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: 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 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.