US5961562A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for and method of controlling activation of passive restraint
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
•
Filing: 1996-11-01
•
Granted: 1999-10-05
•
Expires: 2016-11-01
Abstract
Abstract A CPU 30 first receives data of accelerations Gx and Gy applied respectively along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis of a vehicle (S20). The CPU 30 then calculates an arithmetic value fx from the acceleration Gx in the longitudinal direction according to specified arithmetic operations, and calculates an arithmetic value fy from the acceleration Gy in the lateral direction according to specified arithmetic operations (S22). The CPU 30 subsequently projects vectors based on the arithmetic values fx and fy in a preset direction a to yield projective components of the vectors, and determines a sum fa of the projective components (S24). The CPU 30 compares the projective component fa with a threshold value fth(a) previously set for the direction a, and determines whether or not the projective component fa is greater than the threshold value fth(a) (S26). When determining that the projective component fa is greater than the threshold value fth(a), the CPU 30 generates an activation signal to activate air bag units 60 to 66 (S28). The structure of the present invention does not require the calculation of the magnitude or the direction of a composite vector, thereby being free from complicated and time-consuming arithmetic operations. No division is included in the required arithmetic operations, so that the result of calculation does not diverge.
Inventors
- 👤 Motomi Iyoda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 05:59
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; B60R21/013; B60R21/0132; B60R21/01332; B60R21/01336
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
An activation control apparatus for controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: acceleration measuring means for measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle and a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, which is different from said first direction; first arithmetic and logic means for calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; second arithmetic and logic means for calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; projective component deriving means for setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and activation means for activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
An activation control apparatus for controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: acceleration measuring means for measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle and a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, which is different from said first direction; first arithmetic and logic means for calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; second arithmetic and logic means for calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; projective component deriving means for setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and activation means for activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
An activation control apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said projective component deriving means presets a plurality of projecting directions, derives projective components of said first vector and said second vector in each of said projecting directions, and sums up the projective components for said each projecting direction, said activation means activating said passive restraint based on any one of the sums of the projective components obtained for the respective projecting directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
An activation control apparatus in accordance with either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein at least one of said first arithmetic and logic means, said second arithmetic and logic means, and said projective component deriving means further comprises means for varying a ratio of said first arithmetic value to said second arithmetic value to relatively vary an effect said first arithmetic value and said second arithmetic value have on the sum of said projective components.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
318 words
An activation control apparatus for controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: acceleration measuring means for measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle, a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, and a third acceleration acting in a third direction of said vehicle, said first direction, said second direction, and said third direction being different from one another; first arithmetic and logic means for calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; second arithmetic and logic means for calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; third arithmetic and logic means for calculating a third arithmetic value from said third acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; first projective component deriving means for setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified first projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived to yield a fourth arithmetic value; second projective component deriving means for setting a third vector that is along said third direction and based on said third arithmetic value and a fourth vector that is along said first projecting direction and based on said fourth arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said third vector and said fourth vector in a specified second projecting direction in a plane including said third vector and said fourth vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and activation means for activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components given by said second projective component deriving means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
318 words
An activation control apparatus for controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: acceleration measuring means for measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle, a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, and a third acceleration acting in a third direction of said vehicle, said first direction, said second direction, and said third direction being different from one another; first arithmetic and logic means for calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; second arithmetic and logic means for calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; third arithmetic and logic means for calculating a third arithmetic value from said third acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; first projective component deriving means for setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified first projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived to yield a fourth arithmetic value; second projective component deriving means for setting a third vector that is along said third direction and based on said third arithmetic value and a fourth vector that is along said first projecting direction and based on said fourth arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said third vector and said fourth vector in a specified second projecting direction in a plane including said third vector and said fourth vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and activation means for activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components given by said second projective component deriving means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
