Vehicle seat restraint control module discovery and control on a communication bus

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the discovery and control of a vehicle seat restraint device control module on a communication bus. A vehicle seat control module is configured to selectively actuate the seat restraint device. A module is configured to: receive a unique identifier from the control module via a request message on the communication bus in response to the control module receiving power and connecting to the communication bus; determine whether the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory; when the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory, send an acknowledgment message including the unique identifier and the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier; and when the unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in memory: associate a unique bus identifier not yet in memory with the unique identifier in memory; and send an acknowledgment message including the unique identifier and the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to vehicle restraint device control systems and methods, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling restraint devices of vehicles having variable seat configurations, positions and / or orientations. Background Technology

[0002] The background description provided herein is intended to give a general overview of the context of this disclosure. The work of the currently nominated inventors—to the extent described in this background section—and some aspects that may not be suitable as prior art at the time of filing for other reasons, are neither expressly nor implicitly acknowledged as prior art to this disclosure.

[0003] Vehicles include occupant restraint devices configured to restrain vehicle occupants (e.g., in the event of a vehicle collision). One type of restraint device is the seatbelt. In some cases, such as in response to the detection of a collision, a seatbelt pretensioner can be actuated to tighten the seatbelt.

[0004] Another type of restraint device is the airbag. Vehicles may include many different types of airbags. In some cases, such as in response to the detection of a collision, an inflator may be actuated (e.g., ignited) to inflate the airbag. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect, a vehicle restraint control system includes: a communication bus; a control module for a vehicle seat configured to selectively actuate the restraints of the seat; and a module configured to: receive a unique identifier from the control module of the seat via a request message on the communication bus; determine whether the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory; when the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the module's memory, transmit an acknowledgment message on the communication bus including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier; and when the unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in memory: associate a unique bus identifier not yet in memory with the unique identifier in memory; and transmit an acknowledgment message on the communication bus including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier.

[0006] Among the further features, the unique identifier is the serial number.

[0007] In a further feature: the module is configured to authenticate communication with the seat's control module; and the seat's control module is configured to authenticate communication with the module.

[0008] In a further feature, the seat control module is configured to: receive (a) a unique identifier and (b) a bus identifier associated with the unique identifier from the bus; determine whether the unique identifier received from the communication bus is the same as the unique identifier; store the bus identifier in a second memory of the control module; and set the communication bus identifier based on the seat's bus identifier.

[0009] In a further feature, the seat's control module is configured to force a reset of itself before setting the communication bus identifier.

[0010] In further features: the module’s memory is reset protected random access memory (RPRAM); and the control module’s second memory is RPRAM.

[0011] In a further feature, the control module is configured to periodically output a communication bus identifier to the communication bus.

[0012] In a further feature, the control module is configured to ignore messages on the communication bus that have a unique identifier that is different from the unique identifier.

[0013] In a further feature: the second control module of the vehicle's second seat is configured to selectively actuate the second restraint device of the second seat, wherein the module is also configured to: receive a second unique identifier from the second control module of the second seat via a second request message on the communication bus; determine whether the second unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory; when the second unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the memory of the second module, send a second confirmation message on the communication bus including (a) the second unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the second unique identifier; and when the second unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in memory: associate the second unique bus identifier that is not yet in memory with the second unique identifier in memory; and send a second confirmation message on the communication bus including (a) the second unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the second unique identifier.

[0014] In a further feature, in response to the vehicle switching from off to on, no bus identifier is associated with a unique identifier in memory.

[0015] In a further feature, the seats are configured to engage pairs of rails on the floor of the vehicle’s passenger compartment, the pairs of rails being arranged parallel to the vehicle’s longitudinal axis, and the pairs of rails being configured to engage two or more seats on each pair of rails.

[0016] In a further feature, the restraint device control module is configured to respond to the detection of a vehicle collision by setting an indicator of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) code for the collision and broadcasting the ISO code indicator to the communication bus.

[0017] In a further feature, the seat control module is configured to: receive an indicator of ISO code via a communication bus; select which restraints of the seat to actuate based on the seat's position and the ISO code indicator; actuate the selected restraints of the seat; and not actuate the non-selected restraints of the seat.

[0018] In further features, the ISO code is determined by the vertical row, the latitudinal position, and the constraint device.

[0019] In a further feature, the module is also configured to: determine the position of the seat within the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and transmit the seat position to the seat via a communication bus.

[0020] In a further feature, the module is also configured to determine whether one of the seats is compatible based on the unique identifier of one of the seats.

[0021] In a further feature: the seat control module is also configured to send the seat type to the module via a communication bus; and the module is also configured to determine whether one of the seats is compatible based on the seat type.

[0022] In a further feature: the seat control module is also configured to send the seat manufacturer to the module via a communication bus; and the module is also configured to determine whether the seat is compatible based on the seat manufacturer.

[0023] In a further feature, only request messages from the control module can occupy the communication bus at any given time.

[0024] In one aspect, a method for controlling a restraint device of a vehicle includes: selectively actuating a restraint device of a seat by a control module of the vehicle's seat; and receiving a unique identifier from the control module of the seat via a request message on the communication bus by a module separate from the control module, in response to the control module receiving power and being connected to a communication bus; determining whether the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory; when the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the module's memory, sending an acknowledgment message on the communication bus including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier; and when the unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in memory: associating a unique bus identifier not yet in memory with the unique identifier in memory; and sending an acknowledgment message on the communication bus including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier.

