Patent Application
20080077328
For a more complete understanding of this invention reference should now be had to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying figures and described below by way of examples of the invention wherein:
In each of the following figures, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same components. While the present invention is described primarily with respect to sensors and systems for detecting a collision event, the present invention may be adapted to various vehicle and non-vehicle applications. The present invention may apply to automotive, aeronautical, nautical, and railway industries, as well as to other industries that utilize collision detection systems. The present invention may be applied in commercial and non-commercial settings. The present invention may be utilized in the detection of a collision to initiate the performance of countermeasures.
Also, a variety of other embodiments are contemplated having different combinations of the below described features of the present invention, having features other than those described herein, or even lacking one or more of those features. As such, it is understood that the invention can be carried out in various other suitable modes.
In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for one constructed embodiment. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting.
Also, in the following description the term “performing” may include activating, deploying, initiating, powering, and other terms known in the art that may describe the manner in which a passive countermeasure may be operated or initiated.
Additionally, in the following description various countermeasures are discussed. The countermeasures may be reversible or irreversible. Reversible countermeasures refer to countermeasures that may be reset to their original form or used repeatedly without a significant amount of functional deficiency, which may be determined by a system designer. Irreversible countermeasures refer to countermeasures, such as airbags that once deployed are not reusable.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The coil-based sensor 14 may be located anywhere on a vehicle, such as in or on a bumper, a door panel, a hood, a trunk lid, a corner panel, a rocker panel, a frame, a fender, a pillar, a roof, or on any other structure of a vehicle. Although one coil-based sensor 14 is shown, any number may be utilized and each of which may include any number of logic or Integrated Circuit (IC) devices. The coil-based sensor 14 may be in the form of a single printed circuit or may be in the form of multiple individual components. In one example embodiment, the coil-based sensor 14 is in the form of a single flexible laminated member that can be adhered or attached to a surface of an object or vehicle structure.
The coil-based sensor 14 is shown, with respect to the embodiment of
Electrical current is supplied to the source terminal 52 via the current source 56, which is coupled between the source terminal 52 and the signal conditioner 44 or the transceiver 38. The current source 56 may include a transmitter circuit designated battery (not shown), may receive power from a vehicle battery (not shown), or may receive power or current from some other vehicle power or current source known in the art.
The amount of current supplied to the transceiver 32 is minimal and the frequency of that current is generally high. In one embodiment of the present invention, the current supplied is approximately between 10-20 mA, is an alternating current (AC), and the frequency of that current is approximately 20-30 kHz. The low current and high frequency levels minimize the power requirements and prevent the interference with and from other vehicle systems and increase the robustness of the collision detection and safety countermeasure system 12 to vehicle external electronic, electrical, and magnetic systems and sources. Of course, the current and frequency levels may vary per application.
Referring now to
As shown, an additional or lower laminating layer 72 may be utilized between the coil layer 62 and the substrate layer 64. In addition, the substrate layer 64 may be utilized as a lower laminating layer and as an alternative to the lower laminating layer 72.
One or more adhesive layers 74 may also be included. The adhesive layers 74 may be applied to any of the above-stated layers and used to couple the layers 61 or to attach of the coil-based transceiver 32′ to a vehicle structure. The adhesive layers 74 may consist of an adhesive paste, an adhesive tape, a coating, or other adhesive material known in the art.
Referring again to
The controller 20 may be a portion of a central vehicle main control unit, an electronic control unit, an interactive vehicle dynamics module, a restraints control module, a main safety or collision controller, or may be a stand-alone controller. Block 40 may be a microprocessor such as a computer having a central processing unit, memory (RAM and/or RON), and associated input and output buses. In addition or alternative to the microprocessor 40 an ASIC or other logic device(s) known in the art may be used. In addition, the controller 20 may be coupled to a variety of passive countermeasure systems 48.
