METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING A VEHICLE CRASH

A sensor system for initiating deployment of an occupant protection apparatus in a motor vehicle, such as an airbag, to protect an occupant of the vehicle in a crash. The system includes a sensor mounted to the vehicle for sensing accelerations of the vehicle and producing an analog signal representative thereof; an electronic converter for receiving the analog signal from the sensor and for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a processor which receives the digital signal. The processor includes a pattern recognition system and produces a deployment signal when the pattern recognition system determines that the digital signal contains a pattern characteristic of a vehicle crash requiring occupant protection. A deployment initiation mechanism is coupled to the processor and, responsive to the deployment signal, initiates deployment of the occupant protection apparatus.