Airbag adjustment based on driver position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9475443-B2
Application number	US-201414164793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2014
Priority date	Jan 27, 2014
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

An aspect provides a method, including: capturing, using a sensor, positional information relating to a driver; determining, using a processor, a driver position with respect to an airbag containing component based on the positional information; and adjusting deployment of the airbag based on the determined driver position. Other aspects are described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
capturing, using one or more sensors, positional information relating to at least one driver hand position on a steering wheel;
determining, using a processor, at least one driver hand position with respect to a chamber of a plurality of chambers of an airbag disposed within the steering wheel based on the positional information; and
adjusting deployment of the airbag such that the chamber is not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
said capturing comprises detecting a contact position of the at least one driver hand with respect to a steering wheel; and
said determining comprises determining the contact position of at least one driver hand on the steering wheel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said adjusting comprises directing deployment of a chamber such that a chamber substantially proximate to the contact position is not deployed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein: said capturing comprises capturing an image of the driver hand.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the chamber does not exceed a predetermined distance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the chamber does not match a predetermined orientation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the chamber does not match a predetermined orientation;
wherein said adjusting deployment of the airbag based on the determined driver hand position comprises shaping deployment of the airbag.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises an image sensor; and
wherein the image sensor captures positional information relating to two driver hands.

9. A vehicle, comprising:
an airbag containing component;
an airbag comprising a plurality of chambers therein;
a driver compartment having a seat and a steering wheel;
one or more wheels, at least one of said wheels operatively coupled to said steering wheel;
a motor that provides motion to the one or more wheels;
one or more sensors that provides input relating to at least one driver hand;
a processor operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the airbag; and
a memory device that stores instructions accessible to the processor, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
capture, using the one or more sensors, positional information relating to the at least one driver hand on the steering wheel;
determine a driver hand position with respect to a chamber of the plurality of chambers of the airbag disposed within the steering wheel based on the positional information; and
adjust deployment of the airbag such that the chamber is not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein:
to capture comprises detecting a contact position of the at least one driver hand with respect to the steering wheel; and
to determine comprises determining the contact position of at least one driver hand on the steering wheel.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the chamber is substantially proximate to the contact position.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein:
to capture comprises capturing an image of the driver hand; and
to determine comprises determining the position of the driver hand with respect to the airbag containing component.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein to determine comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the airbag containing component does not exceed a predetermined distance.

14. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein to determine comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the airbag containing component does not match a predetermined orientation.

15. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein to determine comprises determining the driver hand position with respect to the airbag containing component does not match a predetermined orientation;
wherein to adjust deployment of the airbag based on the determined driver hand position comprises shaping deployment of the airbag.

16. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises an image sensor; and
wherein the image sensor captures positional information relating to two driver hands.

17. An information handling system, comprising:
a processor;
a memory device operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory device stores instructions accessible to the processor, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
capture, using one or more sensors, positional information relating to at least one driver hand position on a steering wheel;
determine at least one driver hand position with respect to a chamber of a plurality of chambers of a chambered airbag disposed within the steering wheel based on the positional information; and
adjust deployment of the chambered airbag such that the chamber is not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.

18. A method, comprising:
capturing, using an image sensor, positional information relating at least one driver hand position on a steering wheel;
determining, using a processor, at least one driver hand position with respect to an airbag containing component based on the positional information;
wherein the airbag comprises a plurality of chambers; and
adjusting deployment of the airbag such that select chambers are not deployed based on the determined driver hand position.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Peterson Nathan J
• Weksler Arnold S
• Vanblon Russell Speight
• Mese John Carl
• Waltermann Rod D

Classifications

• B60R2021/01238

  control of expansion shape · CPC title

• B60R21/01538 Primary

  for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays · CPC title