Method for detecting a rollover situation

• US 7,017,700 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Frimberger, Manfred, Wolf, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US10/220,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20030047927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 180/282, 180/268, 280/755, 280/756
• US Class Current: 180/282
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01027 Safing sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01325 Vertical acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting a rollover situation in such a way that a restraint, such as belt tighteners or head airbags, can be released at the right time during rollover. The signals that pertain to several sensors and detect transitional and rotational movements are detected, connected to one another and evaluated.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a rollover, comprising:

detecting a translatory movement and a rotary movement of the vehicle;

determining a rollover threshold, wherein the rollover threshold is dependent on a) acceleration of the vehicle in the vertical direction, b) acceleration of the vehicle perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, and c) the rotary movement of the vehicle and

triggering a restraint device if the rotary movement exceeds the rollover threshold.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rollover threshold depends on the acceleration of the vehicle perpendicular to a vehicle axis.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rollover threshold depends on an angular speed of the vehicle about a longitudinal axis.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rollover threshold depends on the acceleration of the vehicle in a vertical direction.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rollover threshold depends dynamically on at least one of a duration in time of an acceleration of the vehicle perpendicular to a vehicle axis and an angular speed of the vehicle about a longitudinal axis and the acceleration of the vehicle in a vertical direction.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further sensor detects acceleration in a vertical direction.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restraint device triggers when at least one acceleration signal and at least one rate of rotation signal is present.