Methods and apparatus for using black box data to analyze vehicular accidents

• US 7,974,808 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CCC Information Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Injury Sciences, LLC (CCC Information Services Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Darrin A., Paimer, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau; Tung S
• Application Number:
  US12/728,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 702/113
• US Class Current: 702/113
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/002 Analysing tachograph charts arrangements for graph-reading in general G06K11/00

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for using black box data to analyze vehicular accidents. The methods include obtaining information from an event data recorder associated with a vehicle and using the data obtained therefrom in determining and analyzing the vehicular accident. Attributes to be analyzed include impact severity, change in velocity, and other desired parameters. Further disclosed are methods to securely communicate the downloaded black box information to a secure location for later analysis and processing.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for assessing impact severity of an accident involving a vehicle, comprising:

receiving black box information obtained from an event data recorder of the vehicle at a computer system remote from the vehicle, the black box information comprising at least one of a pre-impact speed of the vehicle and a change in velocity of the vehicle;

determining in the computer system the impact severity of the vehicle and a second vehicle, by modeling the impact severity in the computer system using the black box information, including performing a simulation to generate a distribution from simulation values including at least one of the pre-impact speed and the change in velocity; and

outputting the impact severity from the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking for inconsistencies within the black box information using second information obtained independently of the event data recorder.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a principal direction of force upon the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, in the computer system, from the black box information whether a passive restraint system was in use;

applying, in the computer system, a preselected set of rules to determine a probability of interior interaction and occupant movement; and

reporting the probability of interior interaction and the occupant movement from the computer system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the change in velocity using a first preselected value to obtain a first limit change in velocity; and

modifying the change in velocity using a second preselected value to obtain a second limit change in velocity, the second limit change in velocity greater than the first limit change in velocity.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising reporting the inconsistencies, and further comprising reporting a sequence of events including information on timing of the sequence of events.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a range of potential injury of an occupant of the vehicle based on the principal direction of force and a change in velocity of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising comparing at least a portion of the black box information to a user input relating to the passive restraint system use to determine whether a discrepancy exists.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising comparing the probability of interior interaction and the occupant movement to user input information, the user input information relating to claimed occupant injury.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether the event data recorder is of a preselected type.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the low limit change in velocity is determined in accordance with Δ

V_low=Δ

V_SDM−

0.10(Δ

V_SDM)+Δ

V<sub>err—

lower95</sub> and the high limit change in velocity is determined in accordance with Δ

V_high=Δ

V_SDM+0.10(Δ

V_SDM)+Δ

V<sub>err—

upper95</sub>.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing the first limit change in velocity and the second limit change in velocity to a Monte Carlo analysis module.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising reporting the range of potential injury from the computer system.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising permitting a user to resolve the discrepancy.