The Infineon KP200 Pressure Sensor Improves Impact Protection for Pedestrians: Now Used by Continental for Safety System in Car Bumper

KP200: Central component for improved pedestrian protection

Infineon offers its KP200 pressure sensor as a central component for automobile safety systems. For the pedestrian protection system that Continental developed together with the vehicle manufacturer, an air hose is built into the front bumper of the car. This air hose contains two KP200 pressure sensors, one at either end, for reasons of redundancy. In the event of an impact, they measure the change in pressure in the air hose, evaluate this data in real time and transmit the pressure data every 500 microseconds to a central airbag control unit. A KP200 sensor takes an average of less than 40 microseconds to record these measurements and prepare the data. The central control unit then activates the mechanism that raises the hood, which lessens the impact on the pedestrian. During the data measurement period, the KP200 pressure sensor independently accounts for changes in the ambient air pressure. This is necessary for reliable impact detection regardless of the weather
or the altitude.

KP200: Proven success in side airbags

Today, the KP200 is already used in the side airbags of vehicles. It enables fast,
reliable ignition of these airbags, which significantly reduces the risk of injury to car occupants. The pressure sensor is monolithically integrated, i.e. the sensor unit for measuring air pressure as well as the evaluation ASIC are located on the same silicon. The sensor measures the pressure pulse in the side door of the vehicle independently of the prevailing ambient air pressure. It processes the sensor data in real time and sends the data to the central control unit, which then triggers the side airbags.

Infineon is the leading manufacturer of semiconductor sensors

Infineon is among the leading manufacturers of semiconductor sensors and recently sold its two-billionth sensor. According its own estimates, Infineon is the world’s market leader for side airbag systems with fully integrated pressure sensors; its market share here is circa 65 percent. Infineon has a market share of circa 50 percent in the tire pressure monitoring systems business (TPMS); its market share in the area of Antilock Brake Systems (ABS) with sensors for wheel speed measurement is likewise circa 50 percent.

Infineon offers a broad product family of pressure sensors that includes customer-specific solutions and that also takes the newest side airbag standards (PSI5 and AK-LV 29) into account. The company is one of the world's few semiconductor manufacturers that offer the three essential sensor groups (measurement of pressure, acceleration and magnetic fields) for safety and powertrain applications as well as body and convenience electronics.

Technical details of the KP200 pressure sensor

The KP200 is offered in the PG-DSOF-8 SMD package with dimensions of only 7 mm by 7 mm. The sensor chip is designed for the standard pressure range of 50.9 kPa to 126.5 kPa (509 mbar to 1265 mbar or 7.4 psi to 18.3 psi) and operating temperatures of -40 °C to 85 °C. Its operating voltage lies between 4.5 V and 11 V. Its current consumption averages 8mA and its sensitivity is 20.48 LSB per percent pressure change. Communication with the central computer occurs via PSI5 protocol, thus requiring only two wires, by modulating the data on the on the power supply line. Consequently, the KP200 is compatible with the AK-LV 29 automotive standard.