Method and apparatus for reconstructing an accident using side satellite lateral acceleration sensors
First Claim
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1. A method for reconstructing an accident involving a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
- interfacing a portable computing device with a data-transfer connector associated with the memory of a control module aboard said vehicle, wherein said memory includes data received from a first sensor located along a first longitudinal side of said vehicle and also data received from a second sensor located along a second longitudinal side of said vehicle;
downloading said data from said first sensor and also said data from said second sensor onto said portable computing device;
using said data from said first sensor and also said data from said second sensor to determine whether said first longitudinal side or said second longitudinal side of said vehicle was struck during said accident; and
using the data from the sensor on the non-struck longitudinal side of said vehicle to reconstruct said accident.
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Abstract
An automotive vehicle (10) includes a restraint control module (12) coupled to a memory (50). During an impact, data from various sensors including lateral acceleration sensors (30,32) are stored in the memory (50). A computing device (56) with a memory (58) is used to download the data from the lateral acceleration sensors (30,32) and various other sensors for reconstruction of an accident. From the lateral acceleration sensors (30), (32), a determination may be made as to the struck or unstruck side of the vehicle. The lateral acceleration from the unstruck side of the vehicle is used in the reconstruction.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for reconstructing an accident involving a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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interfacing a portable computing device with a data-transfer connector associated with the memory of a control module aboard said vehicle, wherein said memory includes data received from a first sensor located along a first longitudinal side of said vehicle and also data received from a second sensor located along a second longitudinal side of said vehicle; downloading said data from said first sensor and also said data from said second sensor onto said portable computing device; using said data from said first sensor and also said data from said second sensor to determine whether said first longitudinal side or said second longitudinal side of said vehicle was struck during said accident; and using the data from the sensor on the non-struck longitudinal side of said vehicle to reconstruct said accident. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for reconstructing an accident involving a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing data from a driver-side satellite sensor and also data from a passenger-side satellite sensor in a memory aboard said vehicle; (b) interfacing a portable computing device with said memory via a data-transfer connector; (c) downloading said data from said driver-side satellite sensor and also said data from said passenger-side satellite sensor onto said portable computing device; (d) using said data from said driver-side satellite sensor and also said data from said passenger-side satellite sensor to determine whether the driver side or the passenger side of said vehicle was struck during said accident; and (e) using the data from the satellite sensor on the non-struck side of said vehicle to reconstruct said accident. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for reconstructing an accident involving a vehicle, said system comprising:
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a first satellite lateral-acceleration sensor located along the driver side of said vehicle and operable to generate a first data set; a second satellite lateral-acceleration sensor located along the passenger side of said vehicle and operable to generate a second data set; a control module with memory located aboard said vehicle, coupled to both said first satellite lateral-acceleration sensor and said second satellite lateral-acceleration sensor, and operable to store said first data set and said second data set; a data-transfer connector mounted to said control module with memory; and a portable computing device adapted for being connected to said control module with memory via said data-transfer connector; wherein said portable computing device is operable to (i) download said first data set and said second data set from said control module with memory when connected thereto via said data-transfer connector, (ii) utilize said first data set and said second data set to determine whether said driver side or said passenger side of said vehicle was struck during said accident, and (iii) utilize the data from the non-struck side of said vehicle to reconstruct said accident. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification