Method of managing collisions between a plurality of vehicles and vehicle applying such a method
First Claim
1. A method of managing collisions between a plurality of vehicles in an active collision management system, wherein one or more of the vehicles has a crash structure whose stiffness can be adjusted and one or more object detection sensors, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining whether a collision event between the plurality of vehicles is to occur based on data measured by one or more object detection sensors; and
in the event that a collision event is to occur,for a first vehicle involved in the collision event;
identifying a first crash structure anddetermining an initial stiffness of the crash structure; and
subsequentlydetermining a level of aggressivity of the collision based on a calculation of the imbalance of the predicted energy absorptions for each of the plurality of vehicles as result of the collision, wherein the step of determining the aggressivity comprises the steps of;
predicting an initial mass or velocity of a plurality of the vehicles involved in the collision based on information received from one or more object detection sensors; and
calculating the energy absorption for each vehicle based on the input data (occupant properties, crash structural properties and orientation properties) and predicted mass or velocity;
determining a subsequent stiffness value for the first crush structure based on thepredicted energy absorption and level of aggressivity of the collision such that the calculated energy absorbed by the crash structure is changed and the level of aggressivity of the collision between the plurality of vehicles is reduced, such that the imbalance between the amount of collision energy absorbed by each vehicle is reduced; and
stiffening the first crash structure to the subsequently determined stiffness value.
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Abstract
A method of managing collisions, the method comprising: identifying a first crash structure (22) and determining an initial stiffness of the crash structure; determining a level of aggressivity of the collision based on the predicted energy absorption for each vehicle; identifying a first crash structure whose stiffness can be adjusted, and determining a subsequent stiffness value for the crash structure based on the determined amount of energy to be absorbed by each of the vehicles such that the energy absorbed by the crash structure is changed and the level of aggressivity is reduced; and stiffening the first crash structure to the determined stiffness value.
13 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of managing collisions between a plurality of vehicles in an active collision management system, wherein one or more of the vehicles has a crash structure whose stiffness can be adjusted and one or more object detection sensors, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining whether a collision event between the plurality of vehicles is to occur based on data measured by one or more object detection sensors; and
in the event that a collision event is to occur,for a first vehicle involved in the collision event; identifying a first crash structure and determining an initial stiffness of the crash structure; and
subsequentlydetermining a level of aggressivity of the collision based on a calculation of the imbalance of the predicted energy absorptions for each of the plurality of vehicles as result of the collision, wherein the step of determining the aggressivity comprises the steps of; predicting an initial mass or velocity of a plurality of the vehicles involved in the collision based on information received from one or more object detection sensors; and calculating the energy absorption for each vehicle based on the input data (occupant properties, crash structural properties and orientation properties) and predicted mass or velocity; determining a subsequent stiffness value for the first crush structure based on the predicted energy absorption and level of aggressivity of the collision such that the calculated energy absorbed by the crash structure is changed and the level of aggressivity of the collision between the plurality of vehicles is reduced, such that the imbalance between the amount of collision energy absorbed by each vehicle is reduced; and stiffening the first crash structure to the subsequently determined stiffness value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18)
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16. A vehicle having an active buckling system stored thereon, the vehicle comprising:
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a first crash structure having a portion of an actively controlled material configured to vary in stiffness; a first object detection sensor; an on board processor, the on-board processor configured to; determine whether a collision event between the vehicle and a second vehicle is to occur based on data measured by the first object detection sensor; and
in the event that a collision event is to occur,determine an initial stiffness of the first crash structure; determine a level of aggressivity of the collision based on a calculation of the imbalance of the predicted energy absorptions for each of the plurality of vehicles as result of the collision for the first and second vehicles wherein the determination of the aggressivity comprises; predicting an initial mass or velocity of a plurality of the vehicles involved in the collision based on information received from one or more object detection sensors; and calculating the energy absorption for each vehicle based on the input data (occupant properties, crash structural properties and orientation properties) and predicted mass or velocity; determine a subsequent stiffness value for the first crash structure based on the predicted energy absorption and level of aggressivity of the collision such that the calculated energy absorbed by the crash structure is changed and the level of aggressivity of the collision between the plurality of vehicles is reduced, such that the imbalance between the amount of collision energy absorbed by each vehicle is reduced; and send a control signal to stiffen the first crash structure to the subsequently determined stiffness value.
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Specification