Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080249687 | Vehicle side impact crash detection for deployment of curtain and side airbags - A restraint control system ( | 10-09-2008 |
20080303254 | SENSOR INTEGRATION FOR AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT - A system and method for deploying one or more airbags in a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a passive detection device, an active detection device and a controller. The passive detection device is configured to present one or more passive signals indicative of the motion of the vehicle after the vehicle has experienced an impact. The active detection device is configured to present suspension information related to the vehicle that is indicative of the motion of the vehicle prior to the vehicle experiencing an impact. The controller is configured to predict vehicle impact and deploy the airbags in response to the suspension information and the one or more passive signals. | 12-11-2008 |
20090099734 | POST IMPACT SAFETY SYSTEM WITH VEHICLE CONTACT INFORMATION - A system for providing post-impact signals in a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes at least one impact zone with a passive safety sensor positioned at designated sections of the vehicle. The system comprises a plurality of passive safety sensors, a passive safety controller, and an active safety controller. The passive safety controller determines the impact location, impact direction and intensity. The passive safety controller transmits a passive output signal indicative of the impact intensity, impact direction and impact location. The active safety controller stabilizes the vehicle post-impact in response to the passive output signal. | 04-16-2009 |
20090099735 | Vehicle rollover prediction with occupant restraint system activation - An automobile rollover prediction and restraint device deployment system comprises a plurality of automobile data sensors to generate a plurality of data signals, and a controller to receive the data signals and configured to deploy resettable and non-resettable restraint devices. The controller is configured to activate at least one resettable restraint device when one or more of the data signals exceed a first threshold, indicating that the vehicle is in a position or undergoing movement that indicates a potential for vehicle rollover, and to de-activate the at least one resettable restraint device when one or more of the data signals fall below the first threshold. | 04-16-2009 |
20090248253 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTEGRATION OF CRASH SIGNATURE SENSOR IN VEHICLE SIDE IMPACT SENSING - A system and method for performing side impact sensing in a vehicle including at least one side impact zone is provided. The system comprises a controller and at least one crash signature sensor. The controller is configured to deploy one or more safety restraints in response to at least one crash signature signal. The one crash signature sensor is positioned in the side impact zone. The crash signature sensor is configured to detect an impact with an object at the side impact zone. The crash signature sensor is further configured to generate the crash signature signal which corresponds to measured structural impact energy of the vehicle in the side impact zone deformed by the impact at frequencies above 2 kHz. | 10-01-2009 |
20090292424 | VEHICLE ROLLOVER DETECTION - A system and method for detecting a rollover of a vehicle that includes at least one wheel reaction force sensing device for transmitting wheel reaction force signals indicative of an amount of force exerted on at least one wheel of the vehicle is provided. The system includes a controller operably coupled to the at least one wheel reaction force sensing device and including at least one accelerometer sensor for transmitting acceleration signals. The controller is configured to determine a first force index in response to the wheel reaction force signals, determine a first lateral acceleration of the vehicle in response to the acceleration signals, compare the first force index to a threshold force index and the first lateral acceleration to a threshold lateral acceleration, and deploy a restraint system based on the comparison. | 11-26-2009 |
20100179731 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING VEHICLE SIDE IMPACT SENSING WITH UNIT AREA IMPULSE TECHNIQUE - A system for detecting impact events for a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a pressure sensor and a controller. The pressure sensor is positioned in a first impact zone of the vehicle and is configured to generate a pressure signal corresponding to a measured pressure reading within the first impact zone. The controller is positioned within the vehicle and is configured to integrate the pressure signal over time to determine the occurrence of a vehicle impact event at the first impact zone. | 07-15-2010 |
20100228424 | CRASH SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A VEHICLE - A crash sensor system and method used for determining when a vehicle is involved in a frontal impact crash. The crash sensor system including at least one pressure sensor coupled to a vehicle frame member. The vehicle frame member having a cavity and the at least one pressure sensor being configured to generate a pressure signal indicative of a pressure change within the cavity. The crash sensor system further including a controller configured to compare the received pressure signal against a predetermined pressure threshold. The controller also being configured to determine that a frontal impact crash has occurred when the pressure signal exceeds the predetermined pressure threshold. | 09-09-2010 |
