MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20130054093A1
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Larice, Markus, Frst, Franz, Dirndorfer, Tobias
• Application Number:
  US13/402,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054093A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01204 Actuation parameters of safety arrangents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• 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 21/01512 Passenger detection systems

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a restraint system controlled by a control device, a storage device storing control information for controlling the restraint system, and a computing device. The computing device determines before a collision of the vehicle with a collision object first collision information relating to an impending collision, and determines during an actual collision of the vehicle second collision information relating to the actual collision. The motor vehicle further includes a comparison device producing a comparison result by comparing the first collision information with the second collision information. The control information stored in the storage device is selected when the comparison result indicates that the first collision information is validated in relation to the second collision information, and standard control information is selected in the absence of validation. The restraint system is then controlled with the stored control information or the standard control information, respectively.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one restraint system;

at least one control device controlling the at least one restraint system,

a storage device in communication with the at least one control device and storing control information for controlling the at least one restraint system, with the control information being individually defined for different collision processes,

at least one computing device, which is configured to determine and output, before a collision of the vehicle with a collision object, at least one first collision information relating to an impending collision of the vehicle with the collision object,

determine and output, during an actual collision of the vehicle with the collision object, second collision information relating to the actual collision of the vehicle with the collision object, and

a comparison device configured to compare the at least one first collision information with the second collision information and to output a comparison result,

wherein the control device is configured to select at least one control information stored in the storage device, when the comparison result indicates that the at least one first collision information is validated in relation to the second collision information, and to control the at least one restraint system commensurate with the selected at least one control information, and to select a standard control information of the at least one restraint system, when the comparison result indicates that the at least one first collision information is not validated in relation to the second collision information, and to control the at least one restraint system commensurate with the standard control information.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to preselect from the storage device a control information commensurate with the at least one first collision information.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the control device is configured to select from the storage device an alternative control information commensurate with the comparison result.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to control the at least one restraint system in a collision commensurate with the standard control information, when the at least one computing device is unable to output the at least one first collision information.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one first collision information comprises information selected from an expected vehicle deceleration in the impending collision and deformation information indicating a measure for an expected degree of deformation of the vehicle in the impending collision.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second collision information comprises information selected from an actual vehicle deceleration in the collision and deformation information indicating a measure for an actual degree of deformation of the vehicle in the impending collision.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one computing device is configured to take into account at least one of a vehicle-specific parameter and a collision-object-specific parameter when determining the at least one first collision information.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-specific parameter and the collision-object-specific parameter is a parameter selected from a mass of the vehicle, a stiffness of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, a mass of the collision object, a stiffness of the collision object, a speed of the collision object, a relative speed between the vehicle and the collision object, a distance between the vehicle and the collision object, acceleration and/or deceleration values of the vehicle, and acceleration and/or deceleration values the collision object.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one computing device is configured to take into account at least one vehicle-occupant-specific parameter when determining the at least one first collision information.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle-occupant-specific parameter is a parameter selected from a seat occupation of a vehicle occupant, a weight of the vehicle occupant, and a model representative of a body shape of at least one vehicle occupant.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one computing device is configured to communicate with at least one environmental detection device and to take into account measurement data provided by the environmental detection device when determining the at least one first collision information.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the at least one environmental detection device comprises a vehicle sensor system.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the comparison device is configured to continuously or intermittently compare the at least one first collision information with the second collision information and to output a corresponding individual comparison result for each comparison.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the restraint system comprises at least one of a seat belt tensioner, a seat belt force limiter, an airbag, a stiffness control of a passenger compartment, an adaptive head rest, and a device for adjusting a seat position of a seat.

15. A method for controlling at least one restraint system of a motor vehicle with at least one control device, comprising the steps of:

before a collision of the vehicle with a collision object, determining and outputting with at least one computing device at least one first collision information relating to an impending collision of the vehicle with a collision object,

during the collision of the vehicle with the collision object, determining and outputting with at least one computing device a second collision information relating to an actual collision of the vehicle with the collision object, and

comparing with a comparison device the at least one first collision information with the second collision information and outputting a comparison result,

selecting at least one control information stored in a storage device, when the comparison result indicates that the at least one first collision information is validated in relation to the second collision information, and controlling the at least one restraint system commensurate with the selected at least one control information, and

selecting a standard control information of the at least one restraint system, when the comparison result indicates that the at least one first collision information is not validated in relation to the second collision information, and controlling the at least one restraint system commensurate with the standard control information.

16. The method of claim 15, and further preselecting with the at least one control device from the storage device a control information commensurate with the at least one first collision information.

17. The method of claim 16, and further selecting with the at least one control device an alternative control information from the storage device commensurate with the comparison result.

18. The method of claim 15, and further controlling the at least one restraint system in a collision commensurate with the standard control information, when the at least one computing device is unable to output the at least one first collision information.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one first collision information comprises information selected from an expected vehicle deceleration in the impending collision and deformation information indicating a measure for an expected degree of deformation of the vehicle in the impending collision.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the second collision information comprises information selected from an actual vehicle deceleration in the collision and deformation information indicating a measure for an actual degree of deformation of the vehicle in the impending collision.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one computing device takes into account at least one of a vehicle-specific parameter and a collision-object-specific parameter when determining the at least one first collision information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the vehicle-specific parameter and the collision-object-specific parameter is a parameter selected from a mass of the vehicle, a stiffness of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, a mass of the collision object, a stiffness of the collision object, a speed of the collision object, a relative speed between the vehicle and the collision object, a distance between the vehicle and the collision object, acceleration and/or deceleration values of the vehicle, and acceleration and/or deceleration values the collision object.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one computing device takes into account at least one vehicle-occupant-specific parameter when determining the at least one first collision information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one vehicle-occupant-specific parameter is a parameter selected from a seat occupation of a vehicle occupant, a weight of the vehicle occupant, and a model representative of a body shape of at least one vehicle occupant.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one computing device communicates with at least one environmental detection device and takes into account measurement data provided by the environmental detection device when determining the at least one first collision information.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the comparison device continuously or intermittently compares the at least one first collision information with the second collision information and outputs a corresponding individual comparison result for each comparison.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one environmental detection device comprises a vehicle sensor system.