Arrangements and methods for controlling deployment of a vehicular occupant restraint device

A method for determining whether a crash involving a vehicle requires deployment of an occupant restraint device, the vehicle having a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a first discriminating crash sensor outside of the crush zone of the vehicle, the first sensor being triggered to deploy the occupant restraint device by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle, and
• mounting a second crash sensor in the crush zone of the vehicle such that the second sensor generates information about a reaction of the crush zone of the vehicle to a crash,
• providing the information about the reaction of the crush zone of the vehicle to the crash from the second sensor to the first sensor, and
• controling deployment of the occupant restraint device via the first descrimination sensor based on the information about the reaction of the crush zone of the vehicle to the crash provided by the second sensor.

A vehicle having an occupant restraint device and a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the vehicle including a crash sensor arrangement for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of the occupant restraint device, the arrangement comprising

• a first crash sensor mounted in the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to measure a reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and
• a second crash sensor mounted outside of the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to trigger by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle,
• said first and second sensors being coupled to one another such that a signal to deploy the occupant restraint device is generated in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash and whether said second sensor has triggered,
• said second sensor being arranged to receive a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash by said first sensor, consider whether an algorithm or triggering criteria which determines triggering of said second sensor should be modified based on the signal and if so, modify the algorithm or triggering criteria.

A vehicle having an occupant restraint device and a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the vehicle including a crash sensor arrangement for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of the occupant restraint device, the arrangement comprising

• a first crash sensor mounted in the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to measure a reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and
• a second crash sensor mounted outside of the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to trigger by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle,
• said first and second sensors being coupled to one another such that a signal to deploy the occupant restraint device is generated in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash and whether said second sensor has triggered,
• said second sensor being arranged to receive a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash by said first sensor, consider whether its sensitivity to trigger should be modified based on the signal and if so, modify its sensitivity.

A vehicle having an occupant restraint device and a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the vehicle including a crash sensor arrangement for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of the occupant restraint device, the arrangement comprising

• a first crash sensor mounted in the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to measure a reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and
• a second crash sensor mounted outside of the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to trigger by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle, said second sensor being a discriminating electronic sensor arranged to trigger based on at least one of acceleration of the vehicle and a change in velocity of the vehicle,
• said first and second sensors being coupled to one another such that a signal to deploy the occupant restraint device is generated in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash and whether said second sensor has triggered,
• said second sensor being arranged to receive a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash by said first sensor and modify the at least one of the acceleration and velocity change required for triggering based on the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash.

A method for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of an occupant restraint device, the vehicle having a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a first crash sensor in the crush zone of the vehicle,
• measuring a reaction of the crush zone to the crash by means of the first sensor,
• mounting a second sensor outside of the crush zone of the vehicle, the second sensor being triggered by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle,
• directing a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash to the second sensor,
• considering whether the conditions for triggering of the second sensor should be modified based on the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and if so, modifying the conditions for triggering of the second sensor, and
• deploying the occupant restraint device in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash and whether the second sensor has triggered.

A method for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of an occupant restraint device, the vehicle having a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a first crash sensor in the crush zone of the vehicle,
• measuring a reaction of the crush zone to the crash by means of the first sensor,
• mounting a second crash sensor outside of the crush zone of the vehicle, the second sensor being triggered by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle, the second sensor being an electronic discriminating sensor arranged to trigger based on at least one of a change in velocity of the vehicle and acceleration of the vehicle,
• directing a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash from the first sensor to the second sensor,
• considering whether the at least one of the velocity change and acceleration required for triggering of the second sensor should be modified based on the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and if so, modifying the triggering requirements, and
• deploying the occupant restraint device in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash and whether the second sensor has triggered.