Adaptive suppression of vehicle restraint system

• US 9,802,566 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2016
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Engelman, Gerald H., Miller, Alex Maurice, Spahn, Brian Robert, Stephenson, Richard Lee, Tellis, Levasseur, Zwicky, Timothy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frisby, Keith J
• Application Number:
  US14/994,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20160121835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 280735, 701 45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0032 Position of passenger
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01013 Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01286 Electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy

Abstract

A vehicle has a restraint system with at least two restraint devices. A sensor detects a potential collision object and outputs a signal representing a relative position of the potential collision object to the vehicle. A processing device suppresses deployment of at least one of the restraint devices based at least in part on the signal output by the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a seat configuration in a vehicle including detecting a rear facing front seat;

detecting a potential collision object;

receiving a position signal representing a position of the potential collision object relative to the vehicle; and

suppressing deployment of at least one restraint device based at least in part on the position signal representing the position of the potential collision object and the seat configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the position signal indicates a principal direction of force applied to the vehicle if the potential collision object were to collide with the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein suppressing deployment of the at least one restraint device is based at least in part on detecting the rear facing front seat.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the position signal indicates a distance between the potential collision object and the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the position signal indicates a direction of the potential collision object relative to the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the potential collision object includes receiving a communication signal from the potential collision object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the position of the potential collision object is determined from the communication signal.

8. A method comprising:

determining an initial seat configuration of a host vehicle, the initial seat configuration including at least one seat facing a first direction while the host vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;

determining a new seat configuration of the host vehicle, the new seat configuration including the at least one seat facing a second direction while the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode;

detecting a potential collision object external to the host vehicle;

receiving a position signal representing a position of the potential collision object relative to a vehicle; and

suppressing deployment of at least one restraint device based at least in part on the position signal representing the position of the potential collision object and the new seat configuration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the position signal indicates a principal direction of force applied to the host vehicle if the potential collision object were to collide with the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the initial seat configuration includes receiving a first signal output by at least one seat sensor representing the configuration of the at least one seat.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the initial seat configuration includes receiving a second signal output by the at least one seat sensor representing the configuration of the at least one seat.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the position signal indicates a distance between the potential collision object and the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the position signal indicates a direction of the potential collision object relative to the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the potential collision object includes receiving a communication signal from the potential collision object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the position of the potential collision object is determined from the communication signal.