Patent ID: 8326581

Claim:
A crash sensor, comprising: a sensor element adapted to detect at least one measured quantity; a first, rewritable memory storing first data configured to influence a processing of the at least one measured quantity, wherein the first data is stored during at least one of (a) a time of manufacture of the crash sensor, and (b) an adaptation in which the first data is adapted in response to operation of the crash sensor; a second memory storing second data configured to influence the processing, wherein the second data is stored in a hard-wired manner and differs from the first data with respect to (i) a degree to which the first data and the second data influence an amplification of the at least one measured quantity, and (ii) a degree to which the first data and the second data influence a reference voltage of a circuit on which the crash sensor is located, and wherein the degree of the second data to influence the amplification of the at least one measured quantity and the reference voltage provides for less accurate processing of the at least one measured quantity compared to the first data; and a logic module configured to load one of (a) the first and (b) the second data to a microcontroller, as a function of a test of the first memory, for processing the at least one measured quantity.