Control unit for front and side airbags in an occupant protection system

摘要

The control unit enables selective accident dependent release of at least one front and/or side airbag. It has at least two pressure sensors in the sides of the vehicle to control the side airbag. At least one side airbag is released when the air pressure around the pressure sensors increases suddenly above a threshold value. The threshold value for releasing the side airbag is increased time-wise relative to a normal value after release of at least one front airbag. Preferably a release signal for at least one front airbag is provided as an input signal to the control of the side airbag. Preferably the threshold value is increased in dependence on the number and size of the released front airbag by experimentally determined, fixed or temporally varied values and for an experimentally determined period. The derived values may then be stored in an electronic memory of the control unit.