[0025] The further applicability of this disclosure will become clear from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0026] This disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a top view of the example vehicle; Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of a part of the seat; Figure 3 This is another top view of the vehicle; Figure 4 This is a functional block diagram of the example part of the vehicle; Figure 5 This is a flowchart depicting an example method for actuating a control constraint device; Figure 6 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a right-side collision. Figure 7 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a right-side collision. Figure 8 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a right-side collision. Figure 9 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and offset frontal collision; Figure 10 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a rear-side collision; Figure 11 Example cross-sectional views including the track and the gears engaging with the teeth in the track; Figure 12Includes example tables of actuation indicators (Y / N) for each restraint device (R1-RM) for different seat occupants, collision direction / location, seat orientation, and seat position; Figure 13 It is a cross-sectional view including the base of the first pair of rails and the seat; Figure 14 Includes a functional block diagram of an example communication system for vehicles; Figure 15 Includes flowcharts depicting example methods for seat discovery and bus identifier assignment; Figure 16 Includes a flowchart depicting an example method for actuating the restraints of a control seat; Figure 17 Includes a functional block diagram of an example communication system prior to the discovery process; and Figure 18 Functional block diagrams of an example communication system following the discovery process; In the accompanying drawings, labels may be reused to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The vehicle restraint devices can be activated in response to the detection of a collision between the vehicle and another object. For example, airbags and seat pretensioners can be activated in response to the detection of a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0028] However, some vehicles may include variable seating configurations. For example, seats may be linearly movable forward and backward along parallel tracks within the vehicle's passenger compartment. Furthermore, vehicle seats may be removable from or added to the vehicle. Additionally, vehicle seats may be positioned (e.g., rotatable) in two or more different directions (e.g., rotational orientation), such as the vehicle's forward direction, the vehicle's reverse direction, and angular rotational positions between forward and reverse.

[0029] This application relates to a restraint device control module that selects where and what type of restraint device to actuate. This can increase occupant protection in the event of a collision without unnecessarily actuating the restraint device when it is not needed, such as given seat position, occupant state, and / or seat orientation.

[0030] This application also relates to a restraint device control module that detects the seat so as to communicate via a communication bus.

[0031] Figure 1This is a top view of example vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 can be a vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine, an electric vehicle propelled by one or more electric motors but not by an internal combustion engine, a hybrid vehicle propelled by one or more electric motors and an internal combustion engine, or other suitable types of vehicles. Vehicle 100 can be an autonomous vehicle, a non-autonomous vehicle, or a semi-autonomous vehicle. Vehicle 100 can be a shared vehicle or a non-shared vehicle.

[0032] Vehicle 100 includes one or more propulsion devices, such as at least one of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, which generate propulsion torque for propelling vehicle 100. The forward and reverse directions of vehicle 100 are illustrated by arrows 104 and 106. In vehicles that do not have designated forward and rearward directions, forward and rearward (or reverse) directions may be interchanged and may be expressed relative to the vehicle's (e.g., current) motion.

[0033] Vehicle 100 includes a passenger compartment 108. One or more pairs of tracks are formed in the floor of the passenger compartment 108. For example, vehicle 100 includes a first pair of tracks 112, a second pair of tracks 116, and a third pair of tracks 120. Although an example of three pairs of tracks is provided, this application is also applicable to one pair of tracks, two pairs of tracks, and more than three pairs of tracks. The tracks of each pair of tracks are parallel. For example, the tracks of the first pair of tracks 112 are parallel. In various implementations, the pairs of tracks may be arranged parallel to the forward and reverse directions.

[0034] One or more seats 124 are coupled to pairs of tracks. Although Figure 1 The example number and arrangement of seats are shown, but this application is also applicable to other numbers and arrangements of seats. Seat 124 can be removed and decoupled from the tracks, so that the seat can be added to or removed from passenger compartment 108. For example, seat 124 may include latches that can be actuated to couple and decouple the seat from the tracks. In various implementations, other types of modular items (e.g., tables, workstations, etc.), such as item 126, can be coupled and decoupled from pairs of tracks. Another type of seat is bench seat 127, which includes a seat for more than one occupant. Bench seats can be coupled to different pairs of tracks. For example, bench seat 127 is coupled to one track of a first pair of tracks 112 and to one track of a third pair of tracks 120. For simplicity, bench seats, seats, workstations, charging stations, consoles, and other modular items that can be coupled to a pair of tracks may be referred to as seats.

[0035] The tracks may be parallel to the longitudinal axis of vehicle 100 and parallel to the longitudinal direction of vehicle 100. Seat 124 may move linearly along the tracks coupled thereto. Each seat 124 may include a motor configured to move its seat linearly along the pair of tracks to which it is coupled. For example, the tracks may include teeth, and the seat's motor may drive gears that engage with the teeth of the tracks to move the seat linearly. Seat 124 may also be positioned facing one, two, or more different directions. For example, seat 124 may be positioned facing direction 104 or direction 106. Seat 124 may also be positioned facing other directions between directions 104 and 106. Figure 11 An example cross-sectional view of a gear 1104 including a track 112 and a seat, wherein the gear 1104 engages with teeth 1108 in the track 112. An electric motor rotates the gear 1104 to move the seat forward or backward along the track 112. While an example gear and track system is provided, this application is also applicable to other types of gear systems, such as worm gears.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of a seat 124 (seat, bench seat, workstation, charging station, item, etc.). Each seat 124 may include the same modules and may include the same or different restraint devices.

[0037] Seat 124 includes one or more seat belts, such as seat belt 204, configured to fasten a passenger to seat 124. Seat 124 includes one or more pretensioners, such as pretensioner 208, which tighten the seat belts 204 when actuated by control module 212. Seat 124 may include one or more airbags 216, such as seat belt airbags, one or more seat side (e.g., curtain) airbags, hip airbags, occupant-to-occupant airbags, and / or one or more other suitable types of airbags. Seat 124 may also include one or more other restraint devices 220, such as one or more active headrests. Each seat is aware of which restraint devices it includes.

[0038] Control module 212 selectively actuates pretensioner 208, actuates one or more airbags 216, and (one or more) other restraint devices 220 (collectively, “restraint devices”). Control module 212 may actuate one or more restraint devices of seat 124 based on communications received via communication module 224.

[0039] The communication module 224 communicates with other modules of the vehicle, such as those discussed further below. In various implementations, the communication module 224 may be separate from the seat 124.

[0040] Seat 124 may include a radio frequency (RF) module 228. RF module 228 includes an RF receiver and may include an RF transmitter. In various implementations, RF module 228 may include an RF transceiver. RF module 228 receives RF signals via one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 232). RF module 228 may determine a signal strength index (value), such as a relative signal strength indicator (RSSI), based on the characteristics of the received RF signal. The signal strength index of the received RF signal and a unique identifier of the RF transmitter that transmitted the received signal may be communicated to one or more modules, such as those discussed further below.

[0041] Signal strength metrics of multiple RF signals received from multiple different RF transmitters can be used by the position module to determine the position of seat 124 within passenger compartment 108. Alternatively or additionally, the position of seat 124 can be determined based on one or more other types of data. For example, a position sensor (e.g., a variable reluctance or Hall effect sensor) can determine the linear position of seat 124 based on the rotation of gears driven by a motor of seat 124. For example, the position sensor can increment or decrement the linear position of seat 124 based on the rotation of one or more gears coupled to the seat's tracks. The position of seat 124 can be determined based on its linear position on that pair of tracks and predetermined position information of that pair of tracks. Alternatively or additionally, one or more cameras can be used to capture images of passenger compartment 108, and the position of seat 124 can be determined based on its position within one or more images, for example, using lookup tables and / or formulas. Alternatively or additionally, an encoder can be provided along each track, and the encoder output can be used to determine the position of the seat. The seat may also include a mass sensor that measures the mass present on the seat. The restraint device control module can determine whether the seat is occupied based on images captured by a camera (e.g., the seat includes an object with a human shape), mass measured by a mass sensor (e.g., mass greater than a predetermined mass), or other suitable methods. In various implementations, seatbelt fastening (or fastening status) can be detected using images from a camera, images from a seatbelt sensor, or other suitable methods. The restraint device control module can control the actuation of the airbag and / or restraint devices based on whether the seat is occupied and whether the seatbelt is fastened around the occupant.

[0042] Figure 3This is another top view of vehicle 100. Multiple RF modules 304 selectively transmit RF signals and their respective unique identifiers within the passenger compartment 108, for example, when prompted by the position module 308. The RF modules 304 may be located, for example, at the front, rear, left, or right sides of vehicle 100. The RF modules 304 transmit RF signals individually via one or more antennas.

[0043] The RF module of seat 124, such as RF module 228 ( Figure 2 The RF module of seat 124 receives RF energy and, based on the received signal, determines a signal strength index from RF module 304. The RF module of seat 124 communicates the signal strength index and a received unique identifier (e.g., a BUS identifier) ​​to position module 308. Position module 308 can determine the position of RF module 304 based on the unique identifier. Position module 308 can determine the (current) position of seat 124 within passenger compartment 108 based on the signal strength index and position of RF module 304, for example, using triangulation. While an example of four RF modules 304 is provided, this application is also applicable to three or more RF modules. For example, the distance to an RF module can increase as the signal strength index decreases, and vice versa. While an example of transmitting a signal strength index is provided, the RF module of seat 124 can transmit another suitable index of the received RF energy. This allows the use of normalized energy.

[0044] Alternatively or additionally, the position module 308 may determine the position of the seat 124 based on measurements from the position sensor of the seat 124. Alternatively or additionally, the position module 308 may determine the position of the seat 124 based on images of the passenger compartment 108 captured using one or more cameras 312. For example, the position module 308 may use an object detection algorithm to detect the seat 124 in the images captured by the cameras. For example, the position module 308 may determine the position of the seat 124 within the passenger compartment 108 based on the number of pixels occupied by the seat 124 in the image and the pixel position of the seat 124 in the image.

[0045] In various implementations, the position module 308 can set the seat position to a longitudinal position, such as a row (e.g., row 1, row 2, row 3, etc.) and a left-to-right (latitudinal) position (e.g., left, center, or right). The position module 308 can set the position to a row based on the seat's longitudinal position. The position module 308 can set the left-to-right position based on which pair of tracks the seat is on (e.g., first pair 112 = left, second pair 116 = center, third pair 120 = right). Seat positions allow for association between seat positions and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) codes. ISO codes identify each device for each position, such as by device, row, and vehicle side. One example ISO code is specific to the driver's side, second row, and pretensioners. Another example ISO code is specific to the passenger side, third row, and airbags.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a functional block diagram of an example portion of vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 includes one or more sensors 404 that indicate when a collision between vehicle 100 and an object occurs. Sensor 404 may be, for example, an accelerometer or other suitable type of collision sensor. In various implementations, vehicle 100 may include sensors configured to indicate when vehicle 100 experiences a frontal collision, sensors configured to indicate when vehicle 100 experiences a rearal collision, sensors configured to indicate when vehicle 100 experiences a left-side collision, and sensors configured to indicate when vehicle 100 experiences a right-side collision. Vehicle 100 may include one or more other sensors that indicate when one or more other collisions occur.

[0047] Vehicle 100 includes one or more airbags, such as a left-side airbag 412, a right-side airbag 416, a front airbag 420, and a rear airbag 424. While example airbags are shown, vehicle 100 may also include one or more other airbags, such as roof-mounted airbags. In various implementations, vehicle 100 may include multiple left-side airbags, multiple right-side airbags, and / or multiple front airbags. Vehicle 100 may also include one or more other restraint devices 428. While example airbags and restraint devices are provided, this application is also applicable to other arrangements of airbags and / or restraint devices. Additionally, one or more airbags and / or one or more restraint devices may be included for one seat, more than one seat, or each seat, as discussed above.

[0048] The restraint control module 408 and the position module 308 communicate with the seat 124 via a communication bus 410, such as a controller area network (CAN) bus or other suitable type of vehicle bus. The restraint control module 408 selectively transmits ISO codes regarding the position and the restraints to be actuated. As described above, the control module 212 of the seat 124 can selectively actuate one or more restraints of the seat 124 based on the ISO codes.

