Restraint monitoring system for a vehicle

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a rail assembly:

a rail-mounted component having one or more restraints, wherein the rail-mounted component is received by the rail assembly such that the rail-mounted component is slidably coupled with the rail assembly; and

a restraint monitoring system, the restraint monitoring system comprising:

a restraint control module;

a vehicle interface module, the vehicle interface module comprising a vehicle interface module microcontroller that communicates data signals between the rail-mounted component and the vehicle, wherein the data signals communicated between the rail-mounted component and the vehicle are at least one signal chosen from a rail-mounted component position within the vehicle, an inventory of monitored components provided on the rail-mounted component, and a status of the monitored components provided on the rail-mounted component; and

a rail-mounted component control module, wherein the rail-mounted component control module comprises a restraint deployment loop and a restraint diagnostic loop; and

a high-speed communication network embedded within the rail assembly, wherein the high-speed communication network is dedicated to communications between the restraint control module and the rail-mounted component control module, and wherein the high-speed communication network is isolated from other communication networks within the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle interface module comprises a regulator module.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the regulator module is coupled to a vehicle-mounted power supply and the rail assembly of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the regulator module limits at least one of a voltage and a current that is supplied to the rail assembly by the vehicle-mounted power supply.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed communication network is a high-speed CAN bus.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the restraint control module communicates a restraint deployment signal directly to the rail assembly.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the restraint deployment signal is transmitted from the rail assembly to the rail-mounted component control module by way of the high-speed communication network.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the restraint deployment signal is received by a rail-mounted component control module microcontroller located on the rail-mounted component.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the rail-mounted component control module microcontroller references an occupancy sensor to determine if the rail-mounted component is occupied.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein upon determination by the rail-mounted component control module microcontroller that the rail-mounted component is occupied and the restraint deployment signal has been received, the rail-mounted component control module microcontroller communicates the restraint deployment signal to the one or more restraints.

11. A vehicle, comprising:

a rail-mounted component having one or more restraints;

a rail assembly that receives the rail-mounted component such that the rail-mounted component is slidably coupled with the rail assembly;

a high-speed communication network; and

a restraint monitoring system, the restraint monitoring system comprising:

a restraint control module; and

a rail-mounted component control module, wherein the rail-mounted component control module comprises a restraint deployment loop and a restraint diagnostic loop, wherein the high-speed communication network is dedicated to communications between the restraint control module and the rail-mounted component control module, wherein the high-speed communication network is isolated from other communication networks within the vehicle, wherein the restraint control module communicates a restraint deployment signal directly to the rail assembly, wherein the restraint deployment signal is transmitted from the rail assembly to the rail-mounted component control module by way of the high-speed communication network, wherein the restraint deployment signal is received by a rail-mounted component control module microcontroller located on the rail-mounted component, wherein the rail-mounted component control module microcontroller references an occupancy sensor to determine if the rail-mounted component is occupied, wherein upon determination by the rail-mounted component control module microcontroller that the rail-mounted component is occupied and the restraint deployment signal has been received, the rail-mounted component control module microcontroller communicates the restraint deployment signal to the one or more restraints.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the high-speed communication network is embedded within the rail assembly.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising:

a vehicle interface module.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle interface module comprises:

a vehicle interface module microcontroller that communicates data signals between the rail-mounted component and the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the data signals communicated between the rail-mounted component and the vehicle are at least one signal chosen from a rail-mounted component position within the vehicle, an inventory of monitored components provided on the rail-mounted component, and a status of the monitored components provided on the rail-mounted component.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle interface module comprises a regulator module.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the regulator module is coupled to a vehicle-mounted power supply and the rail assembly.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the regulator module limits at least one of a voltage and a current that is supplied to the rail assembly by the vehicle-mounted power supply.

19. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the high-speed communication network is a high-speed CAN bus.