Method and apparatus for providing a safing function for side impact crash sensing systems

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint (18) and a second actuatable restraint (20) includes a first crash accelerometer (22) for providing a primary crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction. A second crash accelerometer (34) provides a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the first direction and a primary crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the second direction. The first actuatable restraint (18) is actuated when the first accelerometer (22) provides the primary crash acceleration signal and the second accelerometer (34) provides the safing crash signal. The second actuatable restraint (20) is actuated when the first accelerometer (22) provides the safing crash signal and the second accelerometer (34) provides said primary crash signal.

Description: Background of the Invention Technical Field The present invention is directed to an occupant restraint system in a vehicle and specifically to a method and apparatus for providing a safing function for side impact crash sensing systems. Description of the Prior Art Systems for restraining vehicle occupants during front and side impacts are known in the art. A side restraint system includes an air bag assembly, each vehicle side seat location having an associated air bag assembly. A controller is connected to the assembly. The controller controls actuation of the air bag in response to signals provided from a plurality of crash sensors. Typically, each air bag assembly has an associated crash sensor mounted in the associated side assembly of the vehicle. A typical crash sensor is a "crush sensor" such as a contact switch which detects the crushing of a vehicle door during a side impact. Front restraint systems typically include two crash sensors. One of the crash sensors functions as a "primary" crash sensor. The other crash sensor is referred to as a safing crash sensor. Actuation of the restraint system requires detection of a deployment crash condition by both the primary sensor and the safing sensor. A system of this type is disclosed in EP-A-0 444 866. An other system, according to the first part of the independent claim 1, is disclosed in the document EP-A-0 536 624 which disclose a system including a single collision sensor able to sense a collision at either lefthand or righthand of a vehicle. Summary of the Invention In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint and a second actuatable restraint is provided as set forth in claim 1. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint and a second actuatable restraint comprises the steps as set forth in claim 8. Preferred embodiments of the invention may be gathered from the dependent claims. Preferably, crash sensors are provided on each side of the vehicle for sensing side impacts. A controller monitors both of the crash sensors. Each of the crash sensors function as a primary crash sensor and as a safing crash sensor depending on the direction of the crash event. Therefore, each of the sensors performs a selected one of two possible functions. Brief Description of the Drawings Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle side impact restraint system in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a flowchart of the control process executed by the central control module of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a flowchart of the control process of the driver side module of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a flowchart of the control process of the passenger side module of Fig. 1. Description of Preferred Embodiment Referring to Fig. 1, a vehicle side impact restraint system 10 in accordance with the present invention includes a central control module 12. The central control module 12 is preferably a microcomputer programmed to execute a desired control process. A driver's side module 14 is connected to the central control module 12. A passenger's side module 16 is connected'to the central control module. The driver's side module 14 includes an accelerometer 22. The accelerometer 22 senses acceleration in a direction parallel to its axis of sensitivity 24 and provides an accelerometer signal 26 indicative of the sensed crash acceleration along its axis of sensitivity. The accelerometer 22 is, in accordance with one embodiment, mounted in a vehicle driver's side door such that its axis of sensitivity 24 is transverse to the vehicle direction of travel, i.e., transverse to the fore and aft direction of the vehicle. Moreover, the axis of sensitivity 24 is oriented so that the acceleration signal 26 has a positive value when the sensed acceleration has a component toward the center of the vehicle, i.e., into the door. When an impact into the driver side of the vehicle occurs, the acceleration signal 26 has a positive value. An impact to the passenger side of the vehicle will result in the acceleration signal 26 having a negative value. A filter 28 filters the acceleration signal 26 and outputs a filtered acceleration signal 30. The filter 28 functions as an anti-alias filter to block frequencies in the acceleration signal above a certain cutoff value. Such frequencies could result in aliasing of the analog filtered acceleration signal 30 when this signal is converted to a digital signal. A microcomputer 32 