Side-impact protection methods, devices, vehicles, and systems for vehicles

Abstract

This application provides a method, device, vehicle, and system for side-impact protection of a vehicle. The method includes: first, acquiring real-time road condition information during the vehicle's operation, including the shape, speed, and distance of any side object to the vehicle, and determining whether the side object is a vehicle. Then, based on the road condition information and the vehicle's speed, determining whether a collision with the vehicle is possible. If the side object is a vehicle and an unavoidable collision is possible, detecting and acquiring the vehicle's size and weight using an AR visual detection system. Based on the vehicle's size and weight, calculating the impact energy upon collision, and finally controlling the vehicle's seatbelts and airbags based on the impact energy. This application's solution can realistically predict potential vehicle collisions in advance and provide corresponding occupant protection schemes based on different collision scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive safety technology, and in particular to a method, device, vehicle, and system for side-impact protection of a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the increase in car ownership, traffic accidents have also surged. Collisions between vehicles, whether electric bikes, motorcycles, passenger cars, or large trucks, are inevitable. Side impacts are a frequent occurrence, as vehicles have a weaker ability to absorb energy from collisions at the sides, making them prone to causing serious injuries.

[0003] In existing technologies, seat belts and airbags are used to protect occupants after a collision. When a vehicle collision occurs, sensors collect collision signals, identify and react to the collision signals, and when the airbag deployment threshold is reached, the corresponding airbag is passively deployed.

[0004] However, this technology provides passive protection after a side collision, and there is a time delay in responding after a passive collision, so passive protection cannot provide all-round protection for occupants. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method, device, vehicle, and system for side collision protection of vehicles, in order to solve the problem of poor protection effect caused by passive protection of vehicle side collisions.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a method for protecting a vehicle from side impact, comprising:

[0007] Real-time acquisition of road condition information during the current vehicle's driving process, including the shape of objects on the side of the vehicle, the distance of the objects from the current vehicle, and the speed of the objects.

[0008] Based on the road condition information and the current vehicle speed, determine whether the object on the side is a vehicle and whether it is likely to collide with the current vehicle.

[0009] If the object on the side is a vehicle and there is a possibility of an unavoidable collision with the current vehicle, then the vehicle size and weight are obtained by detecting the vehicle using an augmented reality (AR) visual detection system.

[0010] Calculate the impact energy when the vehicle collides with the current vehicle based on the vehicle size and the vehicle weight;

[0011] The seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle are controlled based on the impact energy.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0013] The impact location and impact distance are determined based on the distance between the side object and the current vehicle, the speed of the side object, and the speed of the current vehicle.

[0014] For different impact locations, if the impact distance is equal to a preset safe distance threshold for the impact location, then it is determined whether there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle.

[0015] If there are no obstacles in front of the current vehicle, the seat belts are pre-tensioned and the current vehicle is controlled to accelerate to avoid a collision.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0017] If the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold at the impact location, then the impact is determined to be unavoidable.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0019] If there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle, a first warning indicator will be displayed on the vehicle's infotainment system. The first warning indicator is used to indicate that there is a possibility of collision, and the vehicle will automatically decelerate.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments, controlling the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle based on the impact energy includes:

[0021] If the impact energy is less than or equal to a preset first safety energy threshold, then the impact location where the impact occurred is obtained;

[0022] If the impact location is located to the side and rear of the current vehicle, then the side and rear passenger side airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side and rear seat belts are deployed.

[0023] If the impact location is located at the front side of the current vehicle, then the front side passenger airbag, side curtain airbag and pretensioner of the front seat belts are deployed.

[0024] If the impact location is located at the side center of the current vehicle, then the side occupant protection airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side occupant seat belt will be deployed.

[0025] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0026] If the impact energy is greater than the first safety energy threshold and less than the preset second safety energy threshold, the side airbags are deployed and the seat belts are pre-tensioned. At the same time, the remote airbag protection strategy is executed. The second safety energy threshold is greater than the first safety energy threshold.

