Adjustable crash discrimination system with occupant position detection
First Claim
1. A method for optimizing a discrimination analysis used in a system for actuating a vehicle occupant safety restraint in response to a vehicle collision comprising the steps of:
- continuously detecting a static position of a vehicle occupant relative to a fixed structure within the vehicle;
generating data representative of the detected static occupant position; and
adjusting a discrimination threshold value used in the discrimination analysis for determining whether actuation of the safety restraint is required based on the data representative of the detected static occupant position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for discriminating motor vehicle crashes to actuate a safety restraint (10) utilizes an optical vehicle occupant position detector (12) to generate data (22) representative of the position of an occupant relative to fixed structure within the vehicle. The data (22) is subsequently used by a signal processor/discrimination unit (26) as criteria for a parameter based crash discrimination analysis, and for adjusting parameters of the discrimination analysis, such as changing the discrimination threshold values. The occupant position data optimizes the discrimination analysis used in the system (10) due to the system'"'"'s ability to customize the discrimination analysis in real time to match actual conditions of a vehicle occupant. Occupant position is determined by detecting the relative intensity, or average of scattering angles of a light beam (34) reflectively scattered by the occupant (24). An optical, low threshold safing sensor (40) can further be used to provide system calibration, discrimination of spurious occupant movement, and data representative of vehicle acceleration.
207 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for optimizing a discrimination analysis used in a system for actuating a vehicle occupant safety restraint in response to a vehicle collision comprising the steps of:
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continuously detecting a static position of a vehicle occupant relative to a fixed structure within the vehicle; generating data representative of the detected static occupant position; and adjusting a discrimination threshold value used in the discrimination analysis for determining whether actuation of the safety restraint is required based on the data representative of the detected static occupant position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of actuating a vehicle safety restraint comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a beam of light at a designated area within the vehicle potentially occupied by a person; measuring a relative intensity level or average of scattering angles of at least a portion of the light beam which is reflectively scattered by a surface within the designated area; determining the distance between the scattering surface and a fixed structure within the vehicle based on the measured relative intensity level or average of scattering angles; determining a change in distance between the scattering surface and the fixed structure over a period of time; adjusting a discrimination threshold value used for discriminating whether safety restraint actuation is desired based on the distance between the scattering surface and the fixed structure; comparing the change in distance between the scattering surface and the fixed structure over a period of time to the predetermined threshold value; and actuating the safety restraint if the change in distance exceeds the threshold value.
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10. A system for actuating a vehicle occupant safety restraint in response to a vehicle collision comprising:
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means for continuously detecting a static position of a vehicle occupant relative to a fixed structure within the vehicle; means responsive to the detecting means for generating data representative of the detected static occupant position; and processor means comprising a means for discriminating a vehicle crash requiring actuation of the occupant safety restraint, said discrimination means having a predetermined discrimination threshold value for use in the discrimination analysis, and a means responsive to the data representative of the detected static occupant position for adjusting the discrimination threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification