Patent ID: 9156430
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling at least one triggering element for a passenger protection unit, comprising: establishing, by a high-side control circuit, a first connection from an energy source to the at least one triggering element; establishing, by a low-side control circuit, a second connection from the at least one triggering element to ground; regulating, by a regulating device, a firing current for the at least one triggering element; selecting, by an evaluation and control unit, one of a plurality of firing modes as a function of the at least one triggering element, such that a first firing mode that provides a first firing current is selected for an essentially ohmic triggering element, and a second firing mode that provides a second firing current is selected for an essentially inductive triggering element, wherein a time characteristic of the first firing current is different than a time characteristic of the second firing current; and performing, by the evaluation and control unit, a current monitoring function which generates at least one control signal that limits the output firing currents in time as a function of the instantaneous firing mode.