Activation control apparatus and method of airbag apparatus

An activation control apparatus of an airbag apparatus, comprising:

• a first sensor that is disposed at a predetermined position in a vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on a vehicle;
• an activation control means for activating the airbag apparatus if a parameter based on the signal outputted by the first sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• a second sensor that is disposed forward of the predetermined position of the first sensor within the vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on the vehicle;
• threshold changing pattern setting means for setting one changing pattern of at least three changing patterns as the predetermined threshold based on the signal outputted by the second sensor;
• and
• threshold changing pattern switching means for, if the one changing pattern of the at least three changing patterns has been set as the predetermined threshold changing pattern by the threshold changing pattern setting means, switching the predetermined threshold changing pattern to another changing pattern of the at least three changing patterns, wherein the threshold changing pattern switching means switches to the another changing pattern after the second sensor continues for a predetermined time to output a signal for which the threshold changing pattern setting means sets the predetermined threshold changing pattern to the another changing pattern, and further wherein the predetermined time is based on a difference between the one changing pattern and the another changing pattern.

An activation control method for an airbag apparatus including a first sensor that is disposed at a predetermined position in a vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on a vehicle, activation control means for activating the airbag apparatus if a parameter based on the signal outputted by the first sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, and a second sensor that is disposed forward of the predetermined position of the first sensor within the vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• setting one changing pattern of the at least three changing patterns as the predetermined threshold changing pattern based on the signal outputted by the second sensor;
• and
• if the one changing pattern of the at least three changing patterns has been set as the predetermined threshold changing pattern, switching the predetermined threshold changing pattern to another changing pattern of the at least three changing patterns, wherein the threshold changing pattern switching means switches to the another changing pattern after the second sensor continues for a predetermined time to output a signal for which the threshold changing pattern setting means sets the predetermined threshold changing pattern to the another changing pattern, and further wherein the predetermined time is based on a difference between the one changing pattern and the another changing pattern.

An activation control apparatus of an airbag apparatus, comprising:

• a first sensor that is disposed at a predetermined position in a vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on a vehicle;
• an activation control means for activating the airbag apparatus if a parameter based on the signal outputted by the first sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• a second sensor that is disposed forward of the predetermined position of the first sensor within the vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on the vehicle;
• wherein the controller sets one value of at least three values as the predetermined threshold based on the signal outputted by the second sensor, and
• if the one value of the at least three values has been set as the predetermined threshold, the controller switches the predetermined threshold to another value of the at least three values wherein the threshold switching means switches to the another value after the second sensor continues for a predetermined time to output a signal for which the threshold setting means sets the predetermined threshold to the another value, and further wherein the predetermined time is based on a difference between the one value and the another value.

An activation control apparatus of an airbag apparatus, comprising:

• a first sensor that is disposed at a predetermined position in a vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on a vehicle;
• an activation control means for activating the airbag apparatus if a parameter based on the signal outputted by the first sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• a second sensor that is disposed forward of the predetermined position of the first sensor within the vehicle body and that outputs a signal corresponding to an impact that occurs on the vehicle;
• wherein the controller sets one changing pattern of at least three changing patterns as the predetermined threshold changing pattern based on the signal outputted by the second sensor, and
• if the one changing pattern of the at least three changing patterns has been set as the predetermined threshold changing pattern, the controller switches the predetermined threshold changing pattern to another changing pattern of the at least three changing patterns, wherein the threshold changing pattern switching means switches to the another changing pattern after the second sensor continues for a predetermined time to output a signal for which the threshold changing pattern setting means sets the predetermined threshold changing pattern to the another changing pattern, and further wherein the predetermined time is based on a difference between the one changing pattern and the another changing pattern.