Method and device for a activating passenger protection device

• US 20030100983A1
• Filed: 07/16/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Bullinger, Wilfried, Rudolf, Harald
• Granted Patent: US 6,980,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0119 Plausibility check
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• 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

Abstract

A method and a device for activating vehicle-occupant protection devices, in particular in a vehicle, are described. In the method, an approach speed to a collision object is determined within a predefined proximity range of the vehicle surroundings and, if the approach speed is above a threshold value, an anticipated impact time with the collision object is determined. A time range is determined on the basis of the anticipated impact time, a signal quality of at least one proximity sensor, driving dynamics and the geometry of a collision object being taken into account in this time range. The activation of the assigned vehicle-occupant protection devices takes place in this time range after a plausibility-confirmation check.

Claims

1. Method for activating vehicle-occupant protection devices, in particular in a motor vehicle, in which an approach speed to a collision object is determined within a predefined proximity range of the vehicle surroundings, and if the approach speed is above a threshold value an anticipated impact time with the collision object is determined, characterized in that a time range (T1, T2) is determined on the basis of the anticipated impact time (Ta), a signal quality (S) of at least one proximity sensor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), driving dynamics and the geometry of a collision object being taken into account in this time range (T1, T2), and in that the activation of the assigned vehicle-occupant protection devices (10, 11) takes place in this time range (T1, T2) after a plausibility-confirmation check.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a lower time value of the time range (T1, T2) takes into account the signal quality (S) of the proximity sensor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) and the geometry of the collision object.

3. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an upper time value of the time range (T1, T2) takes into account the signal quality (S) of the proximity sensor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) and the driving dynamics.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, for plausibility-confirmation checking, an acceleration signal or a signal which is equivalent thereto is checked to determine whether it is above a predefined threshold and whether it corresponds in terms of its sign to the impact direction determined by the at least one proximity sensor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the acceleration signal is determined by means of at least one acceleration sensor (4, 5).

6. Device for activating vehicle-occupant protection devices (10, 11), in particular for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 5, having at least one proximity sensor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) for determining an approach speed (v₀) to a collision object within a predefined proximity (d) of the vehicle surroundings, and having a computer unit (3) for determining an anticipated impact time (Ta) if the approach speed (v₀) is above a threshold value, the computer unit (3) determining a time range (T1, T2) on the basis of the anticipated impact time (Ta) as a function of the signal quality (S) of the at least one proximity sensor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), driving dynamics and the geometry of the collision object, and activating an assigned vehicle-occupant protection device (10, 11) in this time range (T1, T2) after a plausibility-confirmation check.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least one proximity sensor (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) is provided by one or more internal pressure sensors in a vehicle door (7).

8. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that in each case two proximity sensors (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) and an acceleration sensor (4, 5) are provided in a front region and in a side region of a vehicle (9) and in addition a further acceleration sensor (6) is provided in an airbag controller (8).