periodically samples the filtered acceleration signal 30 and performs an analog-to-digital ("A/D") conversion on each sample. The A/D conversion of a sample results in a digital value representing the analog value of that sample. The sample rate of the microcomputer 32 is chosen to satisfy known sampling criteria and guarantee that the digital values accurately represent the filtered acceleration signal 30. The passenger side module 16 is similar to the driver side module 14. It includes an accelerometer 34 which senses acceleration along its axis of sensitivity 36 and provides an acceleration signal 38 indicative thereof. The accelerometer 34 is, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, mounted in a vehicle passenger side door such that its axis of sensitivity 36 is substantially transverse to the vehicle direction of travel, i.e., substantially transverse to the fore and aft direction of the vehicle. Moreover, the axis of sensitivity 36 is oriented so that the acceleration signal 38 has a positive value when the sensed acceleration has a component into the passenger side of the vehicle. Thus, when an impact to the passenger side of the vehicle occurs, the acceleration signal 38 has a positive value. An impact to the driver side of the vehicle will, conversely, cause the acceleration signal 38 to have a negative value. A filter 40 filters the acceleration signal 38 and outputs a filtered acceleration signal 42. The filter 40 functions as an anti-alias filter to block frequencies above a cutoff value which could result in aliasing when the analog filtered acceleration signal 42 is converted to a digital signal. A microcomputer 44 periodically samples the filtered acceleration signal 42 and performs a conversion on each sample. The A/D conversion of a sample results in a digital value representing the analog value of that sample. The sample rate of the microcomputer 44 is chosen to satisfy known sampling criteria and guarantee that the digital values accurately represent the filtered acceleration signal 42. Since the vehicle acceleration monitored by each accelerometer 22 and 34 has two sensing capabilities, i.e., positive and negative or into the driver's or passenger's side, the single sensor associated with a single side of the vehicle can serve two functions. First, a positive crash acceleration value from the driver's side accelerometer 22 is used to detect a crash event into the driver's side of the vehicle. Second, the negative output from the driver's side accelerometer 22 is used as a passenger's side safing function for the purpose of verifying an event into the passenger's side of the vehicle. Similarly, the positive acceleration signal from the passenger's side accelerometer 34 is used to detect a crash event into the passenger's side of the vehicle. A negative output from the passenger's side accelerometer 34 is used as the driver's side safing function to verify a crash event into the driver's side of the vehicle. Actuation of a driver's associated restraint device occurs only after a driver's side accelerometer detects a deployment crash event into the driver's side and the passenger's side accelerometer verifies the crash event into the driver's side. Actuation of a passenger's associated restraint device occurs only after the passenger's side accelerometer detects a deployment crash event into the passenger's side and the driver's side accelerometer verifies the crash event into the passenger's side. Each digital value of acceleration from the driver's side accelerometer 22 is designated A(k), where A(k) represents the most recent sample, A(k-1) the next most recent sample, and so forth. The six most recent digital values (i.e., A(k-5), A(k-4), A(k-3), A(k-2), A(k-1), and A(k)) are stored in memory in the microcomputer 32. The microcomputer 32 uses these stored digital values to calculate a driver's crash value and a passenger's safing value. Each digital value from the passenger's side accelerometer 34 is designated A'(k), where A'(k) represents the most recent sample, A'(k-1) the next most recent sample, and so forth. The six most recent digital values (i.e., A'(k-5), A'(k-4), A'(k-3), A'(k-2), A'(k-1), and A'(k)) are stored in memory in the microcomputer 44. The microcomputer 44 uses these stored digital values to calculate a passenger's crash value and a driver's safing value. The driver's crash value is designated A-MA-Driver and represents the crash acceleration value sensed by accelerometer 22 in response to crash force into the driver's door, i.e., a value determined in response to positive acceleration signals from accelerometer 22. The passenger's safing value is designated A-Safing-Passenger and represents a value sensed by accelerometer 22 in response to crash force into the passenger's door, i.e., a value determined in response to negative acceleration signals from accelerometer 22. A-MA-Driver is determined using a six point moving average in accordance with the formula A-MA-Driver = A ( k -5) + A ( k -4) + A ( k -3) + A ( k -2) + A ( k -1) + A ( k ) 6 A-Safing-Passenger is determined using a three point moving average in accordance with the formula A-Safing-Passenger = A ( k -2) + A ( k -1) + A ( k ) 3 After calculating the crash value A-MA-Driver and safing value A-Safing-Passenger, the microcomputer 32 outputs these values to the central module 12. The passenger's crash value is designated