Patent Grant
9162642
The disclosures made herein relate generally to vehicle crash algorithms and, more particularly, to methods and systems for determining information associated with forces applied on a vehicle during a collision.
It is well known that active/passive safety integration has become more prevalent in the automotive industry. This being the case, there has been a greater need for knowing not only if a vehicle has been in a collision, but also a primary direction of force resulting from the collision. By knowing the primary direction of force from the collision and preferably also a higher resolution of force direction, capabilities of vehicle safety features such as occupant restraint activation, vehicle post impact braking, post impact stability control, fuel cut-off, and the like can be enhanced.
Therefore, determining a primary direction of force resulting from a vehicle collision with a high degree of resolution would be beneficial, desirable and useful.
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter are directed to determining a direction of force resulting from a vehicle collision. More specifically, embodiments of the inventive subject matter enable an impact force direction corresponding to a high-resolution impact zone (e.g., front right impact zone, front full, front left) to be determined as well as an impact force direction corresponding to an impact quadrant (e.g., front, side, rear) to be determined. An impact sector can be determined jointly from the impact quadrant and impact zone. The impact force direction corresponding to the impact sector is referred to herein as a primary force direction. Advantageously, the ability to determine the impact sector as opposed to only an impact quadrant or impact zone enables vehicle safety features to be implemented with greater sophistication and precision.
In one embodiment of the inventive subject matter, a method for determining a direction of force resulting from a vehicle collision comprises a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for acquiring acceleration information resulting from a vehicle collision event. The acceleration information includes a first direction acceleration value and a second direction acceleration value. Operations are performed for determining a first direction delta velocity value based on the first direction acceleration value and for determining a second direction delta velocity value based on the second direction acceleration value. Thereafter, an operation is performed for determining a first delta velocity threshold value based on a first delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value. After determining the first delta velocity threshold value, an operation is performed for determining an impact zone of the vehicle at which an impact from the vehicle collision event has occurred. The impact zone is determined based on the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value. One or more one data processing devices access, from memory coupled to the one or more data processing devices, instructions for causing the one or more data processing devices to carry out such operations.
In another embodiment of the inventive subject matter, a vehicle comprises an acceleration sensing module and a crash direction computing module. The acceleration sensing module is configured for generating acceleration information resulting from a vehicle collision event. The acceleration information includes a first direction acceleration value and a second direction acceleration value. The crash direction computing module is coupled to the acceleration sensing module for receiving the acceleration information therefrom and is configured for determining impact direction information resulting from the vehicle collision event. Generating the impact direction information includes deriving a first direction delta velocity value from the first direction acceleration value, deriving a second direction delta velocity value from the second direction acceleration value, determining a first delta velocity threshold value based on a delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value, and determining an impact zone based on the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.
In another embodiment of the inventive subject matter, an electronic controller system of a vehicle has a set of instructions tangibly embodied on a non-transitory processor-readable medium thereof. The set of instructions are accessible from the non-transitory processor-readable medium by at least one data processing device of the electronic controller system for being interpreted thereby. The set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for acquiring acceleration information resulting from a vehicle collision event. The acceleration information includes a first direction acceleration value and a second direction acceleration value. The first direction acceleration value corresponds to a direction extending substantially perpendicular to a direction corresponding to the second direction acceleration value. Operations are performed for determining a first direction delta velocity value based on the first direction acceleration value and for determining a second direction delta velocity value based on the second direction acceleration value. An operation is then performed for determining a first delta velocity threshold value based on a first delta velocity threshold angle and the first direction delta velocity value. After determining the first delta velocity threshold value, an operation is performed for determining an impact zone of the vehicle at which an impact from the vehicle collision event has occurred. The impact zone is determined based on the first delta velocity threshold value and the second direction delta velocity value.
These and other objects, embodiments, advantages and/or distinctions of the inventive subject matter will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification, associated drawings and appended claims.
