Method and apparatus for sensing a vehicle crash condition using velocity enhanced acceleration crash metrics

摘要

An apparatus for sensing a vehicle crash condition includes an accelerometer (20) for sensing a vehicle crash condition and for providing a signal having a characteristic indicative of the vehicle crash condition. A crash velocity determining circuit (74) determines a crash velocity value (78) from the accelerometer. Crash metric determining circuits (80, 82, 94, 96, 104, 108) determine crash metric values functionally related to acceleration. Threshold determining circuits (88, 98, 112) determining associated threshold values functionally related to the determined crash velocity value (78). Comparators (90, 100, 116) compare the determined crash metric values against associated threshold values. A controller (34) provides a control signal to control actuation of a restraining device in response to the comparison. A shape monitoring circuit (120) determines if the shape of the acceleration signal matches a predetermined shape. If the shape matches, the controller provides the control signal.