# US 7,744,123 B2 · Method and apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraining device using XY side satellite accelerometers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,123 B2 - Document ID: US7744123B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/416,675 - Filed: 2006-05-03 - Published: 2006-11-16 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-05-10 - Assignees: TRW Automotive U.S. LLC - Inventors: Chek-Peng Foo; Huahn-Fern Yeh; Carl A. Munch; Kevin Daniel Weiss - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744123B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/0132: responsive to vehicle motion parameters {, e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value} - B60R 21/01336: {using filtering} - B60R 2021/01115: {specific data frames} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An apparatus is provided for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system. A central crash accelerometer senses crash acceleration at a central vehicle location provides a first crash acceleration signal. A side-satellite accelerometer senses crash acceleration substantially parallel with a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and provides a signal indicative thereof. A controller actuates the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the central crash acceleration signal and the side-satellite signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system comprising: a central crash accelerometer sensing crash acceleration at a central vehicle location and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; a side-satellite accelerometer sensing crash acceleration substantially parallel with a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and for providing a side-satellite signal indicative thereof; and a controller actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the central crash acceleration signal and the side-satellite signal, wherein said controller determines a crash velocity value from said first crash acceleration signal and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value when said side-satellite signal is at a first value and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value when said side-satellite signal is at a second value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller further determines a crash displacement value from said first crash acceleration signal and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement when said side-satellite signal as a function of the crash displacement value is at a first value and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement value when said signal from said side-satellite as a function of crash displacement value is at a second value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vehicle actuatable restraining system is a multistage occupant restraining device and said controller adjusts deployment criteria of actuation of a first stage of said multistage occupant restraining device in response to said side-satellite signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer is mounted in a vehicle side pillar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer measures longitudinal acceleration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer measures longitudinal and lateral acceleration. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system comprising: a central crash accelerometer sensing crash acceleration at a central vehicle location and providing a first crash acceleration signal indicative thereof; a XY side-satellite accelerometer mounted in a side structure of the vehicle for sensing crash accelerations and for providing XY side-satellite signals indicative thereof; and a controller actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the central crash acceleration signal and the XY side-satellite signals, wherein said controller determines a crash velocity value from said first crash acceleration signal and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value when at least one of said XY side-satellite signals is at a first value and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value when at least one of said XY side-satellite signals is at a second value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said controller further determines a crash displacement value from said first crash acceleration signal and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement value when at least one of said XY side-satellite signals is at a first value as a function of said crash displacement value and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement when at least one of said XY side-satellite signals as a function of crash displacement is at a second value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said vehicle actuatable restraining system is a multistage occupant restraining device and said controller adjusts deployment criteria of actuation of a first stage of said multistage occupant restraining device in response to said side-satellite accelerometer signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer is mounted in a vehicle side pillar. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for controlling an actuatable occupant restraining system of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a first sensor located at a central vehicle location for sensing crash acceleration of the vehicle in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and providing first signals indicative thereof; a second sensor located remote from the first sensor and adjacent a side of the vehicle, the second sensor configured to sense crash acceleration in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and to provide second signals indicative thereof; and a controller for actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system in response to the first and second signals, wherein said controller determines a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value from said first signal and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value as a function of crash displacement when said signal from second sensor as a function of crash displacement is at a first value and actuates said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value when said signal from said second sensor as a function of crash displacement is at a second value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said vehicle actuatable restraining system is a multistage occupant restraining device and said controller adjusts deployment criteria of actuation of a first stage of said multistage occupant restraining device in response to said second signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer is mounted in a vehicle side pillar. ### Claim 14 A method for controlling actuation of an actuatable occupant restraining system of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: sensing crash acceleration in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at a central vehicle location and providing first signals indicative thereof; sensing crash acceleration in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle at a location remote from the central vehicle location and adjacent a side of the vehicle and providing second signals indicative thereof; determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value from said first crash acceleration signal; and actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value when said second signal at a first value and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value when said second signal is at a second value. ### Claim 15 A method for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system comprising the steps of: sensing forward crash acceleration at a central vehicle location; sensing forward crash acceleration at a side location of the vehicle; determining a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value from said sensed acceleration at the central location; and actuating the actuatable occupant restraining system as a first function of said crash velocity value when said signal from the side location is at a first value and actuating said actuatable occupant restraining system as a second function of said crash velocity value when said signal from the side location is at a second value.