A method for detecting scratches and bumps applied to a vehicle uses an acceleration sensor. Signals of the sensor are analyzed and evaluated based on duration and frequency.

A safety system in a vehicle may be activated by receiving information indicating a physical change, such as a pressure, of an interval cavity associated with a tire or tire guard. The safety system may be activated based at least in part on the physical change (e.g. an increase in a pressure by at least a threshold amount, an increase of a pressure to a threshold pressure, or a rate of change of a pressure), in addition to other, external, information.

A method of controlling an airbag inflator, may include determining, when an occupant is accommodated on a seat, whether the weight of the occupant is in which of first to fourth weight ranges sequentially allocated by a controller, performing a first logic for operating an inflator at the lowest one of three intensities by the controller when it is determined that the weight of the occupant is in the lightest first weight range, and performing a second logic for operating the inflator at the intermediate intensity or a third logic for operating the inflator at the highest intensity by the controller, according to conditions such as a position of a seat, a state of operation of a recliner, a collision condition, a collision pulse, and wearing of a belt, when it is determined that the weight of the occupant is in the third or fourth weight range.

A method for detecting a collision of a vehicle, using a measuring device rigidly connected to the vehicle, including the following features: in each instance, an acceleration of the measuring device with regard to a plurality of device coordinate axes specific to the measuring device is measured; in each instance, an installation position angle of the measuring device with respect to a plurality of vehicle coordinate axes specific to the vehicle is calculated and/or measured and/or programmed from outside; with the aid of the installation position angles, a vehicle acceleration along the vehicle coordinate axes is ascertained, and an evaluation of the accelerations is undertaken; and the degree of determination of the installation position is ascertained by the device and taken into consideration for weighting the accelerations. the collision is detected in light of the evaluation of the vehicle acceleration.

A method, a device and a computer program for activating a secondary function of an occupant protection system, a vertical acceleration and a lateral acceleration being detected and evaluated and an instantaneous position of the vehicle being determined based on the vertical acceleration and the first lateral acceleration. In the process, a lifting-off of the vehicle and/or an impact of the vehicle on its wheels is detected. A secondary function is activated if an impact of the vehicle on its roof and/or if an impact of the vehicle on one side or an impact of the vehicle on its wheels is detected.

An accident determination device which determines whether an accident has occurred in a moving object based on an impact having occurred in said moving object, comprising: an impact detecting unit that detects an impact having occurred in said moving object; an accident determining unit that compares impact value of the impact detected by said impact detecting unit with a determination threshold so as to determine whether an accident has occurred in said moving object; and a threshold setting unit that sets said determination threshold according to an area attribute of the area where said moving object is located.

According to one aspect, a vehicle safety system includes an actuatable controlled restraint (ACR) comprising a seatbelt for restraining a vehicle occupant. The ACR is actuatable to control payout and retraction of the seatbelt. The system also includes a controller configured to determine operating conditions of the vehicle and to control the actuation of the ACR in response to the determined operating conditions of the vehicle. The ACR has a normal restraint condition and an enhanced restraint condition, the controller being configured to actuate the ACR from the normal restraint condition to the enhanced restraint condition in response to determining abnormal driving conditions of the vehicle.

A method for detecting scratches and bumps applied to a vehicle uses an acceleration sensor. Signals of the sensor are analyzed and evaluated based on amplitude and frequency. Relationships between the amplitudes and frequencies provide a basis to classify a vehicle contact event as a bump or a scratch.

A collision detection system has one or more sensors for determining an instantaneous velocity of a vehicle. A computer is interfaced to the one or more sensors. The computer obtains the instantaneous velocity of the vehicle from the one or more sensors. The computer is operatively configured to execute software that operates the computer to iteratively calculate an acceleration of the vehicle as a rate of change of the instantaneous velocity over a period of time. The software declares a collision when the acceleration is greater than a predetermined value (e.g. 1.1 g) or the acceleration is less than a predetermined negative value (e.g. 1.1 g). In another embodiment, the microprocessor declares a collision when the acceleration/deceleration or the turning angle or the turning radius values exceed factory setting for the vehicle. The software determines the severity of collision based on the magnitude of deviation from the predetermined values.

A vehicle turn-over determination apparatus includes a turn-over sensor, a memory, a determination processor, and a road-surface detector. The turn-over sensor detects a value of a turn-over angle or a turn-over velocity of a vehicle. The determination processor performs the determination of the turn-over of the vehicle on the basis of the value detected by the turn-over sensor and the determination-threshold information held in the memory. The road-surface detector detects a road surface that is present in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The determination processor varies the determination-threshold information acquired from the memory in accordance with an inclination of the road surface detected by the road-surface detector, and thereby generates adjusted-threshold information adjusted in accordance with the inclination of the road surface. The determination processor compares the adjusted-threshold information and the detected value with each other, and thereby perform the determination of the turn-over of the vehicle.