Abstract: A security system is described, comprising a sensor module (15) which accommodates a laser sensor (10) working with self-mixing interference. The laser sensor (10) generates measurement data which are related to the velocity of an object such as the body of a human being and, optionally, the distance between the laser sensor (10) and the object. Dependent on the measurement data assembled by the laser sensor (10) and supplied to a control circuit (30) such as an airbag computer, the airbag computer activate security means such as an airbag (35)in order to prevent injuries of the human body. Furthermore, a method of driving such a security system is described.

Abstract: A metal plate (14) is buried in a gasket (12) of a case (10) for accommodating an electric device such as an inverter. The metal plate (14) is connected to a control board (400) in the case (10), and the voltage of the metal plate (14) is determined. A reference voltage is applied to the metal plate (14), and the case (10) is grounded. When the metal plate (14) is brought into contact with the case (10) or disconnected due to a crash, the voltage of the metal plate (14) is thereby changed, and the control board (400) detects a crash, based on the change in the voltage.

Abstract: A device having an adjustable rigidity for absorbing crash energy, includes: a housing for accommodating and deforming a deformation element when the deformation element is moved in a forward motion direction due to the crash energy; a disengageable die situated in the housing for accommodating and deforming the deformation element; a supporting device situated in the housing and configured to support, in a first position, the disengageable die against a radial force of the deformation element acting in a transverse direction to the forward motion direction, and (ii) release, in a second position, the disengageable die for a motion for disengagement due to the radial force; and a pyrotechnic actuator moving the supporting device from the first position into the second position, to adjust the rigidity of the device.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection system from a vehicle utilizes GPS data to reduce the number of false positive detections for impacting an object determined to be a pedestrian. The GPS data is used to focus on area of increased and/or decreased pedestrian presence to alter a reaction threshold for the vehicle. Additionally, the GPS data can be used for more accurate analysis of the likelihood of an impact.

Abstract: A vehicle-occupant protection system in a vehicle has a first sensor and a second sensor on a lateral side closer to a seat of an occupant. The first sensor is either forward of or lateral to the seat of the occupant in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The second sensor is rearward of the first sensor. The system further includes a collision determination section, which concludes an occurrence of a collision when a signal of the first sensor exceeds a determination threshold value in a situation where a signal of the second sensor has not exceeded a determination threshold value. Upon concluding the occurrence of the collision, the collision determination section activates a movement restraint device to restrain the occupant from moving away from the seat.

Abstract: A bicycle suspension control apparatus includes a user operating device and a control device. The control device is operatively coupled to the user operating device to selectively control a front bicycle suspension between a plurality of operating states and a rear bicycle suspension between a plurality of operating states. The control device is configured to selectively change the operating states of both the front and rear bicycle suspensions to different ones of the operating states in response to a single operation of the user operating device. The control device controls the front and rear bicycle suspensions such that a first operating state change operation of one of the front and rear bicycle suspensions occurs later than a second operating state change operation of the other of the front and rear bicycle suspensions.

Abstract: A dynamically reconfigurable electrical interface is disclosed that can be used in various applications, including avionics communications. In one embodiment, a first switch receives an input signal and routes it to the applicable signal conditioning path unit that conditions the input signal, after which a second switch routes it to an amplifier. The amplifier provides an amplified signal to an analog-to-digital converter that generates a corresponding numerical value based on the voltage of the amplified signal that is analyzed by a processor to determine information conveyed by the input signal based on a particular electrical interface. Multiple distinct interfaces can be accommodated by on one more processors accessing instructions sets for processing information corresponding to a particular electrical interface.

Abstract: A vehicle intersection monitoring method includes exchanging host and remote vehicle information including information pertaining to host and remote vehicle locations and headings, respectively, and determining whether the host and remote vehicles are travelling on converging paths based on the host vehicle and/or remote vehicle information. The method further includes determining a possibility of the host and remote vehicles contacting each other at a contact location based on host and remote vehicle travel times from the host vehicle and remote vehicle locations, respectively, to the contact location that is determined based on the host and remove vehicle information, determining a threshold value based on a current moving state of the host vehicle while the possibility of the host and remote vehicles contacting each other exists, and evaluating whether to perform a threat mitigation operation based on a condition of the host vehicle in relation to the threshold value.

