In-vehicle apparatus for detecting collision of vehicle

• US 8,983,698 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kyojiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, MAJDI A
• Application Number:
  US13/888,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/36, 701/37, 701/45, 307/9.1, 307/10.6, 307/10.7, 307/30, 307/38, 280/734, 280/735, 180/282, 180/283, 903/930
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/3042 Collision sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

An in-vehicle apparatus for a vehicle driven by a first driving power source in a first driving mode and driven by a second diving power source in a second driving mode, includes: a collision detection device; a stopping device stopping the first and second driving modes when the collision detection device detects collision; a severity determination device determining a severity of collision indicative of a collision intensity; and a controller. Under a condition that the stopping device stops both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, the controller executes one of recovery of both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, recovery of one of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, and system shut-down according to the severity of collision.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle apparatus mounted on a vehicle having a first driving mode and a second driving mode, wherein the vehicle is driven by a first driving power source in the first driving mode, and the vehicle is driven by a second diving power source, which is different from the first driving power source, in the second driving mode, the in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

a collision detection device for detecting a collision of the vehicle;

a stopping device for stopping both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode when the collision detection device detects the collision of the vehicle;

a severity determination device for determining a severity of collision based on an output from the collision detection device, the severity of collision being indicative of a collision intensity; and

a controller, wherein;

under a condition that the stopping device stops both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, the controller executes one of recovery of both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, recovery of one of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, and a system shut-down according to the severity of collision.

2. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the severity determination device classifies the severity of collision into three stages, which include a light stage, a moderate stage and a heavy stage;

when the severity of collision is in the light stage, the controller executes the recovery of both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode;

when the severity of collision is in the moderate stage, the controller executes the recovery of one of the first driving mode and the second driving mode; and

when the severity of collision is in the heavy stage, the controller executes the system shut-down.

3. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when diagnosis information indicative of vehicle activation prohibition is input into the controller, the controller executes the system shut-down regardless of the severity.

4. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pre-crush sensor for predicting the collision of the vehicle, wherein;

the stopping device stops both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode when the pre-crush sensor predicts the collision of the vehicle.

5. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the collision detection device detects the collision of the vehicle based on collision acceleration of the vehicle; and

the severity determination device determines the severity of collision based on the collision acceleration of the vehicle.

6. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

in the first driving mode, an internal combustion engine as the first driving power source drives the vehicle;

in the second driving mode, a rotating electrical device as the second driving power source drives the vehicle; and

the stopping device interrupts a fuel supply to the internal combustion engine and an electric power supply to the rotating electrical device when the collision detection device detects the collision of the vehicle.

7. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the severity determination device classifies the severity of collision into three stages, which include a light stage, a moderate stage and a heavy stage;

when the severity of collision is in the light stage, the controller executes the recovery of both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode;

when the severity of collision is in the moderate stage, the controller executes the recovery of the first driving mode; and

when the severity of collision is in the heavy stage, the controller executes the system shut-down.

8. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is directly driven by the first driving device in the first driving mode and the vehicle is directly driven by the second driving device in the second driving mode.

9. An in-vehicle apparatus mounted on a vehicle having a first driving mode and a second driving mode, wherein the vehicle is directly driven by a first driving power source in the first driving mode, and the vehicle is directly driven by a second diving power source, which is different from the first driving power source, in the second driving mode, the in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

a collision detection device for detecting a collision of the vehicle;

a stopping device for stopping both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode when the collision detection device detects the collision of the vehicle;

a severity determination device for determining a severity of collision based on an output from the collision detection device, the severity of collision being indicative of a collision intensity; and

a controller, wherein;

under a condition that the stopping device stops both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, the controller executes one of three processes, the first process being recovery of both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, the second process being recovery of one of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, and the third process being a system shut-down according to the severity of collision.

10. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the severity determination device classifies the severity of collision into three stages, which include a light stage, a moderate stage and a heavy stage;

when the severity of collision is in the light stage, the controller executes the first process;

when the severity of collision is in the moderate stage, the controller executes the second process; and

when the severity of collision is in the heavy stage, the controller executes the third process.

11. A vehicle in combination with an in-vehicle apparatus mounted on the vehicle, the combination comprising:

a first driving power source directly driving the vehicle in a first driving mode;

a second driving power source different than the first driving power source driving the vehicle in a second driving mode, the in-vehicle apparatus comprising;

a collision detection device for detecting a collision of the vehicle;

a stopping device for stopping both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode when the collision detection device detects the collision of the vehicle;

a severity determination device for determining a severity of collision based on an output from the collision detection device, the severity of collision being indicative of a collision intensity; and

a controller, wherein;

under a condition that the stopping device stops both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, the controller executes one of three processes, the first process being recovery of both of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, the second process being recovery of one of the first driving mode and the second driving mode, and the third process being a system shut-down according to the severity of collision.

12. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the severity determination device classifies the severity of collision into three stages, which include a light stage, a moderate stage and a heavy stage;

when the severity of collision is in the light stage, the controller executes the first process;

when the severity of collision is in the moderate stage, the controller executes the second process; and

when the severity of collision is in the heavy stage, the controller executes the third process.