A-MA-Passenger, is determined using a six point moving average in accordance with the formula A-MA-Passenger = A' ( k -5) + A' ( k -4) + A' ( k -3) + A' ( k -2) + A' ( k -1) + A' ( k ) 6 The driver's safing value, designated A-Safing-Driver, is determined using a three point moving average in accordance with the formula A-Safing-Driver = A' ( k -2) + A' ( k -1) + A' ( k ) 3 After calculating the passenger's crash value A-MA-Passenger and driver's safing value A-Safing-Driver, the microcomputer 44 outputs these values to the central control module 12. In response to the crash and safing values output by the side modules 14 and 16, the central control module 12 determines whether a driver's side or passenger's side crash is occurring. To make this determination, the central control module 12 compares each of the crash and safing values against associated threshold values. The threshold values are stored in the memory of the central control module 12. Two threshold values are stored, a crash threshold value T c and a safing threshold value T s . The crash threshold value T c has a positive value while the safing threshold value T s has a negative value. More specifically, the central control module 12 detects driver's side crashes from the A-MA-Driver crash value and the A-Safing-Driver safing value. When A-MA-Driver is greater than the crash threshold value T c and A-Safing-Driver is less than the safing threshold value T s , the central control module 12 concludes that a driver side crash is occurring. In response to this determination, the central control module 12 activates the driver's side air bag assembly 18 to deploy the associated air bag. The central module 12 uses the "less than" criterion for the safing value because of the 180° offset orientation between the axes-of-sensitivity of the accelerometers. When a driver side crash is occurring, the vehicle experiences an acceleration in a direction from the driver side to the passenger side, i.e., into the driver side. As a result, the acceleration signal 26 provided by the driver's side accelerometer 22 has a positive value. In contrast, the acceleration signal 38 provided by the passenger's side accelerometer 34 has a negative value. The "less than" criterion is used to determine when this negative value of acceleration has exceeded (i.e., become more negative than) a particular negative threshold. The occurrence of a passenger's side crash is detected in a similar manner. Central control module 12 monitors the A-MA-Passenger crash value and the A-Safing-Passenger safing value. When A-MA-Passenger is greater than the crash threshold value T c and A-Safing-Passenger is less (i.e., more negative) than the safing threshold value T s , the central module 12 concludes that a passenger side crash is occurring. In response to this determination, the central module activates the passenger's side air bag assembly 20 to deploy the associated air bag. In the present system, therefore, the central module 12 utilizes a safing value determined from the accelerometer signal on the vehicle side opposite the crash. For example, in a driver's side crash condition the A-Safing-Driver safing value is derived from the acceleration signal 38 provided by the passenger side accelerometer 34. No separate safing sensor is required with the present system. Instead, each sensor serves two sensing functions. Referring to Fig. 2, the control process executed by the central control module 12 starts in step 50. In step 52, the central control module 12 reads the A-MA-Driver crash value and A-Safing-Passenger safing value output from the microcomputer 32 in the driver side module 14. From step 52, the process goes to step 54. In step 54, the central module 12 reads the A-MA-Passenger crash value and the A-Safing-Driver safing value output from the microcomputer 44 in the passenger side module 16. The process then proceeds to step 56. In step 56, the central module 12 determines whether A-MA-Driver is greater than the crash threshold value T c and A-Safing-Driver is less than the safing threshold value T s . If the determination in step 56 is affirmative, a driver's side crash is occurring. In this situation, the process goes to step 58 and the central module 12 activates the driver side air bag assembly 18 to deploy the driver's side air bag. If the determination in step 56 is negative, then a driver's side crash is not occurring and the process proceeds to step 60. If the driver's side air bag was deployed in step 58, the process proceeds to step 60. In step 60, the central module determines whether A-MA-Passenger is greater than the crash threshold value T c and A-Safing-Passenger is less than the safing threshold value T s . If the determination in step 60 is affirmative, a passenger's side crash is occurring. In this situation, the process goes to step 62 and the central module 12 activates the passenger's side air bag assembly 20 to deploy the passenger side air bag. If the determination in step 60 is negative, however, the process goes back to step 52. If the passenger's side air bag was deployed in step 62, the process loops back to step 52. The central module 12 continuously monitors and evaluates the crash and safing values output by the side modules 14 and 16. Referring to Fig. 3, the process executed by the driver's side module 14 starts in step 70 and proceeds to step 72. In step 72, the driver's side module 