External airbag deployment method and system

• US 9,381,882 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kwon, Ki Jin, Kim, Yong Sun, Lee, Seoung Hoon, Bae, Jin Ho, Lee, Han Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roberson, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/294,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01013 Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0119 Plausibility check
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01311 monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an external airbag deployment method. The method includes setting, by a controller, a detection area located in front. In addition, the method includes setting, by the controller, a target object from objects detected in the detection area, when an object has a relative velocity greater than a first reference, an overlap greater than a second reference, and a TTE less than a third reference, wherein TTE is a remaining time until the object collides with an airbag cushion when the external airbag is predicted to be deployed. Furthermore, the method includes determining, by the controller, whether a relative velocity and an overlap, predicted at a time when the target object is predicted to collide with the vehicle, are greater than predetermined levels and deploying the external airbag when the predicted relative velocity and overlap are greater than the predetermined levels.

Claims

1. An external airbag deployment method comprising:

setting, by a controller, a detection area located in front of a vehicle;

selecting, by the controller, an object as a target object from objects detected in the detection area, when an object has a relative velocity greater than a first reference, an overlap greater than a second reference, and a Time To EAB (External Airbag) (TTE) less than a third reference, wherein TTE is a remaining time until the object collides with an airbag cushion when the external airbag is predicted to be deployed;

determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is stable by comparing a predicted yaw rate of the vehicle with a measured yaw rate;

determining, by the controller, whether a relative velocity and an overlap, predicted at a time when the target object is predicted to collide with the vehicle, are greater than predetermined levels;

determining, by the controller, whether a collision probability based on a reciprocal of a Time To Collision (TTC) and a variation in collision probability are greater than predetermined levels, wherein the TTC is a remaining time until the target object collides with the vehicle when the target object is predicted to collide with the vehicle; and

deploying, by the controller, the external airbag when the vehicle is stable, the predicted relative velocity and overlap of the target object are greater than the predetermined levels, and the collision probability and the variation in the collision probability are greater than predetermined levels.

2. The external airbag deployment method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating, by the controller, a required steering avoidance distance and a required braking avoidance distance based on a relative velocity of the target object;

comparing, by the controller, a distance to the target object with the required steering avoidance distance and the required braking avoidance distance; and

deploying the external airbag when the vehicle is stable, the predicted relative velocity and overlap of the target object are greater than the predetermined levels, and the distance to the target object is less than the required steering avoidance distance and the required braking avoidance distance.