[0049] Upon a collision, the restraint control module 408 determines which ISO codes to issue for the collision and sends a message including an indicator for each ISO code to the seat 124 via bus 410. For example, the restraint control module 408 may set N ISO code indicators for a collision, where N is an integer greater than 1 (e.g., N=16). Each ISO code specifies a row (e.g., row 1, row 2, row 3, etc.), a side of the vehicle (e.g., left or right), and a restraint type (e.g., pretensioner, airbag, etc.). An example of an ISO code is left side, second row, pretensioner. The indicator for each ISO code can be, for example, a Boolean value, such as 0 indicating no actuation and 1 indicating actuation. Based on its position and orientation, the seat 124 determines which restraint device (if any) to actuate according to the ISO code indicator (e.g., the ISO code indicating actuation). The restraint control module 408 can use a lookup table to set indicators for ISO codes, which associates the collision direction, seat position, seat occupancy, and seat orientation with which restraints should be actuated and not actuated.

[0050] Figure 12 Includes example tables of actuation indicators (Y / N) for each restraint device (R1-RM) for different seat occupants, collision direction / location, seat orientation, and seat position. The restraint device control module 408 can be used with... Figure 12 One or more similar example tables determine the indicators for the ISO codes. For example, rows could be collision directions, while columns could be specific to sides, rows, and actuators. Based on the ISO codes, the control modules 212 of each seat determine whether to actuate the restraints of that seat based on the seat's individual position and orientation.

[0051] Figure 5 This is a general flowchart depicting an example method for actuating a control constraint device. Figure 16 A more detailed flowchart of an example method for actuating control restraint devices is provided.

[0052] refer to Figure 5Control begins at 504, where position module 308 determines the position of seat 124 within passenger compartment 108. Position module 308 also determines the orientation of seat 124. For example, position module 308 triggers RF module 304 to output RF signals and their unique identifiers at different times (e.g., in a predetermined sequence). RF module 228 of seat 124 determines the signal strength index of each received RF signal and transmits the signal strength index and unique identifier. Position module 308 determines the position of seat 124 based on the signal strength index of the RF signals received from RF module 304 and the position of RF module 304, for example, using triangulation. Additionally or alternatively, position module 308 may determine the position of seat 124 (e.g., longitudinal and latitudinal, such as a track pair) based on images of passenger compartment 108 and / or positions measured by position sensors of seat 124.

[0053] At 508, the restraint device control module 408 determines whether the vehicle 100 has collided with one or more objects, and if so, determines the direction of the collision (e.g., front, rear, right, left, etc.). If 508 is true, control continues at 516. If 508 is false, the restraint device control module 408 may determine at 512 not to activate any restraint devices, and control may return to 504.

[0054] At 516, the restraint device control module 408 sets an indicator for the ISO code, such as based on collision or collision direction. At 520, the control module 212 of the seat 124 determines, based on the ISO code indicator, which of its respective restraint devices to actuate, and actuates the determined restraint device(s). Figure 5 The image shows a loop, and control returns to 504.

[0055] Figure 6 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a side (right) collision. In this example, all seats are facing the direction of travel. Figure 6 For example, based on seat orientation, collision direction, seat occupancy, etc., the restraint device control module 408 can activate the right-side curtain airbags of all rows, the pretensioners of all seats, and the seat-side airbag of the rightmost seat (where the collision occurs). In various implementations, the restraint device control module 408 may not activate the restraint devices of unoccupied seats.

[0056] Figure 7 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a side (right) collision. Figure 7 In the example, the circled seat has been rotated to face backwards. This is different from all seats facing forwards. Figure 6 Different. Regarding Figure 7For example, based on seat orientation, collision direction, seat occupancy, etc., the restraint device control module 408 can activate the right-side curtain airbags of all rows, the pretensioners of all seats, and the seat-side airbag of the rightmost seat (the point of impact). In various implementations, the restraint device control module 408 may not activate the restraint devices for unoccupied seats. Because in Figure 7 In the example, the circled seat faces rearward, thus its left side airbag can be activated. The restraint control module 408 can determine which restraint devices to activate based on the seat's orientation.

[0057] Figure 8 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a side (right) collision. For Figure 8 For example, based on seat orientation, collision direction, seat occupancy, etc., the restraint device control module 408 can activate the right-side curtain airbags of all rows, the pretensioners of all seats, and the seat side airbag of the rightmost seat (where the collision occurs). In various implementations, the restraint device control module 408 may not activate the restraint devices for seats not occupied. The restraint device control module 408 can activate... Figure 8 The circled occupant-to-occupant airbags are designed to minimize or prevent collisions between one occupant and another in response to a crash. These circled occupant-to-occupant airbags are positioned between the seats and can be activated between adjacent seats where occupants are present.

[0058] Figure 9 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and offset frontal collision. For Figure 9 For example, the restraint device control module 408 can activate the front airbags and pretensioners of all seats based on seat orientation, collision direction, seat occupancy, etc. It can also activate the side airbags of the seats. In various implementations, the restraint device control module 408 may not activate the restraint devices of seats not occupied.

[0059] Figure 10 This is an illustration of an example seating arrangement and a rear-side collision. For Figure 10 For example, based on seat orientation, collision direction, seat occupancy, etc., the restraint device control module 408 can actuate the pretensioners of all seats. The restraint device control module 408 may not actuate any airbags. In various implementations, the restraint device control module 408 may not actuate restraint devices on unoccupied seats.

[0060] Figure 13This is a cross-sectional view of a base 1304 including a first pair of tracks 112 and a seat 124. Each track may include a first cavity 1308, a second cavity 1312, and a third cavity 1316. As described above, the seat 124 may include one or more actuators, such as actuators 1320 (e.g., rods, latches, arms, etc.). Actuation of one or more actuators 1320 will engage one or more components of the seat 124 with the track 112, connect them to a power source, and connect them to a communication line. For example, actuation of actuator 1320 in the direction indicated by the arrow may cause the track engagement portion (e.g., roller) 1324 of the seat 124 to move in the direction indicated by the arrow and extend into and rest on the vertical lower surface 1328 of the first cavity 1308 of the track 112. When the track engagement portion 1324 is arranged within the first cavity 1308 of the track 112, it holds the seat within the track 112.

[0061] Positive and negative power conductors 1332 and 1336 can be arranged in the second cavity 1312 of the track 112. Actuation of the actuator 1320 in the direction indicated by the arrow will also cause the positive and negative power conductors 1340 and 1344 of the seat 124 to move in the direction indicated by the arrow and come into contact with the positive and negative power conductors 1332 and 1336, respectively. The electrical components of the seat 124 (e.g., Figure 2 The components receive power from the vehicle 100 (e.g., one or more batteries) via electrical contacts between power conductors 1332 and 1336 and electrical conductors 1340 and 1344.

[0062] The first communication lines (conductors) 1348 and 1352 can be arranged in a third cavity 1316 of one of the tracks 112. The second communication lines (conductors) 1356 and 1360 can be arranged in a third cavity 1316 of another track 112. The two sets of communication lines provide redundancy, for example, in the event that one pair of communications is interrupted or disconnected.

[0063] Actuation of actuator 1320 in the direction indicated by the arrow also causes the first communication conductors 1364 and 1368 of seat 124 to move in the direction indicated by the arrow and contact communication lines 1348 and 1352, respectively. Actuation of actuator 1320 in the direction indicated by the arrow also causes the second communication conductors 1372 and 1376 of seat 124 to move in the direction indicated by the arrow and contact communication lines 1356 and 1360, respectively. One or more components of seat 124 (e.g., control module 212 in the example of remotely implementing communication module 224, or communication module 224) communicate with other components of the vehicle (e.g., restraint control module 408) via the first communication lines 1348 and 1352 and / or the second communication lines 1356 and 1360.

[0064] Figure 14 A functional block diagram of an example communication system including vehicle 100 is provided. As described above, when the seats are engaged with the track, the control module 212 of each seat communicates with the restraint device control module 408 via the communication lines of the track. As described above, the electrical components of seat 124 also receive power via the power conductors of the track.

[0065] When the seat is first connected to a power source via a pair of rails and its electrical components are powered, the seat's control module 212 sends a unique identifier and seat type to the communication module 224. Each seat may have a unique identifier stored in memory, such as a unique serial number. The seat type may include, for example, the seat's manufacturer and the type of seat (e.g., bench, single seat, console, workstation, etc.).

[0066] The restraint device control module 408 determines whether the seat is compatible with the vehicle based on a unique identifier and seat type, for example, by comparing the unique identifier and seat type information with pre-stored unique identifiers and seat type information for compatible seats. For example, regarding compatibility, the restraint device control module 408 can determine whether the vehicle manufacturer of the seat is the same as the manufacturer of the vehicle to which the seat is connected. If not, the restraint device control module 408 can determine that the seat is incompatible with the vehicle and system. If the seat is incompatible, the communication module 224 can output an indicator indicating seat incompatibility with the vehicle via one or more output devices (e.g., output device 1404). For example, the communication module 224 can output an audible indicator of seat incompatibility via one or more speakers and / or a visual indicator of seat incompatibility via one or more displays. Verifying compatibility ensures that the seat is compatible with the vehicle architecture, power requirements, interface requirements, vehicle manufacturer, communication formats, and other specifications.

[0067] If the seat is incompatible with the vehicle, the restraint control module 408 may not communicate with the seat, and therefore may not actuate any of the seat's restraints upon detecting a collision. This may be to avoid erroneously actuating one or more restraints. The restraint control module 408 may only communicate with the seat, for example, to actuate its restraints, once the seat has been determined to be compatible with the vehicle.

[0068] When the vehicle is powered on (e.g., the key turns from off to on) or the seat is connected to a power source (e.g., the seat is connected to a track or the vehicle is powered on), the restraint control module 408 performs a detection. Figure 15 Includes flowcharts depicting example methods discovered.

[0069] refer to Figure 15Control can begin at point 1504. At 1504, the restraint device control module 408 determines whether the vehicle's ignition system (or the vehicle itself) has changed from off to on, for example, in response to an actuation of an ignition button, switch, key, etc. If 1504 is true, control continues at 1508. If 1504 is false, control remains at 1504.

[0070] At 1508, the restraint device control module 408 determines whether a discovery request message with a unique identifier (e.g., serial number) has been received from the seat control module 212. Each connected item may attempt to send a discovery request message with its unique identifier in response to being powered. However, at any given time, only one seat's control module 212 can send its discovery message and unique identifier on the communication bus 410. In other words, only one discovery request can win and occupy the communication bus 410 at a time. Thus, the activation of the ignition device creates a race condition for the seats to send their respective discovery messages and unique identifiers. If 1508 is false, all connected seats have been addressed, and control remains at 1508. If 1508 is true, control continues to 1512. In various implementations, the restraint device control module 408 and the seat control module 212 may perform authentication (e.g., encryption and decryption) to improve the security of communication between different modules. Additionally or alternatively, authentication may be performed on communication between the seat control module 212 and the position module 308, or on communication between other modules, for security purposes. In various implementations, the seat control module 212 can delay its first message, for example, based on a unique identifier and / or other information. This can increase the likelihood of winning the race on the first transmission and reduce the probability of collisions on the communication bus.

[0071] At 1512, the restraint device control module 408 can compare the received unique identifier with a list of unique identifiers already associated with a bus identifier (BUS ID) in an assignment table stored in the restraint device control module 408's memory (e.g., reset protected random access memory (RPRAM)). The restraint device control module 408 determines whether the received unique identifier has already been associated with a bus identifier. If 1512 is true, the received unique identifier has already been assigned a bus identifier, and therefore the restraint device control module 408 uses the bus identifier already associated with the received unique identifier at 1516. For example, 1512 may occur if the seat control module 212 experiences a reset or other event during a driving cycle between ignition on and the next ignition off. Control can continue at 1524. If 1512 is false, control transfers to 1520.

