Method and arrangement for controlling deployment of a side airbag

• US 20010015547A1
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Published: 08/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,325,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01315 monitoring occupant displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 : comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/208 : by automatic or remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4825 : for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01332 : by frequency or waveform analysis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 : responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 : responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 : Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 : using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 : using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 : using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 : for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0154 : in combination with seat heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 : detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 : detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01548 : sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 : detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 : Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21656 : Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 : with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/20 : adjustable in position, e.g. in height
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 : using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 : responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/431 : specially adapted for vehicle windows or roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/433 : using reflection from the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 : Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/20 : by measurement of weight, e.g. to determine the level of stored liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 : Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 : containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 : Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 : Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 : Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 : Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/417 : involving the use of neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 : Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3219 : Geometry of the configuration

Abstract

Arrangement and method for controlling deployment of a side airbag to protect a vehicular occupant during a crash. The presence and/or position of the occupant is/are determined and deployment of the airbag is controlled based thereon. A transducer receives waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and a signal representative of the presence and/or position of the occupant is generated based on the received waves. The transducer may transmits waves into the space above the seat portion. The transducer may be mounted in a door of the vehicle and possibly adjacent the airbag module. Deployment of the airbag can be suppressed, the time at which deployment of the airbag starts, the rate of gas flow into the airbag, the rate of gas flow from the airbag and/or the rate of deployment of the airbag is/are controlled based on the presence and/or position of the occupant.

Claims

1. A vehicle including an arrangement for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of the vehicle in a crash, the arrangement comprising

determining means for determining the position of at least a part of the occupant, and

a control circuit coupled to said determining means for controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of the at least a part of the occupant,

said determining means comprising at least one receiver arranged to receive electromagnetic waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and a processor coupled to said at least one receiver for generating a signal representative of the position of the at least a part of the occupant based on the waves received by said at least one receiver.

2. The vehicle of

claim 1

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted in a door of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of

claim 1

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted on or adjacent to the airbag module.

4. The vehicle of

claim 1

, wherein the vehicle has a side door, at least a portion of the arrangement residing on the side door of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle including an arrangement for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, the arrangement comprising

determining means for determining the position of at least a part of the occupant, and

a control circuit coupled to said determining means for controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of the at least a part of the occupant,

said determining means comprising

a transmitter arranged to transmit waves into a space above a seat portion of the seat, and

at least one receiver arranged to receive waves transmitted by said transmitter from the space above the seat portion of the seat and a processor coupled to said at least one receiver for generating a signal representative of the position of the at least a part of the occupant based on the waves received by said at least one receiver.

6. The vehicle of

claim 5

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted in a door of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of

claim 5

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted on or adjacent to the airbag module.

8. The vehicle of

claim 5

, wherein the vehicle has a side door, at least a portion of the arrangement residing on the side door of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of

claim 5

, wherein said at least one receiver is an ultrasonic transducer.

10. A vehicle including an arrangement for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, the arrangement comprising

determining means for determining the position of at least a part of the occupant, and

a control circuit coupled to said determining means for controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of the at least a part of the occupant.

said control circuit being arranged to control deployment of the side airbag by suppressing deployment of the side airbag, controlling a time at which deployment of the side airbag starts, controlling a rate of gas flow into the side airbag, controlling a rate of gas flow out of the side airbag or controlling a rate of deployment of the side airbag.

11. A vehicle including an arrangement for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, the arrangement comprising

determining means for determining whether an occupant is present in the seat, and

a control circuit coupled to said determining means for controlling deployment of the side airbag based on whether an occupant is present in the seat,

said determining means comprising at least one receiver arranged to receive electromagnetic waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and a processor coupled to said at least one receiver for generating a signal representative of the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat based on the waves received by said at least one receiver.

12. The vehicle of

claim 11

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted in a door of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of

claim 11

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted on or adjacent to the airbag module.

14. The vehicle of

claim 11

, wherein said control circuit is structured and arranged to suppress deployment of the side airbag if an occupant is not present.

15. The vehicle of

claim 11

, wherein said determining means determine a position of at least a part of the occupant when an occupant is in the seat and said control circuit is structured and arranged to control deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of at least a part of the occupant.

