Airbag adjustment based on driver position

• US 9,475,443 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Nathan J., Weksler, Arnold S., VanBlon, Russell Speight, Mese, John Carl, Waltermann, Rod D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOTT, ADAM R
• Application Number:
  US14/164,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20150210237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 280/730.1, 280/734, 280/735, 280/729
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01238 control of expansion shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays

Abstract

An aspect provides a method, including: capturing, using a sensor, positional information relating to a driver; determining, using a processor, a driver position with respect to an airbag containing component based on the positional information; and adjusting deployment of the airbag based on the determined driver position. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

capturing, using one or more sensors, positional information relating to at least one driver hand position on a steering wheel;

determining, using a processor, at least one driver hand position with respect to a chamber of a plurality of chambers of an airbag disposed within the steering wheel based on the positional information; and

adjusting deployment of the airbag such that the chamber is not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said capturing comprises detecting a contact position of the at least one driver hand with respect to a steering wheel; and

said determining comprises determining the contact position of at least one driver hand on the steering wheel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said adjusting comprises directing deployment of a chamber such that a chamber substantially proximate to the contact position is not deployed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said capturing comprises capturing an image of the driver hand.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the chamber does not exceed a predetermined distance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the chamber does not match a predetermined orientation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the chamber does not match a predetermined orientation;

wherein said adjusting deployment of the airbag based on the determined driver hand position comprises shaping deployment of the airbag.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises an image sensor;

and

wherein the image sensor captures positional information relating to two driver hands.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

an airbag containing component;

an airbag comprising a plurality of chambers therein;

a driver compartment having a seat and a steering wheel;

one or more wheels, at least one of said wheels operatively coupled to said steering wheel;

a motor that provides motion to the one or more wheels;

one or more sensors that provides input relating to at least one driver hand;

a processor operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the airbag; and

a memory device that stores instructions accessible to the processor, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

capture, using the one or more sensors, positional information relating to the at least one driver hand on the steering wheel;

determine a driver hand position with respect to a chamber of the plurality of chambers of the airbag disposed within the steering wheel based on the positional information; and

adjust deployment of the airbag such that the chamber is not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

to capture comprises detecting a contact position of the at least one driver hand with respect to the steering wheel; and

to determine comprises determining the contact position of at least one driver hand on the steering wheel.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the chamber is substantially proximate to the contact position.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

to capture comprises capturing an image of the driver hand; and

to determine comprises determining the position of the driver hand with respect to the airbag containing component.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein to determine comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the airbag containing component does not exceed a predetermined distance.

14. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein to determine comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the airbag containing component does not match a predetermined orientation.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein to determine comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the airbag containing component does not match a predetermined orientation;

wherein to adjust deployment of the airbag based on the determined driver hand position comprises shaping deployment of the airbag.

16. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the one or more sensors comprises an image sensor;

and

wherein the image sensor captures positional information relating to two driver hands.

17. An information handling system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory device stores instructions accessible to the processor, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

capture, using one or more sensors, positional information relating to at least one driver hand position on a steering wheel;

determine at least one driver hand position with respect to a chamber of a plurality of chambers of a chambered airbag disposed within the steering wheel based on the positional information; and

adjust deployment of the chambered airbag such that the chamber is not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.

18. A method, comprising:

capturing, using an image sensor, positional information relating at least one driver hand position on a steering wheel;

determining, using a processor, at least one driver hand position with respect to an airbag containing component based on the positional information;

wherein the airbag comprises a plurality of chambers; and

adjusting deployment of the airbag such that select chambers are not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.