[0027] If the impact energy is greater than the second safety energy threshold, control the current vehicle to execute a rollover protection strategy;

[0028] If the impact energy is less than a preset third safety energy threshold, a second warning indication is sent. The second warning indication is used to remind that a minor impact may occur, and the third safety energy threshold is less than the first safety energy threshold.

[0029] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a side collision protection device for a vehicle, comprising:

[0030] The acquisition module is used to acquire road condition information of the current vehicle in real time. The road condition information includes the shape of the object on the side of the vehicle, the distance of the object from the current vehicle, and the speed of the object.

[0031] The processing module is used to determine, based on the road condition information and the current vehicle speed, whether the side object is a vehicle and whether it is likely to collide with the current vehicle.

[0032] The collision module is used to detect and obtain the vehicle size and weight of the vehicle by means of an augmented reality (AR) visual detection system when the object on the side is a vehicle and an unavoidable collision may occur with the current vehicle.

[0033] The calculation module is used to calculate the impact energy when the vehicle collides with the current vehicle based on the vehicle size and the vehicle weight;

[0034] A control module is used to control the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle based on the impact energy.

[0035] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments, the device further includes: an identification module and a speed control module;

[0036] The processing module is used to determine the impact location and impact distance based on the distance between the side object and the current vehicle, the speed of the side object, and the driving speed of the current vehicle.

[0037] The identification module is used to identify and determine whether there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle if the impact distance is equal to a preset safe distance threshold for the impact location for different impact locations.

[0038] The speed control module is used to pre-tighten the seat belts and control the current vehicle to accelerate to avoid a collision if there are no obstacles in front of the current vehicle.

[0039] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments, the identification module is further configured to:

[0040] If the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold at the impact location, then the impact is determined to be unavoidable.

[0041] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments, the device further includes: an early warning module;

[0042] The warning module is used to display a first warning indicator on the vehicle's infotainment interface if there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle. The first warning indicator is used to indicate that there is a possibility of collision, and the vehicle will automatically decelerate.

[0043] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments, the control module is specifically used for:

[0044] If the impact energy is less than or equal to a preset first safety energy threshold, then the impact location where the impact occurred is obtained;

[0045] If the impact location is located to the side and rear of the current vehicle, then the side and rear passenger side airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side and rear seat belts are deployed.

[0046] If the impact location is located at the front side of the current vehicle, then the front side passenger airbag, side curtain airbag and pretensioner of the front seat belts are deployed.

[0047] If the impact location is located at the side center of the current vehicle, then the side occupant protection airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side occupant seat belt will be deployed.

[0048] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments, the control module is further configured to:

[0049] If the impact energy is greater than the first safety energy threshold and less than the preset second safety energy threshold, the side airbags are deployed and the seat belts are pre-tensioned. At the same time, the remote airbag protection strategy is executed. The second safety energy threshold is greater than the first safety energy threshold.

[0050] If the impact energy is greater than the second safety energy threshold, control the current vehicle to execute a rollover protection strategy;

[0051] If the impact energy is less than a preset third safety energy threshold, a second warning indication is sent. The second warning indication is used to remind that a minor impact may occur, and the third safety energy threshold is less than the first safety energy threshold.

[0052] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle, including: a vehicle body, and a vehicle side collision protection system, the vehicle side collision protection system being used to perform the method described in any of the first aspects.

[0053] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the side collision protection method for a vehicle as described in any of the first aspects.

[0054] Fifthly, embodiments of this application also provide a side collision protection system for a vehicle, comprising:

[0055] An airbag controller, a speed sensor, a front lidar, a side lidar, a door pressure sensor, a front camera, a side camera, and an augmented reality (AR) visual detection system, all connected to the airbag controller.

[0056] The AR vision detection system is used to detect the volume and weight of side objects that may collide with the current vehicle.

[0057] The airbag controller is used for:

[0058] Based on the signals collected by the speed sensor, the front lidar, the side lidar, and the side camera, it is determined whether an impact is possible, and if an impact is possible, it is determined that the side object, the impact location, and the impact distance are all involved.

[0059] The impact energy is calculated based on the vehicle size and weight detected by the AR vision detection system as potential sources of collision.

[0060] The seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle are controlled based on the impact object, the impact location, the impact distance, and the impact energy.

