Apparatus and method employing multiple crash evaluation algorithms and evaluation expertise for actuating a restraint system in a passenger vehicle

摘要

Apparatus and method are presented for actuating a passenger restraint system in a passenger vehicle. A sensor senses vehicle deceleration and provides a deceleration signal having a value that varies in accordance with deceleration. A plurality of crash evaluation circuits each respond to the deceleration signal for evaluating the deceleration signal in accordance with respectively different crash evaluation algorithms. Each evaluation circuit provides a FIRE vote signal when its evaluation of the deceleration signal indicates that the restraint system should be actuated. A crash evaluation expertise circuit is associated with all but one of the plurality of crash evaluation circuits. Each expertise circuit has an expert output circuit for providing an expert signal when the expertise circuit determines that its associated evaluation circuit is an expert in evaluating the type of crash condition represented by the deceleration signal. The FIRE vote signals and the expert signals are summed to provide a summation signal having a value dependent on the sum of the signals. The restraint systems is actuated when the value of the summation signal exceeds a threshold level.