Method and apparatus for providing a safing function in a restraining system

摘要

An apparatus (10) is provided for controlling an actuatable restraint (14, 16) in a vehicle (12). An sensor (24) is mounted in the vehicle (12) and outputs an electrical signal having a characteristic indicative of a vehicle event. A discrimination circuit (42) is coupled to the sensor (24) and determines if a predetermined event occurred. A safing circuit (50) is coupled to the sensor (24) signal and sequestered from the discrimination circuit (42) for determining if the predetermined event occurred. An actuation device is actuates the restraint when both the discrimination circuit (42) and the safing circuit (50) determine the predetermined event occurred.

主权项

1. An integrated circuit for use in a vehicle safety system, said system having at least one device to be actuated upon a concurrence of at least two separate vehicle crash determinations, said integrated circuit comprising:
at least one sensor providing a sensor signal that changes in response to a condition that is indicative of a vehicle crash event; a processing circuit for processing said sensor signal to provide one of the vehicle crash determinations to be used by the vehicle safety system; a first output for supplying externally of the integrated circuit a first output signal that is related to said sensor signal; and, a second output for supplying externally of the integrated circuit one of said at least two separate vehicle crash determinations.