Abstract: Disclosed are an automobile and a method of controlling an automobile, capable of deploying an airbag at an optimum time. To this end, an automobile according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first sensor configured to detect a relative distance and a relative velocity with respect to a front obstacle of the automobile; a second sensor configured to detect an impact signal value when the automobile collides with the obstacle; and a controller configured to change a set impact critical value by using the relative distance and the relative velocity detected by the first sensor and deploy an airbag when the impact signal value detected by the second sensor is greater than the changed impact critical value.

Abstract: An electronic control device is mounted in a vehicle and controls a control target provided in the vehicle. An acceleration sensor detects an acceleration of the vehicle. An angular velocity sensor detects an angular velocity of the vehicle. The acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor are mounted on an electronic substrate. A housing accommodates the electronic substrate and is fixed to a body of the vehicle. The electronic substrate is fixed to the housing at least four fixing points, and the acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor are arranged in the smallest target area from among a plurality of areas having multiple points selected from the at least four fixing points as vertexes.

Abstract: A peripheral device communication system includes a communications medium having physical network hardware. The system also includes a first network device capable of issuing to the physical network hardware a request to communicate a datagram with greater priority than any other communications request. This datagram encapsulates a memory register access command. The system further includes a second network device having addressable memory registers and capable of issuing to the physical network hardware a request to communicate a datagram with greater priority than any other communications request. This datagram encapsulates a response to a memory register access command.

Abstract: The disclosed capacitance sensing apparatus may be used in an occupant classification system. The sensing apparatus may comprise a sensor pad, a sensing element disposed on the sensor pad for sensing capacitive current, at least one additional electronic element disposed on the sensor pad for providing information related to another parameter, and a switching mechanism. The switching mechanism may electrically connect the at least one additional electronic element to the sensing element during the capacitance measurements and electrically disconnect the at least one additional electronic element from the sensing element after the capacitance measurement.

Abstract: A method for controlling restraint devices of a motor vehicle includes measuring a movement variable of the motor vehicle, triggering a first restraint device on the basis of a first predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, triggering a second restraint device on the basis of a second predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, and activating a first device influencing the restraining force of the first restraint device and a second device influencing the restraining force of the second restraint device on the basis of the first predefined threshold value and/or the second predefined threshold value being exceeded

Abstract: A control device and a method for triggering a passenger protection arrangement for a vehicle are provided, at least two acceleration signals being provided by at least two acceleration sensors oriented in different spatial directions. The orientations are angled in relation to a coordinate system oriented toward the vehicle longitudinal direction. The at least two acceleration signals are transformed on at least two axes of the coordinate system. The triggering signal is generated as a function of the comparison of the at least two acceleration signals and the transformed acceleration signals. The passenger protection arrangement is triggered as a function of the triggering signal.

Abstract: A method and a control device for triggering a passenger protection arrangement for a vehicle are provided, at least one sensor signal from an accident sensor system being provided. A characteristic is derived from this at least one sensor signal, and a flatness is determined from this first characteristic in relation to at least one second characteristic. The crash type is then determined as a function of this flatness. The triggering the passenger protection arrangement (PS) takes place as a function of this crash type.

Abstract: A drive arrangement (1) for driving a motor (9) in a seat belt pre-tensioner incorporates a power supply circuit (6) in the form of an H bridge and a voltage boost circuit 16 which are controlled by a control unit (17). The control unit (17) controls the voltage boost circuit (16) to increase the voltage output to the motor (9) to speed up the rotation of the motor (9) whilst the motor (9) winds in slack in a seat belt (13).

Abstract: A method for activating a safety device for a vehicle in a rollover situation is described. The method includes determining an activation signal for activating the safety device based on a variable representing the angle of inclination of the vehicle in a transverse direction of the vehicle and a variable representing the steering angle of a wheel of the vehicle.

