Method for Generating a Triggering Signal for a Passenger Protection Device

• US 20090204294A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Krieg, Markus, Mack, Frank, Kolatschek, Josef
• Application Number:
  US11/886,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0023 Offset collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01332 by frequency or waveform analysis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for generating a triggering signal for a passenger protection device in which sensor data are detected and analyzed for accident classification, and to a corresponding device. To determine a relative accident velocity, signals of at least two measuring points offset by a predefined distance in the x direction are analyzed, and the time interval between a crash signal detected by a first sensor at a first measuring point and a crash signal detected by another sensor at another measuring point is determined.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for generating a triggering signal for a passenger protection device in which sensor data are detected and analyzed for accident classification, the method comprising:

analyzing, to determine a relative accident velocity, signals of at least two measuring points offset by a predefined distance in an x direction; and

determining a time interval between a crash signal detected by a first sensor at a first measuring point and a crash signal detected by another sensor at another measuring point being determined.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensors are situated at a particular measuring point or coupled to the particular measuring point for detecting the signals.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensors are acceleration sensors, and each crash signal corresponds to a peak value of an acceleration signal detected by a particular acceleration sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the acceleration signals of at least two acceleration sensors of a pedestrian protection device are analyzed.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, to determine the relative accident velocity, three measuring points are situated symmetrically on a vehicle bumper, the first measuring point being situated in the center of the vehicle bumper, a second measuring point to the left of the first measuring point in the direction of travel, and a third measuring point to the right of the first measuring point in the direction of travel, the predefined distance corresponding to a perpendicular distance of the first measuring point to an imaginary connecting line between the second measuring point and the third measuring point.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the relative accident velocity is calculated according to the equation v_rel=d/Δ

t.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the signals of the at least two measuring points offset by a predefined distance in the x direction are analyzed for determining at least one of a time of impact and a point of impact.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied:

(i) the point in time of a first crash signal detected by one of the acceleration sensors is output as the time of impact; and

(ii) it is recognized, by analyzing the signals of the second and third acceleration sensors, whether a symmetrical impact or an asymmetrical impact has occurred.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of (i) the determined relative accident velocity, (ii) the determined time of impact, and (iii) the determined symmetry is made available to a subsequent triggering operation for a personal protection arrangement.

23. A device for generating a triggering signal for a passenger protection device, which detects and analyzes sensor data for accident classification, comprising:

at least one first sensor to detect a first signal at a first measuring point;

at least one second sensor to detect a second signal at a second measuring point, which is offset from the first measuring point by a predefined distance in an x direction; and

an analyzing and control unit to analyze the signals of the at least two sensors for determining a relative accident velocity, wherein the analyzing and control unit is operable to determine a time interval between a crash signal detected by the first sensor and a crash signal detected by the second sensor.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the sensors for detecting the signals are one of (i) situated at the particular measuring point, and (ii) coupled to the particular measuring point.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least two sensors are part of a pedestrian protection device.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein, to determine the relative accident velocity, three acceleration sensors detect the signals of three measuring points situated symmetrically in a vehicle bumper, the first measuring point being situated in a center of the vehicle bumper, a second measuring point to the left of the first measuring point in a direction of travel, and a third measuring point to the right of the first measuring point in the direction of travel, the predefined distance corresponding to a perpendicular distance of the first measuring point to an imaginary connecting line between the second measuring point and the third measuring point.