[0072] At 1520, the restraint device control module 408 assigns a unique bus identifier (not yet included in the assignment table) to the seat and associates the unique bus identifier with the unique identifier of the received seat in the assignment table in memory. Therefore, the assignment table includes a list of the seat's unique identifier (e.g., a serial number) and its associated respective unique bus identifiers. In various implementations, the restraint device control module 408 may assign the unique bus identifiers in a predetermined order, such as an ascending numerical order (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) or other suitable order. Control continues at 1524.

[0073] At 1524, the restraint device control module 408 broadcasts an acknowledgment message to the communication bus 410, containing the seat's unique identifier and the assigned bus identifier. This acknowledgment message is a response to the discovery request message.

[0074] At 1528, each control module 212 of each seat connected to the communication bus 410 receives the acknowledgment message, a unique seat identifier, and an assigned bus identifier. Each control module 212 determines whether the acknowledgment message is for it by comparing its seat's unique identifier (e.g., serial number) with the unique seat identifier of the acknowledgment message. If its unique seat identifier is the same as the unique seat identifier of the acknowledgment message, control continues at 1536. If its unique seat identifier is different from the unique seat identifier of the acknowledgment message, the control module (the control module of the seat with a unique seat identifier different from the unique seat identifier of the acknowledgment message) ignores the broadcast message at 1532, and control returns to 1508. This may be true during the discovery process. After the discovery process, various types of messages can be communicated, such as diagnostics, periodic synchronization, deployment messages, and other messages.

[0075] At 1536, the seat control module 212 (whose unique identifier matches the unique seat identifier of the confirmation message) stores the bus identifier of the confirmation message in the memory of the control module 212 (e.g., reset protected random access memory (RPRAM)). At 1540, the seat control module 212, having a unique identifier that matches the unique seat identifier of the confirmation message, programs its network (e.g., CAN) identifier using the bus ID. The control module 212 periodically sends the network identifier along with its bus identifier to the restraint control module 408. The network identifier may, for example, indicate the diagnostic status of the seat and other indicators. Control returns to 1508. At the end of the driving cycle (when the ignition is switched from on to off), the assignment table of the restraint control module 408 and the stored bus identifier of the control module 212 may be erased or not retained for the next driving cycle.

[0076] The discovery process includes a discovery request, assignment of a bus identifier, and confirmation, and provides traceability. While an example of performing a discovery process between the seat control module and the restraint control module 408 is provided, this application is applicable to other implementations involving a main control module (e.g., position module 308 or restraint control module 408 or another module) and a remote module (e.g., the seat control module) performing a discovery process. As described above, items other than the seat may be additionally or alternatively connected to the communication bus 410. Furthermore, although the discovery process and this application are discussed in the context of a restraint control system, this application is also applicable to other discovery processes in vehicles, and even non-vehicle discovery processes. For example, a system may include: a communication bus; a remote control module; and a main control module configured to: receive a unique identifier from the remote control module via a request message on the communication bus in response to the remote control module receiving power and connecting to the communication bus; determine whether the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory; when the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the main control module's memory, send an acknowledgment message on the communication bus including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier; and when the unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in memory: associate a unique bus identifier that is not yet in memory with the unique identifier in memory; and send an acknowledgment message on the communication bus including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier.

[0077] Generally, the discovery process involves the main control module and the nodes to be discovered on the communication network. The nodes to be discovered on the communication network can be referred to as remote control modules. The discovery process involves using the unique identifiers (e.g., serial numbers) of each remote control module. The discovery process uses a message that all remote control modules use: a discovery request message.

[0078] At the start of a driving cycle, all remote control modules connected to the communication network attempt to output their discovery request message (and its unique identifier) ​​to the communication network. Submitting a discovery request creates a race condition for discovery among the remote control modules. Only one remote control module can win the communication network and send its discovery request message. The other remote control modules wait but continue to attempt to request discovery and win the communication network.

[0079] When the master control module receives a request discovery message, it retrieves a unique identifier and (a) assigns a new bus identifier in the example where the unique identifier is not in the assignment table, or (b) uses a bus identifier already associated with a unique identifier in the assignment table. The assigned bus identifier is stored in the assignment table in the master control module's memory (e.g., RPRAM) in association with the remote control module's unique identifier. Therefore, the assignment table includes (a) the remote control module's unique identifier and (b) a list of associated individual bus identifiers. For each new driving cycle, the assignment table is erased. Using RPRAM prevents intentional resets, accidental resets, and other events that may occur during a driving cycle.

[0080] The remote control module broadcasts an acknowledgment message to the communication network, containing its unique identifier and assigned bus identifier. Because the acknowledgment message is broadcast, all remote control modules on the network will receive it. Only the remote control module with the unique identifier in the acknowledgment message will accept it. Other remote control modules with different unique identifiers will ignore the acknowledgment. The remote control module with the unique identifier in the acknowledgment message learns the assigned bus identifier from the acknowledgment message for the remainder of the driving cycle and stores the assigned bus identifier in its memory, such as its RPRAM. The remote control module can also force a reset. Upon completion of the reset (and subsequent recovery), the remote control module uses the stored bus identifier to calculate all supported communication message identifiers to uniquely identify them from other modules communicating on the same communication network.

[0081] If a remote control module with an assigned bus identifier loses power during a driving cycle, it will re-enter the discovery process. In this case, its unique identifier will already be stored in the assignment table, so the master control module will use the already assigned bus identifier stored in the assignment table in the confirmation message.

[0082] The discovery process described herein is plug-and-play, allowing remote control modules to be added to the communication network during a driving cycle, discovered, and able to communicate via the network. The discovery process only assigns bus identifiers to authorized (e.g., certified) and compatible remote control modules. The discovery process verifies the compatibility of the remote control module with the entire network and the vehicle. The discovery process allows nodes on the communication network to be discovered, enabling nodes to communicate uniquely on the network. Each message is uniquely identifiable, thus enabling a dynamic network where nodes can be added or removed at any time without pre-assigned identifiers. The discovery process is automated and does not use any external input. Figure 17 Includes a functional block diagram of an example communication system prior to the discovery process, and Figure 18 Functional block diagram of an example communication system following the discovery process.