Abstract: In a method for controlling at least one reversible occupant protection measure of a precrash safety system, in particular a reversible belt tensioner, a plurality of input signals are received, wherein the input signals indicate a potential risk of an accident. The input signals are mapped onto a plurality of different precrash severity indicators. Each precrash severity indicator indicates an expected probability and/or severity of the accident. The precrash severity indicators are additionally filtered such that upon occurrence of a precrash severity indicator, a subsequent precrash severity indicator is suppressed for a period of time. Then, the at least one reversible occupant protection measure, for example, the belt tensioning, is triggered as a function of the filtered precrash severity indicators.

Abstract: A buckle switch arrangement for a multi-point seat belt system. A restraints control module is provided to receive signals from sensors operatively associated with the vehicle seat which determine and identify seat occupancy and also to receive signals from other sensors operatively associated with the vehicle seat which sense seat belt webbing payout. The signals obtained by the restraints control module are interpreted and, based on the interpretation, a telltale device may be activated to warn the vehicle operator that a seat occupant is not in compliance with seat belt usage.

Abstract: A safing decision is executed using a first integrator for integrating acceleration sensor output values for a first integration interval to obtain a first arithmetic operation value, a second integrator for cumulative integration of the acceleration sensor output values using it as a trigger that the first arithmetic operation value exceeds a first predetermined value to obtain a second arithmetic operation value, a third integrator for integrating the second arithmetic operation value for a third integration interval to obtain a third arithmetic operation value as a second order integration value of the output values of the acceleration sensors, and a comparator for comparing a map derivation value derived by substituting the third arithmetic operation value into a threshold value map and the first arithmetic operation value with each other. The airbag is started up when the main decision and the safing decision are carried out as an on decision.

Abstract: A control circuit for operating the lights of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the rear lights of the vehicle are controlled by the control circuit. The control circuit illuminates two or more of the vehicle lights in a common pattern to indicate a specific vehicle operation. When the vehicle simultaneously performs two operations, the controller may transition the lights to illuminate in different patterns to clearly indicate the separate vehicle operations. The controller may further provide for adjusting the light intensity of one or more of the lights. The lights may be adjusted to have a similar intensity to prevent confusion when the different lights are used in combination to indicate a vehicle operation.

Abstract: An emergency reporting apparatus including an emergency signal outputting part that outputs an emergency signal when a vehicle is in an emergency status and a logic circuit part that stores an emergency signal output by the emergency signal outputting part with a logic circuit. Furthermore, an emergency reporting apparatus conducts an emergency report with respect to the outside based on the emergency signal output from the emergency signal outputting part.

Abstract: Vehicle control system and method in which restrictions on travel of the vehicle are determined based on an indication of the visibility of a driver and information about objects moving in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle are considered. The travel restrictions include preventing a passing maneuver on a two-lane road when an oncoming vehicle precludes safely initiating or completing an already-initiated passing maneuver. A warning system is provided to warn a driver about the travel restrictions so that the driver will, hopefully, not attempt an unsafe maneuver.

Abstract: A system testing the air bag control unit of a vehicle testing an air bag control unit of a vehicle summing a first signal shaken by a shaker and a second signal provided from the signal control apparatus to generate a sum-sensing signal, and generating a determining signal for evaluation regarding presence of an operation of an air bag based on the sum-sensing signal, is provided.

Abstract: An automated method and system includes an automatic guidance system (AGS) and swath pattern. The AGS steers a vehicle towing a rotary baler in an “S”, or oscillatory pattern around a predetermined approximate centerline of the swath path. The oscillatory pattern may be user defined. By steering the vehicle in an oscillatory pattern referenced to the A-B line, a windrow of crop material may be distributed into an even and optimal bale size and density by the baler. Bale chamber sensors detect an imbalance of crop density and in response, AGS adjusts an interval or amplitude of oscillatory pattern.

