KR19980038807A - Air bag system with auxiliary ECU - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an airbag system of a vehicle, and in particular, the control means for determining whether the airbag is driven by receiving information necessary for airbag deployment and outputting a control signal, and storing the control algorithm of the control means, And an auxiliary ECU comprising a storage means and a means for outputting a driving signal from the control means to the control, and at the time of operating the air bag due to disconnection caused by an impact or damage to the air bag electronic control unit (ECU). In order to prevent the driving signal from being outputted or delayed, the airbag driving signal is generated and outputted in the main / secondary airbag ECU to increase the reliability of the airbag system.

Description

Air bag system with auxiliary ECU

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag system of an automobile. Specifically, a driving signal may not be output or delayed at a time point when an airbag is to be operated due to a disconnection caused by an impact or damage to an airbag electronic control unit (ECU). The present invention relates to an airbag system having an auxiliary ECU having a minimum function required to collect information necessary for airbag operation and to generate and output only an airbag driving signal in order to prevent the output.

The airbag system detects the impact (deceleration) during a collision with a sensor installed in the vehicle body and inputs it to the microprocessor to determine whether the airbag needs to be deployed according to the intensity of the impact. If deployment is required, an electrical signal is sent to an inflater installed in the steering wheel to burn the gas generating agent to inflate the airbag to protect the passenger's head and chest and to the steering wheel or windshield. Prevent secondary collisions.

1 is a block diagram of a general air bag system, a fault warning lamp 10 for informing a driver of an air bag system abnormality, and an abnormality of the entire air bag system is always monitored and the result is displayed in a microprocessor 30. A diagnostic unit 20 for transmitting a vehicle), an EPROM 40 storing a program for controlling the entire airbag system, a G sensor unit 50 for detecting deceleration, and a vehicle front collision A power sensor (safing sensor 60) that responds only to the deceleration of the power, and a power driver that instantaneously flows current to the squib (81) when a signal is applied from the microprocessor 30 and the separating sensor (60) driver: 70) and a squib 81 for inflating the air bag by activating the inflator 80 by igniting the gunpowder when the current flows to ignite the gunpowder and inflating the air bag. It consists of a condenser and a DC / DC converter is opened when the electrical wiring and the air collide when the back-ECU power supply is cut off by supplying power squib 81 back up power source 90 for supplying a current to the ignition; By using the signal input from the diagnosis unit 20 to determine whether there is a failure to control the failure warning lamp 10 and to determine whether or not the driving of the power driver 70 as a signal input from the G sensor unit 50 And a microprocessor 30 for overall control of the airbag system. 2 is a detailed structural diagram of the inflator 80.

In such an airbag system, when the vehicle collides while driving, the deceleration (shock) detected by the G sensor unit 50 is transmitted to the microprocessor 30, and the microprocessor 30 is input from the G sensor unit 50. The signal is analyzed to determine whether to output a control signal for driving the power driver 70.

In addition, the separation sensor 60 outputs an on signal to the power driver 70 when the vehicle is driven in front of the vehicle.

When a control signal (on signal) is output from both the microprocessor 30 and the separating sensor 60, the power driver 70 outputs an ignition signal to the inflator 80 to instantaneously flow a current through the squib 81. Nitrogen gas is generated to inflate the airbag to protect the passenger's head and chest.

These airbags are very short, ranging from about 0.1 to 0.15 seconds, from crash to crash completion, and may result in fatal injury if the operating time is delayed or if the crash does not work.

Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the airbag driving signal from being generated or delayed due to disconnection due to an impact or damage to the airbag ECU.

The object of the present invention proposed by the above needs is that the airbag drive signal is not generated or the output of the drive signal is delayed at the time when the airbag should be operated due to the breakage caused by the impact or damage to the airbag ECU. It is to provide an air bag system having an auxiliary ECU for preventing.

To this end, the present invention provides a control means for receiving the information necessary to deploy the air bag to determine whether to drive the air bag and outputs a control signal, and a storage means for storing the control algorithm of the control means; It characterized in that it further comprises an auxiliary ECU consisting of means for outputting a drive signal from the control means to the control.

1 is a block diagram of a general air bag system

2 is a detailed structural diagram of a general air bag inflator

3 is a block diagram of an airbag system having an auxiliary ECU of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

10: failure warning lamp 20: diagnostic unit

30,120: Microprocessor 40,110: EPROM

50: G sensor unit 60: Seping sensor

70130: Power Driver 80: Inflator

81: Squib 82: Enhancer

83 gas generator 84 filter

90: backup power supply unit 100: auxiliary ECU

G1: OR gate G2: AND gate

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, a failure warning lamp 10 for informing the driver of an abnormality of the airbag system and an abnormality of the entire airbag system are always monitored and the results are transmitted to the microprocessor 30. A diagnosis unit 20, an EPROM 40 in which a program for controlling the entire airbag system is stored, and a G sensor unit 50 for detecting a deceleration; A driving sensor 60 which responds only to the deceleration during the front vehicle collision, and a power driver 70 which also outputs an on signal when a control signal (on signal) is input from the microprocessor 30; When the current flows, the heater generates heat and ignites the gunpowder to operate the inflator 80 to generate a large amount of nitrogen gas in an instant to inflate the air bag, and a large-capacity condenser and DC / DC converter. When the power supply is cut off when the electric wire is disconnected in the event of a collision, the backup power supply unit 90 for supplying the ignition current to the squib 81 by supplying power and the signal input from the diagnosis unit 20 are supplied. Microprocessor for controlling overall airbag system such as controlling the failure warning lamp 10 by determining whether there is a failure and determining whether to drive the power driver 70 as a signal input from the G sensor unit 50. In the airbag system including the 30, the G-sensing part 50 receives the information necessary for the airbag deployment to determine whether to drive the airbag A microprocessor 120 for outputting a call, an EPROM 110 storing a control algorithm of the microprocessor 120, and a power driver 130 for outputting an airbag driving signal under control of the microprocessor 120; And the OR gate G1 for ORing the auxiliary ECU 100 and the outputs of the power drivers 70 and 130, and for outputting the OR gate G1 to the OR gate G1. And an AND gate G2 output to the squib 81.

The operation of the double triggering airbag system of the present invention having such a configuration will be described.

When the vehicle collides while driving, the deceleration (shock) detected by the G sensor unit 50 is transmitted to the microprocessor 30 and 120. The microprocessor 30 and 120 analyze the signal input from the G sensor unit 50 to determine whether to output a control signal to the power driver 70.

The G sensor unit 50 is composed of a center G sensor and a front G sensor (one on each side), and the center G sensor is usually installed on the floor panel of the front center of the vehicle interior to detect deceleration due to impact. The front G sensor detects the deceleration generated at the low speed collision and outputs the deceleration to the microprocessor 30 and 120.

The microprocessors 30 and 120 operate on the deceleration waveform input from the G sensor unit 50 so that the power driver 70 or 130 sends an airbag driving signal at a necessary timing when the airbag needs to be deployed. Outputs the on signal.

As an example of the determination logic in which the microprocessors 30 and 120 output an ON signal to the power driver 70 and 130, the deceleration is accumulated in a constant value and the cumulative deceleration is exceeded. When the speed reaches a certain value, the power driver 70 or 130 outputs a control signal so as to send a driving signal.

The power drive 70, 130 receives a control signal (on signal) from the microprocessor 30, 120, and outputs a driving signal, and the output thereof is logically output from the OR gate G1.

However, a firing signal is output to the squib 81 of the inflator 80. In addition to the driving signals of the power drivers 70 and 130, a control signal input from the separating sensor 60, that is, the ON signal of the separating sensor 60, is required. Shall be.

The separating sensor 60 is a mechanical acceleration sensor that always outputs an on signal when an off state or deceleration is applied, and responds only to the deceleration at the time of the vehicle front starting.

This is not a collision unless the center G sensor or the front G sensor detects a deceleration enough to output a drive signal to the power driver 70, 130 for any cause other than the collision. It is determined that the ignition signal is not given to the inflator 80, thus preventing the air bag from being operated unnecessarily.

On the other hand, when the control signal (on signal) is output from both the output of the OR gate G1 and the separating sensor 60, the output of the AND gate G2 becomes a firing signal and is output to the inflator 80.

The output ignition signal causes current to flow instantaneously in the squib 81 in the inflator 80. Squib 81 is a structure in which a small amount of gunpowder is contained around the electric heater wire, when the current flows instantaneously, the heater generates heat to ignite the gunpowder. This becomes an ember and is ignited by an enhancer 82 to generate a large amount of nitrogen gas instantaneously by burning a gas generating agent (mainly a mixture 83 such as sodium azide and molybdenum dioxide).

The generated nitrogen gas is cooled through the filter 84 and enters the air bag. Therefore, the air bag breaks the opening of the pad installed in the steering wheel and expands to the outside to protect the passenger's head and chest.

As a result, the drive signal from the separating sensor 60 whether the drive signal is output through the microprocessor 30 and the power driver 70 or through the microprocessor 120 and the power driver 130 of the auxiliary ECU 100. The air bag that is input is to be deployed.

On the other hand, when the power supply to the airbag system is cut off, the backup power supply unit 90 supplies power to the means necessary for outputting the driving signal of the airbag (including the auxiliary ECU 100) to supply ignition current to the squib 81. The diagnostic unit 20 diagnoses whether the air bag system is normal and transmits the result to the microprocessor 30, and the microprocessor 30 judges at the output of the diagnostic unit 20 to warn of failure. The lamp 10 is turned on to inform the driver that the airbag system is in an abnormal state.

As described above, the present invention has an auxiliary ECU having a minimum function necessary to collect information necessary for airbag operation and generate and output only an airbag driving signal in the airbag system, thereby causing disconnection due to shock and damage to the airbag ECU. It is possible to prevent the driving signal from being outputted or delayed when the airbag needs to be operated due to noise or delay of the signal, thereby improving reliability of the airbag system.

The present invention has been described only with respect to one embodiment of an airbag system with an auxiliary ECU as described in the claims, but is not limited to this and those skilled in the art will be able to various applications and modifications.

Claims (2)

Fault warning lamp 10 indicating abnormality of the airbag system, diagnostic unit 20 for always monitoring the abnormality of the entire airbag system and transmitting the result to the microprocessor 30, and the airbag system as a whole. An EPROM 40 in which a program for controlling the data is stored; When the control signal (on signal) is input from the G-sensor unit 50 for detecting the deceleration, the sensor 60 for responding only to the deceleration at the time of a vehicle front collision, and the microprocessor 30, the signal is also output. And a squib 81 for inflating the airbag by activating the inflator 80 to generate a large amount of nitrogen gas by instantaneously heating the power and igniting the gunpowder when current flows. The backup power supply unit 90, which supplies an ignition current to the squib 81 by supplying power when the power supply to the airbag ECU is interrupted due to disconnection of electrical wiring or the like in the event of a collision due to a condenser and a DC / DC converter, and a diagnostic unit. The airbag for controlling the failure warning lamp 10 by determining whether there is a failure using a signal input from the 20 and determining whether the power driver 70 is driven as a signal input from the G sensor unit 50. city In the airbag system including a microprocessor (30) for controlling the overall system, the auxiliary ECU (100) having the minimum function required to generate and output only the airbag driving signal by receiving information necessary for airbag operation. ), An OR gate G1 that ORs the outputs of the power drivers 70 and 130, and outputs the OR gate G1 and an OR gate G1 that ORs the output of the separator sensor 60 and the OR gate G1. And an AND gate (G2) to be output to the airbag system having an auxiliary ECU, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary ECU (100) comprises a microprocessor (120) for receiving the information necessary for the air bag deployment from the G sensor unit 50 to determine whether to drive the air bag to output a drive signal; An EPROM (110) storing a control algorithm of the microprocessor (120); Air bag system having an auxiliary ECU, characterized in that consisting of a power driver (130) for outputting an air bag driving signal under the control of the microprocessor (120).