Safety logic for vehicle rollover detection systems and a method for detecting near rollover situations

• US 20050187687A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sygnarowicz, Daniel, Geborek, Mariusz, Urbanek, Aleksandra
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01013 Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• 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 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/029 Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts

Abstract

A safety logic for vehicle rollover detection systems comprising a main rollover detection logic and at least one protection device for the occupant or occupants of the vehicle, including a vehicle lateral acceleration sensor (11), which generates an output signal indicating a near rollover event, when a lateral acceleration of a vehicle exceeds the first predefined threshold value (15) or, when a lateral acceleration of vehicle exceeds the second predefined threshold value (16) that is lower than the first predefined threshold value (15) and simultaneously at least one additional safety logic activation signal is present (1, 1′, 1″, 1′″).

Claims

1. A safety logic for vehicle rollover detection systems comprising a main rollover detection logic and at least one protection device for the occupant or occupants of the vehicle, characterized in that, it is connected with the vehicle lateral acceleration sensor (11) and generates the output signal indicating a near rollover event, when a lateral acceleration of a vehicle exceeds the first predefined threshold value (15) or, when a lateral acceleration of vehicle exceeds the second predefined threshold value (16) that is lower than the first predefined threshold value (15) and simultaneously at least one additional safety logic activation signal is present (1, 1′

, 1″

, 1′

″

).

2. The safety logic as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, the additional safety logic activation signal is a signal delivered by the main logic (2).

3. The safety logic as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, the additional safety logic activation signal is generated by the main logic (2), when a roll rate of vehicle exceeds the predefined threshold value.

4. The safety logic as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, the additional safety logic activation signal is generated by the main logic (2), when a linear velocity of vehicle exceeds the predefined threshold value.

5. The safety logic as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, the additional safety logic activation signal is generated by the main logic (2), when a roll angle of vehicle exceeds the predefined threshold value.

6. The safety logic as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, it further comprises the vehicle lateral acceleration sensor (11′

).

7. The safety logic as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, it further comprises a vehicle roll rate sensor (25), and an additional activation signal of the safety logic occurs when a signal of the vehicle roll rate sensor (25) exceeds the predefined threshold value (28).

8. The safety logic as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, an activation of the main logic (2) and an activation of the safety logic (1, 1′

, 1″

, 1′

″

) is necessary to activate the protection devices.

9. The safety logic as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, at least one of the activation signals is sustained for a predetermined period (17, 18, 20, 22, 29).

10. The safety logic as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, an input value of at least one of sensors (11, 11′

, 25) is pre-processed.

11. The safety logic as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, pre-processing involves at least signal scaling, removing a sensor drift and/or filtering a signal.

12. A safety logic for vehicle rollover detection systems comprising a main rollover detection logic and at least one protection devices for the occupant or occupants of the vehicle, where the main logic activation signal is summed with the safety logic activation signal by means of an AND gate at the last stage of pre-processing, directly before activation of protection devices, characterized in that, at least one additional activation signal, generated by the main logic (2) at an intermediate stage of pre-processing path, is necessary to activate the safety logic (1, 1″

, 1′

″

).

13. A method of determining vehicle near rollover situations, characterized in that, it comprises a measuring of lateral acceleration of a vehicle and generating an output activation signal that determines near rollover situation, if a lateral acceleration of vehicle exceeds the first predefined threshold value or, a lateral acceleration of vehicle exceeds second predefined threshold value that is lower than the first predefined threshold value and at least one additional activation signal is present.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that, it further comprises measuring a roll rate of a vehicle, and an additional activation signal occurs, when a roll rate of vehicle exceeds the predefined threshold value.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that, it further comprises measuring a linear velocity of vehicle, and an additional activation signal occurs, when a linear velocity of vehicle exceeds the predefined threshold value.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, it further comprises measuring a roll angle of vehicle, and an additional activation signal occurs, when a roll angle of vehicle exceeds the predefined threshold value.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that, a roll angle of the vehicle is calculated on the basis of a roll rate of vehicle.

18. A method as claimed in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, at least one activation signal is sustained for a predetermined period.

19. A method as claimed in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, a value of at least one of measurement is pre-processed.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that, pre-processing involves at least signal scaling, removing a sensor drift and/or filtering a signal.