Supplemental restraint deployment method using dynamic crash classification

• US 20060074537A1
• Filed: 10/05/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shen, Junqiang
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01322 comprising variable thresholds, e.g. depending from other collision parameters
• 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 21/01332 by frequency or waveform analysis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0156 by deceleration

Abstract

A deployment method for a supplemental restraint system having multiple distributed acceleration sensors dynamically classifies each crash event based on relationships among the acceleration signals. A severity threshold is selected based on the instant crash classification, and a measure of crash severity is compared to the selected severity threshold to determine if the restraints should be deployed. The measure of crash severity is determined by computing individual measures of crash severity for the various frontal acceleration sensors and selecting the highest of the individual measures.

Claims

1. A method of deploying a supplemental restraint based on multiple distributed measures of vehicle acceleration, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of crash types characterized by different relationships among the distributed measures of vehicle acceleration, and continuously monitoring said measures of acceleration during the course of a crash event to dynamically classify the crash event into one of said plurality of crash types;

establishing calibrated severity thresholds for each of said crash types, and selecting a severity threshold for the crash type into which the crash event is classified;

developing a measure of crash severity from the measures of vehicle acceleration; and

enabling deployment of said restraint when the measure of crash severity exceeds the selected severity threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, including the steps of:

detecting an immunity condition; and

allowing deployment of said restraint if said immunity condition is satisfied within a predetermined period of tine after said measure of crash severity exceeds the selected severity threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, including the step of:

developing velocity values from the distributed measures of vehicle acceleration;

defining the plurality of crash types based on different relationships among velocity values for the distributed measures of vehicle acceleration; and

dynamically classifying the crash event into one of said plurality of crash types based on the developed velocity values.

4. The method of claim 3, where the multiple distributed measures of acceleration include two or more measures of acceleration in a frontal portion of the vehicle, the method including the steps of:

developing frontal velocity values from the measures of acceleration in the frontal portion of the vehicle;

identifying the highest of the developed frontal velocity values; and

dynamically classifying the crash event based in part on the identified frontal velocity value.

5. The method of claim 3, where the multiple distributed measures of acceleration include a measure of acceleration in a central portion of the vehicle, and the step of dynamically classifying the crash event includes the steps of:

developing a central velocity value from the measure of acceleration in the central portion of the vehicle;

computing a ratio of the central velocity value and the identified frontal velocity value; and

dynamically classifying the crash event based in part on the computed ratio.

6. The method of claim 3, where the multiple distributed measures of acceleration include a measure of acceleration in a central portion of the vehicle, and the step of dynamically classifying the crash event includes the steps of:

developing a central velocity value from the measure of acceleration in the central portion of the vehicle;

computing a difference between the central velocity value and the identified frontal velocity value; and

dynamically classifying the crash event based in part on the computed difference.

7. The method of claim 1, where the multiple distributed measures of acceleration include two or more measures of acceleration in a frontal portion of the vehicle, the method including the steps of:

developing measures of frontal crash severity from the measures of acceleration in the frontal portion of the vehicle;

identifying the highest of the developed measures of frontal crash severity; and

enabling deployment of said restraint when the identified measure of frontal crash severity exceeds the selected severity threshold.