Abstract: Body velocity estimating device 10A is constituted by acceleration measurement unit 11, acceleration separation unit 12, filter processing operation unit 13, acceleration addition unit 14, integration processing operation unit 15, and estimated body velocity output unit 16. The unit 12 compares an acceleration measured by the unit 11 with set acceleration upper and lower limit reference values to separate the measured acceleration into reference value range-in and range-out accelerations. The unit 13 performs filtering on the separated reference value range-out acceleration to calculate filtered accelerations of the reference value range-out acceleration. The unit 14 adds the filtered accelerations to the previously separated range-in acceleration. The unit 15 multiplies the added acceleration by an operation period, and adds the resultant to the estimated body velocity calculated in the preceding one operation period to update the value of the estimated body velocity.

Abstract: A device for the detection of the characteristics of an impact into a motor vehicle includes at least one signal generating unit for generating a defined acoustic impulse sequence depending on the speed of the impact, particularly a structure-borne acoustic impulse sequence due to a deformation of a chassis component of the motor vehicle. The acoustic impulse sequence is generated by way of a mechanical activation of the signal generating device caused by the deformation. A sensor system is disposed to detect the defined acoustic impulse sequence. An analysis unit analyzes the signals supplied by the sensor system such that information can be supplied on the characteristics of the impact.

Abstract: In a passenger protection device, an object detection unit detects a relative position of an object in a circumference of a vehicle to the vehicle. A side collision prediction unit predicts that the object is about to collide with a side face of the vehicle, based on the relative position detected by the object detection unit. An impact detection unit detects an impact of the object on the vehicle side face. A side collision judgment unit determines whether the object has collided with the vehicle side face, based on the impact detected by the impact detection unit. A passenger protection unit protects a passenger in the vehicle. When the side collision prediction unit predicts that the object is about to collide with the vehicle side face and the side collision judgment unit determines that the object has collided with the vehicle side face, the passenger protection unit is initiated.

Abstract: A method for detecting a dangerous driving condition of a vehicle located on a roadway is provided, which includes a step of receiving a first damping signal (310) via an interface, the first damping signal being suitable for representing a temporal progression of a vertical movement of a first wheel of the vehicle, a step of evaluating (312) the first damping signal in accordance with an evaluation rule, in order to obtain from the first damping signal a first probability value (314) for a departure of the first wheel from a roadway, and a step of providing an evaluation signal (316), the evaluation signal being designed to indicate a departure of the vehicle from the roadway, as a function of the first probability value.

Abstract: A system for classifying an occupant using a reduced quantity of force sensors. The system includes one or more force sensors, an electronic control unit (“ECU”), and a vehicle safety system. The force sensors are, for example, i-Bolt™ sensors, or other suitable force sensors or force sensing systems. The ECU includes, among other things, an occupant classification module and a safety monitoring module. The occupant classification module receives signals from the force sensors, determines one or more moments about a fixed point of a vehicle occupant control volume, and determines an occupant classification metric based on a mass of the control volume and a center of gravity of the control volume. The occupant classification module uses the occupant classification metric to classify an occupant into one of a plurality of occupant classifications. Based on the occupant classification, the safety monitoring module controls one or more vehicle safety systems.

Abstract: Disclosed is a converter (200) for signals between a safety device (300) and a universal safety control device (100) for a vehicle. At the converter (200) the safety control device (100) can be connected at a control device interface (200.1) and at least one type of safety devices (300.2) can be connected at at least one safety device interface (200.2) and wherein the converter (200) converts a signal of the safety control device (100) into a signal, which is suitable for the respectively connected type of safety device (300.2), to the respective safety device interface (200.2). It is proposed to embody the converter (200) such that it detects a condition at the safety device interface (200.2), in particular a diagnostics condition signal and converts it into a condition accordingly predefined at the control device interface (200.1), preferably in a manner which does not require an adaptation of the control device or of its software.

Abstract: A control device and a method for triggering personal protection arrangement for a vehicle are provided, an energy reserve supplying electrical energy for the triggering. A control circuit is provided, which, as a function of the personal protection arrangement to be triggered, forms from the electrical energy at least one individual firing pulse for triggering the individual personal protection arrangement, with respect to a first firing pulse amplitude and a first firing pulse duration.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling rollover calibration settings of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle has a roll axis extending from a front end of the vehicle to a back end of the vehicle. The method comprises monitoring an off-road signal indicating whether the vehicle is operating in an off-road mode or a default mode, monitoring a speed signal indicative of the speed of the vehicle, and selecting the rollover calibration settings of the vehicle based on the off-road signal and the speed signal.

