Controller for actuation of occupant restraint in vehicle - takes emergency action when integral of measured deceleration and instantaneous energy calculation identify type of impact.

摘要

An accelerometer (24) or vibration transducer and an amplifier (26) produce an oscillatory signal with a characteristic which denotes the state of impact. A microprocessor (34) monitors this signal at different times and establishes an instantaneous RMS impact energy and a road speed integral for comparison with respective threshold values. The restraint is activated (44) by an FET switch (42) driven by a monostable (40) when the speed integral exceeds its threshold with a given interval after the threshold of instantaneous impact energy is exceeded. ADVANTAGE - Can distinguish between different deg. of impact so that, e.g. an air bag is inflated only when necessary.