact not less than a predetermined reference value is exerted on the vehicle, and a threshold-change-pattern altering section 42 for lowering the threshold when the satellite sensor detects the impact not less than the reference value, the apparatus is arranged to determine whether the value obtained based on the measured value by the floor sensor is smaller than a predetermined value, when the satellite sensor detects the impact not less than the reference value, and the apparatus has a threshold-change-pattern alteration disabling section 43 for disabling the threshold-change-pattern altering section from lowering the threshold when the value obtained based on the measured value is determined to be smaller than the pre

Abstract: A floor sensor 32 measures a deceleration G applied to the length of a vehicle and outputs the deceleration as the measurement G. An arithmetic unit 58 carries out a predetermined arithmetic operation on the measurement G output from the floor sensor 32, so as to determine a function f(G). A conditional activation unit 60 has a variation pattern of a threshold value T that varies with a variation in velocity v of a non-stationary object. The conditional activation unit 60 reads a threshold value T corresponding to an input velocity v from the variation pattern and compares the threshold value T with the value of the function f(G). In case that the value of the function f(G) exceeds the threshold value T, an activation signal A is input to a driving circuit 34. A satellite sensor 30 outputs an ON signal when a deceleration of not less than a predetermined reference value is applied to the vehicle.

Abstract: A CPU 30 first receives data of accelerations Gx and Gy applied respectively along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis of a vehicle (S20). The CPU 30 then calculates an arithmetic value fx from the acceleration Gx in the longitudinal direction according to specified arithmetic operations, and calculates an arithmetic value fy from the acceleration Gy in the lateral direction according to specified arithmetic operations (S22). The CPU 30 subsequently projects vectors based on the arithmetic values fx and fy in a preset direction a to yield projective components of the vectors, and determines a sum fa of the projective components (S24). The CPU 30 compares the projective component fa with a threshold value fth(a) previously set for the direction a, and determines whether or not the projective component fa is greater than the threshold value fth(a) (S26).

Abstract: A retardation sensor (20) measures a retardation applied to a vehicle in its longitudinal direction. A speed sensor (28) measures a ground speed of the vehicle at a time point when the retardation exceeds a specified reference retardation. A timer (32) measures a lapse of time period after the time point when the retardation exceeds the reference retardation. A CPU (40) included in a control circuit (30) calculates an amount of deformation of the vehicle from a difference between a value obtained by multiplying the retardation by the ground speed and a value obtained by integrating the retardation twice over the lapse of time period. The CPU (40) then compares the amount of deformation with a preset threshold value. When the amount of deformation exceeds the preset threshold value, the CPU (40) outputs an activation signal to a driving circuit (34), which supplies electricity to a squib (38) in an air bag unit (36) to ignite a gas-generating agent with the squib (38) in response to the activation signal.

Abstract: An occupant restraint system for a vehicle. The system is actuated based on sensed acceleration due to external forces operating on the vehicle. Vectors representing components of external forces are established. A synthesized vector is formed by combining them and calculations are made based on the synthesized vector. Comparison is made to predetermined thresholds to determine whether to deploy the restraint system.

Abstract: An activation control system for controlling activation of a plurality of air bag systems for protecting a passenger by expanding an air bag between the passenger and a vehicular body when the vehicle makes a collision. A collision detector outputs a signal according to the direction and magnitude of the collision. A collisional direction detector detects the direction of the collision on the basis of the signal outputted from said collision detection. An ignition signal output unit outputs an ignition signal to the air bag system which is determined on the basis of the collisional direction detected.

Abstract: An operation control system to be used with a vehicular air bag system having an air bag and an inflator comprises an inhibit circuit for preventing a useless expansion of the air bag and inhibiting the later operation of the air bag by detecting that a touch sensor already has its contacts closed, when the ignition switch acting as a main switch for an igniting circuit of the squib of the inflator is switched from OFF to ON, if the contacts of the touch sensor are closed when the ignition switch is OFF. Also comprised is an acceleration type collision sensor acting as a second collision sensor for causing the air bag to be expanded if an acceleration detected exceeds a predetermined level, even if in the inhibited state by the inhibit circuit.