[0083] In various implementations, the position module 308 can also determine the orientation (orientation) of each seat. For example, the position module 308 can use a gear that rotates with the seat (e.g., Figure 11 The orientation of a seat is determined by input from a variable magnetoresistive or Hall effect sensor (1104) of the seat. Alternatively or additionally, one or more cameras may be used to capture images of the passenger compartment 108, and the orientation of each seat may be determined based on the orientation of the seats 124 within the images(s), for example, using object detection. In various implementations, since the positive and negative power conductors 1332 and 1336 may be arranged in different tracks of a pair of rails, the position module 308 can determine that the seat orientation is forward when conductor 1340 is connected to the positive conductor 1332 and another conductor 1344 is connected to the negative conductor 1336. When conductor 1340 is connected to the positive conductor 1332 and another conductor 1344 is connected to the negative conductor 1336, the position module 308 can determine that the seat orientation is rearward. Upon detection of a collision, the restraint control module 408 can actuate different restraint devices based on the orientation of(s)(s)(s).

[0084] The restraint device control module 408 can determine which types of restraint devices and equipment the seat has (e.g., seat belts, sensors, pretensioners, airbags, active headrests, etc.) based on the seat type and / or a unique identifier. For example, the restraint device control module 408 can use a unique identifier and / or a lookup table of seat type to restraint device and equipment types to determine the restraint devices and equipment of the seat.

[0085] The restraint device control module 408 can determine the seating capacity of a seat (e.g., one seat, two seats, three seats) based on the seat type and / or a unique identifier. For example, the restraint device control module 408 can use a unique identifier and / or a lookup table of seat type to seating capacity to determine the seating capacity of a seat.

[0086] Based on a unique identifier, the restraint device control module 408 can determine whether the item connected to the pair of tracks is a seat or another type of equipment, such as a workstation, a cooler (e.g., a food and beverage cooler), a console, or another suitable type of equipment.

[0087] In various implementations, each seat's control module 212 can perform diagnostics on the seat. Examples of diagnostics include, for instance, checking for malfunctions in the seat belts, airbags, and other self-diagnostics of the seat components. The control module 212 can communicate the results of its diagnostics to the communication module 224 using an identifier assigned to it. The communication bus is common to all communicating modules, but in various implementations, the communication bus may include multiple buses. The restraint device control module 408 can determine whether to actuate one or more restraint devices of the seat based on the seat's diagnostics.

[0088] Figure 16 This is a flowchart illustrating an example method for actuating the restraints of a control seat. Control begins at 1604, where position module 308 determines the position of seat 124 as described above. Position module 308 can send the position of seat 124 to the seat at 1608 along with the seat's bus identifier (or unique identifier). In this way, the control module 212 of each seat 124 receives its current position via its identifier and ignores the positions of other seats (with other identifiers). The control module 212 of a seat selects its position by choosing the position sent along with its bus identifier or unique identifier.

[0089] At 1612, the restraint device control module 408 determines whether the vehicle 100 has collided with one or more objects, and if so, determines the direction of the collision (e.g., front, rear, right, left, etc.). If 1612 is true, control continues to 1616. If 1612 is false, the restraint device control module 408 may set all ISO code indicators to false (e.g., 0, no) to not activate any restraint devices, and control may return to 1604. If 1612 is true, control may continue to 1616.

[0090] In 1616, the restraint device control module 408 sets ISO code indicators based on collision (e.g., amplitude) and orientation. The restraint device control module 408 can set one, more than one, or all ISO code indicators to true (e.g., 1, yes) to actuate one or more restraint devices.

[0091] At 1620, the restraint control module 408 sends (e.g., broadcasts) a message including an ISO code indicator to all seats 124 on bus 410. Seats 124 receive their position and orientation (or determine their orientation) from position module 308 via bus 410, for example by selecting position and orientation information associated with a unique identifier for that seat on bus 410.

[0092] At 1624, the control module 212 of seat 124 determines, respectively, whether to actuate and which restraint device to actuate based on the seat position and orientation given the ISO code indicator. At 1628, the control module 212 of seat 124 selectively actuates some of the restraint devices of the seat.

[0093] In the example where the ISO code is Left, Second Row, Pretensioner Actuation (e.g., 1), the seat located in the second row (2nd row) on the left side of the vehicle may actuate its pretensioner in response to this ISO code indicator. However, all seats on the right side of the vehicle, or the seats in the first or third row, may not actuate their pretensioners in response to this ISO code indicator. In this way, the control module 212 of the seat 124 actuates some of the restraint devices of its respective seat 124 based on its position and orientation, according to the ISO code indicator.

[0094] The above description is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or its use. The extensive teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be limited thereto, as other modifications will become apparent upon study of the accompanying drawings, description, and appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within the method can be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, although each embodiment has been described above as having certain features, any one or more of these features described for any embodiment of this disclosure can be implemented in any other embodiment and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if such combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations and combinations of one or more embodiments with each other remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0095] Spatial and functional relationships between components (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including “connection,” “joint,” “coupled,” “proximity,” “next to,” “above,” “under,” and “arrangement.” Unless explicitly described as “direct,” when describing the relationship between first and second components in the foregoing disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which no other intermediary element exists between the first and second components, or an indirect relationship (spatial or functional) between the first and second components. As used herein, the phrases A, B, and C should be interpreted as meaning logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be interpreted as meaning “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0096] In the accompanying drawings, the arrows, as indicated by their tips, generally represent the flow of information of interest (e.g., data or instructions). For example, when components A and B exchange various types of information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. Furthermore, for information sent from component A to component B, component B may send a request for the information or an acknowledgment of receipt of the information to component A.

