# US 10,864,872 B2 · Occupant airbag and control system for use in autonomous vehicles with retractable steering wheels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,872 B2 - Document ID: US10864872B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/008,561 - Filed: 2018-06-14 - Published: 2019-12-19 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-14 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Mark M. Sheldon; Carolyn M. Mavis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864872B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/01: Electrical circuits for triggering {passive} safety arrangements, {e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners,} in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents {(electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343)} - B60R 21/01554: {Seat position sensors} - B60R 21/203: in steering wheels or steering columns - B60R 21/205: in dashboards - B60R 21/207: in vehicle seats - B60R 21/214: in roof panels - B60R 21/233: comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other (B60R21/232 takes precedence) - B60W 60/0051: {from occupants to vehicle} - B62D 1/183: adjustable between in-use and out-of-use positions, e.g. to improve access - G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) - B60R 2021/01034: {Controlling a plurality of restraint devices} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract An occupant airbag system for use in a vehicle with a retractable steering wheel includes a first airbag assembly located in the retractable steering wheel. The first airbag assembly is configured to deploy a first airbag cushion between an occupant and a rigid structure of the vehicle. The occupant airbag system also includes a second airbag assembly configured to deploy a second airbag cushion between the occupant and the rigid structure of the vehicle. The occupant airbag system also includes an airbag control module configured to suppress deployment of the first airbag cushion and to enable deployment of the second airbag cushion when the retractable steering wheel is in a retracted position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An occupant airbag system for use in a vehicle with a retractable steering wheel, the occupant airbag system comprising: a first airbag assembly located in the retractable steering wheel, the first airbag assembly configured to deploy a first airbag cushion between an occupant and a rigid structure of the vehicle; a second airbag assembly configured to deploy a second airbag cushion between the occupant and the rigid structure of the vehicle; an airbag control module configured to suppress deployment of the first airbag cushion and to enable deployment of the second airbag cushion when the retractable steering wheel is in a retracted position; and a position sensor configured to send a position signal indicative of a position of the retractable steering wheel to the airbag control module, wherein the airbag control module is configured to suppress deployment of the first airbag cushion from the first airbag assembly and to enable deployment of the second airbag cushion from the second airbag assembly when the airbag control module determines that a retraction distance of the retractable steering wheel is greater than a first predetermined distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the airbag control module is configured to suppress deployment of the second airbag cushion and to enable deployment of the first airbag cushion when the retractable steering wheel is in an extended position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the second airbag assembly is not located in the retractable steering wheel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the second airbag assembly is located in the rigid structure of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The occupant airbag system of claim 4, wherein the rigid structure is an instrument panel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the second airbag assembly is located in an instrument panel of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the second airbag assembly is located in a roof of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the second airbag assembly is located in a seat in the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, further comprising: a position sensor configured to send a position signal indicative of a position of the retractable steering wheel to the airbag control module, wherein the airbag control module is configured to determine if the retractable steering wheel is in the retracted position based on the position signal from the position sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, further comprising: a seat position sensor configured to send a seat position signal indicative of a position of a seat in the vehicle to the airbag control module, wherein the airbag control module is configured to suppress deployment of the first airbag cushion and to enable deployment of the second airbag cushion when the airbag control module determines that a separation distance between the retractable steering wheel and the seat is greater than a second predetermined distance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined distance is based on a position of the retractable steering wheel at which the second airbag cushion deploys without interference from the retractable steering wheel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The occupant airbag system of claim 10, wherein the second predetermined distance is based on a relative position between the retractable steering wheel and the seat at which the second airbag cushion can deploy without interference from the retractable steering wheel and the seat. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein: the rigid structure is an instrument panel in the vehicle; and the second airbag assembly is positioned in the instrument panel and is configured to deploy the second airbag cushion from a top surface of the instrument panel above the retractable steering wheel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The occupant airbag system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle and the retractable steering wheel moves from an extended position to the retracted position when the autonomous vehicle is switched from a driver mode to an autonomous mode. ### Claim 15 An occupant airbag system for use in an autonomous vehicle, the occupant airbag system comprising: an airbag control module including an airbag deployment module, a steering wheel position module and a seat position module; a first airbag assembly positioned in a retractable steering wheel of the autonomous vehicle, the first airbag assembly in communication with the airbag control module; a second airbag assembly positioned in an instrument panel of the autonomous vehicle, the second airbag assembly in communication with the airbag control module; a steering wheel position sensor in communication with the airbag control module, the steering wheel position sensor configured to send a first position signal to the airbag control module indicative of a position of the retractable steering wheel; and a seat position sensor in communication with the airbag control module, the seat position sensor configured to send a second position signal to the airbag control module indicative of the a position of a seat in the autonomous vehicle, wherein the airbag deployment module is configured to enable deployment of an instrument panel airbag cushion from the second airbag assembly and to suppress deployment of a steering wheel airbag cushion from the first airbag assembly when the first position signal and the second position signal indicate that the position of the retractable steering wheel and the position of the seat will not interfere with deployment of the instrument panel airbag cushion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The occupant airbag system of claim 15 wherein the steering wheel position module is configured to determine a position of the retractable steering wheel relative to the instrument panel based on the first position signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The occupant airbag system of claim 15 wherein the seat position module is configured to determine a position of the seat relative to the instrument panel based on the second position signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The occupant airbag system of claim 15 wherein the airbag deployment module is further configured to enable deployment of the steering wheel airbag cushion from the first airbag assembly and to suppress deployment of the instrument panel airbag cushion from the second airbag assembly when the first position signal indicates that the position of the retractable steering wheel will interfere with deployment of the instrument panel airbag cushion.