Acceleration sensing of fast roll and slow roll for vehicle

• US 9,821,744 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch Kft. (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Gergely, Treplan, Sagi, Attila, Laumann, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERRIGAN, MICHAEL V
• Application Number:
  US14/969,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20170166151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0233 Vehicle tilting, overturning or roll over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01013 Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01322 comprising variable thresholds, e.g. depending from other collision parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01325 Vertical acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal

Abstract

A method and system for operating restraint devices in a vehicle during a fast roll event or a slow roll event includes a lateral acceleration sensor and an angular rate sensor. When the angular rate and a vertical acceleration of the vehicle predict a vehicle rollover, the system integrates the lateral acceleration from the lateral acceleration sensor to obtain a roll rate velocity. When the lateral acceleration is greater than a fast lateral acceleration threshold and the roll rate velocity is greater than a fast roll rate velocity threshold, the system provides a fast roll event output. When the lateral acceleration is less than the fast lateral acceleration threshold and greater than a slow lateral acceleration threshold while the roll rate velocity is greater than a slow roll rate velocity threshold, the system provides a slow roll event output. The system operates restraint devices based on the roll event.

Claims

1. A method of operating at least one restraint device in a vehicle during a fast roll event or a slow roll event, the method comprising:

sensing a lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

sensing a vertical acceleration of the vehicle;

sensing an angular rate of the vehicle determined about a longitudinal axis;

integrating the lateral acceleration to obtain a roll rate velocity;

predicting vehicle rollover from the angular rate and the vertical acceleration;

when vehicle rollover is predicted, and

when the lateral acceleration is greater than a fast lateral acceleration threshold and the roll rate velocity is greater than a fast roll rate velocity threshold, setting a fast roll event output,

when the lateral acceleration is less than the fast lateral acceleration threshold and greater than a slow lateral acceleration threshold, and the roll rate velocity is greater than a slow roll rate velocity threshold, setting a slow roll event output,

operating the restraint device of the vehicle in response to one of the fast roll event output and the slow roll event output, and

providing a plausibility error when the lateral acceleration and the roll rate velocity do not result in either the fast roll event output or the slow roll event output.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein operating the at least one restraint device in response to the fast roll event output includes deploying a side airbag, deploying a side airbag inflatable curtain and operating a seat belt pretensioner.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein operating the restraint device in response to the slow roll event includes operating a seat belt pretensioner.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein operating the at least one restraint device in response to the slow roll event output is limited to operating the seat belt pretensioner.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the slow roll event generally is a soil-tripped rollover event and the fast roll event generally is a curb-tripped rollover event, and

wherein the sensing of the lateral acceleration includes determining the lateral acceleration from the slope of the roll rate velocity.

6. A control system for at least one restraint device in a vehicle, the system comprising:

an angular rate sensor for providing an angular rate determined about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

a vertical acceleration sensor for providing vertical acceleration of the vehicle;

a lateral acceleration sensor for providing a lateral acceleration of the vehicle; and

an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the processor configured to;

predict vehicle rollover based on the angular rate and the vertical acceleration,

integrate the lateral acceleration to determine a roll rate velocity,

when vehicle rollover is predicted, and

when the lateral acceleration is greater than a fast lateral acceleration threshold and the roll rate velocity is greater than a fast roll rate velocity threshold, provide a fast roll event output,

when the lateral acceleration is less than the fast lateral acceleration threshold and greater than a slow lateral acceleration threshold, and the roll rate velocity is greater than a slow roll rate velocity threshold, provide a slow roll event output,

operate the at least one restraint device consisting of operating a seat belt pretensioner in response to the slow roll event output without deploying a side airbag or a side airbag inflatable curtain, and

determine a plausibility error when the lateral acceleration and the roll rate velocity do not result in either the fast roll event output or the slow roll event output.

7. The control system according to claim 6, the at least one restraint device including an inflatable side airbag;

a side airbag inflatable curtain;

a side airbag and inflatable curtain controller; and

a seat belt pretensioner,

wherein when vehicle rollover is predicted, operating the at least one restraint device in response to the fast roll event output includes deployment of the side airbag and deployment of the side airbag inflatable curtain by the side airbag and inflatable curtain controller, and operating of the seat belt pretensioner.

8. The control system according to claim 6, wherein the slow roll event output generally corresponds to a soil-tripped rollover event and the fast roll event output generally corresponds to a curb-tripped rollover event.

9. A method of operating at least one restraint device in a vehicle during a fast roll event or a slow roll event, the method comprising:

sensing an angular rate determined about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle with an angular rate sensor;

sensing a vertical acceleration of the vehicle with a vertical acceleration sensor;

sensing a lateral acceleration of the vehicle with a lateral acceleration sensor;

integrating the lateral acceleration to obtain a roll rate velocity;

predicting vehicle rollover from the angular rate and the vertical acceleration;

when the lateral acceleration is greater than a fast lateral acceleration threshold and the roll rate velocity is greater than a fast roll rate velocity threshold, providing a fast roll event output;

when the lateral acceleration is less than the fast lateral acceleration threshold and greater than a slow lateral acceleration threshold, and the roll rate velocity is greater than a slow roll rate velocity threshold, providing a slow roll event output;

when vehicle rollover is predicted, operating the at least one restraint device in response to either the fast roll event or the slow roll event; and

providing a plausibility error when the lateral acceleration and the roll rate velocity do not result in either the fast roll event or the slow roll event, and vehicle rollover is predicted.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein operating the at least one restraint device in response to the slow roll event output is limited to operating a seat belt pretensioner.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein operating the at least one restraint device in response to the fast roll event output includes operating a seat belt pretensioner, deploying a side airbag and deploying a side airbag inflatable curtain.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the slow roll event generally is a soil-tripped rollover event and the fast roll event generally is a curb-tripped rollover event.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sensing of the lateral acceleration includes determining the lateral acceleration from a slope of the roll rate velocity.