Method for robust occupant position control prior to vehicle impact

• US 6,708,095 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Morman, Kenneth Nero
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US10/052,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 280/801.1, 280/727, 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/730.1, 280/734, 280/735, 342/72
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01265 Seat belts
• 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 21/015 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 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means

Abstract

A method for robust occupant position control prior to vehicle impact is provided. The method includes, in response to detecting an object, generating a Collision Index (CI) value representing a likelihood of collision with the detected object, and generating a Lateral Displacement (LD) value indicative of a distance to the detected object. A weight value (W_o) for a vehicle occupant is also determined. When the CI and LD values exceed respective thresholds, the method generates a pretensioner output (PT_out) value as a function of the CI and W_o values, and activates a seatbelt pretensioner associated with a seat of the vehicle occupant as a function of the PT_out value. An occupant positioning system for a vehicle activated prior to vehicle impact is also provided.

Claims

1. A seatbelt pretensioner method for occupant position control prior to vehicle impact comprising, in response to detecting an object:

generating a Collision Index (CI) value representing a likelihood of collision with said detected object;

generating a Lateral Displacement (LD) value indicative of a distance to said detected object;

determining a weight value (W_o) for a vehicle occupant; and

when said CI and LD values satisfy respective threshold conditions, generating a pretensioner output (PT_out) value as a function of said CI and W_o values, and activating a reversible seatbelt pretensioner associated with a seat of said vehicle occupant as a function of said PT_out, and

wherein generating a PT_out value includes determining a response time constant of said seatbelt pretensioner and generating said PT_out value as a function of said response time constant.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein generating a CI value includes receiving a closing speed value and distance value to said detected object from an object detection system and generating said CI value as a function of said closing speed and distance values.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein generating a PT_out value includes receiving a sensitivity value from said object detection system and generating said PT_out value as a function of said sensitivity value.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said object detection system comprises at least one of a radar, lidar, or vision system.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising communicating said PT_out and CI values to a restraints controller for activating a multi-stage air-bag in the event of a collision with said detected object.

6. A seatbelt pretensioner method for occupant position control prior to vehicle impact comprising, in response to detecting an object:

generating Collision Index (CI) value representing a likelihood of collision with said detected object;

generating a Lateral Displacement (LD) value indicative of a distance to said detected object;

determining a weight value (W_o) for a vehicle occupant; and

when said CI and LD values satisfy respective threshold conditions, generating a pretensioner output (PT_out) value as a function of said CI and W_o values, and activating a reversible seatbelt pretensioner associated with a seat of said vehicle occupant as a function of said PT_out, and

wherein generating a PT_out value includes generating an output value (Out₁) according to the following equation;

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein activating a seatbelt pretensioner includes:

when Out₁ exceeds a maximum pretensioner value, transmitting a maximum PT_out value to said seatbelt pretensioner; and

when Out₁ is between a minimum pretensioner value and said maximum pretensioner value, transmitting said Out₁ value to said seatbelt pretensioner.

8. A seatbelt pretensioning system for a vehicle activated prior to impact comprising:

an object detector for providing a speed and lateral distance (LD) value to a detected object;

a weight sensor associated with an occupant seat for providing an occupant weight value (W_o);

a seatbelt pretensioner responsive to a pretensioner control signal (PT_out) for tensioning a seat belt associated with said occupant seat;

a Predictive Impact Estimator (PIE) to generate a Collision Index (CI) value as a function of said speed and LD values; and

a Pretensioner Control Module (PCM) to receive said CI and W_o values, generate said PT_out value as a function of said CI and W_o values and a response time constant of said seatbelt pretensioner, and communicate said PT_out value to said seatbelt pretensioner.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said object detector includes a radar system.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein said object detector includes a lidar system, or vision system.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein said PCM receives said distance value (LD) and generates said PT_out value as a function of said CI, W_o and LD values.

12. A system according to claim 8 comprising a restraints controller for activating an air-bag in the event of a collision with said detected object, and wherein said PCM communicates said PT_out and CI values to said restraints controller.

13. A seatbelt pretensioning system for a vehicle activated prior to impact comprising:

an object detector for providing a speed and lateral distance (LD) value to a detected object;

a weight sensor associated with an occupant seat for providing an occupant weight value (W_o);

a seatbelt pretensioner responsive to a pretensioner control signal (PT_out) for tensioning a seat belt associated with said occupant seat;

a Predictive Impact Estimator (PIE) to generate a Collision Index (CI) value as a function of said speed and LD values; and

a Pretensioner Control Module (PCM) to receive said CI and W_o values, generate said PT_out value as a function of said CI and W_o value, and communicate said PT_out value to said seatbelt pretensioner, and

wherein said PCM includes logic operative to generate said PT_out value as a function of an output value (out₁) according to the following equation;

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein:

when Out₁ exceeds a maximum pretensioner value, said PCM is adapted to communicate a maximum PT_out value to said seatbelt pretensioner; and

when Out₁ is between a minimum pretensioner value and said maximum pretensioner value, said PCM is adapted to communicate said Out₁ value to said seatbelt pretensioner.

15. A seatbelt pretensioning system for a vehicle activated prior to impact comprising:

an object detector for providing a closing speed and distance value to a detected object;

a weight sensor associated with an occupant seat for providing an occupant weight value (W_o);

a seatbelt pretensioner responsive to a pretensioner control signal (PT_out) for tensioning a seat belt associated with said occupant seat said seatbelt pretensioner having an associated response time constant; and

a controller including logic programmed to;

generate a Collision Index (CI) value as a function of said closing speed and distance values;

when said CI and LD values satisfy respective threshold conditions, generates said PT_out value as a function of said CI and W_o values and said response time constant; and

communicate said PT_out value to said seatbelt pretensioner.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein said controller includes logic adapted to receive a sensitivity value from said object detection system and generate said PT_out value as a function of said sensitivity value.

17. A system according to claim 15 wherein said object detector is a radar, lidar, or vision system.