Activation control apparatus and method of air bag system

An activation control apparatus of an air bag system of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a first sensor that is disposed at a predetermined position within a vehicle body, and is operable to generate an output signal indicative of an impact applied to the vehicle;
• an activation control means for activating an air bag device when a parameter determined based on the output signal of the first sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold pattern;
• a second sensor that is disposed in the vehicle body frontwardly of the predetermined position of the first sensor, and is operable to generate an output signal indicative of an impact applied to the vehicle;
• threshold pattern setting means for setting the predetermined threshold pattern to a first pattern selected from at least three candidate patterns, based on the output signal of the second sensor;
• and
• threshold pattern switching means for changing the predetermined threshold pattern from the first pattern to a second pattern also selected from the at least three candidate patterns, by performing two or more switching operations to switch the predetermined threshold pattern step by step at predetermined time intervals when at least one of the at least three candidate patterns is present between the first pattern and the second pattern.

A method of controlling activation of an air bag device in an air bag system of a motor vehicle, the air bag system including a first sensor that is disposed at a predetermined position within a vehicle body, and is operable to generate an output signal indicative of an impact applied to the vehicle, and a second sensor that is disposed in the vehicle body frontwardly of the predetermined position of the first sensor, and is operable to generate an output signal indicative of an impact applied to the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• activating the air bag device when a parameter determined based on the output signal of the first sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
• setting the predetermined threshold value to a first value selected from at least three candidate values, based on the output signal of the second sensor;
• and
• changing the predetermined threshold value from the first value to a second value also selected from the at least three candidate values, by performing two or more switching operations to switch the predetermined threshold value step by step at predetermined time intervals when at least one of the at least three candidate values is present between the first value and the second value.

A method of controlling activation of an air bag device in an air bag system of a motor vehicle, the air bag system including a first sensor that is disposed at a predetermined position within a vehicle body, and is operable to generate an output signal indicative of an impact applied to the vehicle, and a second sensor that is disposed in the vehicle body frontwardly of the predetermined position of the first sensor, and is operable to generate an output signal indicative of an impact applied to the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• activating the air bag device when a parameter determined based on the output signal of the first sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold pattern;
• setting the predetermined threshold pattern to a first pattern selected from at least three candidate patterns, based on the output signal of the second sensor;
• and
• changing the predetermined threshold pattern from the first pattern to a second pattern also selected from the at least three candidate patterns, by performing two or more switching operations to switch the predetermined threshold pattern step by step at predetermined time intervals when at least one of the at least three candidate patterns is present between the first pattern and the second pattern.