US5519613A — System and method for discriminating short-period…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 196 words

In a method for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of said safety device, said method including the steps of: receiving information representative of instantaneous vehicle acceleration; generating a measure which is evaluative of said received information in relation to time; generating a measure correlated with the progress of said event based on said received acceleration information; generating a measure predictive of the severity of said event based on said evaluative measure and said progress measure; comparing said predictive measure with a first predetermined threshold value; and actuating said safety device if said predictive measure exceeds said first predetermined threshold value, the improvement wherein said step of generating said progress measure comprises the steps of: selectively providing as an input to an accumulator a transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is less than or equal to a second predetermined threshold value, or an alternative value equal to twice said second predetermined threshold value minus the transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is greater than said second predetermined threshold value; and accumulating said selectively provided inputs in said accumulator.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 196 words

In a method for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of said safety device, said method including the steps of: receiving information representative of instantaneous vehicle acceleration; generating a measure which is evaluative of said received information in relation to time; generating a measure correlated with the progress of said event based on said received acceleration information; generating a measure predictive of the severity of said event based on said evaluative measure and said progress measure; comparing said predictive measure with a first predetermined threshold value; and actuating said safety device if said predictive measure exceeds said first predetermined threshold value, the improvement wherein said step of generating said progress measure comprises the steps of: selectively providing as an input to an accumulator a transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is less than or equal to a second predetermined threshold value, or an alternative value equal to twice said second predetermined threshold value minus the transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is greater than said second predetermined threshold value; and accumulating said selectively provided inputs in said accumulator.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of generating said evaluative measure includes the steps of: storing consecutive values for said received information in a storage means; and generating a differential measure from said stored values.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 2, wherein said differential measure is a jerk value evaluative of the rate of change of said received acceleration information in relation to time.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 2, further including the step of rank-ordering said stored values, and wherein said differential measure is a variance measure evaluative of the difference between two of said stored values having predetermined ranks.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1, including the further step of weighting said selectively provided inputs prior to said accumulating step by summing said selectively provided inputs with a first weighting factor.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1, including the further step of scaling said accumulated selectively provided inputs after said accumulating step by dividing said accumulated selectively provided inputs with a scaling factor.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating said predictive measure includes the steps of: combining said evaluative measure with said progress measure to obtain a combined measure; and accumulating said combined measure over time to obtain said predictive measure.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 7, including the further step of weighting said combined measure prior to said accumulating step by summing said combined measure with a second weighting factor.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 212 words

A system for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of said safety device, said system comprising: means for receiving information representative of instantaneous vehicle acceleration; first generating means responsive to said received information for generating a measure evaluative of said received information in relation to time; second generating means responsive to said received information for generating a measure correlated with the progress of said event, said second generating means including an accumulator, and means for selectively providing as an input to said accumulator a transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is less than or equal to a first predetermined threshold value, or an alternative value equal to twice said first predetermined threshold value minus the transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is greater than said first predetermined threshold value; third generating means responsive to said evaluative measure and said progress measure for generating a measure predictive of crash severity; first comparing means responsive to said predictive measure for generating an output signal if said predictive measure has exceeded a second predetermined threshold value; and actuating means responsive to said first comparing means for actuating said vehicle safety device upon generation of said output signal.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 212 words

A system for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of said safety device, said system comprising: means for receiving information representative of instantaneous vehicle acceleration; first generating means responsive to said received information for generating a measure evaluative of said received information in relation to time; second generating means responsive to said received information for generating a measure correlated with the progress of said event, said second generating means including an accumulator, and means for selectively providing as an input to said accumulator a transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is less than or equal to a first predetermined threshold value, or an alternative value equal to twice said first predetermined threshold value minus the transitory value for said received information if the transitory value is greater than said first predetermined threshold value; third generating means responsive to said evaluative measure and said progress measure for generating a measure predictive of crash severity; first comparing means responsive to said predictive measure for generating an output signal if said predictive measure has exceeded a second predetermined threshold value; and actuating means responsive to said first comparing means for actuating said vehicle safety device upon generation of said output signal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 40 words

The system of claim 9, wherein said first generating means includes a means for storing a plurality of consecutive values for said received acceleration information, and a fourth generating means for generating a differential measure based on said stored values.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 10, wherein said differential measure is a jerk value evaluative of the rate of change of said received acceleration information in relation to time.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

The system of claim 10, wherein said first generating means further includes means for rank-ordering said stored values, and wherein said differential measure is a variance measure evaluative of the difference between two of said rank-ordered values having predetermined ranks.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

The system of claim 9, wherein said second generating means further includes means for summing said selectively provided inputs with a first weighting factor prior to accumulating said selectively provided inputs in said first accumulator.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 35 words

The system of claim 9, wherein said second generating means further includes means for scaling said accumulated selectively provided inputs from said first accumulator by dividing said accumulated selectively provided inputs with a scaling factor.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 42 words

The system of claim 9, wherein said third generating means includes: means for combining said evaluative measure with said progress measure to obtain a combined measure; and a second accumulator for accumulating said combined measure over time to obtain said predictive measure.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 35 words

The system of claim 15, wherein said third generating means further includes means for weighting said combined measure prior to accumulation in said second accumulator by summing said combined measure with a second weighting factor.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-05-21	1999-11-20	2000-05-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-05-21	2003-11-20	2004-05-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-05-21	2007-11-20	2008-05-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for discriminating short-period crashes

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