Patent ID: 6439602
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said occupant restraint system comprising:an air bag module having an air bag and a first squib circuit; an occupant restraint controller coupled to said first squib circuit and operable for generating a first squib pulse to cause said first squib circuit to deploy said air bag; a remote indicator module coupled to said occupant restraint controller via a common communications data bus; a switch coupled to said remote indicator module, said switch movable between a first switch position and a second switch position, said switch producing a first switch position signal when placed in said first switch position and said switch producing a second switch position signal when placed in said second switch position; said remote indicator module receiving said first switch position signal and transmitting a first signal over said common communications data bus in response thereto, said occupant restraint controller receiving said first signal and not inhibiting said first squib pulse from being generated to thereby permit the air bag module to be selectively deployed; said remote indicator module receiving said second switch position signal and transmitting a second signal over said common communications data bus in response thereto, said occupant restraint controller receiving said second signal and inhibiting said first squib pulse from being generated to thereby disable said air bag module; and said occupant restraint controller is operable for performing a diagnostic test on said air bag module wherein said diagnostic test is not effected when said air bag module is disabled.