METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A PRIMARY DIRECTION OF FORCE RESULTING FROM A VEHICLE COLLISION

• US 20140100710A1
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Clark, Todd N., Shomsky, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/645,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20140100710A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/082 Vehicle operation after collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/107 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/109 Lateral acceleration

Abstract

A vehicle comprises an acceleration sensing module and a crash direction-computing module. The acceleration-sensing module is configured for generating acceleration information resulting from a vehicle collision event. The acceleration information includes a first direction acceleration value and a second direction acceleration value. The crash direction-computing module is coupled to the acceleration-sensing module for receiving the acceleration information therefrom and is configured for determining impact direction information resulting from the vehicle collision event. Generating the impact direction information includes deriving a first direction delta velocity value from the first direction acceleration value, deriving a second direction delta velocity value from the second direction acceleration value, determining a first delta velocity threshold value based on a delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value, and determining an impact zone based on the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.

Claims

1. A method carried out in at least one controller on a vehicle, comprising:

acquiring acceleration information resulting from a vehicle collision event, wherein the acceleration information includes a first direction acceleration value and a second direction acceleration value;

determining a first direction delta velocity value based on the first direction acceleration value;

determining a second direction delta velocity value based on the second direction acceleration value;

determining a first delta velocity threshold value based on a first delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value; and

determining an impact zone of the vehicle at which an impact from the vehicle collision event has occurred, wherein the impact zone is determined based on the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first delta velocity threshold angle is a parameter calibrated to define an area of a front impact zone, an area of side impact zones, and an area of a rear end impact zone as a function of the delta velocity threshold angle; and

the first direction acceleration value corresponds to a direction extending substantially perpendicular to a direction corresponding to the second direction acceleration value.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the impact zone includes determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the impact zone is a first impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value;

the impact zone is a second impact zone opposite the first impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is less than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value;

the impact zone is a third impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than the negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, the second direction delta velocity value is less than positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, and the first direction delta velocity value is greater than zero; and

the impact zone is a fourth impact zone opposite the third impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than the negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, the second direction delta velocity value is less than positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, and the first direction delta velocity value is less than zero.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the first impact zone is a left side impact zone;

the impact zone is a right side impact zone;

the third impact zone is a front impact zone; and

the fourth impact zone is a rear impact zone.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first delta velocity threshold angle is a parameter calibrated to define an area of the front impact zone, an area of the side impact zones, and an area of the rear impact zone as a function of the delta velocity threshold angle.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining an impact quadrant at which the impact of the vehicle collision event has occurred based on the acceleration information; and

determining an impact sector for the vehicle collision event based on both the impact quadrant and the impact zone.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining the impact zone further comprises:

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value;

determining a second delta velocity threshold value based on a second delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value;

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value; and

determining a relative difference between the second delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value if the second direction delta velocity value is one of less than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value and greater than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the impact zone further comprises:

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value;

determining a second delta velocity threshold value based on a second delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value;

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value; and

determining a relative difference between the second delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value if the second direction delta velocity value is one of less than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value and greater than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value.

10. A vehicle system for determining an impact force direction, comprising:

an acceleration sensing module generating acceleration information resulting from a vehicle collision event, wherein the acceleration information includes a first direction acceleration value and a second direction acceleration value;

a crash direction computing module coupled to the acceleration sensing module, receiving the acceleration information therefrom and configured to determine impact direction information resulting from the vehicle collision event, wherein generating the impact direction information includes deriving a first direction delta velocity value from the first direction acceleration value, deriving a second direction delta velocity value from the second direction acceleration value, determining a first delta velocity threshold value based on a delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value, and determining an impact zone based on the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first delta velocity threshold angle is a parameter calibrated to define an area of a front impact zone, an area of side impact zones, and an area of a rear end impact zone as a function of the delta velocity threshold angle

12. The system of claim 10 wherein determining the impact zone includes determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein:

the impact zone is a first impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value;

the impact zone is a second impact zone opposite the first impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is less than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value;

the impact zone is a third impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than the negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, the second direction delta velocity value is less than positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, and the first direction delta velocity value is greater than zero; and

the impact zone is a fourth impact zone opposite the third impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than the negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, the second direction delta velocity value is less than positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, and the first direction delta velocity value is less than zero.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein determining the impact direction information further includes:

determining an impact quadrant at which the impact of the vehicle collision event has occurred based on the acceleration information; and

determining an impact sector for the vehicle collision event based on both the impact quadrant and the impact zone.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein determining the impact zone includes:

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value;

determining a second delta velocity threshold value based on a second delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value;

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value; and

determining a relative difference between the second delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value if the second direction delta velocity value is one of less than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value and greater than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein determining the impact zone includes:

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value;

determining a second delta velocity threshold value based on a second delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value;

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value; and

determining a relative difference between the second delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value if the second direction delta velocity value is one of less than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value and greater than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value.

17. An electronic controller system on a vehicle to carry out operations for:

acquiring acceleration information resulting from a vehicle collision event, wherein the acceleration information includes a first direction acceleration value and a second direction acceleration value and wherein the first direction acceleration value corresponds to a direction extending substantially perpendicular to a direction corresponding to the second direction acceleration value;

determining a first direction delta velocity value based on the first direction acceleration value;

determining a second direction delta velocity value based on the second direction acceleration value;

determining a first delta velocity threshold value based on a first delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value; and

determining an impact zone of the vehicle at which an impact from the vehicle collision event has occurred, wherein the impact zone is determined based on the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.

18. The electronic controller system of claim 17 wherein the first delta velocity threshold angle is a parameter calibrated to define an area of a front impact zone, an area of side impact zones, and an area of a rear end impact zone as a function of the delta velocity threshold angle.

19. The electronic controller system of claim 17 wherein determining the impact zone includes determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.

20. The electronic controller system of claim 19 wherein:

the impact zone is a first impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value;

the impact zone is a second impact zone opposite the first impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is less than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value;

the impact zone is a third impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than the negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, the second direction delta velocity value is less than positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, and the first direction delta velocity value is greater than zero; and

the impact zone is a fourth impact zone opposite the third impact zone when the second direction delta velocity value is greater than the negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, the second direction delta velocity value is less than positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value, and the first direction delta velocity value is less than zero.

21. The electronic controller system of claim 20 wherein:

the first impact zone is a left side impact zone;

the impact zone is a right side impact zone;

the third impact zone is a front impact zone; and

the fourth impact zone is a rear impact zone.

22. The electronic controller system of claim 21 wherein the first delta velocity threshold angle is a parameter calibrated to define an area of the front impact zone, an area of the side impact zones, and an area of the rear impact zone as a function of the delta velocity threshold angle.

23. The electronic controller system of claim 19 wherein the set of instructions is further configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for:

determining an impact quadrant at which the impact of the vehicle collision event has occurred based on the acceleration information; and

determining an impact sector for the vehicle collision event based on both the impact quadrant and the impact zone.

24. The electronic controller system of claim 23 wherein determining the impact zone includes:

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value;

determining a second delta velocity threshold value based on a second delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value;

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value; and

determining a relative difference between the second delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value if the second direction delta velocity value is one of less than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value and greater than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value.

25. The electronic controller system of claim 17 wherein determining the impact zone includes:

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value;

determining a second delta velocity threshold value based on a second delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value;

determining a relative difference between the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value; and

determining a relative difference between the second delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value if the second direction delta velocity value is one of less than a positive instance of the first delta velocity threshold value and greater than a negative instance of the first delta velocity threshold value.