Referring to
In response to the vehicle 100 being involved in a collision event (i.e., a vehicle collision event), the restraint control module 105 (e.g., the impact recognition algorithm 115 thereof) generates acceleration information exhibited by the vehicle 100 as a result of an impact from the vehicle collision event. The acceleration information includes an X-direction (i.e., first direction) acceleration value and a Y-direction (i.e., second direction) acceleration value. Such acceleration information can be generated from output of two accelerometers mounted with their respective sensing directions orientated perpendicular to each other. The X-direction corresponds to a direction along the x-axis shown in
The restraint control module 105 (e.g., the impact recognition algorithm 115 thereof) derives an X-direction delta velocity value V(X) from the X-direction acceleration value and derives a Y-direction delta velocity value V(Y) from the Y-direction acceleration value. For example, an acceleration value can be integrated as a function of time to generate a corresponding delta velocity value. The delta velocity values represent a change in velocity of the vehicle along the respective measurement axis associated with the respective force of impact. Alternatively, a control module other than the restraint control module 105 can generate the acceleration information and/or the corresponding delta velocity values and provide it to the crash direction algorithm 110. For example, in the case where a vehicle does not possess a restraint control module, a crash direction computing module configured in accordance with an embodiment of the inventive subject matter can perform such functionality and any necessary related functionality.
In accordance with one such known technique and as illustrated in
Advantageously, the impact direction information (i.e., primary direction of force from impact) generated by the crash direction algorithm 110 is of a higher resolution that that generated using known techniques (e.g., impact quadrant information alone). To this end, the crash direction algorithm 110 receives the X-direction delta velocity value V(X) and the Y-direction delta velocity value V(Y) (i.e., delta velocity information) and uses the X-direction delta velocity value V(X) and the Y-direction delta velocity value V(Y) for determining impact direction information resulting from the vehicle collision event.
In one embodiment of the inventive subject matter, determining impact direction information includes determining an impact zone based on a first delta velocity threshold value DV(Y) and the Y-direction delta velocity value. The first delta velocity threshold value DV(Y) is based on a first delta velocity threshold angle Θ(L) and the X-direction delta velocity value V(X). As shown in
In one implementation of the inventive subject matter, equations for a circle are used for determining the first delta velocity threshold value DV(Y). The equation parameters for a circle are shown in
R=X/COS Θ(1); and
Y=R*SIN Θ(1).
Accordingly, for any sample of the X-direction delta velocity value V(X), a corresponding instance of the first delta velocity threshold value DV(Y) can be determined using the first delta velocity threshold angle Θ(1) as follows:
R=X−direction delta velocity value/COS Θ(1); and
DV(Y)=R*SIN Θ(1).
Once the first delta velocity threshold value DV(Y) is calculated, as shown in
In the case where the vehicle 100 is configured for determining the impact quadrant at which the impact of the vehicle collision event has occurred and for determining the impact zone, these two types of impact direction characterizations can be used in combination to define the primary direction of force from impact to a higher degree of resolution than is provided individually be either the impact quadrant or the impact zone. As shown in
In view of the disclosures made herein with respect to determination of impact zones, a skilled person will appreciate that additional resolution of direction of force with respect impact zone quantity and placement can be implemented through use of one or more additional delta velocity threshold angles in addition to the first delta velocity threshold angle Θ(1). For example, as shown in
In one embodiment of the inventive subject matter, determination of impact zones derived from two delta velocity threshold angles includes determining the first delta velocity threshold value DV(Y) based on the first delta velocity threshold angle Θ(1) and X-direction delta velocity value V(X), as described above. A second delta velocity threshold value DV(Y2) based on the second delta velocity threshold angle Θ(2) and the X-direction delta velocity value V(X) is determined in the same manner used for determining the first delta velocity threshold value DV(Y). As shown in
From the foregoing discussion, a skilled person will appreciate that the first delta velocity threshold angle Θ(1) is used for distinguishing front impacts from side impacts. If a side impact is detected, impact quadrant information can be used for determining what area of the vehicle was impacted (i.e., the forward or rear portion on either side). If it is determined that the impact is a side impact, it is not necessary to further derive or assess information that is based on the second delta velocity threshold angle Θ(2). In this regard, if assessment of information based on the first delta velocity threshold angle Θ(1) reveals that the vehicle has been subjected to a front or rear impact, information derived from the second delta velocity threshold angle Θ(2) is assessed for determining a specific area of the front or rear of the vehicle (i.e., impact sector) at which the impact has occurred.
