METHOD FOR OPERATING A PRE-CRASH SENSING SYSTEM WITH PROTRUDING CONTACT SENSOR

• US 20070100527A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bauch, David, Rao, Manoharprasad, Cuddihy, Mark, Brown, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01345 using mechanical sensing means
• 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 21/01544 detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of operating a restraint system includes classifying a collision into a collision classification, generating a protruding contact sensor output and deploying the restraint system in response to the contact sensor output and the output classification. The method may also use a pre-crash sensor with or without classification and deploy the restraint system in response to the pre-crash sensor signal and the protruding contact sensor signal.

Claims

1. A method of operating a restraint system comprising:

classifying a collision into a collision classification;

generating a protruding contact sensor output; and

deploying the restraint system in response to the protruding contact sensor output and the collision classification.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising monitoring a seatbelt status and wherein deploying comprises deploying the restraint system in response to the protruding contact sensor output, the collision classification and the seat belt status.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining an occupant class and wherein deploying comprises deploying the restraint system in response to the protruding contact sensor output, the collision classification and the occupant class.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of classifying comprises monitoring a host vehicle state.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of classifying comprises scanning a frontal zone with a pre-crash sensing system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of classifying comprises determining a relative velocity of a threat.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising extending a protruding contact sensor above a predetermined vehicle velocity.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein the predetermined vehicle velocity is about 15 miles an hour.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining a confidence factor threshold and a pre-crash confidence factor and wherein deploying comprises deploying in response to comparing the confidence factor and the confidence factor threshold.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein if the confidence factor is not above a threshold, determining a collision in response to a vehicle accelerometer and wherein deploying comprises deploying the restraint system in a post-collision mode.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein deploying a restraint system comprises deploying a pedestrian airbag.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein deploying a restraint system comprises deploying an interior airbag.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein deploying a restraint system comprises activating a seatbelt pretensioner.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the protruding contact sensor output corresponds to a sensor force.

15. A method comprising:

scanning a frontal zone with a pre-crash sensing system;

and determining potential threat in response to scanning;

generating a protruding contact sensor output;

deploying a restraint system in response to the protruding contact sensor output and the potential threat.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein determining a potential threat comprises determining an object classification.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising determining a relative velocity and deploying the restraint system in response to the relative velocity.

18. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising identifying a threat and extending the protruding contact sensor in response to the threat.

19. A vehicle having a restraint system comprising:

an exterior mounted protruding contact sensor generating a sensor contact signal;

a controller coupled to the exterior mounted protruding contact sensor, said controller controlling the restraint system in response to the sensor contact signal.

20. A vehicle as recited in claim 19 further comprising a velocity sensor generating a velocity signal, and wherein the controller extends the protruding contact sensor in response to the velocity signal.