Method and device for detecting when a motorcycle is lying on its side

• US 20060176162A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Huttenlocher, Joerg, Miekley, Klaus
• Application Number:
  US11/332,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176162A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/440
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/10 by using measurements of speed or acceleration G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

A method for detecting when a vehicle is lying on its side, in which a measuring signal is ascertained using an acceleration sensor, which is mounted in such a way that its measuring direction is oriented parallel with respect to the vertical axis of the vehicle, and the measuring signal is used to detect when the vehicle is lying on its side.

Claims

1. A method for detecting when a vehicle is lying on its side, comprising:

ascertaining a measuring signal using an acceleration sensor, which is mounted in such a way that its measuring direction is oriented parallel with respect to a vertical axis of the vehicle; and

detecting on the basis of the measuring signal when the vehicle is lying on its side.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is recognized to lie on its side if an acceleration value corresponding to an output signal of the acceleration sensor falls below a specified threshold value.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the threshold value is substantially lower than a value of a gravitational acceleration.

4. A device for detecting when a vehicle is lying on its side, comprising:

an acceleration sensor mounted in such a way that its measuring direction is pointing parallel with respect to a vertical axis of the vehicle, for ascertaining a measuring signal; and

evaluation means for detecting when the vehicle is lying on its side as a function of the measuring signal.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein, in the evaluation means, the vehicle is recognized to lie on its side if an acceleration value corresponding to an output signal of the acceleration sensor falls below a specified threshold value.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the threshold value is substantially lower than a value of a gravitational acceleration.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle is a single-track vehicle.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle is a motorcycle.

9. The device according to claim 4, wherein the acceleration sensor is an inertial sensor.

10. The device according to claim 4, wherein the acceleration sensor is a sensor based on the spring-mass principle.