Patent ID: 7890263

Claim:
A method comprising: detecting a target object with a pre-impact collision assessment system; determining a predicted time to collision; initiating measurement of an elapsed time value; and generating a collision signal when a threshold value is exceeded, wherein the threshold value is based on a product of a selectivity value indicative of variability of sensor measurements provided by an impact detection system, a ratio of a constant threshold velocity value and a relative velocity value indicative of velocity of the target object relative to a vehicle, and a calibrated accelerometer constant; wherein the safety device is inflated at a first rate when a potential collision is detected by the pre-impact collision assessment system, and then inflated at a second rate when the collision signal from the impact detection system is indicative of a collision; and wherein the safety device is deflated when the elapsed time value exceeds the predicted time to collision and the collision signal is not indicative of a collision.