Device for classifying various driving manoeuveres

• US 6,687,575 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kissner, Juergen, Wottreng, Walter, Mattes, Bernhard, Lang, Hans-Peter, Knoedler, Kosmas
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/018,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/45, 701/96, 701/72, 180/197, 180/282, 340/440, 280/5.506, 280/5.507, 280/5.513
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01306 monitoring vehicle inclination
• 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

Abstract

The system is intended to have the ability to differentiate between various characteristic driving maneuvers, so that a special triggering algorithm of restraint devices can be initiated for each class of driving maneuvers. This system has an acceleration sensor that measures the acceleration of the vehicle in the direction of its vertical axis. A classifier is provided which, when the measured acceleration is above a threshold of 1 g, decides on a driving maneuver in which the vehicle lifts upward on one side, as when driving on a ramp. If the measured acceleration is between 0 g and 1 g, then the classifier decides on a driving maneuver during which the vehicle tips downward on one side, as when driving on a slope.

Claims

1. A system for classifying various driving maneuvers which can lead to a rollover of a vehicle, comprising:

an acceleration sensor for measuring an acceleration of the vehicle in a direction of a vertical axis thereof; and

a classifier, wherein;

when the measured acceleration is above 1 g, the classifier decides on a first driving maneuver in which the vehicle lifts upward on one side, and

in response to the measured acceleration being between 0 g and 1 g, the classifier decides on a second driving maneuver in which the vehicle tips downward on one side.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first driving maneuver resembles as when driving on a ramp, and

the second driving maneuver resembles as when driving on a slope.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

in response to the measured acceleration being approximately 0 g, the classifier decides on a third driving maneuver that corresponds to a free fall of the vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotational-rate sensor, wherein;

the classifier does not implement a threshold-value decision based on the measured acceleration until a rotational rate of the vehicle about a longitudinal axis thereof, measured by the rotational-rate sensor, exceeds a predefined threshold.