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US 6,587,048 B1Granted
Magnetic sensor
AssigneeAutomotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.
InventorTimothy J. Bomya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic sensor comprises at least one coil operatively coupled to a ferromagnetic element of a vehicle body, at least one oscillating signal operatively connected to the at least one coil, a circuit for sensing a measure responsive to a self-inductance of the at least one coil, and a circuit for discriminating a crash from the measure.
Claims19
A magnetic sensor, comprising:
- a. at least one coil operatively coupled to a ferromagnetic element of a vehicle body;
- b. at least one signal operatively connected to said at least one coil, wherein said at least one signal comprises an oscillating signal;
- c. a means for sensing a measure corresponding to a self-inductance of said at least one coil;
- and
- d. a means for discriminating a crash from said measure.
2 more elements
A method of sensing a vehicle crash, comprising:
- a. generating a first magnetic flux at a first location of a vehicle in a ferromagnetic element of a vehicle body with a coil, wherein said first magnetic flux is oscillating and said first magnetic flux is responsive to a crash of said vehicle;
- b. generating a signal corresponding to a self-inductance of said coil;
- and
- c. discriminating said vehicle crash responsive to said signal.
1 more element
A method of sensing a vehicle crash, comprising:
- a. generating a first magnetic flux at a first location of a vehicle in a ferromagnetic element of a vehicle body with at least one coil, wherein said first magnetic flux is oscillating said first magnetic flux is responsive to a crash of said vehicle, said first location comprises a plurality of distinct first locations and at least one coil comprises a plurality of said coils;
- b. generating a signal corresponding to a self-inductance of said at least one coil;
- c. discriminating said vehicle crash responsive to said signal;
- d. determining a measure of power applied to said at least one coil and determining a proximity of an object to said vehicle body from said measure of power;
- and
- e. determining a plurality of measures of power applied to a respective plurality of said plurality of coils and estimating a direction of said proximate object from said plurality of measures of power.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.