Vehicle rollover detection system
First Claim
1. A system for detecting a rollover condition of a vehicle, comprising:
- a. a roll angular velocity sensor operatively coupled to the vehicle, wherein said roll angular velocity sensor is adapted to measure a roll rate of the vehicle about a roll axis, and said roll axis is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
b. an occupant sensor responsive to a presence or position of an occupant in the vehicle, wherein said occupant sensor provides a measure of proximity or position to an inner boundary of the vehicle; and
c. a processor operatively coupled to said roll angular velocity sensor and to said occupant sensor, wherein said processor is adapted to generate a signal for controlling a safety restraint system, said signal for controlling said safety restraint system is responsive to a detection of a prospective rollover condition responsive to a signal from said roll angular velocity sensor, and said processor is adapted to modify a detection criteria associated with said signal for controlling said safety restraint system responsive to a signal from said occupant sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A roll angular velocity sensor and an occupant sensor are operatively coupled to a processor, which provides for detecting a rollover condition responsive to a measure of roll angular velocity and controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto, wherein a detection criteria associated with the rollover detection process is responsive to a signal from the occupant sensor. In one embodiment, a closure time is estimated from estimates or measurements of occupant velocity or acceleration, and the estimated closure time is compared with a threshold. If the estimated closure time is less than the threshold, activation of the safety restraint system is either inhibited or advanced relative to that otherwise provided by the rollover detection process alone. Otherwise, the activation may be delayed to provide additional time for the rollover detection.
243 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for detecting a rollover condition of a vehicle, comprising:
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a. a roll angular velocity sensor operatively coupled to the vehicle, wherein said roll angular velocity sensor is adapted to measure a roll rate of the vehicle about a roll axis, and said roll axis is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
b. an occupant sensor responsive to a presence or position of an occupant in the vehicle, wherein said occupant sensor provides a measure of proximity or position to an inner boundary of the vehicle; and
c. a processor operatively coupled to said roll angular velocity sensor and to said occupant sensor, wherein said processor is adapted to generate a signal for controlling a safety restraint system, said signal for controlling said safety restraint system is responsive to a detection of a prospective rollover condition responsive to a signal from said roll angular velocity sensor, and said processor is adapted to modify a detection criteria associated with said signal for controlling said safety restraint system responsive to a signal from said occupant sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of providing for detecting a rollover condition of a vehicle, comprising:
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a. providing for acquiring a measure of roll angular velocity of the vehicle about a roll axis, wherein said roll axis is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
b. providing for acquiring a measure of occupant position in the vehicle; and
c. providing for generating a signal for controlling a safety restraint system, wherein said signal for controlling said safety restraint system is responsive to said measure of roll angular velocity and to a detection criteria, and said detection criteria is responsive to said measure of occupant position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification