Crash sensor systems utilizing vehicular inertial properties

• US 8,914,196 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S, Leonets, Olexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US14/069,760
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/70, 701/32.3, 701/32.4, 180/271, 340/436
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

Electronic crash sensor system for a vehicle including at least one inertial measurement device arranged on the vehicle to measure an inertial property of the vehicle, a processor that incorporates or executes a crash sensing algorithm that determines whether the vehicle is sensing a crash based on the inertial property measured by each inertial measurement device and a positioning system arranged on the vehicle to provide its position. The inertial property measured by each inertial measurement device is modified based on the position and then provided to the crash sensing algorithm such that the crash sensing algorithm determines whether the vehicle is sensing a crash based on the modified inertial property measured by each inertial measurement device. Self-testing of each inertial measurement device is not performed.

Claims

1. An arrangement for a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic crash sensor system, comprising;

at least one inertial measurement device arranged on the vehicle to measure an inertial property of the vehicle;

a processor that incorporates or executes a crash sensing algorithm that determines whether the vehicle is sensing a crash based on the inertial property measured by each of said at least one inertial measurement device; and

a positioning system arranged on the vehicle to provide a position of said positioning system that is considered as a position of the vehicle,

the inertial property measured by each of said at least one inertial measurement device being modified based on the position provided by said positioning system and then provided to said crash sensing algorithm such that said crash sensing algorithm determines whether the vehicle is sensing a crash based on the modified inertial property measured by each of said at least one inertial measurement device,

whereby self-testing of said at least one inertial measurement device is not performed; and

at least one occupant protection device arranged on the vehicle, each of said at least one occupant protection device being coupled to said crash sensor system and being actuated based on the determination by said crash sensing algorithm whether the vehicle is sensing a crash.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one inertial measurement system comprises an accelerometer and acceleration values measured by said accelerometer are modified based on the position provided by said positioning system.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, further comprising means for comparing integrated output of said accelerometer with the position provided by said positioning system and using information about differences therebetween to modify the acceleration values measured by said accelerometer.

4. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein said means comprise a Kalman filter.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one inertial measurement system comprises a gyroscope and angular velocity values measured by said gyroscope are modified based on the position provided by said positioning system.

6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein said at least one inertial measurement system further comprises an accelerometer and acceleration values measured by said accelerometer are modified based on the position provided by said positioning system, further comprising means for comparing integrated output of said accelerometer with the position provided by said positioning system and using information about differences therebetween to modify the acceleration values measured by said accelerometer, said means comprising a Kalman filter or neural network.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein said Kalman filter or neural network is configured to eliminate an effect of errors in acceleration values measured by said accelerometer on the angular velocity values measured by said gyroscope and an effect of errors in angular velocity values measured by said gyroscope on the acceleration values measured by said accelerometer.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one inertial measurement device comprises a plurality of inertial measurement devices, each configured to measure a different inertial property of the vehicle.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one inertial measurement device comprises a plurality of accelerometers, each configured to measure acceleration of the vehicle in a different direction.

10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one inertial measurement device comprises a plurality of gyroscopes, each configured to measure angular velocity of the vehicle in a different direction.

11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one inertial measurement device comprises a plurality of accelerometers, each configured to measure acceleration of the vehicle in a different direction, and a plurality of gyroscopes, each configured to measure angular velocity of the vehicle in a different direction.

12. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said processor determines a modification coefficient based on the position provided by said positioning system and applies the modification coefficient to modify the inertial property measured by each of said at least one inertial measurement device, said positioning system being configured to periodically determine its position, said processor retaining the modification coefficient determined when said positioning system determines its position at a first time for use in modifying modify the inertial property measured by each of said at least one inertial measurement device until said positioning system determines its position at a second time.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said positioning system is a global positioning system (GPS).

14. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least occupant protection device comprises an inflatable airbag.

15. A method for actuating at least one occupant protection device on a vehicle, comprising:

measuring, using at least one inertial measurement device on the vehicle, an inertial property of the vehicle to obtain inertial data; and

determining, using a positioning system at least partly on the vehicle, a position of the positioning system considered as a position of the vehicle;

modifying, using a processor, the measured inertial property based on the position determined by the positioning system;

determining, using a crash sensor algorithm, whether the vehicle is sensing a crash based on the modified inertial property; and

controlling actuation of the at least one occupant protection device based on the determination by the crash sensing algorithm whether the vehicle is sensing a crash.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least inertial measurement device comprises an accelerometer such that the inertial property is acceleration.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of modifying the acceleration based on the determined position comprises integrating output of the accelerometer using a processor, comparing the integrated output with the determined position using a processor and using differences therebetween to modify the acceleration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a Kalman filter or a neural network is used when modifying the acceleration based on the determined position.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least inertial measurement device comprises a gyroscope such that the inertial property is angular velocity.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising modifying angular velocity values measured by the gyroscope based on the determined position.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least inertial measurement device comprises at least one accelerometer and at least one gyroscope such that the inertial properties are acceleration and angular velocity.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one inertial measurement device comprises a plurality of accelerometers, each configured to measure acceleration of the vehicle in a different direction, and a plurality of gyroscopes, each configured to measure angular velocity of the vehicle in a different direction.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising inputting the modified inertial property into an algorithm of the crash sensor that assess whether the vehicle is experiencing a crash and if so, a magnitude of the crash.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the positioning system is a global positioning system (GPS).

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least occupant protection device comprises an inflatable airbag.