14 performs the A/D conversion of the filtered acceleration signal 30. The process thereafter goes to step 74 and determines the A-MA-Driver crash value in accordance with formula (1). From step 74, the process goes to step 76 and determines the A-Safing-Passenger safing value in accordance with formula (2). The process then goes to step 78 and the driver side module 14 outputs the A-MA-Driver and A-Safing-Passenger values to the central module 12. After executing step 78, the process loops back to step 72. The driver's side module 14 continuously executes the process defined by steps 72 to 78. Referring to Fig. 4, the process executed by the passenger's side module 16 starts in step 80 and proceeds to step 82. In step 82, the passenger's side module 16 performs the A/D conversion of the filtered acceleration signal 42. The process thereafter goes to step 84 and determines the A-MA-Passenger crash value in accordance with formula (3). From step 84, the process goes to step 86 and determines the A-Safing-Driver safing value in accordance with formula (4). The process then loops to step 88 and the passenger's side module 16 outputs the A-MA-Passenger and A-Safing-Driver values to the central module 12. After executing step 88, the process goes back to step 82. The passenger's side module 16 continuously executes the process defined by steps 82 to 88. The values determined in steps 72-78 and 82-88 are those output to central control module 12 and those used in steps 52 and 54 of Fig. 2. In the system described, each accelerometer provides distinguishably different signals for accelerations in two opposing directions. Thus, each accelerometer provides one signal for accelerations caused by impacts on its respective side of the vehicle, and another, distinguishably different, signal for accelerations caused by impacts on the opposite side of the vehicle. Therefore, two sensors provide redundant detection of crashes on either side of the vehicle. The sensor on the same side as the crash (the near side sensor) will provide a large acceleration signal, and the sensor on the other side of the vehicle (the far side sensor) will provide a smaller, distinguishably different acceleration signal. Reliability is enhanced by using the output of the opposite side sensor to verify that the output of the near side sensor. In the described embodiment, each acceleration signal was averaged over time and then compared against a threshold. Other algorithmic analysis techniques could instead be used. Moreover, different algorithms could be used to analyze the primary crash and safing crash signals.

Claims: A controlling apparatus (10) for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint (18) and a second actuatable restraint (20), comprising first crash sensing means (22) providing a primary crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and a safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction; said controlling apparatus is characterised in that in further comprises : second crash sensing means (34) providing a safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said first direction and a primary crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said second direction; actuating means (12) for actuating said first actuatable restraint (18) when said first crash sensing means (22) provides said primary crash signal and said second crash sensing means (34) provides said safing crash signal; and actuating means (12) for actuating said second actuatable restraint (20) when said first crash sensing means (22) provides said safing crash signal and said second crash sensing means (34) provides said primary crash signal. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first crash sensing means (22) and said second crash sensing means (34) are both accelerometers having an associated axis of sensitivity. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first crash sensing means (22) is positioned with its associated axis of sensitivity substantially transverse to the vehicle direction of travel and said second crash sensing means (34) is positioned with its associated axis of sensitivity substantially transverse to the vehicle direction of travel and 180° offset from said axis of sensitivity associated with said first crash sensing means (22). The apparatus of any of the preceding claims wherein said actuating means (12) for actuating said first actuatable restraint (18) actuates said first restraint when said primary crash signal from said first crash sensing means (22) exceeds a primary threshold and said safing crash signal from said second crash sensing means (34) is less than a safing threshold, and wherein said actuating means (12) for actuating said second actuatable restraint (20) actuates said second restraint when said primary crash signal from said second crash sensing means (34) exceeds said primary threshold and said safing crash signal from said first sensing means (22) is less than said safing threshold. The apparatus of any of the preceding claims wherein said first restraint (18) is an air bag operatively mounted in a side assembly of the vehicle associated with the vehicle driver's side and wherein said second restraint (20) is an air bag operatively mounted in a side assembly of the vehicle associated with the vehicle passenger's side. The apparatus of any of the preceding claims wherein said first crash