SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRE-DEPLOYING RESTRAINTS COUNTERMEASURES USING PRE-CRASH SENSING AND POST-CRASH SENSING

• US 20080201042A1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rao, Manoharprasad K., Luu, Tai, Cuddihy, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems

Abstract

A system and method for deploying a restraint system in a vehicle that is in a pre-collision state with an object is provided. The system includes a pre-crash sensing system and a controller. The pre-crash sensing system is adapted to transmit pre-crash signals. The controller is configured to determine a closing velocity between the vehicle and the object. The controller is further configured to determine a predicted collision time based on the closing velocity and deploy the restraint system at a predetermined deployment time prior to the predicted collision time in response to the pre-crash signals.

Claims

1. A system for deploying a restraint system in a vehicle that is in a pre-collision state with an object, the system comprising:

a pre-crash sensing system adapted to transmit pre-crash signals; and

a controller configured to determine a closing velocity between the vehicle and the object in the pre-collision state, determine a predicted collision time based on the closing velocity, and deploy the restraint system at a predetermined deployment time prior to the predicted collision time in response to the pre-crash signals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to classify the object as one of a particular type of moving object and a stationary object in response to the pre-crash signals and determine vehicle type information, vehicle contact information and collision overlap information if the moving object or the stationary object is an on-coming vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the vehicle type information corresponds to whether the on-coming vehicle is one of a passenger car and a truck;

the vehicle contact information corresponds to one or more of the front, side, and rear portions of the moving or stationary vehicle; and

the collision overlap information corresponds to a collision overlap range of 50% to 100%.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a brake sensing system adapted to transmit a brake status signal that corresponds to the brakes being applied to the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the controller is further configured to recalculate the closing velocity to produce a first predicted collision time if the controller receives the brake status signal prior to deploying the restraint system at the predetermined deployment time.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the controller is further configured to deploy the restraint system at the predetermined deployment time prior to the first predicted collision time.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the restraint system further comprises one or more airbags each having a dual stage inflator and a vent, the controller is further configured to deploy the airbags at first and second inflation rates while keeping the vents closed prior to an actual contact time.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a post-crash sensing system adapted to transmit one or more post-crash signals indicative of a collision taking place between the vehicle and the object, the controller is further configured to determine the actual contact time in response to the post-crash signals and establish a predetermined time threshold value.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the opening of the vents based on the actual contact time, the predetermined deployment time and the predetermined time threshold value.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the restraint system comprises one or more dual stage inflator airbags each having a vent, one or more seatbelt pre-tensioners, seatbelt pyrotechnic pre-tensioners, and seatbelt load limiters;

the controller is configured to control the activation timing of the dual stage inflator airbags, the opening of the vents for the airbags, the seatbelt pre-tensioners, the seatbelt pyrotechnic pre-tensioners, and the seatbelt load limiters.

11. A system for deploying a restraint system in a vehicle that is in a pre-collision state with an object, the system comprising:

a pre-crash sensing system adapted to transmit pre-crash signals;

a brake sensing system adapted to transmit a brake status signal that corresponds to brakes being applied to the vehicle; and

a controller configured to determine a closing velocity between the vehicle and the object in the pre-collision state based on the pre-crash signals, determine a predicted collision time based on the pre-crash signals and the closing velocity, deploy the restraint system at a predetermined deployment time prior to the predicted collision time, and recalculate the closing velocity to generate a first predicted collision time based on the brake status signal.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is further configured to deploy the restraint system at the predetermined deployment time prior to the first predicted collision time.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the restraint system further comprises one or more dual stage inflator airbags each having a vent, the controller is further configured to deploy the airbags at first and second inflation rates while keeping the vents closed prior to an actual contact time.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a post-crash sensing system adapted to transmit one or more post-crash signals indicative of a collision taking place between the vehicle and the object, the controller is further configured to determine the actual contact time in response to the post-crash signals and establish a predetermined time threshold value.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the opening of the vents based on the actual contact time, the predetermined deployment time and the predetermined time threshold value.

16. A method for deploying a restraint system in a vehicle that is in a pre-collision state with an object, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting pre-crash signals;

determining a closing velocity between the vehicle and the object in the pre-collision state based on the pre-crash signals;

determining a predicted collision time based on the pre-crash signals and the closing velocity; and

deploying the restraint system at a predetermined deployment time prior to the predicted collision time.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting a brake status signal that corresponds to brakes being applied to the vehicle prior to deploying the one or more airbags.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising recalculating the closing velocity based on the brake status signal.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising generating a first predicted collision time based on the recalculated closing velocity.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising deploying the restraint system at the predetermined deployment time prior to the first predicted collision time.