Abstract: Methods of activating protection devices in a motor vehicle are provided. The method involves monitoring for objects in the environment of the vehicle and for impact events involving the vehicle, evaluating data based on the monitoring activities, formulating an activation plan based on the data evaluation, and activating the protection devices. The invention allows activation decisions that are based on evaluation of data relating to both impact events and the surrounding environment.

Abstract: Reduction of data width in transmitted multi-bit data words in an automotive system is accomplished by truncating the data at its least significant bits and accumulating the truncated bits until, over successive truncated digital words, the sum of the accumulated bits exceeds a threshold equal to the least significant bit of the truncated word. At this time, the truncated word is incremented by one least significant bit and the accumulated value of truncated bits is decremented by an equal amount. In this way, the error does not accumulate in applications which integrate the resulting truncated words.

Abstract: A rollover detection system or apparatus 10 deployed on a vehicle 30. Apparatus 10 includes a controller 12 having a memory unit 14 and operating under stored program control. Controller 12 is electrically, physically, and communicatively coupled to sensors 16, 18, 20, and to vehicle occupant safety devices or assemblies 22, 24 by use of a communications bus or path 26. Controller 12 receives signals generated by sensors 16-20, processes and utilizes the received signals to determine when a vehicle rollover situation is imminent or relatively certain to occur, and selectively activates safety devices 22, 24, if such a determination is made.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling deployment of an inflatable passenger restraint utilize distance-based thresholds to improve deployment time in high-speed crash events and to improve event discrimination for side impacts. The invention uses an acceleration signal to calculate distance and to calculate average acceleration using three buffers holding differing numbers of samples. The three average accelerations are used to determine the length of the acceleration curves above and below the zero axis which is defined as positive and negative jerk. Average acceleration and jerk are compared to the distance-based thresholds to determine whether or not to deploy the inflatable restraint.

Abstract: A single chip sensor processor includes an integrated analog to digital converter (A/D) and digital filter. Analog acceleration signals from a sensor is converted and digitally filtered on-chip in parallel with other processor software executions to effectively increases the bandwidth of the system. The results of the sensor processor calculations may be communicated to a remote microcontroller for deploying a vehicle air bag.