Abstract: An impact event countermeasure control method and system for an automotive vehicle includes management of impact countermeasures using not only variable timing responsive to impact severity, but also event control as a function of the displacement of a vehicle's occupant with respect to the passenger cabin environment, including various countermeasure devices.

Abstract: A device for controlling passenger protection devices in which two hardware paths independent from one another are provided for activation. One interface IC is provided for each hardware path which has at least one circuit breaker and one power supply.

Abstract: The present invention features an impact signal processor. In preferred aspects, the impact signal processor comprises a first speed signal detection unit detecting a first speed signal of a vehicle using acceleration sensor data provided from an ACU (Airbag Control Unit) sensor, a second speed signal detection unit detecting a second speed signal of the vehicle using acceleration sensor data provided from a FIS (Front Impact Sensor) sensor, a phase lead unit, and a front impact speed estimation unit.

Abstract: A driver assistance device for a vehicle having a plurality of safety functions, such as in particular an LDW function and an LKS function, in which system-related boundary values are provided for the safety functions such that when they are undershot the safety function is activated and when they are exceeded the safety function is deactivated. The boundary values are developed to be variable.

Abstract: A collision detection system includes at least one sensor. The data from the sensor is input to a recursive filter which selectively uses the input to predict the motion of a target object relative to a host vehicle. The recursive filter continues to use the data from the sensor until the target object is within a threshold distance of the host vehicle. Within the threshold distance, the sensor does not reliably provide accurate data. Accordingly, the recursive filter omits the sensor input from motion estimates when the target object is within the threshold distance, which leads to significant improvement in target motion prediction.

Abstract: Externally deployed airbag system for a vehicle including one or more inflatable airbags deployable outside of the vehicle, an anticipatory sensor system for assessing the probable severity of an impact involving the vehicle based on data obtained prior to the impact and initiating inflation of the airbag(s) in the event an impact above a threshold severity is assessed, and an inflator coupled to the anticipatory sensor system and the airbag for inflating the airbag when initiated by the anticipatory sensor system. The airbag may be housed in a module mounted along a side of the vehicle, in a side door of the vehicle (both for side impact protection), at a front of the vehicle (for frontal impact protection) or at a rear of the vehicle (for rear impact protection). Also, the externally deployed airbag can be deployed to cushion a pedestrian's impact against the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle safety system includes a remote sensor detecting an object and a collision detector detecting a collision with the vehicle. An active safety module receives the remote sensor output and controls operation of an active vehicle safety system utilizing a first parameter set providing a first balance between suppression of false positive detections of imminent collision and acknowledgement of true positive detections of imminent collision, the first balance optimized for control of the active safety system. A passive safety module is connected in parallel with the active safety module to receive the sensor output and receives the detector output. The passive safety module utilizes a second parameter set to control operation of a passive vehicle safety system providing a second balance having, in relation to the first balance, a relatively lower suppression of false positive detections and a relatively higher acknowledgement of true positive detections.

Abstract: A method for operating a safety system in a motor vehicle is provided. The method includes ascertaining at least one parameter characterizing a traffic situation of the motor vehicle and classifying a momentary traffic situation of the motor vehicle based on the at least one ascertained parameter. The method includes ascertaining a probability of an occurrence of at least one accident type from a plurality of predefined accident types in the classified momentary traffic situation, and if the ascertained probability exceeds a predefined threshold value, adapting a triggering threshold for actuating at least one passenger protection device of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A device and a method for triggering personal protection devices, characterized in that a roll rate sensor generates a roll rate while an acceleration sensor detects the transverse acceleration and the vertical acceleration. An integrator is provided to integrate the roll rate to yield an angle. The integrator starts integrating the roll rate when the roll rate exceeds a first threshold value and it stops the integration when the roll rate falls below a second threshold value. In addition, a threshold value controller is provided, adjusting the first and/or second threshold value according to the transverse and/or vertical acceleration. A processor triggers personal protection devices according to the angle and other criteria.