16. The vehicle of

claim 11

, wherein the vehicle has a side door, at least a portion of the arrangement residing on the side door of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle including an arrangement for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, the arrangement comprising

determining means for determining whether an occupant is present in the seat, and

a control circuit coupled to said determining means for controlling deployment of the side airbag based on whether an occupant is present in the seat,

said determining means comprising

a transmitter arranged to transmit waves into the space above the seat portion of the seat, and

at least one receiver arranged to receive waves transmitted by said transmitter from a space above a seat portion of the seat and a processor coupled to said at least one receiver for generating a signal representative of the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat based on the waves received by said at least one receiver.

18. The vehicle of

claim 17

, wherein said transmitter transmits ultrasonic waves and said at least one receiver is an ultrasonic transducer.

19. The vehicle of

claim 17

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted in a door of the vehicle.

20. The vehicle of

claim 17

, wherein said at least one receiver is mounted on or adjacent to the airbag module.

21. The vehicle of

claim 17

, wherein said control circuit is structured and arranged to suppress deployment of the side airbag if an occupant is not present.

22. The vehicle of

claim 17

, wherein said determining means determine a position of at least a part of the occupant when an occupant is in the seat and said control circuit is structured and arranged to control deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of at least a part of the occupant.

23. The vehicle of

claim 17

, wherein the vehicle has a side door, at least a portion of the arrangement residing on the side door of the vehicle.

24. A method for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, comprising the steps of:

determining the position of at least a part of the occupant by transmitting waves into a space above a seat portion of the seat, receiving waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat and generating a signal representative of the position of the at least a part of the occupant based on the received waves, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of the at least a part of the occupant.

25. The method of

claim 24

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of arranging an ultrasonic transducer in the vehicle in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

26. The method of

claim 24

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

27. The method of

claim 24

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle on or adjacent to the airbag module in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

28. A method for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, comprising the steps of:

determining the position of at least a part of the occupant by receiving waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and generating a signal representative of the position of the at least a part of the occupant based on the received waves, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of the at least a part of the occupant,

the step of receiving waves comprising the step of arranging a receiver capable of receiving electromagnetic waves in the vehicle in a position to receive electromagnetic waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

29. The method of

claim 28

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

30. The method of

claim 28

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle on or adjacent to the airbag module in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

31. A method for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, comprising the steps of:

determining the position of at least a part of the occupant, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of the at least a part of the occupant,

the step of controlling deployment of the side airbag comprising at least one of the steps of suppressing deployment of the side airbag, controlling a time at which deployment of the side airbag starts, controlling a rate of gas flow into the side airbag, controlling a rate of gas flow out of the side airbag and controlling a rate of deployment of the side airbag.

32. A method for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, comprising the steps of:

determining whether an occupant is present in the seat by transmitting waves into a space above a seat portion of the seat, receiving waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat and generating a signal representative of the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat based on the received waves, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat.

33. The method of

claim 32

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of arranging an ultrasonic transducer in the vehicle in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

34. The method of

claim 32

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

35. The method of

claim 32

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle on or adjacent to the airbag module in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

36. The method of

claim 32

, further comprising the steps of:

determining a position of at least a part of the occupant when an occupant is in the seat, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of at least a part of the occupant.

37. A method for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, comprising the steps of:

determining whether an occupant is present in the seat by receiving waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and generating a signal representative of the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat based on the received waves, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat,

the step of receiving waves comprising the step of arranging a receiver capable of receiving electromagnetic waves in the vehicle in a position to receive electromagnetic waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

38. The method of

claim 37

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

39. The method of

claim 37

, wherein the step of receiving waves comprises the step of mounting a transducer capable of receiving waves in a door of the vehicle on or adjacent to the airbag module in a position to receive waves from the space above the seat portion of the seat.

40. The method of

claim 37

, further comprising the steps of:

determining a position of at least a part of the occupant when an occupant is in the seat, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the determined position of at least a part of the occupant.

41. A method for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash, comprising the steps of:

determining whether an occupant is present in the seat, and

controlling deployment of the side airbag based on the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat,

the step of controlling deployment of the side airbag comprising at least one of the steps of suppressing deployment of the side airbag, controlling a time at which deployment of the side airbag starts, controlling a rate of gas flow into the side airbag, controlling a rate of gas flow out of the side airbag and controlling a rate of deployment of the side airbag.