[0061] The side collision protection method, device, vehicle, and system provided in this application acquire road condition information on the side of the vehicle during driving, calculate whether a side vehicle can collide with the current vehicle, and in the event of an unavoidable collision, detect the size and weight of the colliding vehicle using an AR vision detection system. Based on the detected vehicle size and weight, the impact energy is calculated, and the vehicle's seat belts and airbags are controlled to provide protection based on the impact energy. This method can proactively predict collision scenarios before a collision occurs and control seat belts and airbags to protect occupants according to different collision scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0062] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0063] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the vehicle side collision protection method provided in this application embodiment;

[0064] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the vehicle side collision protection method provided in this application.

[0065] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of the vehicle side collision protection method provided in this application.

[0066] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating Embodiment 3 of the vehicle side collision protection method provided in this application;

[0067] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle side collision protection device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 6 A vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 7 This application provides a side collision protection system for a vehicle.

[0070] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0071] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0072] First, let me explain the terms used in this application:

[0073] Airbag Controller (ACU): It is the core of the entire airbag system. Based on the signals identified by the sensors, it can calculate the working instructions to be executed and send the working instructions to the corresponding devices.

[0074] Door pressure sensor: A passive sensing signal located on the side door to detect impact signals.

[0075] Pretensioned seat belts: Based on signals from the ACU controller, they can work in conjunction with seat belt airbags to pretension or deploy the seat belts in advance, securing the occupants and driver to their seats.

[0076] Augmented Reality (AR) visual detection system: This system is based on a deep learning model and outputs the volume and weight of colliding objects based on the input image information.

[0077] With the increasing number of cars on the road, my country has become a major automobile producer and consumer, leading to a surge in traffic accidents. Side-impact accidents occur frequently on urban, suburban, and rural roads, with vehicles inevitably colliding with electric vehicles, motorcycles, passenger cars, and large trucks. According to relevant data, the fatality rate for side-impact collisions is approximately 44%, making it imperative to improve the side-impact protection performance of vehicles.

[0078] In existing technologies, after a side collision, occupants are protected by seat belts and airbags. When a collision occurs, sensors collect collision signals, identify and react to these signals, and passively deploy the airbags in the appropriate locations when the airbag deployment threshold is reached. To better protect occupants, the system determines the condition inside the vehicle after the collision, assessing the severity of abdominal injuries and the occupants' survival space, and communicates this information with the outside world to provide data assistance to rescue personnel and reduce the post-accident mortality rate.

[0079] However, existing technologies provide passive protection after a side collision, and there is a time delay in responding after a passive collision. Therefore, passive protection cannot provide all-round protection for occupants.

[0080] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the inventors discovered during their research in this technical field that deep learning technology can be used to identify colliding vehicles in advance. Based on this, in cases where a collision is unavoidable, the size, weight, and other information of the colliding vehicles can be identified, the energy generated after the impact can be calculated, the collision process can be predicted, and a vehicle protection strategy can be determined in advance. Therefore, this application provides a method for side-impact protection of vehicles.

[0081] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the vehicle side collision protection method provided in this application embodiment, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the scenario includes a normally driving vehicle and a vehicle involved in a collision. The normally driving vehicle includes devices such as an ACU controller, camera, lidar, speed sensor, and vehicle infotainment system.

[0082] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0083] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart of a side-impact protection method for vehicles provided in this application is shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the side-impact protection method for this vehicle may include the following steps:

[0084] S101. Real-time acquisition of road condition information during the current vehicle's driving process, including the shape of objects on the side of the vehicle, the distance of the objects from the current vehicle, and the speed of the objects.

[0085] In this step, while the vehicle is driving normally, real-time road condition information is collected from the sides of the vehicle to determine whether a collision with a side vehicle is possible. The collected road condition information includes the shape of side objects, the distance of the side objects from the vehicle, and the speed of the side objects. In one specific implementation, a side-mounted lidar is used to measure the distance and speed of side objects; a camera is used to capture image information of the side objects. The camera has an image acquisition unit that can identify whether a vehicle is present in the image and send a signal to the ACU controller indicating the presence or absence of a vehicle.

[0086] S102. Based on road condition information and the current vehicle speed, determine whether the object on the side is a vehicle and whether it is likely to collide with the current vehicle.

[0087] In this step, firstly, the image acquisition unit in the camera analyzes the real-time image information, identifies object features, and determines whether there are vehicles on the side. If there are no vehicles, normal driving proceeds without any operation or prompts. If the image information of the identified side objects includes vehicles, the system continues to analyze the distance information. Then, the ACU controller acquires the current vehicle speed and determines whether a collision with a side vehicle is possible. The current vehicle speed can be detected by a speed sensor, or it can be obtained from the vehicle's dashboard; this solution does not restrict the method of acquiring the current vehicle speed.

[0088] Based on the distance of adjacent vehicles from the road condition information, as well as the speed of adjacent vehicles, the speed of the current vehicle, and its length, the collision location and distance are calculated. Specifically, the current vehicle speed can be obtained in real time using a vehicle speed sensor, the distance to adjacent objects can be obtained using a side camera or side lidar, and the speed of adjacent vehicles can be obtained using side lidar.

[0089] Whether a collision has occurred can be determined based on the impact location and distance. The impact distance is compared with a preset safe distance threshold for the corresponding impact location. If the impact distance is less than the preset safe distance threshold, it means that an unavoidable collision will occur; if the impact distance is greater than the preset safe distance threshold, it means that a collision will not occur.

[0090] S103. If the object to the side is a vehicle and there is a possibility of an unavoidable collision with the current vehicle, the vehicle size and weight are obtained by detecting the vehicle through the AR visual detection system.

[0091] In this step, when the impact distance at the impact location is less than a preset distance, a collision between the current vehicle and a side vehicle is inevitable. At this point, to better protect the occupants and provide a more accurate protection plan, it is necessary to predict the energy generated during the impact. The kinetic energy generated by the impact is proportional to the speed and weight of the impacting vehicle. The speed of the side-impacting vehicle has already been obtained from the aforementioned road condition information; however, the mass of the impacting vehicle also needs to be obtained. It is difficult to obtain the mass of the external impacting vehicle from the current vehicle alone. Therefore, using deep learning, the ACU controller inputs the image information of the impacting vehicle into the AR visual detection system. The trained visual detection model then outputs the predicted size and weight of the impacting vehicle. The AR visual detection system then sends the output size and weight information of the impacting vehicle back to the ACU controller.

[0092] S104. Calculate the impact energy when the vehicle collides with the current vehicle based on the vehicle size and weight.

[0093] In this step, when a collision is unavoidable, the post-collision situation depends on the energy of the impact. To provide a more accurate protection plan, it is necessary to predict the energy generated during the impact. The ACU controller calculates the impact energy based on the vehicle size and weight sent by the AR vision detection system, combined with the speed of the side-impacting vehicle from road condition information. The ACU controller simulates the collision process based on the impact vehicle speed, impact distance, impact energy, and impact vehicle size, analyzing and calculating the moment of collision. This moment is used to determine the specific deployment time of the airbags and side curtain airbags, as well as the seat belt pretensioning time.

[0094] S105. Control the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle based on the impact energy.

[0095] In this step, different impact energies represent different impact intensities, triggering different protection strategies for the vehicle under different impact intensities. The ACU controller compares the calculated impact energy with a pre-set first safe energy threshold, executing different protection schemes based on different comparison results. The first safe energy threshold is the energy required for vehicle deformation, assuming occupant survival space.

[0096] The safety energy threshold can also be set with a second and a third safety energy threshold. The second safety energy threshold is the energy required for vehicle deformation under the minimum survival space for vehicle occupants, and the third safety energy threshold is the energy the vehicle body withstands when the occupant survival space remains essentially unchanged. Understandably, the first safety energy threshold is greater than the third safety energy threshold, and less than the second safety energy threshold. In one specific implementation, when the energy level is less than the third safety energy threshold, a warning is given to the occupants that a minor collision is imminent; when the energy level is greater than the third safety energy threshold but less than or equal to the preset first safety energy threshold, the ACU controller deploys the airbags at the point of impact and pretensions the seatbelts; when the energy level is greater than the first safety energy threshold and less than the second safety energy threshold, all airbags are deployed and the seatbelts are pretensioned at the moment of impact. When the energy level is greater than the second safety energy threshold, all airbags are deployed, the seatbelts are pretensioned, and rollover protection is implemented.

