Method for operating a pre-crash sensing system in a vehicle having external airbags

• US 6,950,014 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Strumoto, Gary Steven, Schuster, Peter J., Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Rao, Manoharprasad K., Barbat, Saeed David
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/604,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/435, 340/436, 340/441, 340/903, 340/901, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 701/301, 701/300, 180/167, 180/168, 180/170, 280/734, 280/735, 280/770, 280/762
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/823 Obstacle sensing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/824 Travel path sensing; Track monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/142 Visual Display Camera, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/174 Radar
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/224 automatically, based on dangerous living style
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/226 automatically, based on stopping at a preset or target point position
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/704 predicting unorthodox driving conditions for safe or optimal driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/982 Active Cruise Control, e.g. DISTRONIC type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/205 inflatable in the direction of an obstacle upon impending impact, e.g. using air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• 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 21/0156 by deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 : Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 : using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 : Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 : in the bumper area

Abstract

A pre-crash sensing system (10) for an automotive vehicle (50) is coupled to an external airbag system (120). The external airbag system (120) may include a bumper airbag (126), a grill airbag (122) or a bumper airbag and a grill airbag. An object classifier is used to generate an object classification signal. A controller (12) is coupled to the object classifier and the external airbag system for varying an activation level of the external airbag system (120) in response to the object classification signal.

Claims

1. A pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle coupled to a countermeasure system having an external airbag system, said pre-crash sensing system and countermeasure deployment comprising:

an object classifier generating an object classification signal, the object classifier comprises a radar or lidar unit generating an object distance signal and object relative velocity signal and a vision system generating the object classification signal that comprises object sizes including object area and object height; and

a controller coupled to said object classifier for varying an inflation rate of the external airbag in response to said object classification signal, object distance signal, and the object relative velocity signal.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said object classification comprises classifying collision objects into pedestrian and non-pedestrian objects.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a vehicle speed sensor generating a longitudinal speed signal corresponding to the longitudinal speed of the vehicle;

wherein said controller activates said external airbag in response to the longitudinal speed signal.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a decision zone;

wherein said radar or lidar sensor generates an object distance and relative velocity signals from an object within said decision zone and said vision sensor confirms the presence of the object within the said decision zone.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein varying the activation rate comprises varying the activation rate from a high rate to a low rate.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the low rate corresponds to an object classification of a pedestrian.

7. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the high rate corresponds to an object classification of a second vehicle.

8. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the external airbag system comprises a bumper bag.

9. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the external airbag system comprises a grill bag.

10. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the external airbag system comprises a bumper bag and a grill bag.

11. A method for operating a pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle having an external airbag system, said method comprising:

establishing a decision zone relative to the vehicle;

detecting an object within the decision zone;

classifying the object into an object classification by determining object sizes including object area and object height;

determining an external airbag inflation rate corresponding to the object classification; and

activating the external airbag system at the inflation rate.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein determining comprises choosing between a low inflation rate and a high inflation rate.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the low inflation rate corresponds to a pedestrian classification.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the high inflation rate corresponds to a vehicle classification.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein activating the external airbag system at the inflation rate comprises activating a grill airbag.

16. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein activating the external airbag system at the inflation rate comprises activating a bumper airbag.

17. A method for operating a pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle having an external airbag system, said method comprising:

detecting an object;

classifying the object by determining object sizes including object area and object height;

when the object is a pedestrian, activating an external airbag of the external airbag system at a first inflation rate;

when the object is a second vehicle, activating the external airbag system at a second inflation rate greater than the first inflation rate.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the second rate corresponds to object size.