20110006890 | SAFETY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A VEHICLE - A system and method for activating a safety system when a vehicle may be involved in a spin, roll, and/or a spin-to-roll condition. The system and method include determining a side slip angle of the vehicle using the arctangent of the ratio of a lateral and longitudinal velocity. The system and method also include receiving a roll rate signal and determining a roll angle using the roll rate signal. The system and method also include determining a roll warning threshold that is a function of a relationship between the roll rate signal and the roll angle. Lastly, the system and method include activating the safety system when a side slip angle threshold and/or the roll warning threshold are exceeded. | 01-13-2011 |
20110137528 | Side Impact Safety System with Blind-Spot Detection Radar Data Fusion - A motor vehicle blind-spot detection system has a remote sensor covering a rear-quadrant blind spot sensing zone and a forward-quadrant side impact sensing zone. A control module receives signals from a side impact sensor and the blind-spot detection sensor, calculates an approach vector of an object in the side impact sensing zone and/or the blind spot sensing zone, determines that the object will impact the vehicle, initializes a side impact algorithm controlling activation of an occupant safety device, detects an impact on the side of the vehicle and determines a magnitude of the impact, compares the magnitude of the impact with a threshold value established at least in part based upon the magnitude of the approach vector, and activates the occupant safety device if the magnitude of the impact exceeds the threshold value. | 06-09-2011 |
20110202241 | Method and System for Restraint Deployment Using Lateral Kinetic Energy - A safety system for a motor vehicle has a yaw rate sensor for detecting a yaw rate of the vehicle and impact sensors for detecting a side impact. A control module calculates a lateral kinetic energy of the vehicle if the yaw rate exceeds a threshold value, and an occupant restraint is activated based upon the lateral kinetic energy and signals from the side impact sensors. The disclosed system and method provide for improved restraint deployment decisions when a vehicle has a lateral velocity associated with a high yaw rate, as may be the case during a spin or a skid. | 08-18-2011 |
20110320091 | VEHICLE ROLLOVER DETECTION - A system and method for detecting a rollover of a vehicle that includes at least one wheel reaction force sensing device for transmitting wheel reaction force signal indicative of an amount of force exerted on at least one wheel of the vehicle is provided. The system includes a controller operably coupled to the at least one wheel reaction force sensing device and including at least one accelerometer sensor for transmitting the acceleration signal. The controller is configured to determine a first force index in response to the wheel reaction force signal, determine a first lateral acceleration of the vehicle in response to the acceleration signal, compare the first force index to a threshold force index and the first lateral acceleration to a threshold lateral acceleration, and deploy a restraint system based on the comparison. | 12-29-2011 |
20120245790 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE SPINOUT DETECTION - A method for vehicle spinout detection is described. The method includes monitoring a set of conditions. If the conditions meet a set of criteria, the method calculates a lateral factor, employing one or more past values of the lateral factor. The lateral factor indicates the vehicle's lateral velocity. Then, a spinout factor is computed based on the calculated lateral factor. The spinout factor indicates the difference between the direction of vehicle travel and the direction the vehicle is heading. If the spinout factor is above a predefined threshold value, the method generates a warning signal. A system for vehicle spinout detection is also described. | 09-27-2012 |
20120256749 | Method and Apparatus for Health Monitoring - A computer implemented method includes communicating with one or more medical and/or wellness devices. The method further includes receiving one or more data related to a medical or wellness condition from at least one of the one or more medical and/or wellness devices. The method additionally includes reporting a measurement from the one or more medical devices based at least in part on the received data. | 10-11-2012 |
20130099467 | VARIABLE LATERAL THICKNESS AIRBAG, SYSTEM COMPRISING SAME, AND METHOD OF DEPLOYING SAME - An airbag assembly has an airbag, a gas emitting inflator, and an airbag thickness limiting structure. The airbag thickness limiting structure limits a first body region engaging portion to having a lateral thickness within a first lateral thickness range when the gas emitting inflator delivers a first amount of inflation gas into the interior space of the airbag and allows the first body region engaging portion of the airbag to have a lateral thickness within a second lateral thickness range when the gas emitting inflator delivers a second amount of inflation gas greater than the first amount into the interior space of the airbag. A second body region engaging portion has a substantially fixed maximum attainable lateral thickness. Maximum attainable lateral thickness of the first body region engaging portion of the airbag can be dependent upon whether or not inflation of the airbag is implemented using pre-crash sensing technology. | 04-25-2013 |
