Method and apparatus for sensing impact between a vehicle and an object
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sensing impacts between a vehicle and an object, comprising:
- an optical fiber sensor for positioning on the vehicle, said optical fiber sensor including at least one optical fiber, a light source at one end of said optical fiber, a light detector at the other end of said optical fiber, and at least one sensing zone on the fiber, each said sensing zone comprising a light loss area located on the periphery of the fiber, on a side of the fiber facing towards a direction of expected impact and on another side of the fiber facing away from the direction of the expected impact.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to the apparatus for and a method of sensing impact between a vehicle and an object and particularly between a pedestrian and the front bumper (12) of a vehicle. An optical fiber array (14) extends along the bumper (12) and the array (14) has sensors spaced along the bumper (12). A sensor comprises light loss areas spaced peripherally and axially on a fiber. An impact distorts the sensors, modulating light transmitted along the fiber or fibers. A signal is produced which is processed by a signal processor and an output signal generated. The output signal is used to actuate a safety device, such as elevating the vehicle hood to increase clearance between hood and engine, to reduce the severity of any injuries.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sensing impacts between a vehicle and an object, comprising:
- an optical fiber sensor for positioning on the vehicle, said optical fiber sensor including at least one optical fiber, a light source at one end of said optical fiber, a light detector at the other end of said optical fiber, and at least one sensing zone on the fiber, each said sensing zone comprising a light loss area located on the periphery of the fiber, on a side of the fiber facing towards a direction of expected impact and on another side of the fiber facing away from the direction of the expected impact.
- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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2. (canceled)
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6-9. -9. (canceled)
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11. (canceled)
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18-29. -29. (canceled)
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36-41. -41. (canceled)
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42. In a vehicle having a pedestrian impact sensing system, the improvement wherein said vehicle includes:
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a plurality of sensors mounted in the front area of said vehicle and adapted to sense an impact between a pedestrian and the front area of the vehicle;
said sensors each comprising a plurality of light loss areas on a fiber, spaced axially; and
a data processing control unit having stored data, said data processing central control unit being adapted to compare an event upon receipt of a signal from at least one of said sensors with stored data, and being adapted to generate an output signal upon evidence of a threshold value determined by said stored data, said output signal adapted to actuate a safety device.
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43. A method of sensing impact between a vehicle and an object comprising:
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providing said vehicle with a front structure having a plurality of sensors, each sensor comprising a plurality of light loss areas on a fiber, spaced axially, each sensor having signal output means for feeding a signal upon an impact to a data processing control unit;
providing a data processing control unit having stored algorithms for measuring and classifying impact shape, mass, and velocity based on the signal outputs from the sensors;
said control unit being operatively associated with said signal output means of each of said sensors;
said data processing control unit being adapted to compare an event upon receipt of a signal from at least one sensor, with stored data in said control unit; and
, said control unit being adapted to generate an output signal upon evidence of a threshold value determined by said stored data, said output signal being adapted to actuate a safety device. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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44. (canceled)
Specification