Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-24
2001-06-19
Nguyen, Tan (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
C701S046000, C701S300000, C180S272000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249729
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to automotive occupancy sensing (AOS) systems for sensing the nature or type of occupant and the location of the occupant with respect to the vehicle interior, and more particularly the occupant seat and dashboard or instrument panel (IP) to develop a signal useable by the airbag deployment system (ADS) by which the ADS can deploy or not (abort deployment), or modify deployment for dual phase airbags (DPA), multiphase (MPA), or for partial or controlled rate inflation airbags, collectively herein termed Smart Airbag Systems (SAS).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For background on AOS systems see Corrado et aL, U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,314. Such systems produce a signal for input to the ADS, which if the occupant is out of position (OOP) or in a rear facing infant seat (RFIS) (in the front seat of a vehicle), the deployment of the airbag is aborted, deferred or otherwise controlled, as in SAS.
More recent studies have revealed that there is a class of slow speed automotive accidents causing injury to children, youngsters and frail adults. This usually occurs when the &Dgr;V of the “crash” is 18 miles per hour or less, where the occupant is unbelted or in an RFIS and the driver jams on the brake. The airbag deployment sensor experiences a G-force great enough to signal deployment. Typically, in the low speed accident, the child has slid, or is sliding forward into the IP when the airbag deploys. The airbag deployment injures the child because it is too close, having intruded into the Keep Out Zone (KOZ).
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a hierarchical discrimination system as a gateway to the probability analysis disclosed in our prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,314, and employs ultrasound sensing to determine the intrusion into a defined Keep Out Zone (KOZ) between the IP and the occupant seat. Typically, the zone is 6″ to 12″ deep (measured off of the face of the IP), and “intrusion” includes both actual presence in the zone or such approach to the zone that entry is predictably imminent. The disclosure of that patent (referred to above as U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,314) is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent needed, e.g., particularly for discussion of fuision algorithms, state determinations, probabilities, and the like.
According to the process and apparatus of the invention, the ultrasound (US) sensor cycles approximately 2x/second, or about 105 Hz (normal ping rate, NPR) in normal (non-crash) mode, and increases into a fast mode cycle rate, pinging on the order of every 10-20 milliseconds, i.e., 50-100 Hz rate, after receiving a “crash imminent” (CI) signal, or upon detection of a KOZ Intrusion condition or state (KOZI). The term “ping” is used hetein to mm the ecitation of the ultaound sensor to interogate the occupancy status of the vehicle by producing ultrasound echo signals as in above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,314. The “crash imminent” signal can be derived from a wide vaiety of sensors, such as but not limited to: the brake pedal being depressed upon a panic or abrupt stop for a road hazard or to avoid a collision; from the airbag deployment sensor; from the vehicle stabilizer control system (accelerometer and/or wheel and brake condition sensors); from a collision avoidance radar or other pre-crash sensing device; and/or from a variety of occupant sensors such as US, IR, optic, pressure or weight sensors (e.g., floor mat, seat or seat back, or seat belt), capacitance-type mass sensors, and the like.
Upon receipt of such CI or KOZI signal, the ultrasound ping rate goes into fast mode. Upon detection of an occupant in an inevitable or actual intrusion into the KOZ, the faision processing executive is bypassed and an output signal is sent to the airbag control system to immediately disable deployment of the airbag.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5684701 (1997-11-01), Breed
patent: 5845000 (1998-12-01), Breed et al.
Corrado Anthony P.
Decker Stephen W.
Seip Ralf
Dulin Jacques M.
Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe
Nguyen Tan
Robert Bosch Corporation
LandOfFree
Keep out zone incursion fast sensing mode for airbag... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Keep out zone incursion fast sensing mode for airbag..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Keep out zone incursion fast sensing mode for airbag... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2507070