Method for triggering restraining means in a motor vehicle

• US 20040065497A1
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Koehler, Armin, Roelleke, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,140,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/282
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

A method for triggering a restraining device in a motor vehicle is proposed, where a crash severity and an occupant categorization are implemented independently of each other. By linking the crash severity with the occupant categorization, the restraining device required for the vehicle occupants is triggered. The crash severity is subdivided in accordance with the triggering events frontal impact, side impact, rear impact or vehicle roll-over. A decisive advantage is that the crash severity is implemented independently of the occupant categorization.

Claims

1. A method for triggering restraining means in a motor vehicle, a crash being detected as a function of first sensor signals from first vehicle sensors (7, 9, 10), a categorization of vehicle occupants being implemented on the basis of second sensor signals from second vehicle sensors (8);

a crash severity being determined on the basis of at least one of the triggering events frontal impact, side impact, rear impact or vehicle roll-over recognized with the aid of the first sensor signals; and

the categorization of the vehicle occupants and the crash severity being linked to each other for triggering the restraining means required for the vehicle occupants,

wherein the crash severity is additionally determined as a function of a crash type, which is ascertained on the basis of features extracted from the first signals.

2. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein operating dynamics data and/or intrusion data and/or environment data of the vehicle are ascertained from the first sensor signals to determine the triggering events.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein crash severity data are determined for each of the individual triggering events, the crash severity data then being linked with the categorization of the vehicle occupants.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, 2 or 3,

wherein the weight of a specific vehicle occupant, the respective seating position and the use of a respective vehicle belt coming from the second sensor signals is used to categorize the vehicle occupants.

5. A device for implementing the method as recited in one of claims 1 through 4,

wherein the device a processor (12), which determines the crash severity and implements the categorization of the vehicle occupants on the basis of the first and second sensor signals and accordingly trigger the restraining means (14-16), the processor (12) being able to be connected to the first and second vehicle sensors (7-10) in the motor vehicle;

the processor (12) linking the crash severity and the categorization of the vehicle occupants in order to activate the subsequently required restraining means (14-16); and

the processor (12) additionally determining the crash severity as a function of a crash type which the processor (12) ascertains on the basis of the features extracted from the first signals.

6. The device as recited in claim 5,

wherein the first vehicle sensors (7, 9, 10) acquire the vehicle dynamics data and/or the intrusion data and/or the environment data of the vehicle in order to determine the crash severity in the vehicle, and the second vehicle sensors (8) acquire the weight and the seating position of the respective vehicle occupant and the use of the respective vehicle belt in order to categorize the vehicle occupants.