Patent ID: 7930080

Claim:
A protection apparatus for a vehicle, the protection apparatus comprising: a protecting device that protects a passenger of the vehicle; a first sensor that outputs a first sensor signal corresponding to magnitude of an impact applied to the vehicle; a first control signal generating unit that outputs a first control signal when the magnitude of the impact corresponding to the first sensor signal is greater than a first threshold; a second sensor that outputs a second sensor signal corresponding to the magnitude of the impact applied to the vehicle; a second control signal generating unit that outputs a second control signal when the magnitude of the impact corresponding to the second sensor signal is greater than a second threshold; a disruption determining unit that detects disruption of the second sensor signal; a third control signal generating unit that outputs a third control signal when the disruption determining unit detects disruption of the second sensor signal; an activating signal generating unit that outputs an activating signal for activating the protecting device when: the first control signal is output; and one of the second control signal and the third control signal is output; and a fourth control signal generating unit including a diagnosis unit that detects an abnormality of at least one component of the protection apparatus, the component being connected with the diagnosis unit, the abnormality being other than disruption of the second sensor signal, wherein the fourth control signal generating unit outputs a fourth control signal to restrict the third control signal generating unit from outputting the third control signal and not to activate the protecting device when the diagnosis unit detects the abnormality.