127 words
An activation control apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said first projective component deriving means presets a plurality of first projecting directions, derives projective components of said first vector and said second vector in each of said first projecting directions, and sums up the projective components to yield a fourth arithmetic value for said each first projecting direction, said second projective component deriving means presets a plurality of second projecting directions, derives projective components of said third vector and said fourth vector in each of said second projecting directions, and sums up the projective components for said each second projecting direction, said activation means activating said passive restraint based on any one of the sums of the projective components obtained for the respective second projecting directions.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle and a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, which is different from said first direction; (b) calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation, and calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; (c) setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and (d) activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle and a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, which is different from said first direction; (b) calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation, and calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; (c) setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and (d) activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said step (c) further comprises the steps of: presetting a plurality of projecting directions, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in each of said projecting directions, and summing up the projective components for said each projecting direction, said step (d) further comprising the step of: activating said passive restraint based on any one of the sums of the projective components obtained for the respective projecting directions.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
62 words
A method in accordance with either one of claims 6 and 7, wherein at least one of said steps (b) and (c) further comprises the step of: varying a ratio of said first arithmetic value to said second arithmetic value to relatively vary an effect said first arithmetic value and said second arithmetic value have on the sum of said projective components.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
285 words
A method of controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle, a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, and a third acceleration acting in a third direction of said vehicle, said first direction, said second direction, and said third direction being different from one another; (b) calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation, calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation, and calculating a third arithmetic value from said third acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; (c) setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified first projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived to yield a fourth arithmetic value; (d) setting a third vector that is along said third direction and based on said third arithmetic value and a fourth vector that is along said first projecting direction and based on said fourth arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said third vector and said fourth vector in a specified second projecting direction in a plane including said third vector and said fourth vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and (e) activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components given in said step (d).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
285 words
A method of controlling activation of a passive restraint mounted on a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring a first acceleration acting in a first direction of said vehicle, a second acceleration acting in a second direction of said vehicle, and a third acceleration acting in a third direction of said vehicle, said first direction, said second direction, and said third direction being different from one another; (b) calculating a first arithmetic value from said first acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation, calculating a second arithmetic value from said second acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation, and calculating a third arithmetic value from said third acceleration according to a specified arithmetic operation; (c) setting a first vector that is along said first direction and based on said first arithmetic value and a second vector that is along said second direction and based on said second arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in a specified first projecting direction in a plane including said first vector and said second vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived to yield a fourth arithmetic value; (d) setting a third vector that is along said third direction and based on said third arithmetic value and a fourth vector that is along said first projecting direction and based on said fourth arithmetic value, deriving projective components of said third vector and said fourth vector in a specified second projecting direction in a plane including said third vector and said fourth vector, and summing up the projective components thus derived; and (e) activating said passive restraint based on the sum of the projective components given in said step (d).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
134 words
A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein said step (c) further comprises the steps of: presetting a plurality of first projecting directions, deriving projective components of said first vector and said second vector in each of said first projecting directions, and summing up the projective components to yield a fourth arithmetic value for said each first projecting direction, said step (d) further comprising the steps of: presetting a plurality of second projecting directions, deriving projective components of said third vector and said fourth vector in each of said second projecting directions, and summing up the projective components for said each second projecting direction, said step (e) further comprising the step of: activating said passive restraint based on any one of the sums of the projective components obtained for the respective second projecting directions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4243248A
Cited
US4836024A
Cited
US4985835A
Cited
US5173614A
Cited
WO1990003289A1
Cited
US5083276A
Cited
EP0430813A1
Cited
DE4128230A1
Cited
US5365114A
Cited
US5282134A
Cited
EP0528514A2
Cited
US5338062A
Cited
US5513109A
Cited
JPH0656000A
Cited
US5504569A
Cited
US5484166A
Cited
EP0709255A1
Cited
US5740041A
Cited
WO1996027514A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-10-04 | 2003-04-05 | 2003-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-10-04 | 2007-04-05 | 2007-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-10-04 | 2011-04-05 | 2011-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |