Collision determination system for vehicle

• US 7,881,865 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mando Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ide, Seiya
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H.
• Application Number:
  US11/585,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 701300-301, 701/45, 701/96, 701/70, 340/436, 340/438, 340/903, 340/935, 340/936, 307/116, 307/119, 307/120, 348/148, 180/271
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0119 Plausibility check
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01311 monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• 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 21/0136 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: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

A collision determination system for a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a vehicle behavior recognition unit that recognizes specific vehicle behavior indicative of a probable vehicle collision. The system also includes a collision detection sensor that detects a predetermined state change resulting from a vehicle collision. Furthermore, the system includes a collision determination unit that determines whether the vehicle collision necessitates activation of a vehicle passenger protection device based on the specific vehicle behavior recognized by the vehicle behavior recognition unit and the detected predetermined state change.

Claims

1. A collision determination system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle behavior recognition unit that recognizes specific vehicle behavior indicative of a probable vehicle collision;

a collision detection sensor that detects a predetermined state change resulting from a vehicle collision;

a safing sensor that detects another predetermined state change resulting from the vehicle collision; and

a collision determination unit that determines whether the vehicle collision necessitates activation of a vehicle passenger protection device based on the specific vehicle behavior recognized by the vehicle behavior recognition unit, the detected predetermined state change of the collision detection sensor, and the detected predetermined state change of the safinq sensor; and

wherein the vehicle behavior recognition unit recognizes the specific vehicle behavior based on an inputted vehicle behavior signal, and wherein the vehicle behavior signal is at least one of a vehicle speed signal, an accelerator opening signal, a steering angle signal, a braking signal, and skid signal.

2. The collision determination system according to claim 1 wherein the collision detection sensor is at least one of an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, and a load sensor.

3. The collision determination system according to claim 1 wherein when the specific vehicle behavior is recognized by the vehicle behavior recognition unit, the collision determining unit determines whether the vehicle collision necessitates activation of a vehicle passenger protection device based on the detected predetermined state change.

4. The collision determination system according to claim 3, wherein the collision detection sensor is normally deactivated and is activated when the specific vehicle behavior is recognized by the vehicle behavior recognition unit.

5. The collision determination system according to claim 3, wherein the collision detection sensor remains activated.

6. The collision determination system according to claim 5, wherein the collision determination unit comprise a self-diagnosing device that self-diagnoses the state of the collision detection sensor when vehicle behavior is other than the specific vehicle behavior recognized by the vehicle behavior recognition unit.

7. The collision determination system according to claim 1, wherein the collision determination unit determines whether the vehicle collision necessitates activation of a vehicle passenger protection device based further on environment information of the vehicle indicating that collision is probable.

8. The collision determination system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior recognition unit recognizes the specific vehicle behavior based on an inputted vehicle behavior signal, and wherein the vehicle behavior signal is inputted from an event data recorder.