Safety Method and Device for Vehicle Rollover Prediction Using Estimated Lateral Vehicle Velocity

• US 20110071719A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG), Continental Automotive Systems US Incorporated (Continental AG), Continental Teves Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Andres, Robert, Martz, Eric, Messi, Patrick, Faisst, Holger
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• 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 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01336 using filtering

Abstract

A system and method of activating a restraint system of a vehicle is described. The method includes generating a vehicle speed signal that represents a longitudinal speed of a vehicle, generating a lateral acceleration signal that represents a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, filtering the lateral acceleration signal to generate a filtered lateral acceleration signal, comparing the filtered lateral acceleration signal to a predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold, estimating a lateral speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal when the filtered lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold, and activating a restraint system of the vehicle based in part on the estimated lateral velocity.

Claims

1. A method of activating a restraint system of a vehicle, comprising:

generating a vehicle speed signal that represents a longitudinal speed of a vehicle;

generating a lateral acceleration signal that represents a lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

filtering the lateral acceleration signal to generate a filtered lateral acceleration signal;

comparing the filtered lateral acceleration signal to a predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold;

estimating a lateral speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal when the filtered lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold; and

activating a restraint system of the vehicle based in part on the estimated lateral velocity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising resetting the estimated lateral speed to a predetermined value when the filtered lateral acceleration signal is less than a reset lateral acceleration threshold for a predetermined duration.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring a vehicle network status and employing a predetermined value for the estimated lateral speed while the vehicle network status indicates that the vehicle speed signal is in a fault condition.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein activating the restraint system is further based on a roll rate sensor signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein activating the restraint system is further based on a lateral acceleration sensor signal.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein activating the restraint system is further based on a vertical acceleration sensor signal.

7. A control system for activating a restraint system of a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor that generates a vehicle speed signal based on longitudinal speed of a vehicle;

a lateral acceleration sensor that generates a lateral acceleration signal based on lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

a filter that filters the lateral acceleration signal to generate a filtered lateral acceleration signal;

a comparator that compares the filtered lateral acceleration signal to a predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold; and

a processor that estimates a lateral speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal when the filtered lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold; and

a restraint system that is activated based in part on the estimated lateral velocity.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor resets the estimated lateral speed to a predetermined value when the filtered lateral acceleration signal is less than a reset lateral acceleration threshold for a predetermined duration.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor monitors a vehicle network status and employs a predetermined value for the estimated lateral speed while the vehicle network status indicates that the vehicle speed signal is in a fault condition.

10. The system of claim 7 further comprising a roll rate sensor that communicates with the processor and wherein the restraint system is activated based on a roll rate sensor signal.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a later acceleration sensor that communicates with the processor and wherein the restraint system is activated based on a lateral acceleration sensor signal.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a vertical acceleration sensor that communicates with the processor and wherein the restraint system is activated based on a vertical acceleration sensor signal.

13. A control system for activating a restraint system of a vehicle, comprising:

vehicle speed sensing means for generating a vehicle speed signal based on longitudinal speed of a vehicle;

lateral acceleration sensing means for generating a lateral acceleration signal based on lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

filter means for filtering the lateral acceleration signal to generate a filtered lateral acceleration signal;

comparator means for comparing the filtered lateral acceleration signal to a predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold;

processor means for estimating a lateral speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal when the filtered lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold and for resetting the estimated lateral speed to a predetermined value when the filtered lateral acceleration signal is less than a reset lateral acceleration threshold for a predetermined duration; and

restraint system means for activating a passenger restraint system based in part on the estimated lateral velocity.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor monitors a vehicle network status and employs a predetermined value for the estimated lateral velocity while the vehicle network status indicates that the vehicle speed signal is in a fault condition.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising roll rate sensor means for communicating with the processor and wherein the restraint system is activated based on a filtered roll rate sensor signal.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising lateral acceleration sensor means for communicating with the processor and wherein the restraint system is activated based on a filtered lateral acceleration sensor signal.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising vertical acceleration sensor means for communicating with the processor and wherein the restraint system is activated based on a filtered vertical acceleration sensor signal.

18. A computer readable memory that includes instructions for a processor wherein the instructions implement a method of activating a restraint system of a vehicle, comprising:

generating a vehicle speed signal that represents a longitudinal speed of a vehicle;

generating a lateral acceleration signal that represents a lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

filtering the lateral acceleration signal to generate a filtered lateral acceleration signal;

comparing the filtered lateral acceleration signal to a predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold;

estimating a lateral speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal when the filtered lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold; and

activating a restraint system of the vehicle based in part on the estimated lateral velocity.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising resetting the estimated lateral speed to a predetermined value when the filtered lateral acceleration signal is less than a reset lateral acceleration threshold for a predetermined duration.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising monitoring a vehicle network status and employing a predetermined value for the estimated lateral speed while the vehicle network status indicates that the vehicle speed signal is in a fault condition.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein activating the restraint system is further based on a roll rate sensor signal.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein activating the restraint system is further based on a lateral acceleration sensor signal.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein activating the restraint system is further based on a vertical acceleration sensor signal.