[0097] Optionally, the ACU controller simulates the collision process based on the vehicle's speed, impact distance, impact energy, and the impact size of the side-impact vehicle. The simulated collision process analyzes and calculates the intrusion displacement and velocity of the intruding vehicle after the collision. Based on different intrusion displacements and velocities, the inflation pressures of the airbags and side curtain airbags are determined from a pre-set data table of intrusion displacements, velocities, inflation pressures, and vent holes for this impact, achieving the most effective passive safety protection.

[0098] Optionally, when the door pressure sensor detects a side impact with the current vehicle, it sends a pressure signal to the ACU controller. The ACU controller then sends a collision signal to the Controller Area Network (CAN), which executes a series of passive protective actions through the Body Control Module (BCM), Battery Management System (BMS), and call center system to prevent secondary injuries. These actions include controlling door unlocking and fuel cut-off via the BCM, and controlling high-voltage power cut-off via the BMS, as well as emergency rescue calls, to ensure safe evacuation and rescue of occupants after a collision.

[0099] The side-impact collision protection method for vehicles provided in this application collects real-time road condition information on the side of the vehicle to determine whether there is a possibility of collision with the current vehicle. When it is determined that a collision cannot be avoided, the AR vision detection system detects the size and weight of the colliding vehicle. The ACU controller calculates the impact energy and collision time based on the size and weight of the colliding vehicle and the speed of the colliding vehicle in the road condition information. The impact energy is compared with a preset first safety energy threshold. Based on different results, the system controls the vehicle's seat belts and airbags to take corresponding protection strategies at the moment of collision. Through this method, the ACU controller actively identifies possible collisions, predicts the collision situation for unavoidable collisions, and takes protection strategies in advance, effectively providing a proactive occupant protection solution.

[0100] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart of Embodiment 2 of the vehicle side collision protection method provided in this application is shown below. Figure 3 As shown, based on Embodiment 1, the side collision protection method for this vehicle further includes the following steps:

[0101] S201. Determine the impact location and impact distance based on the distance of the side object from the current vehicle, the speed of the side object, and the current vehicle's speed.

[0102] In this step, when a vehicle is detected on the side, it is determined whether a collision will occur between the vehicle on the side and the current vehicle. Based on the distance between the vehicle on the side and the current vehicle in the road condition information, the speed of the object on the side, the speed of the current vehicle, and the vehicle length information, the collision position and collision distance are calculated.

[0103] Based on the specific data of the impact location, the collision location is divided into the front side, the middle side, and the rear side of the vehicle. The ACU controller compares the impact distance with a safe distance threshold. The safe distance threshold can be a range of distances. If the distance is within this range, it means that a collision is likely to occur; if it is greater than the safe distance threshold, it means that a collision will not occur; and if it is less than the safe distance threshold, a collision is unavoidable.

[0104] S202. For different impact locations, if the impact distance is equal to the preset safe distance threshold for the impact location, then identify and determine whether there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle.

[0105] In this step, the parameters for the safe distance threshold are different for different impact locations. After calculating the impact location, the safe distance threshold at that location is compared with the impact distance. If the impact distance is greater than the safe distance threshold, no operation is performed and normal driving continues. If the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold, S205 is executed. If the impact distance is equal to the safe distance, the vehicle's front camera or front lidar identifies the road conditions ahead and generates a signal indicating whether there is an obstacle, which is sent to the ACU controller. The ACU controller obtains the signal indicating whether there is an obstacle ahead. If there is no obstacle, S203 is executed; if there is an obstacle, S204 is executed.

[0106] S203. If there are no obstacles in front of the current vehicle, pre-tighten the seat belts and control the current vehicle to accelerate to avoid a collision.