The passive countermeasure systems 48 may include internal airbag control, seatbelt control, knee bolster control, head restraint control, load limiting pedal control, load limiting steering control, and pretensioner control. Pretensioner control may include control over pyrotechnic and non-pyrotechnic seatbelt pretensioners. Airbag control may include control over front, side, curtain, hood, dash, or other types of airbags.
The indicator 84 may also be used to provide a status of a vehicle component, structure, or system. The indicator 84 may be of various types and styles and provide short circuit or fault condition information. The indicator 84 may include LEDs, lights, displays, a video system, an audio system, a heads-up display, a flat-panel display, a telematic system or other indicators known in the art.
The memory 82 may include RAM, ROM, SRAM, DRAM, PROM, EPRON, EEPROM, NVRAM, FLASH, or any other style of memory known in the art. The memory 82 may be located within the controller or external to the controller. In one embodiment, a non-volatile memory such as PROM is used.
Referring now to
The outer door panel 98 performs as a conductive member. When the outer door panel 98 is not formed of a conductive material, a conductive element or member, or a second coil-based sensor 102 may be attached to the second inner side 100 of the outer door panel 98. The second coil-based sensor 102 is positioned opposite the coil-based sensor 14. Item 102 represents either the added conductive member or the second coil-based sensor, depending upon the application. In general, the conductive member 102 may be in the form of conductive panel, a frame, a sheet metal panel, a conductive pad, a conductive strip, a coating, a conductive layer, a conductive film, or other known conductive member. As an alternative embodiment, the coil-based sensor 14 may be mounted on the second inner side 100, and the inner panel 96 may serve as a conductive member or a conductive member may be on the first inner side 94. When a second coil-based sensor is utilized, movement of the outer door panel 98 may be detected in response to changes in attracting or opposing magnetic fields generated by the coils of each sensor.
Referring now to
In step 200, one or more magnetic coil-based sensors, such as one or more of the coil-based sensors 14 of
In step 202, upon change in the magnetic fields, the controller generates a collision detection signal. The collision detection signal is indicative of an alteration in a conductive member of the vehicle. That alteration may be associated with a collision. As the magnetic field changes across the coil-based sensors, the power in the coil-based sensors changes. This power change is detected through change in voltage across the coils. The voltage V of each coil-based sensor is monitored and is directly proportional to the time rate of change in the current I through the associated coils. This is represented by equation 1 where L is the inductance of the particular transceiver.
When changes occur in mutually coupled coils or between a coil and a conductive member the impedance of the coil is affected by the magnetic coupling. The voltage change overtime across the coil(s) provides a direct relationship to the rate of distance change between the coils or the coil and the conductive member, which is sometimes referred to as the cavity gap closure. The closure rate of the gap is detected and measured by the controller as a change in the V(t) relationship as provided by equation 2, where M is the mutual inductance between the coil and the conductive member.
The controller continuously monitors the coil-based sensors. When a collision occurs, the controller proceeds to step 206.
In step 206, when a collision occurs, a safing sensor, such as the safing sensor 86, generates a collision confirmation signal. Step 206 may be performed simultaneously with or prior to step 202. In step 210, the controller generates a countermeasure signal in response to the collision detection signal and the confirmation signal. The countermeasure signal may be utilized to activate one or more passive countermeasure systems. When the collision detection signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold level and the confirmation signal is greater than a second predetermined threshold a countermeasure is activated. A table of threshold values or ranges may be utilized in determining how and to what extent countermeasures are activated and performed.
The above-described steps are meant to be illustrative examples only; the steps may be performed sequentially, synchronously, simultaneously, or in a different order depending upon the application.
The present invention provides a flexible, lightweight, compact, simple, inexpensive sensor that may be utilized in a vehicle to detect collision thereto. The present invention also provides a system that incorporates any number of the stated sensors to provide a collision status indication.
While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that the specific mechanisms and techniques which have been described are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, numerous modifications may be made to the methods and apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
