VEHICLE ROLLOVER DETECTION HAVING VARIABLE SENSITIVITY

• US 20030158633A1
• Filed: 02/15/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter J. Schubert
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Schubert
• Inventors: Schubert, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,654,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01336 using filtering

Abstract

A vehicle rollover sensing apparatus and method are provided for detecting a rollover condition of the vehicle. The rollover sensing apparatus includes an angular rate sensor for sensing attitude rate of change of a vehicle and a lateral accelerometer for sensing lateral dynamics of the vehicle. The rollover sensing apparatus also has an integrator for integrating the sensed attitude rate of change signal over a variable time window and producing an attitude angle. The rollover sensing apparatus further includes deployment logic for comparing the attitude angle and attitude rate of change to a pair of variable threshold values with a gray-zone that varies based on time, and for deploying a vehicle overturn condition signal based on the comparison. Sensitivity of the deployment logic is adjusted as a function of the sensed lateral dynamics to enhance rollover deployment during certain driving events.

Claims

1. A rollover detection apparatus for detecting an anticipated rollover event for a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a rollover sensor for sensing a rollover related event of the vehicle and generating a rollover signal;

a lateral sensor for sensing lateral dynamic movement of the vehicle and producing a lateral dynamics signal indicative thereof; and

a controller for determining an anticipated rollover event of the vehicle as a function of the rollover signal and a rollover detection sensitivity, wherein the controller adjusts the rollover detection sensitivity as a function of the lateral dynamics signal.

2. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said lateral sensor comprises a lateral accelerometer.

3. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising an integrator for integrating the output of the lateral accelerometer to generate a lateral velocity, wherein the rollover detection sensitivity is adjusted further as a function of the lateral velocity.

4. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the lateral sensor output is used to generate a dynamic energy metric value indicative of lateral dynamic energy of the vehicle.

5. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the dynamic energy metric is determined as a function of lateral acceleration and lateral velocity.

6. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a filter for passing lateral dynamics signals within a filter time window which approximates response time of a vehicle occupant, and rejecting lateral dynamics signals outside the filter time window.

7. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising a high-pass filter for removing low frequency signals from the lateral dynamics signal.

8. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising a low-pass filter for removing high frequency signals.

9. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the rollover sensor comprises an angular rate sensor.

10. A rollover detection apparatus for detecting an anticipated rollover event for a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a first sensor for sensing a roll event related event of the vehicle and generating a first sensed signal;

a second sensor for sensing lateral dynamic movement of the vehicle and producing a second sensed signal indicative thereof; and

a controller for determining an anticipated rollover event of the vehicle as a function of the first sensed signal and a sensitivity of the rollover detection, wherein the controller adjusts the sensitivity of the rollover detection as a function of the second sensed signal.

11. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said second sensor comprises a lateral accelerometer for sensing lateral acceleration.

12. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 11 further comprising an integrator for integrating the output of the lateral accelerometer to generate a lateral velocity, wherein the rollover detection sensitivity is adjusted further as a function of the lateral velocity.

13. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the second sensed signal is used to generate a dynamic energy metric value indicative of the lateral dynamic energy of the vehicle.

14. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the dynamic energy metric is determined as a function of lateral acceleration and lateral velocity.

15. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 10 further comprising a filter for passing lateral dynamics signals within a filter time window which approximates response time of a vehicle occupant, and rejecting lateral dynamics signals outside the filter time window.

16. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 15 further comprising a high-pass filter for removing low frequency signals.

17. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 16 further comprising a low-pass filter for removing high frequency signals.

18. The rollover detection apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the rollover sensor comprises an angular rate sensor.

19. A method of detecting an anticipated rollover event for a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing a rollover related event of a vehicle and generating a first sensed signal indicative thereof;

sensing lateral dynamic movement of the vehicle and producing a second sensed signal indicative thereof;

determining an anticipated rollover event of the vehicle as a function of the first sensed signal and a sensitivity of the rollover detection;

adjusting the sensitivity of the rollover detection based on the 10 second sensed signal; and

providing an updated rollover event signal based on the adjusted sensitivity.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein said step of sensing lateral dynamic movement of the vehicle comprises sensing lateral acceleration.

21. The method as defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of integrating the sensed lateral acceleration to generate a lateral velocity, wherein the sensitivity is adjusted further as a function of the lateral velocity.

22. The method as defined in claim 19 further comprising the step of generating a dynamic energy metric value indicative of the lateral dynamic energy of the vehicle, wherein the dynamic energy metric value is used to adjust the sensitivity of the rollover detection.

23. The method as defined in claim 19 further comprising the step of determining a dynamic energy metric value as a function of lateral acceleration and lateral velocity.

24. The method as defined in claim 19 further comprising the step of passing said second sensed signals within a filter time window which approximates response time of a vehicle occupant, and rejecting said second sensed signals outside the filter time window.

25. The method as defined in claim 24 further comprising the step of high pass filtering the sensed second signal to remove low frequency signals.

26. The method as defined in claim 25 further comprising the step of low pass filtering the lateral sensed signal to remove high frequency signals.