In regard to implementing crash direction functionality in an electronic controller system of the vehicle 100, the restraint control module 105 can include a data processing device and memory coupled to the data processing device. Instructions representing the crash direction algorithm 110 and, optionally, the impact recognition algorithm 115 are accessible by the data processing device from the memory. In view of the disclosures made herein, a skilled person will appreciate methods, processes and/or operations configured for carrying out crash direction functionality as disclosed herein are tangibly embodied by a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions thereon that are configured for carrying out such functionality.
For simplifying real-time processing of information and reducing processing time, a delta velocity threshold value lookup table, such as that shown below, can be created for implementing crash direction functionality in accordance with the inventive subject matter. The delta velocity threshold value lookup table correlates X-direction delta velocity values V(X) to corresponding delta velocity threshold values DV(Y). The contents of the delta velocity threshold value lookup table are derived using two calibration parameters: V(X)_max and delta velocity threshold angle Θ. V(X)_max is the maximum X-direction delta velocity value that is to be used in determining a direction of force using crash direction functionality configured in accordance with the inventive subject matter. The use of equations of a circle in implementing crash direction functionality configured in accordance with the inventive subject matter allows a single delta velocity threshold value lookup table to be used for all directions of impact (e.g., absolute value comparison). Table 4 below shown an example of a delta velocity threshold value lookup table where V(X)_max=17, delta velocity threshold angle Θ=30 degrees, and step size=1.
Discussed now will be the concept and implementation of “latch” in the context of crash direction functionality in accordance with the inventive subject matter. Latch is a process (i.e., the latch process) used by a crash direction algorithm configured in accordance with the inventive subject matter and/or impact recognition algorithm configured in accordance with a known approach or enhanced with crash direction functionality as disclosed herein. The latch process is used to determine when to stop calculating the direction of force from a vehicle collision event and holds the last direction of force that has been calculated. This last direction indicates a corresponding primary direction of force (i.e., impact sector) resulting from the vehicle collision event. The benefit of the latch process stems from the fact that, when a vehicle rebounds from an initial collision with another vehicle or a stationary object (i.e., a vehicle collision event), crash detection calculations (e.g., delta velocity information) can indicate a different direction of force than that resulting from the initial collision. However, for implementing vehicle safety features in response to the initial collision, crash direction functionality and impact recognition functionality are concerned predominantly with the direction of force resulting from the initial collision.
Direction latch (i.e., dir_latch) is a calibratable parameter used in the latch process. As shown in
Table 5 below is an example of a latch lookup table having latch threshold values used in determining impact quadrant information for the quadrants of
dir_latch—y=(dir_latch^2-dir_latch—x^2);
where dir_latch_x=(n−1)/(14/dir_latch)n=1 . . . 15.
Table 6 below is an example of a latch lookup table having latch threshold values used in determining impact zone information for the impact zones of
dir1_latch—x=R*COS 30°; and
dir1_latch—y=R*SIN 30 degrees;
where R=(n−1)/(14/dir_latch)n=1 . . . 15.
