Method and arrangement for the preventive protection of vehicle passengers in dangerous situations

• US 7,268,675 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kuttenberger, Alfred, Hoetzel, Juergen, Sohnke, Thorsten, Schneider, Marcus, Schlick, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US10/525,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/435, 340/438, 340/517, 340/670, 180/271, 701/45, 701/46
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles

Abstract

To protect vehicle occupants in dangerous situations, the distance of the vehicle to a roadside object, such as a guardrail, etc., is determined and compared to a critical distance. If the actual distance is less than the critical distance, alarm devices are triggered and/or reversible restraining devices are deployed. The critical distance may be determined as a function of the host vehicle velocity.

Claims

1. A method for preventive protection of vehicle occupants in dangerous situations, the method comprising:

determining a distance of the vehicle to objects on a roadside on an ongoing basis according to size;

determining whether the distance is less than a critical distance;

initiating protective measures as a function of the determination;

determining a host vehicle velocity by magnitude;

determining the critical distance as a function of the determined host vehicle velocity; and

if the determined distance again exceeds the critical distance, canceling the initiated protective measures again.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, if it is determined that the actual distance is less than a first critical value, protective measures of a first kind are initiated, and if it is determined that the actual distance is less than a second critical value, which is less than the first critical value, protective measures of a second kind are initiated.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the protective measures of the first kind include at least one of an audible and visible signaling to a driver of the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the protective measures of the second kind include at least one of (a) an activation of at least one reversible restraining device and (b) a preparation of at least one irreversible restraining device.

5. A method for preventive protection of vehicle occupants in dangerous situations, the method comprising:

determining a distance of the vehicle to objects on a roadside on an ongoing basis according to size;

determining whether the distance is less than a critical distance;

initiating protective measures as a function of the determination;

determining a host vehicle velocity by magnitude; and

determining the critical distance as a function of the determined host vehicle velocity,

wherein the critical distance is determined in such a way that below a predefined host vehicle velocity, the critical distance is zero, and above a predefined distance, the critical distance is independent of the host vehicle velocity, and between the two values, a relationship between the host vehicle velocity and the critical distance runs in a substantially linear fashion, according to a predefined function.