System and method for airbag deployment detection

• US 8,610,567 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hamed, Siri, Johnson, Bill, Skalny, Karen, Nabi, Syed, Seymour, Shafer, Thweny, Tara
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US13/100,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20120282885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A system and method for airbag deployment sensing with a mobile device is provided. The system senses an effluent indicative of airbag deployment with a chemical sensor and determines if an airbag deployment condition exists based on the sensing of the chemical sensor. The system may then initiate an emergency communication if it is determined that the airbag deployment condition exists.

Claims

1. A mobile device with airbag deployment sensing, the mobile device comprising:

a chemical sensor configured to detect an effluent indicative of airbag deployment;

a processor configured to communicate with the chemical sensor to determine if an airbag deployment condition exists;

a transmitter configured to initiate an emergency communication; and

wherein the chemical sensor is at least one of;

configured to detect at least one effluent from a group of effluents consisting of sodium azide, nitroguanidine, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), dicyanamide or dicyanamide salts, sodium borohydride (NaBH4), sodium hydroxide, cornstarch, French chalk, and talcum powder;

configured to detect a combination of two or more effluents indicative of airbag deployment;

configured to, together with the processor, identify the airbag deployment condition based on a weighted combination of a plurality of effluents indicative of airbag deployment; and

one of a plurality of chemical sensors configured to detect a plurality of effluents indicative of airbag deployment.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the chemical sensor and processor are configured to apply a first threshold to identify a concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and initiate the emergency communication based on the first threshold.

3. The mobile device according to claim 2, wherein the chemical sensor and processor are configured to apply a second threshold to identify the concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and prompt a user based on the second threshold.

4. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to initiate the emergency communication if the prompt is not addressed by the user within a predetermined time period.

5. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising a global positioning unit, the processor being configured to retrieve a location from the global positioning unit and transmit the location as part of the emergency communication.

6. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit an automated message as part of the emergency communication.

7. The mobile device according to claim 6, wherein the automated message is an automated voice message.

8. A mobile phone with airbag deployment sensing, the mobile phone comprising:

a chemical sensor chip configured to detect an effluent indicative of airbag deployment;

a processor configured to communicate with the chemical sensor chip to determine if an airbag deployment condition exists, the chemical sensor chip and processor being configured to identify the airbag deployment condition based on a weighted combination of a plurality of effluents indicative of airbag deployment, wherein the chemical sensor chip and processor are configured to apply a first threshold to identify a concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and initiate an emergency communication based on the first threshold, the chemical sensor chip and processor being further configured to apply a second threshold to identify the concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and prompt a user based on the second threshold, the processor being configured to initiate the emergency communication if the prompt is not addressed by the user within a predetermined time period;

a transmitter configured to initiate the emergency communication.

9. The mobile phone according to claim 8, wherein chemical sensor chip is configured to detect at least one effluent from a group of effluents consisting of sodium azide, nitroguanidine, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), dicyanamide or dicyanamide salts, sodium borohydride (NaBH4), sodium hydroxide, cornstarch, French chalk, and talcum powder.

10. The mobile device according to claim 9, further comprising a global positioning unit, the processor being configured to retrieve a location from the global positioning unit and transmit the location as part of the emergency communication.

11. A method for airbag deployment sensing with a mobile device, the method comprising:

sensing an effluent indicative of airbag deployment with a chemical sensor;

determining if an airbag deployment condition exists based on the sensing of the chemical sensor;

initiating an emergency communication if it is determined that the airbag deployment condition exists; and

at least one of;

detecting at least one effluent from a group of effluents consisting of sodium azide, nitroguanidine, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), dicyanamide or dicyanamide salts, sodium borohydride (NaBH4), sodium hydroxide, cornstarch, French chalk, and talcum powder;

detecting a combination of two or more effluents indicative of airbag deployment; and

identifying the airbag deployment condition based on a weighted combination of a plurality of effluents indicative of airbag deployment.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising applying a first threshold to identify a concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and initiate the emergency communication based on the first threshold.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising applying a second threshold to identify the concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and prompt a user based on the second threshold.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

initiating the emergency communication if the prompt is not addressed by the user within a predetermined time period.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

retrieving a location from a global positioning unit and transmitting the location as part of the emergency communication.

16. In a computer readable non-transitory storage medium having stored therein instructions executable by a programmed processor for airbag deployment sensing with a mobile device, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

sensing an effluent indicative of airbag deployment with a chemical sensor;

determining if an airbag deployment condition exists based on the sensing of the chemical sensor;

initiating an emergency communication if it is determined that the airbag deployment condition exists; and

at least one of;

detecting at least one effluent from a group of effluents consisting of sodium azide, nitroguanidine, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), dicyanamide or dicyanamide salts, sodium borohydride (NaBH4), sodium hydroxide, cornstarch, French chalk, and talcum powder;

detecting a combination of two or more effluents indicative of airbag deployment; and

identifying the airbag deployment condition based on a weighted combination of a plurality of effluents indicative of airbag deployment.

17. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16, having stored therein instructions for:

applying a first threshold to identify a concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and initiate the emergency communication based on the first threshold.

18. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 17, having stored therein instructions for:

applying a second threshold to identify the concentration of the effluent indicative of airbag deployment and prompt a user based on the second threshold.

19. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 18, having stored therein instructions for:

initiating the emergency communication if the prompt is not addressed by the user within a predetermined time period.

20. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16, having stored therein instructions for:

retrieving a location from a global positioning unit and transmitting the location as part of the emergency communication.

21. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16, having stored therein instructions for:

transmitting an automated voice message as part of the emergency communication.