Table 7 below is an example of a latch lookup table having latch threshold values used in determining impact zone information for the front and rear impact zones of
dir2_latch—x=R*COS 5°; and
dir2_latch—y=R*SIN 5°;
where: R=(n−1)/(14/ira_dir_latch)n=1 . . . 15
The method 300 begins with an operation 302 for sampling a source of delta velocity information (i.e., an X-direction delta velocity value and corresponding Y-direction delta velocity value) generated in response to a vehicle collision event. As disclosed above in reference to
The operation 302 for sampling involves sampling X-direction and Y-direction acceleration values. As the acceleration readings are sampled, a vector is created from the accumulation of samples. The samples are accumulated until the latch threshold is met, resulting in a vector providing both direction and magnitude of the impact. The resulting vector, direction and magnitude, may be used for post impact braking, stability control, fuel cut-off or other vehicle systems that may require control after an impact. The latch threshold of the inventive subject matter is continuous and reactive, even after a traditional threshold has been reached. The latch system prevents the signal from moving from one zone to another zone due to a secondary impact or even rotation of the vehicle after the primary impact, thereby keeping the “primary” direction of the force intact.
Thereafter (or in parallel with determining the impact direction information), an operation 306 is performed for determining latch threshold information. In preferred embodiments, determining the latch threshold information includes determining a Y-direction latch threshold value for each one of an impact quadrant (i.e., quadrant latch threshold value), a first order impact zone (i.e., first order impact zone latch threshold value), and a second order impact zone (i.e., second order impact zone latch threshold value). For example, the X-direction delta velocity value of the sampled delta velocity information can be used to acquire a corresponding Y-direction latch threshold value from a quadrant latch threshold lookup table (e.g., see discussion above in reference to Table 5), a corresponding Y-direction latch threshold value from a first order impact zone latch threshold lookup table (e.g., see discussion above in reference to Table 6), and a corresponding Y-direction latch threshold value from a second order impact zone latch threshold lookup table (e.g., see discussion above in reference to Table 7).
A direction latch parameter defines a corresponding latch radius upon which Y-direction latch threshold values are based. Y-direction latch thresholds are calculated similar to the impact zone thresholds discussed above but the radius dimension of the abovementioned circle equations is no longer a function of the X-direction delta velocity values V(X). Once an absolute value of the Y-direction delta velocity value V(Y) is greater than or equal to the Y-direction latch threshold value based on the corresponding X-direction delta velocity values V(X) and/or the corresponding X-direction delta velocity values V(X) is greater than or equal to the direction latch value (i.e., latch circle radius), the algorithm generating the threshold information will cease calculating such information and the algorithm correspondingly determining the associated impact zones and/or impact sectors will thereafter continue to output the last determined impact sector (i.e., primary direction of force) as long as needed.
In response to determining the force of impact direction information and the latch threshold information, an operation 308 is performed for determining if a latch condition exists for each one of the latch thresholds. A latch condition exists when an absolute value of the sampled Y-direction delta velocity value is found to be greater than one of the corresponding Y-direction latch threshold values or when an absolute value of the sampled X-direction delta velocity value is greater than the direction latch used in deriving the Y-direction latch threshold values (i.e., see discussion above in reference to Tables 5-7). If a latched condition does not exist for the any of the latch thresholds, the method 300 continues at the operation 302 for receiving another sample of the delta velocity information and thereafter performing the subsequent operations of the method 300. Otherwise, a latch condition is present for at least one of the latch thresholds and the direction corresponding to the latch thresholds (e.g., the quadrant, the first order impact zone, and/or the second order impact zone) based on the current sampled delta velocity information and an operation 310 is performed for outputting the latched direction (e.g., to a different control module of the electronic controller system of the vehicle). In preferred implementations, the latched direction is based on the highest resolution direction calculated for the sampled delta velocity information used in determining the latched condition (e.g., second order impact zone as opposed to first order impact zone if both are latched for the current instance of sampled delta velocity information).
In the preceding detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventive subject matter may be practiced. These embodiments, and certain variants thereof, have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice embodiments of the inventive subject matter. It is to be understood that other suitable embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, chemical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of such inventive disclosures. To avoid unnecessary detail, the description omits certain information known to those skilled in the art. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/645,542, which was filed on Oct. 5, 2012, entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A PRIMARY DIRECTION OF FORCE RESULTING FROM A VEHICLE COLLISION”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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| Parent | 13645542 | Oct 2012 | US |
| Child | 14670622 | US |