[0097] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" or "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include the following items: Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuits; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuits; combinational logic circuits; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); processor circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; memory circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor circuitry; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or combinations of some or all of the above items, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0098] A module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces that connect to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module disclosed herein may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow for load balancing. In further examples, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0099] The term "code" as used above may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" covers a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "grouped processor circuit" covers a processor circuit that, in combination with other processor circuits, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits cover multiple processor circuits on a discrete die, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" covers a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "grouped memory circuit" covers a memory circuit that, in combination with other memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0100] The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. As used herein, the term computer-readable medium does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (e.g., a carrier wave); therefore, the term computer-readable medium can be considered tangible and non-transient. Non-limiting examples of non-transient, tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (e.g., flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (e.g., static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (e.g., analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (e.g., CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0101] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be translated into computer programs by the routine work of skilled technicians or programmers.

[0102] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may encompass a basic input / output system (BIOS) for interacting with the hardware of a special-purpose computer, device drivers for interacting with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, and so on.

[0103] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter; (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler; and so on. As an example only, source code can be written using syntax from languages ​​including: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, JavaScript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language, 5th Revision), Ada, ASP (Dynamic Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.

Claims

1. A vehicle restraint device control system, comprising: Communication bus; The vehicle's seat control module is configured to selectively actuate the seat's restraints; as well as The module is configured to connect to the communication bus in response to the control module of the seat receiving power: A unique identifier is received from the control module of the seat via a request message on the communication bus; Determine whether the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory; When the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the module’s memory, an acknowledgment message including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier is sent on the communication bus. and When the unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in the memory: In the memory, a unique bus identifier that is not yet in the memory is associated with the unique identifier; and An acknowledgment message comprising (a) the unique identifier and (b) a bus identifier associated with the unique identifier is sent on the communication bus.

2. The restraint device control system as described in claim 1, wherein, The unique identifier is the serial number.

3. The restraint device control system as described in claim 1, wherein: The module is configured to authenticate communication with the control module of the seat; and The control module of the seat is configured to authenticate communication with the module.

4. The restraint device control system as described in claim 1, wherein, The control module of the seat is configured as follows: Receive (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier from the bus; Determine whether the unique identifier received from the communication bus is the same as the unique identifier; The bus identifier is stored in the second memory of the control module; and The communication bus identifier is set based on the bus identifier of the seat.

5. The restraint device control system as described in claim 4, wherein, The control module of the seat is configured to force a reset of itself before setting the communication bus identifier.

6. The restraint device control system as described in claim 4, wherein: The module's memory is a reset-protected random access memory (RPRAM); and The second memory of the control module is RPRAM.

7. The restraint device control system as described in claim 4, wherein, The control module is configured to periodically output the communication bus identifier to the communication bus.

8. The restraint device control system as described in claim 4, wherein, The control module is configured to ignore messages on the communication bus that have a unique identifier that is different from the unique identifier.

9. The restraint device control system as described in claim 1, further comprising: The second control module of the vehicle's second seat is configured to selectively actuate the second restraint device of the second seat. The module is further configured to connect to the communication bus in response to the second control module of the second seat receiving power: Receive a second unique identifier from the second control module of the second seat via a second request message on the communication bus; Determine whether the second unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in memory; When the second unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the memory of the second module, a second acknowledgment message including (a) the second unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the second unique identifier is sent on the communication bus; and When the second unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in the memory: In the memory, a second unique bus identifier that is not yet in the memory is associated with the second unique identifier; and A second confirmation message is sent on the communication bus, including (a) the second unique identifier and (b) a bus identifier associated with the second unique identifier.

10. The restraint device control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, In response to the vehicle switching from off to on, no bus identifier is associated with the unique identifier in the memory.

11. The restraint device control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The seats are configured to engage with pairs of tracks on the floor of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, the pairs of tracks being arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the pairs of tracks being configured to engage two or more seats on each pair of tracks.

12. The restraint device control system as described in claim 1, further comprising: The restraint device control module is configured to respond to the detection of a collision with the vehicle: Set an indicator for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) code for the collision; and The indicator of the ISO code is broadcast to the communication bus.

13. The restraint device control system as described in claim 12, wherein, The control module of the seat is configured as follows: The ISO code indicator is received via the communication bus; Select which restraints of the seat to activate based on the seat's position and the indicator of the ISO code; Actuate the selected restraint device of the seat; and The non-selected restraint device of the seat is not activated.

14. The restraint device control system as claimed in claim 12, wherein, The ISO code is determined by the longitudinal and latitudinal positions and the constraint device.

15. The restraint device control system as described in claim 12, wherein, The module is also configured to: Determine the position of the seat within the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and The position of the seat is sent to the seat via the communication bus.

16. The restraint device control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The module is also configured to determine whether one of the seats is compatible based on a unique identifier of one of the seats.

17. The restraint device control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The control module for the seat is also configured to send the type of the seat to the module via the communication bus; and The module is also configured to determine whether one of the seats is compatible based on the type of the seat.

18. The restraint device control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The control module of the seat is also configured to send the manufacturer of the seat to the module via the communication bus; and The module is also configured to determine whether the seat is compatible based on the seat's manufacturer.

19. The restraint device control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, Only request messages from the control module can occupy the communication bus at any given time.

20. A method for controlling a vehicle's restraint device, comprising: The seat restraint device of the vehicle is selectively actuated by the seat control module; and A separate module from the control module is used, which, in response to the control module of the seat receiving power, connects to the communication bus: A unique identifier is received from the control module of the seat via a request message on the communication bus; Determine whether the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the memory; When the unique identifier is associated with a bus identifier in the module’s memory, an acknowledgment message including (a) the unique identifier and (b) the bus identifier associated with the unique identifier is sent on the communication bus. and When the unique identifier is not associated with any bus identifier in the memory: In the memory, a unique bus identifier that is not yet in the memory is associated with the unique identifier; and An acknowledgment message comprising (a) the unique identifier and (b) a bus identifier associated with the unique identifier is sent on the communication bus.

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