Occupant restraint system and control method with variable sense, sample, and determination rates

Abstract

An occupant restraint system (10), and an associated control method, for a vehicle (16). The system (10) includes an actuatable occupant restraint device (18) which has an adjustable aspect. An ultrasound sensor (34) senses an occupant condition at a sense rate and provides a signal (38) indicative of the sensed occupant condition. An ultrasound signal sampler function (46) of a controller (26) samples the signal (38) at a sample rate. A restraint control determination function (50) of the controller (26) makes determinations regarding control of the restraint device (18) at a determination rate using the signal samples. A weight sensor (56) and at least one seat belt sensor (58, 60) sense occupant conditions (e.g., occupant weight and seat belt status) and provide indicative signals (66, 68, 70) to a rates determination function (84) of the controller (26). The rates determination function (84) determines the sense, sample and determination rates in response to the sensed occupant conditions.

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