Abstract: An arrangement is presented for an actuation system of a passenger protective device for a motor vehicle. The system is equipped with a storage device to successively input a newer acceleration signal from an acceleration sensor at every division period obtained by dividing a measurement period so as to store and update a plurality of the latest acceleration data for the measurement period. The plurality of stored latest acceleration data are summed to obtain an integration value at the measurement period. The system compares this integration value with a predetermined value to detect a collision state of the motor vehicle. When detecting the collision state of the motor vehicle, the system actuates the passenger protective device. This system arrangement can improve the vehicle collision decision accuracy.

Abstract: An automatic lock checking device for a wire harness connector having short-circuiting female and male terminals for checking for incomplete locking thereof, including a diagnostic resistance-containing circuit connected parallel with a circuit containing a sensor and having the positive and negative sides thereof connected through conducting terminals of the connector to a load or an electronic control unit adapted to process input signals from the sensor. The automatic lock checking device includes at least a pair of short-circuiting terminals connected in series in the diagnostic resistance circuit and arranged to be short-circuited when the connector is completely locked.

Abstract: A releasing circuit for actuating a vehicular safety device includes a sensor arranged to provide an acceleration signal responsive to accelerations of the vehicle and an evaluating circuit for setting a predetermined condition for activating a release element of the safety device and responsive to the acceleration signal for effecting the activation of the release element when the predetermined condition has been satisfied by the acceleration signal.

Abstract: When an acceleration sensor is used, it is attached to a measured object to detect an acceleration applied to the object. The acceleration sensor includes a package having at least one chamber. A sensor element is disposed in the chamber and has a portion which vibrates in response to the acceleration. Damping liquid is sealed within the package and has a quantity which allows the sensor element to be submerged in the damping liquid and which allows a predetermined quantity of gas to remain in the package. The gas absorbs a thermally-induced volume change of the damping liquid. In the absence of the acceleration, a gas bubble is prevented from separating from the gas. In addition, the gas bubble is prevented from staying in the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling a wiper which detects the amount of rain positioned on a rain sensor regardless of the wiping speed of wipers and which smoothly moves the wipers at different wiping speeds in accordance with the detected amount of rain. The apparatus for controlling the wiper includes the rain sensor, a first comparator, an actuator, a second comparator, a timer, a memory and a changing device. The rain sensor is located on an exterior surface of a front windshield of a vehicle and detects the amount of rain which is positioned on the rain sensor. The wiper wipes off an exterior surface of the front windshield and moves from and returns to an initial position.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling a wiper which smoothly starts to move the wipers at different wiping speeds from an initial position thereof in accordance with a detected amount of rain. The apparatus includes a sensor, a first comparator, an actuator, a second comparator, a memory and a changing device.The sensor detects the amount of rain. The memory memorizes the second actuating signal outputted from the second comparator and the memory outputs the memorized signal. The changing device for changing the wiping speed of the wiper at the time when the wiper starts to move from the initial position in accordance with a memorized second actuating signal outputted from the memory at the time when the wiper starts to move from the initial position, the changing device changes a low wiping speed of the wiper to a high wiping speed or a high wiping speed of the wiper to a low wiping speed.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a transparent sensor for detecting an amount of rain positioned thereon, which does not prevent the passenger from seeing outside of a vehicle through a window glass. The raid sensor is made from transparent material, and the rain sensor is located within the wiping area on an exterior surface of the window glass. The rain sensor includes a pair of electrodes. One of the pair of electrodes has a plurality of projections, and an interval is defined between each two of the plurality of projections. Another one of the pair of electrodes has a plurality of projections, and an interval is defined between each two of the plurality of projections. Further, the plurality of projections of one of the electrodes are inserted into the interval being defined between each two of the projections of another one of the electrodes. A clearance is defined between the plurality of projections of one of the electrodes and the plurality of projections of another one of the electrodes.