Patent ID: 6532408
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A motor vehicle, comprising:a deployable occupant protection apparatus for protecting at least one occupant of the vehicle in a crash, said occupant protection apparatus having an adjustable rate of deployment after initiation of deployment of said occupant protection apparatus; and a sensor system for controlling the deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said sensor system comprising: (a) sensor means mounted on the vehicle for sensing accelerations of the vehicle and producing an analog signal representative thereof, (b) converting means for receiving said analog signal and for converting said analog signal into a digital signal; (c) processing means for receiving and processing said digital signal, said processing means comprising pattern recognition means for determining if said digital signal contains a pattern characteristic of a vehicle crash requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus and when said pattern recognition means determines that said digital signal contains a pattern characteristic of a vehicle crash requiring occupant protection, said pattern recognition means determining, based on said digital signal, a desired rate of deployment of said occupant protection apparatus after initiation of deployment of said occupant protection apparatus and producing a deployment control signal indicative of the desired rate of deployment of said occupant protection apparatus after initiation of deployment of said occupant protection apparatus; and (d) control means coupled to said processing means and responsive to said deployment control signal for deploying said occupant protection apparatus at the desired rate of deployment after initiation of deployment of said occupant protection apparatus.