Abstract: An object is to be able to accurately discriminate an object of a collision. A device has a collision detection to which are connected a pressure sensor that detects pressure within a pressure chamber, and a vehicle speed sensor that detects vehicle speed, and the collision detection determines effective mass of a collided object on the basis of an integrated value obtained by integrating, at a predetermined sectional integration width, detection results of the pressure sensor, and a converted vehicle speed signal obtained by subtracting a predetermined value ? from a vehicle speed signal of the vehicle speed sensor by using a predetermined vehicle speed converting map or the like. Then, when the determined effective mass exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the collided object is discriminated as a pedestrian.

Abstract: A method to determine at least one triggering parameter of personal protection device of a vehicle using pattern signal curves of a possible signal of a sensor for a physical variable. The pattern signal curves replicating a curve over time of the physical variable upon impact of an object on the vehicle at a different location on the vehicle and/or upon impact of the object on the vehicle at a different angle. A sensor signal is read which represents the physical variable measured by a sensor. Values of a curve over time of the sensor signal are compared to values of the at least two pattern signal curves, that pattern signal curve being selected which, in at least one time segment of the pattern signal curve or one scaled form of the pattern signal curve has a lower deviation from the curve over time of the sensor signal.

Abstract: An electronic acceleration switch, such as for arming and firing a squib, for instance used in arming a warhead, safe missile air, ground and sea launch separation arming, includes multiple redundancies to provide a fail-safe system that does not have a single-point failure. The switch includes different channels, each of which includes a power subsystem, multiple accelerometers, a pair of controllers, and a switching circuit. The power subsystems of the two channels provide power to multiple accelerometers of each channel. The accelerometers of each channel may include a mix of digital and analog accelerometers. The acceleration sensors can be either one-axis or three-axis sensors. The accelerometers are connected to the controllers of both channels. The controllers provide redundancy for each channel. In addition, the controllers include voting logic that receives inputs from the accelerometers, and determines whether to send arm and enable signals to the multiple squib drivers.

Abstract: A method of triggering an active device of a vehicle at a pre-determined threshold comprises generating a steering wheel signal from steering angle rate of change of steering angle of the vehicle, the signal representing an advance in time in comparison to the steering wheel position and/or speed, and determining a conditioned vehicle lateral acceleration in dependence on the steering wheel signal and a measured vehicle lateral acceleration, the conditioned vehicle lateral acceleration being advanced in time in comparison with the measured vehicle lateral acceleration. An active device of the vehicle is triggered if the conditioned vehicle lateral acceleration exceeds a threshold lateral acceleration.

Abstract: An active device of a vehicle, for example a seat belt tensioner, is triggered by reference to an estimated vehicle roll rate exceeding a threshold roll rate. The estimated vehicle roll rate may be conditioned according to vehicle speed, and is determined from inputs of vehicle lateral acceleration, steering wheel angle, and steering wheel speed.

Abstract: A reconfigurable vehicle user interface system is presented. A vehicle user interface has a touch sensitive input devices such as touchpads and a touch screen that have specific function commands mapped to them. A user can select which function commands are mapped to which portions of the touch screen. This allows a user to customize the steering wheel function commands.

Abstract: The occupant protection device (air bag ECU 1) of the invention is composed of an input signal acquisition unit 11 for acquiring acceleration signals or angular velocity signals from sensors installed in a vehicle, a digital signal processing unit 12 for generating an output signal in a time series of the acceleration signals or angular velocity signals composed of consecutive first, second and third intervals by changing a multiplication factor of the second interval in comparison with the first and third intervals, a status determination unit 13 for determining a collision or rollover of the vehicle based on the output signal, and an air bag actuation circuit 14 for igniting a squib 32.

Abstract: A device and a method for activating a personal protection device are provided, in which a feature vector with at least two features is formed by an evaluation circuit from at least one signal of an accident sensor system. The evaluation circuit classifies the feature vector in the corresponding dimension using at least one class boundary. The activation circuit generates an activation signal which activates the personal protection device.