[0107] In this step, when the calculated impact distance equals the safe distance threshold, the vehicle is at the boundary of the impact. The ACU controller receives a signal that there are no obstacles ahead and calculates whether increasing the current speed of the vehicle can avoid the impact. If the impact can be avoided, the ACU controller controls the vehicle to accelerate to avoid the side impact and pretensions the seat belts to protect the occupants.

[0108] Optionally, when there are no obstacles ahead, calculate whether increasing the speed of the current vehicle can avoid a collision. If a collision can be avoided, prompt the occupants to accelerate to avoid the collision, without controlling the vehicle during this process.

[0109] Even if a vehicle accelerates, it may not be able to avoid a collision. During this process, the collision position and distance are calculated in real time and compared with the preset safe distance threshold. If the distance is still not greater than the safe threshold even under acceleration, 205 is executed.

[0110] S204. If there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle, a first warning indicator will be displayed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The first warning indicator is used to indicate that there is a possibility of collision, and the vehicle will automatically decelerate.

[0111] In this step, the ACU receives a signal indicating an obstacle ahead. If it determines that there is an obstacle in front of the vehicle and cannot accelerate to avoid a collision, it displays a first warning indicator on the vehicle's infotainment screen, alerting the driver to a potential collision and simultaneously controlling the vehicle to decelerate. During deceleration, the ACU controller calculates the impact position and distance in real time, comparing the decelerated impact distance with a preset safe distance. If the distance exceeds the safe distance threshold, no action is taken; otherwise, step 205 is executed if the distance is still within the safe distance threshold.

[0112] Optionally, in the event of an unavoidable collision, a warning can be issued, which can be displayed on the vehicle's infotainment system or by playing a specific sound through an external speaker.

[0113] S205. If the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold of the impact location, then the impact is determined to be unavoidable.

[0114] In this step, the safe distance threshold is different for different impact locations. When the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold at the impact location, or when it is equal to the safe distance threshold but there is an obstacle in front of the vehicle, a side impact is inevitable. In this case, the AR vision detection system is used to detect and obtain the vehicle size and weight of the side-impacting vehicle, and S103 is executed.

[0115] The side collision protection method for vehicles provided in this application involves the ACU controller determining the impact location and distance by using the distance and speed of a side object relative to the current vehicle, as well as the current vehicle's speed and length. The impact distance is compared to a safety distance threshold corresponding to the impact location. Different operational plans are executed for different situations: if the distance is greater than the safety distance threshold, no action is taken; if the distance is equal to the safety distance threshold, it is determined whether there is an obstacle ahead. If there is an obstacle, a warning is issued and the vehicle slows down; if there is no obstacle, the vehicle accelerates to avoid a collision. Through this method, the ACU controller, based on pre-identified assessments of whether a collision has occurred, classifies the collision situation, and executes different operational plans, enabling proactive collision avoidance and providing warnings and protection when collisions cannot be avoided.

[0116] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating Embodiment 3 of the vehicle side collision protection method provided in this application is shown below. Figure 4 As shown, based on Embodiment 1, step 105 controls the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle according to the impact energy, specifically including the following steps:

[0117] S301. If the impact energy is less than or equal to the preset first safety energy threshold, then obtain the impact location where the impact occurred.

[0118] In this step, the ACU controller compares the impact energy calculated based on the size, weight, and speed of the impacting vehicle with a first safety energy threshold. If the impact energy is less than or equal to the first safety energy threshold, corresponding protection strategies are adopted for impacts at different locations based on the calculated impact position. If the impact energy is greater than the first safety energy threshold but less than the second safety energy threshold, step S305 is executed; if the impact energy is greater than or equal to the second safety energy threshold, step S306 is executed; and if the impact energy is less than the third safety energy threshold, step S307 is executed.

[0119] S302. If the impact location is located to the side and rear of the current vehicle, the side and rear passenger airbags, side curtain airbags, and side and rear seat belts will be deployed by control.

[0120] In this step, if the impact energy is less than the first safety energy threshold but greater than the third safety threshold, the side airbags and side curtain airbags at the impact location are deployed, and the seat belts are pretensioned for protection. If the impact location is to the side and rear of the vehicle, the ACU controls the deployment of the side and rear side airbags and side curtain airbags, and pretensions the side and rear seat belts for precise protection. If the impact location is to the side and front, step S303 is executed; if the impact location is to the side and center of the vehicle, step S304 is executed.

