Vehicle safety system implementing integrated active-passive front impact control algorithm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083985-B2
Application number	US-202016815719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2020
Priority date	Mar 11, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle safety system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision includes a controller, one or more crash sensors for sensing a frontal collision, and an active sensor for detecting objects in the path of the vehicle. The controller is configured to implement crash discrimination metrics that detect the occurrence of a frontal collision in response to signals received from the crash sensors. The crash discrimination metrics implement thresholds for determining whether the signals received from the crash sensors indicate the occurrence of a frontal collision. The controller is configured to implement an algorithm that uses information obtained from the active sensor to detect an object in the path of the vehicle and to select the thresholds implemented in the crash discrimination metrics in response to detecting the object.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vehicle safety system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision, comprising:
a controller;
one or more crash sensors for sensing a frontal collision; and
an active sensor for detecting objects in the path of the vehicle;
wherein the controller is configured to implement crash discrimination metrics that detect the occurrence of a frontal collision in response to signals received from the crash sensors, the crash discrimination metrics implementing thresholds for determining whether the signals received from the crash sensors indicate the occurrence of a frontal collision, and
wherein the controller is configured to implement an algorithm that uses information obtained from the active sensor to:
detect an object in the path of the vehicle prior to the frontal collision;
select the thresholds implemented in the crash discrimination metrics in response to detecting the object in the path of the vehicle; and
select misuse boxes associated with the selected thresholds implemented by the crash discrimination metrics based on the information obtained from the active sensor.

2. A vehicle safety system for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision, comprising:
a controller;
one or more crash sensors for sensing a frontal collision; and
an active sensor for detecting objects in the path of the vehicle;
wherein the controller is configured to implement crash discrimination metrics that detect the occurrence of a frontal collision in response to signals received from the crash sensors, the crash discrimination metrics implementing thresholds for determining whether the signals received from the crash sensors indicate the occurrence of a frontal collision,
wherein the controller is configured to implement an algorithm that uses information obtained from the active sensor to detect an object in the path of the vehicle prior to the frontal collision and to select the thresholds implemented in the crash discrimination metrics in response to detecting the object in the path of the vehicle, and
wherein the algorithm implemented by the controller is further configured to:
determine an object type for the object;
determine an estimated severity of an impact with the object; and
select the thresholds implemented in the crash discrimination metrics further in response to at least one of the object type and the estimated severity.

3. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 2 , wherein the object type comprises one of a car, truck, barrier, and pole.

4. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 2 , wherein the algorithm implemented by the controller is configured to determine the estimated severity by implementing a metric that determines the estimated severity based on a relative velocity between the object and the vehicle.

5. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 4 , further comprising at least one actuatable safety device comprising an airbag with a two-stage inflator and a seatbelt pretensioner, and
wherein the algorithm implemented by the controller is configured to determine one of the following actions to take in response to the estimated severity:
actuate neither the seatbelt pretensioner nor the inflator;
actuate the seatbelt pretensioner only;
actuate the seatbelt pretensioner and the inflator first stage;
actuate the seatbelt pretensioner, inflator first stage, and the inflator second stage.

6. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 4 , wherein the algorithm for detecting the object in the path of the vehicle is configured to detect the object by:
determining whether the object type is a recognized object type;
determining whether the object lateral position is within a predetermined threshold range;
determining whether the TTC with the object is within a threshold indicative of an impending collision by evaluating a TTC collision discrimination metric to determine whether the TTC exceeds a predetermined threshold, the threshold being determined with respect to the relative velocity of the object and the vehicle; and
determining whether the longitudinal position of the object relative to the vehicle is within a threshold indicative of an impending collision by evaluating a longitudinal distance collision discrimination metric to determine whether the longitudinal distance between the object and the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold, the threshold being determined with respect to the relative velocity of the object and the vehicle.

7. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 6 , wherein the recognized object type comprises a vehicle, truck, barrier, or pole.

8. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 2 , wherein the algorithm implemented by the controller is further configured to select misuse boxes associated with the selected thresholds implemented by the crash discrimination metrics in response to at least one of the object type and estimated severity.

9. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 2 , wherein the algorithm implemented by the controller is further configured to determine the estimated severity by evaluating an estimated severity discrimination metric that compares a relative velocity of the object relative to the vehicle and displacement.

10. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 2 ,
wherein the crash sensors comprise front crush zone sensors (CZS); wherein the crash discrimination metrics comprise a CZS switching discrimination metric for evaluating CZS acceleration values to determine whether a CZS switching threshold is exceeded;
wherein the crash discrimination metrics comprise individual metrics associated each object type determined by the algorithm, each individual metric comprising a normal threshold and misuse box, and a CZS switched threshold and misuse box, the CZS switched threshold and misuse box being implemented by the crash discrimination metrics when the CZS switching discrimination metric determines that the CZS switching threshold is exceeded, the normal threshold and misuse box being implemented in the absence of the CZS switching threshold being exceeded; and
wherein the crash discrimination metrics further comprise a normal preset threshold and misuse box, and a CZS switched preset, wherein the CZS switched preset threshold and misuse box are implemented by the crash discrimination metrics when the CZS switching discrimination metric determines that the CZS switching threshold is exceeded and the algorithm detects the object in the path of the vehicle, the normal preset threshold and misuse box being implemented in the absence of the CZS switching threshold being exceeded and the algorithm detects the object in the path of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle safety system recited in claim 1 :
wherein the crash sensors comprise front crush zone sensors (CZS);
wherein the crash discrimination metrics comprise a CZS switching discrimination metric for evaluating CZS acceleration values to determine whether a CZS switching threshold is exceeded;
wherein the crash discrimination metrics comprise individual metrics associated each object type determined by the algorithm, each individual metric comprising a normal threshold and misuse box, and a CZS switched threshold and misuse box, the CZS switched threshold and misuse box being implemented by the crash discrimination metrics when the CZS switching discrimination metric determines that the CZS switching threshold is exceeded, the normal threshold and misuse box being implemented in the absence of the CZS switching threshold being exceeded; and
wherein the crash discrimination metrics further comprise a normal preset threshold and misuse box, and a CZS switched preset, wherein the C

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Balasubramanian Kiran
• Pfriender Harald
• Bartlett Charles A
• Fleckner Andreas

Classifications

• B60W30/08

  Active safety systems} predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision {or attempting to minimise its consequences · CPC title

• B60R22/04

  Passive restraint systems, i.e. systems both applied and removed automatically, e.g. by movement of the vehicle door · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R22/48

  Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness · CPC title

• B60R22/36

  self-locking in an emergency ({B60R22/3405} , B60R22/343 take precedence) · CPC title