Safety System for a Motor Vehicle

• US 20110249119A1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arriver Software AB (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cronvall, Per, Forslund, David, Tjarnstrom, Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 9,158,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01068 between different sensors and airbag control unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/38 Outdoor scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

A safety system for a motor vehicle having a sensing arrangement (11) providing sensor signals related to the surrounding environment of the vehicle, at least one safety means (13, 14, 15) for an occupant of the vehicle, and a control means (22) adapted to control the safety means (13, 14, 15) depending on signals from the sensing arrangement (11). The safety system (10) has an environment classifying means (23) adapted to classify the surrounding environment of the vehicle into different predetermined categories on the basis of signals from the sensing arrangement (11), and to adjust the control means (22) depending on the vehicle environment category determined by the environment classifying means (23).

Claims

1. A safety system (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising a sensing arrangement (11) providing sensor signals related to the surrounding environment of the vehicle, at least one safety means (13, 14, 15) for providing enhancing safety for an occupant of the vehicle, and a control means (22) for controlling the safety means (13, 14, 15) depending on the signals from the sensing arrangement (11), an environment classifying means (23) for classifying the surrounding environment of the vehicle into different predetermined categories on the basis of the signals from the sensing arrangement (11), and for adjusting the control means (22) depending on the vehicle environment category determined by the environment classifying means (23).

2. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the safety means (13, 14, 15) for providing safety-related information to the vehicle occupant.

3. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the safety system (10) is adapted to detect an animal in front of the vehicle.

4. The safety system according to claim 3, wherein the safety means (15) is adapted to provide an animal warning to the vehicle occupant if an animal is detected in front of the vehicle.

5. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the environment classifying means (23) is adapted to determine that the surrounding environment is a city environment.

6. The safety system according to claim 5, wherein an animal detection means of the safety system (10) is deactivated if the city environment is determined by the environment classifying means (23).

7. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the environment classifying means (23) is adapted to determine that the surrounding environment is a rural or non-city environment.

8. The safety system according to claim 7, wherein an animal detection means of the safety system (10) is activated if the rural or non-city environment is determined by the environment classifying means (23).

9. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the environment classifying means (23) is further for performing classification filtering over time by considering a weighted sum of several time consecutive classification results.

10. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the control means (22) is adjustable to one of a plurality of predetermined states depending on the surrounding environment predetermined categories.

11. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined category is determined on the basis of image data provided by an imaging means (20) for imaging of the sensing arrangement (11).

12. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined category is determined on the basis of vehicle data provided by at least one vehicle sensor (18, 19) of the sensing arrangement (11).

13. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined category is determined on the basis of speed data provided by a speed sensor (19) of the sensing arrangement (11).

14. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined category is determined on the basis of yaw rate data provided by a yaw sensor (18) of the sensing arrangement (11).

15. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined category is determined on the basis of a combination of image data provided by an imaging means (20) and vehicle data provided by at least one vehicle sensor (18, 19) of the sensing arrangement.