[0121] S303. If the impact location is at the front side of the current vehicle, the front side passenger airbag, side curtain airbag, and front seat belt pretensioner will be deployed.

[0122] S304. If the impact point is located at the side center of the current vehicle, the side occupant protection airbags, side curtain airbags, and pretensioned side occupant seat belts shall be deployed.

[0123] S305. If the impact energy is greater than the first safety energy threshold and less than the preset second safety energy threshold, the side airbags will be deployed and the seat belts will be pre-tensioned. At the same time, the remote airbag protection strategy will be implemented.

[0124] In this step, when the impact energy exceeds the first safety energy threshold, it indicates that the impact is relatively severe and all-round protection for the occupants must be provided. The ACU controller control point will deploy the impact side airbag and side curtain airbag, and pretension the seat belts. At the same time, it will provide protection for the occupants on the other side by deploying the airbag on the other side to provide remote airbag protection.

[0125] S306. If the impact energy is greater than the preset second safety energy threshold, control the current vehicle to execute the rollover protection strategy.

[0126] In this step, when the impact energy exceeds the second safety energy threshold, it indicates that the vehicle will experience a severe impact. At this time, the ACU controller sends a signal to the Body Control Module (BCM) to execute the rollover protection strategy, reducing the energy borne by the vehicle deformation, and increasing the venting time to provide longer protection for the occupants.

[0127] S307. If the impact energy is less than the third safety energy threshold, a second warning indication is sent. The second warning indication is used to remind that a minor impact may occur.

[0128] In this step, if the impact energy is less than the preset third safety energy threshold, it means that the impact that is about to occur to the vehicle is minor and the survival space of the occupants will not change. At this time, no operation is performed on the airbags, but a warning is given for the possible minor impact. For example, a second warning message is displayed on the vehicle's infotainment system to remind the user that a minor impact may occur.

[0129] The side impact protection method for vehicles provided in this application, when an unavoidable collision occurs, the ACU controller deploys the airbags, curtain airbags, and pretensioners at the impact location when the impact energy is less than a preset first safety energy threshold; when the impact energy is greater than the first safety energy threshold, all airbags and curtain airbags on the impact side are deployed and the seat belts on that side are pretensioned, while the distal airbags on the other side are also deployed; when the impact energy is a multiple of the preset energy threshold, rollover protection is implemented. This method provides a precise protection strategy for impending vehicle collisions.

[0130] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle side collision protection device according to an embodiment of this application, as shown in the figure. Figure 5 As shown, the side impact protection device includes:

[0131] The acquisition module 511 is used to acquire road condition information of the current vehicle in real time. The road condition information includes the shape of the object on the side of the vehicle, the distance of the object from the current vehicle, and the speed of the object.

[0132] The processing module 512 is used to determine, based on the road condition information and the current vehicle speed, whether the side object is a vehicle and whether it is likely to collide with the current vehicle.

[0133] The collision module 513 is used to detect and obtain the vehicle size and weight of the vehicle through the AR visual detection system when the side object is a vehicle and an unavoidable collision may occur with the current vehicle.

[0134] The calculation module 514 is used to calculate the impact energy when the vehicle collides with the current vehicle based on the vehicle size and the vehicle weight;

[0135] The control module 515 is used to control the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle based on the impact energy.

[0136] Optionally, the device further includes: an identification module 516 and a speed control module 517;

[0137] The processing module 512 is used to determine the impact position and impact distance of the collision based on the distance between the side object and the current vehicle, the speed of the side object, and the driving speed of the current vehicle.

[0138] The identification module 516 is used to identify and determine whether there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle if the impact distance is equal to a preset safe distance threshold for the impact location for different impact locations.

[0139] The speed control module 517 is used to pre-tighten the seat belt and control the current vehicle to accelerate to avoid a collision if there is no obstacle in front of the current vehicle.