sensing means (22) includes a first crash accelerometer providing a positive crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the first direction and a negative crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the second direction; said second crash sensing means (34) includes a second crash accelerometer providing a negative crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in said first direction and a positive crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in said second direction; said actuating means (12) for actuating said first actuatable restraint (18) actuates said first restraint (18) when said first accelerometer (22) provides said positive crash acceleration signal and said second accelerometer (34) provides said negative crash signal; and said actuating means (12) for actuating said second actuatable restraint (20) actuates said second restraint (20) when said first accelerometer (22) provides said negative crash signal and said second accelerometer (34) provides said positive crash signal. The apparatus of any of the preceding claims wherein said first actuatable restraint (18) is a side impact restraint protecting the driver against side impacts and said second actuatable restraint (20) is a side impact restraint protecting a passenger against side impacts, said first crash accelerometer (22) being mounted on the driver's side of the vehicle, sensitive to sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicative thereof; said second crash accelerometer (34) being mounted on the passenger's side of the vehicle, sensitive to sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicative thereof; and, said actuating means (12) actuating the side impact restraint (18) for the driver only when the signals from the first and second crash accelerometers (22, 34) both indicate that an impact is occurring on the driver's side of the vehicle, and actuating the side impact restraint (20) for the passenger only when the signals from the first and second crash accelerometers (22, 34) both indicate that an impact is occurring on the passenger's side of the vehicle. A controlling method for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint (18) and a second actuatable restraint (20), said method comprising the steps of: sensing a crash acceleration using a first accelerometer (22), said first accelerometer (22) providing a primary crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and providing a safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction; sensing a second crash acceleration using a second accelerometer (34), said second accelerometer (34) providing a safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said first direction and providing a primary crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said second direction; actuating said first actuatable restraint (18) when said first and second accelerometers (22, 34) indicate a crash event in said first direction; and actuating said second actuatable restraint (20) when said first and second accelerometer (22, 34) indicate a crash event in said second direction. The method of claim 8 further including the steps of orienting the axis of sensitivity of a first accelerometer (22) substantially transverse to the vehicle direction of travel and orienting the axis of sensitivity of the second accelerometer (34) substantially transverse to the vehicle direction of travel and 180° offset from said axis of sensitivity associated with said first accelerometer (22). The method of claim 8 or 9 wherein said step of actuating said first actuatable restraint (18) occurs when said primary crash signal from said first accelerometer (22) exceeds a primary threshold and said safing crash signal from said second accelerometer (34) is less than a safing threshold, and wherein said step of actuating said second actuatable restraint (20) occurs when said primary crash signal from said second accelerometer (34) exceeds said primary threshold and said safing crash signal from said first accelerometer (22) is less than said safing threshold. The method of any of claims 8 to 10 for protecting a vehicle driver against side impacts and for protecting a vehicle passenger against side impacts wherein said first actuatable restraint (18) comprises a first side impact restraint and wherein said second actuatable restraint (20) comprises a second side impact restraint, said method further comprising of the steps of: mounting said first accelerometer (22) on the driver's side of the vehicle so as to be sensitive to sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicative thereof; mounting said second accelerometer (34) on the passenger's side of the vehicle so as to be sensitive to sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicative thereof; actuating said first side impact restraint (18) for the driver only when the signals from the first and second accelerometers (22, 34) both indicate that an impact is occurring on the driver's side of the vehicle; and actuating said second side impact restraint (20) for the passenger only when the signals from the first and second accelerometers (22, 34) both indicate that an impact is occurring on the passenger's side of the vehicle.

Inventors: FOO CHEK PENG, YEH HUAHN FERN, FOO, CHEK PENG, YEH, HUAHN FERN
Applicants: TRW INC, TRW INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B60R21
IPC codes: B60R21