20130181860 | RADAR BASED MULTIFUNCTIONAL SAFETY SYSTEM - A system and method for providing multifunctional safety in a vehicle through a remote sensor is described. The remote sensor is configured to detect surrounding objects through a radar wave at a predefined angle, and within a predefined distance. A control module calculates velocity, severity and likelihood of the object impacting the vehicle through a calculated approach vector of a detected object. The control module further compares the severity of impact, to a pre-determined threshold value, and configures an impact algorithm to initialize and deploy in-vehicle safety systems upon the object crossing a calculated threshold of distance. | 07-18-2013 |
20130255930 | DRIVER PERSONALIZED CLIMATE CONDITIONING - An HVAC system for a vehicle includes a skin temperature sensor for measuring an actual skin temperature of the driver and a cabin temperature sensor for measuring an actual cabin temperature of ambient air within the passenger cabin. A controller module stores a target cabin temperature, wherein the controller module controls the HVAC system according to a first error between the target cabin temperature and the actual cabin temperature. The actual cabin temperature is filtered according to a first time constant. A personalization module stores a target skin temperature, wherein the personalization module determines an offset to be applied to the target cabin temperature according to a second error between the target skin temperature and the actual skin temperature. The actual skin temperature is filtered according to a second time constant longer than the first time constant. | 10-03-2013 |
20130273847 | Method and Apparatus for a Mobile Safety Platform with Multiple Communication Interfaces - A system includes one or more sensors, one or more output devices, a vehicle computing system (VCS) configured to receive information from the one or more sensors and to output information to the one or more output devices, a wireless receiver in communication with the VCS, and a wireless transmitter in communication with the VCS. The VCS is further configured to filter information received from the one or more sensors and broadcast the information through the wireless transmitter to a first device, while simultaneously communicating with the first device over the wireless receiver to receive a request relating to use of a vehicle output device, to verify the permissibility of the request and to provide output in accordance with a verified request over the vehicle output device. | 10-17-2013 |
20130278013 | Inflatable Side Rail Deflector Apparatus For Small Offset Collisions - An inflatable member, or deflector, is attached to the frame of the vehicle. The deflector in the expanded condition at least partially fills a space defined by a bumper beam, a portion of the frame, a front tire and a portion of the vehicle body. A sensor provides a signal to a controller to actuate an inflator. The sensor may be a contact sensor, such as an accelerometer or an electro-resistive sensor, or the sensor may be a predictive sensor, such as a radar sensor or a machine vision sensor. | 10-24-2013 |
20130320654 | Vehicle Side Impact Detection Using Vehicle Yaw - A safety system for a motor vehicle includes a sensor suite detecting a lateral impact and a vehicle yaw, an occupant safety system, and a control module receiving signals from the sensor suite. The control module activates the occupant safety system if either: a) an impact magnitude detected by the sensor suite is greater than a first impact threshold and a vehicle yaw magnitude detected by the sensor suite is greater than a yaw threshold; or b) the impact magnitude is greater than a second impact threshold higher than the first impact threshold. The system may be operated to determine a longitudinal location of the impact on the vehicle by comparing a magnitude of the impact and a magnitude of the vehicle yaw. The occupant safety system may then be activated in a mode based upon the longitudinal location of the impact and/or appropriate for a spinning vehicle. | 12-05-2013 |
20140011482 | Method and Apparatus for Detecting a Left-Behind Phone - A system includes a vehicle computing processor. The processor is configured to, through wireless communication with a phone, and after determining that a vehicle engine is not running, request and receive motion sensor data from the phone. The processor is further configured to determine if a phone is moving with a driver based on the motion sensor data. Also, the processor is configured to alert the driver if the phone is not moving with the driver. | 01-09-2014 |
20140012468 | Real-Time Center-of-Gravity Height Estimation - A method and apparatus for estimating a center-of-gravity height h of a motor vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. A controller is operatively coupled with a left wheel load sensor, a right wheel load sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, and a roll rate sensor. The controller determines a left wheel load F | 01-09-2014 |
