Vehicle rollover sensing using angular accelerometer
First Claim
1. A roll angle estimation apparatus for predicting a future roll angle of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
- an angular accelerometer for sensing angular acceleration of a vehicle and producing an output signal indicative thereof;
an integrator for integrating the sensed angular acceleration signal and producing an angular rate; and
a predictor for predicting a future roll angle of the vehicle as a function of the sensed angular acceleration, the angular rate, and a current roll angle.
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Abstract
A vehicle rollover sensing apparatus and method are provided for predicting a future roll angle and an overturn condition of a vehicle. The apparatus includes an angular accelerometer for sensing angular acceleration of the vehicle and producing an output signal indicative thereof. A first integrator integrates the sensed angular acceleration signal and produces an angular rate. A second integrator integrates the angular rate and generates a current roll angle. A predictor predicts a future roll angle as a function of the sensed angular acceleration, angular rate, and current roll angle. A comparator compares the predicted future roll angle to a threshold value. The apparatus generates a vehicle overturn condition signal based on said comparison, and signals deployment of restraint devices.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A roll angle estimation apparatus for predicting a future roll angle of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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an angular accelerometer for sensing angular acceleration of a vehicle and producing an output signal indicative thereof; an integrator for integrating the sensed angular acceleration signal and producing an angular rate; and a predictor for predicting a future roll angle of the vehicle as a function of the sensed angular acceleration, the angular rate, and a current roll angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A rollover sensing apparatus for predicting an overturn condition for a vehicle, comprising:
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an angular accelerometer for sensing angular acceleration of a vehicle and producing an output signal indicative thereof; an integrator for integrating the sensed angular acceleration signal and producing an angular rate; a predictor for predicting a future roll angle of the vehicle as a function of the sensed angular acceleration, the angular rate, and a current roll angle; a comparator for comparing the predicted future roll angle to a threshold value; and an output for generating an output signal indicative of an anticipated vehicle overturn condition prediction based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for estimating a future roll angle of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing angular acceleration of a vehicle and producing an output signal indicative thereof; integrating the sensed angular acceleration signal to generate an angular rate; obtaining a current roll angle; predicting a future roll angle as a function of the sensed angular acceleration, the angular rate, and the current roll angle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for predicting an overturn condition of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing angular acceleration of a vehicle and producing an output signal indicative thereof; integrating the sensed angular acceleration signal and producing an angular rate; obtaining a current roll angle; predicting a future roll angle as a function of said sensed angular acceleration, said angular rate, and said current roll angle; comparing the predicted future roll angle to a threshold value; and generating a vehicle overturn condition signal based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification