Method and apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraining device using XY side satellite accelerometers

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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer is mounted in a vehicle side pillar.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer measures longitudinal acceleration.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer measures longitudinal and lateral acceleration.

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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer is mounted in a vehicle side pillar.

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.

12. 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.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said side-satellite accelerometer is mounted in a vehicle side pillar.

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.

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.