Patent ID: 7077231

Claim:
An automotive passenger restraint and protection apparatus for an automotive vehicle, having a seatbelt, for restraining an occupant of the automotive vehicle by the seatbelt to protect the occupant, comprising: an electric retractor having driving means for retracting and protracting the seatbelt; seatbelt attaching detecting means for detecting attaching of the seatbelt to the occupant or disconnection of the seatbelt from the occupant; and seatbelt protraction detecting means for detecting protraction of the seatbelt by the occupant; and control means for controlling said driving means by performing a plurality of functions, said control means having selecting means for selecting a reduced power consumption mode for permitting said control means to perform at least one minimum required function of said plurality of functions so as to save power consumption by said electric retractor, or a normal power consumption mode for permitting said control means to perform all of said plurality of functions so as not to save power consumption by said electric retractor; wherein said selecting means selects said reduced power consumption mode when a predetermined time period has elapsed after detection of the disconnection of the seatbelt from the occupant by said seatbelt attaching detecting means while said normal power consumption mode is selected, and selects said normal power consumption mode when the protraction of the seatbelt by the occupant is detected by said seatbelt protraction detecting means or when the attaching of the seatbelt to the occupant is detected by said seatbelt attaching detecting means.