20140039757 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SCHEDULING DRIVER INTERFACE TASKS BASED ON DRIVER WORKLOAD - A vehicle's dynamic handling state, driver inputs to the vehicle, driver physiological condition, etc. may be examined to determine one or more measures of driver workload. Driver interface tasks may then be delayed and/or prevented from executing based on the driver workload so as to not increase the driver workload. Alternatively, driver interface tasks may be schedule for execution based on the driver workload and caused to execute according to the schedule, for example, to minimize the impact the executing driver interface tasks have on driver workload. | 02-06-2014 |
20140117735 | HIDDEN REAR SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS FOR IMPROVED VISIBILITY - A seat assembly including a head restraint for a vehicle seat that can be raised and lowered depending on the presence or absence of a seat occupant is disclosed. The seat assembly includes a seat having a seat base and seat back and head restraint selectively movable between a stowed position and an upright position. The seat assembly further includes a head restraint motion assembly connecting the seat back and the head restraint and a sensor operatively associated with either or both of the seat base and the seat back for sensing an occupant. The head restraint includes at least one head restraint post connecting the head restraint to the head restraint motion assembly. The head restraint motion assembly includes a drive motor attached to a motor shaft that is attached to the head restraint post(s). A locking arrangement is provided to maintain the head restraint in its upright position. | 05-01-2014 |
20140285216 | SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING SIGNAL QUALITY FROM CAPACITIVE BIOMETRIC SENSOR IN A VEHICLE FOR CONTINUOUS BIOMETRIC MONITORING - A system may include at least one sensor configured to detect at least one vital signal, wherein the sensor is positioned proximate to a driver within a vehicle seat. At least one contact element may be configured to detect at least one reference signal, wherein the contact element surrounds a vehicle steering wheel. At least one resistor may be coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to receive the reference signal from the contact element. | 09-25-2014 |
20140313333 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGING A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE - A system and method for imaging a driver of a vehicle is provided. The system includes an imager mounted to a steering wheel hub that images a scene containing a bodily feature of the driver and generates image data therefrom. An image processor receives and analyzes the image data and generates biometric information related to the driver. The biometric information is useable as input for a variety of vehicle operations. | 10-23-2014 |
20140316607 | OCCUPANT PRESENCE DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION - A system includes a presence sensor that generates a presence signal representing a presence of an occupant in a vehicle, an occupant identification device that generates an occupant identification signal, and a customization controller that applies a default setting to a vehicle feature before receiving the occupant identification signal and applies a customized setting associated with an identified occupant after receiving the occupant identification signal. A method includes receiving a presence signal representing a presence of an occupant in a vehicle, applying a default setting to a vehicle feature in response to receiving the presence signal, receiving an occupant identification signal after customizing the vehicle feature according to the default setting, and applying a customized setting to the vehicle feature. The customized setting is associated with the identified occupant. | 10-23-2014 |
20140316660 | SEAT-INTEGRATED OCCUPANT PRESENCE DETECTOR - A system includes a vehicle seat with an embedded presence detector that can detect a presence of an occupant and output a presence signal. A position controller is configured to receive the presence signal and adjust a position of the vehicle seat to a predetermined driving position in response to receiving the presence signal and prior to turning on a vehicle ignition. | 10-23-2014 |
20150055120 | IMAGE SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY APPLICATIONS - An improved vision-based system generates object detection corresponding to different viewing areas based on vehicle speed. At lower vehicle speeds the system covers a wider field of view and a near zone while at higher vehicle speeds the system covers a normal or narrower field of view and a far zone. The system includes a lens package having a movable lens, an image sensor and image transformer. The movable lens is movable between a first position representing a wide angle view and a second position representing a normal angle view. Each of these views generates an image such that a wide angle view generates a wide angle image and a normal angle view generates a normal angle image. The wide angle view is associated with the vehicle's passive safety systems while the normal angle view is associated with the vehicle's active safety systems. | 02-26-2015 |