SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINIMIZING OCCUPANT INJURY DURING VEHICLE CRASH EVENTS

• US 20110130111A1
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ActiveRestraint, LLC
• Original Assignee: ActiveRestraint, LLC
• Inventors: Bose, Dipan, Crandall, Jeff R., Untaroiu, Costin D., Maslen, Eric H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,539,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01259 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01265 Seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• 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 21/0134 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 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01526 using piezoelectric elements

Abstract

A method, computer program product and apparatus for minimizing occupant injury by optimizing occupant restraint properties and/or actions in real time, during pre-crash and crash phases. The restraint system uses three catalogs and a database linking these catalogs. The catalogs include a catalog of possible occupant states, a catalog of possible collision scenarios, and a catalog of potential restraint control laws. The database is an assessment of injury outcome for each possible combination of occupant state, collision scenario, and restraint control law. In addition to the catalogs, the method requires four computational components: an occupant identifier, a collision identifier, a restraint law optimizer, and a restraint controller.

Claims

1-55. -55. (canceled)

56. An event response system, said system comprising:

one or more sensors;

at least one event catalog;

a catalog of response laws;

an event identifier;

one or more response controllers;

wherein said event catalogs are probabilistically evaluated by said event identifier in real time based on readings from corresponding said sensors;

a database assessing said catalog of response laws for said probabilistically evaluated event catalogs, wherein said database is created prior to or during system use;

wherein a response law optimizer uses said database to select an element of said response law catalog based on probabilistic assessments; and

wherein said response controller performs said selected element of response law catalog.

57. The event response system of claim 56, wherein said performance is implemented on a response mechanism.

58. The event response system of claim 56, wherein said sensors, said event catalogs, said catalog of response laws, said database, and said response controllers are linked to each other either wirelessly or hard wired.

59. The event response system of claim 56, wherein said event response system is installed in industrial machinery to control fault events.

60. The event response system of claim 56, wherein said sensor linked catalogs are probabilistically evaluated by said processing unit.

61. The event response system of claim 56, wherein said sensor linked catalogs are probabilistically evaluated by said processing unit, in response to measured collision variables or states.

62. A regulatable occupant restraint system, said system comprising:

one or more sensors;

at least one collision catalog;

at least one occupant catalog;

a catalog of restraint laws;

a collision identifier;

an occupant identifier;

one or more restraint controllers;

wherein said collision catalog and said occupant catalog are probabilistically evaluated by said collision identifier and said occupant identifier in real time based on readings from corresponding said sensors;

a database assessing the catalog of restraint laws for each combination of said probabilistically evaluated occupant catalog and collision catalog, wherein said database is created prior to or during system use;

wherein a restraint law optimizer uses said database to select an element of said restraint law catalog based on probabilistic assessments; and

wherein said restraint controller performs said selected element of said restraint law catalog.

63. The occupant restraint system of claim 62, wherein said performance is implemented on an occupant restraint mechanism.

64. The occupant restraint system of claim 62, wherein said sensor linked catalogs are probabilistically evaluated by said processing unit.

65. The occupant restraint system of claim 62, wherein said sensor linked catalogs are probabilistically evaluated by said processing unit, in response to measured collision variables or states.

66. The occupant restraint system of claim 62, wherein said system is installed in a passenger vehicle.

67. The occupant restraint system of claim 66, wherein said sensor linked catalogs are probabilistically assessed by the vehicle'"'"'s on-board computer.

68. The occupant restraint system of claim 66, wherein said one or more restraint controllers is selected from the group consisting essentially of one or more seatbelt controllers, one or more bolster controllers, one or more airbag controllers, one or more interior padding devices, and one or more movable occupant compartment structures.

69. The occupant restraint system of claim 66, wherein said one or more sensors include an inertial measurement unit arranged to measure acceleration of the vehicle in three orthogonal directions and angular velocity of the vehicle about three orthogonal axes, the accelerations and angular velocities being measured at a substantially common location.

70. The occupant restraint system of claim 66, said system including one or more of the following:

an occupant catalog;

a collision scenario catalog;

a injury outcome database;

one or more collision sensors;

one or more occupant sensors;

one or more occupant identifiers;

one or more collision identifiers;

one or more restraint law optimizers; and

one or more restraint controllers.

71. An occupant restraint method of regulating an occupant restraint system to an event, said method comprising:

linking said occupant restraint system to;

one or more sensors;

at least one event catalog;

at least one occupant catalog;

;

a catalog of restraint laws;

an event identifier;

one or more restraint controllers;

probabilistically evaluating said event catalogs and said occupant catalog by said event identifier and said occupant identifier in real time based on readings from corresponding said sensor;

accessing a database assessing the catalog of restraint laws for each combination of said probabilistically evaluated occupant catalogs and event catalogs, wherein said database is created prior to or during system use;

selecting an element of said restraint law catalog based on the probabilistic assessment, wherein a restraint law optimizer uses said database to select the element of said restraint law catalog;

sensing said event; and

operating said restraint controller to perform said selected element of said restraint law catalog.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein said sensors, said occupant catalogs, said event catalog , and said catalog of restraint laws, said database, and said restraint controllers are connected to each other either wirelessly or hard wired.

73. The method of regulating an occupant restraint system of claim 71, wherein said event is a collision.

74. The method of regulating an occupant restraint system of claim 71, wherein said event is a change in acceleration.

75. The method of regulating an occupant restraint system of claim 71, wherein said event is a change in occupant position.