Detection System for Analyzing Crash Events and Methods of the Same

• US 20150149218A1
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gulfstream Telematics, LLC (CalAmp Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gulfstream Telematics, LLC (CalAmp Corporation)
• Inventors: Jenkins, Jeffrey A., Bayley, Gregory S., Byrne, Peter F.
• Application Number:
  US14/548,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20150149218A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• 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 21/01558 monitoring crash strength
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0156 by deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01562 by speed
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Method for analyzing a crash event. The method may comprise receiving an acceleration of a vehicle over a predetermined length of time, the vehicle involved in the crash event, determining a change in velocity of the vehicle based on the acceleration, determining vehicle information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event, and estimating a damage cost for the vehicle involved in the crash event, and/or estimating injuries to occupant(s) of the vehicle involved in the crash event. Estimating damage cost(s) may include determining crash force information for the vehicle, determining physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle subsequent to the crash event, and calculating the estimated damage cost to the vehicle. Estimating injuries to the occupant(s) may include determining occupant information relating to the occupant of the vehicle, calculating estimated forces exerted on the occupant, and calculating an injury probability for various body portions for the occupant.

Claims

1. A method for instantaneously estimating a damage cost for a vehicle involved in a crash event, the method comprising:

automatically receiving an acceleration of the vehicle over a predetermined length of time in substantial real-time;

determining a change in velocity of the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle;

determining crash force information for the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle and the change in velocity of the vehicle;

determining physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle subsequent to the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of;

the acceleration of the vehicle;

the change in velocity of the vehicle; and

the crash force information for the vehicle; and

calculating the estimated damage cost to the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of;

the determined crash force information for the vehicle; and

the determined physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the acceleration of the vehicle further comprises receiving multi-axis acceleration data from at least one accelerometer positioned on the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining of the crash force information for the vehicle further comprises:

analyzing and comparing;

each of the multi-axis acceleration data; and

the change in velocity of the vehicle;

determining a crash force applied to the vehicle involved in the crash event; and

determining a direction of the crash force applied to the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the physical-damage characteristics further comprises:

obtaining vehicle-specific crash information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event; and

calculating an anticipated crush deformation of the vehicle based, at least in part, on at least one of;

the determined crash force information for the vehicle;

the received acceleration of the vehicle;

the determined change in velocity of the vehicle; and

the determined vehicle information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the estimated damage cost further comprises at least one of:

determining a first cost associated with repairing damaged parts of the vehicle involved in the crash; and

determining a second cost associated with replacing the damaged parts of the vehicle involved in the crash.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating a bill of materials (BOM) based on the estimated damage cost to the vehicle, the BOM comprising;

a list of the damaged parts of the vehicle;

the first cost associated with repairing the damaged parts;

the second cost associated with replacing the damaged parts; and

a total cost to at least one of repair and replace the damaged parts.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating a value of the vehicle prior to the crash event;

comparing the calculated value of the vehicle with the estimated damage cost to the vehicle; and

in response to the estimated damage cost exceeding a predetermined percentage of the calculated value of the vehicle, determining a probable total loss of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the crash event involving the vehicle exceeds at least one predetermined crash threshold based on the acceleration of the vehicle over the predetermined length of time.

9. A method for instantaneously estimating injuries to an occupant of a vehicle involved in a crash event, the method comprising:

automatically receiving an acceleration of the vehicle over a predetermined length of time in substantial real-time;

determining a change in velocity of the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle;

determining occupant information relating to the occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event;

determining pre-solved crash information for the vehicle based, at least in part, on at least one of;

the acceleration of the vehicle; and

the change in velocity of the vehicle;

calculating estimated forces exerted on the occupant based, at least in part, on at least one of;

the acceleration of the vehicle;

the change in velocity of the vehicle;

the determined occupant information relating to the occupant; and

the determined pre-solved crash information for the vehicle; and

calculating an injury probability for various body portions for the occupant of the vehicle based on the estimated forces exerted on the occupant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining of the occupant information further comprises one of:

obtaining occupant specific information for the occupant, or

obtaining predetermined, standardized occupant information based on at least one of the gender and the stature of the occupant.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining of the occupant information further comprises:

determining if the occupant wore a seat belt during the crash event; and

determining the positioning of a seat in the vehicle utilized by the occupant.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

obtaining vehicle-specific crash information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event;

calculating an anticipated crush deformation of the vehicle based, at least in part, on;

the received acceleration of the vehicle;

the change in velocity of the vehicle; and

determined crash force information for the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining of the pre-solved crash information for the vehicle further comprises:

obtaining the pre-solved crash information from a library of pre-solved crash information for a plurality of distinct vehicles.

14. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory for storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method for analyzing a crash event, the method comprising;

receiving an acceleration of a vehicle over a predetermined length of time, the vehicle involved in the crash event;

determining a change in velocity of the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle;

determining vehicle information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event; and

at least one of;

estimating a damage cost for the vehicle involved in the crash event; and

estimating injuries to an occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the estimating of the damage cost for the vehicle involved in the crash event further comprises:

determining crash force information for the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle and the change in velocity of the vehicle;

determining physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle subsequent to the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of;

the acceleration of the vehicle;

the change in velocity of the vehicle; and

the crash force information for the vehicle; and

calculating the estimated damage cost to the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of;

the determined crash force information for to the vehicle; and

the determined physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the estimating of the injuries to the occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event further comprises:

determining occupant information relating to the occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event;

calculating estimated forces exerted on the occupant based on at least one of;

the detected acceleration of the vehicle;

the change in velocity of the vehicle;

the determined occupant information relating to the occupant;

the determined vehicle information; and

determined pre-solved crash information for the vehicle; and

calculating an injury probability for various body portions for the occupant of the vehicle based on the estimated forces exerted on the occupant.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising instruction for automatically providing an instantaneous notification to at least one user of a predetermined group of users in response to the crash event involving the vehicle;

wherein

the at least one user of the predetermined group of users is not the occupant of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the providing of the notification further comprises:

providing a first notification to a first select group of the predetermined group of users in response to determining the crash event involving the vehicle exceeds a predetermined crash threshold based on the acceleration of the vehicle over the predetermined length of time; and

providing a second notification to a second select group of the predetermined group of users in response to determining the crash event involving the vehicle does not exceed the predetermined crash threshold based on the acceleration of the vehicle over the predetermined length of time.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first selected group and the second selected group one of:

include at least one common user of the predetermined group of users, or

include distinct users of the predetermined group of users.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the provided notification comprises at least one of:

a location of the crash event;

a time of the crash event;

a date of the crash event;

a severity of the crash based on the predetermined crash threshold;

a speed of the vehicle prior to the crash event;

brake usage information for the vehicle prior to the crash event;

a vehicle identification number (VIN); and

a license plate number.