[0140] Optionally, the identification module 516 is further configured to:

[0141] If the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold at the impact location, then the impact is determined to be unavoidable.

[0142] Optionally, the device further includes: a warning module 518;

[0143] The warning module 518 is used to display a warning indicator on the vehicle's infotainment interface if there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle. The warning indicator is used to indicate that there is a possibility of collision and the vehicle will automatically decelerate.

[0144] Optionally, the control module 515 is specifically used for:

[0145] If the impact energy is less than or equal to a preset first safety energy threshold, then the impact location where the impact occurred is obtained;

[0146] If the impact location is located to the side and rear of the current vehicle, then the side and rear passenger side airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side and rear seat belts are deployed.

[0147] If the impact location is located at the front side of the current vehicle, then the front side passenger airbag, side curtain airbag and pretensioner of the front seat belts are deployed.

[0148] If the impact location is located at the side center of the current vehicle, then the side occupant protection airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side occupant seat belt will be deployed.

[0149] Optionally, the control module 515 is further configured to:

[0150] If the impact energy is greater than the first safety energy threshold, the side airbags are deployed and the seat belts are pre-tensioned, while the remote airbag protection strategy is executed.

[0151] If the impact energy is greater than the second safety energy threshold, the current vehicle is controlled to execute a rollover protection strategy.

[0152] The vehicle side collision protection device provided in this application embodiment can perform the vehicle side collision protection method in the above method embodiment. Its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, and will not be described again here.

[0153] Figure 6A vehicle provided in this application embodiment includes: a vehicle body 611 and a vehicle side collision protection system 612, the vehicle side collision protection system being used to perform the method described in the above method embodiment.

[0154] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the vehicle side collision protection method as described in the above method embodiments.

[0155] Figure 7 A side-impact protection system for a vehicle provided in this application includes:

[0156] The airbag controller (ACU) 711, a speed sensor 712, a front lidar 713, a side lidar 714, a door pressure sensor 715, a side camera 716, a front camera 718, and an augmented reality (AR) visual detection system 717 are respectively connected to the airbag controller 711.

[0157] The AR vision detection system 717 is used to detect the volume and weight of side objects that may collide with the current vehicle.

[0158] The airbag controller 711 is used for:

[0159] Based on the signals collected by the speed sensor 712, the front lidar 713, the side lidar 714, and the side camera 716, it is determined whether an impact is possible, and if an impact is possible, it is determined that the side object, the impact position, and the impact distance are all involved.

[0160] The impact energy is calculated based on the vehicle size and weight detected by the AR vision detection system 717, indicating a possible collision.

[0161] Based on the impact object, the impact location, the impact distance, and the impact energy, control signals are sent to control the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle; wherein, the side airbags, based on the ACU output signal, execute the ignition function and are placed in the seat to provide cushioning for the occupant's head and chest; the side curtain airbags, based on the ACU signal, ignite the airbags to achieve the function of protecting the occupant's head.

[0162] The speed sensor 712 is used to detect the speed of the current vehicle, measure the number of wheel revolutions per second of the current vehicle and the known circumference of the wheel to calculate the vehicle's speed;

[0163] The front lidar 713 is used to identify whether there are obstacles in front, and is installed in the side area of ​​the B-pillar of the vehicle.

[0164] The side-mounted lidar 714 is used to identify the distance and speed of vehicles on the side;

[0165] The door pressure sensor 715 is used to detect side door impact signals;

[0166] The side camera 716 is used to identify the shape and characteristics of objects that collide with the vehicle on the left and right sides and the distance to the vehicle.

[0167] The front camera 718 is used to identify whether there are obstacles in front.

[0168] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the following claims.

[0169] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for protecting a vehicle from side impact, characterized in that, include: Real-time acquisition of road condition information during the current vehicle's driving process, including the shape of objects on the side of the vehicle, the distance of the objects from the current vehicle, and the speed of the objects. Based on the road condition information and the current vehicle speed, determine whether the object on the side is a vehicle and whether it is likely to collide with the current vehicle. If the object on the side is a vehicle and there is a possibility of an unavoidable collision with the current vehicle, then the vehicle size and weight are obtained by an augmented reality (AR) visual detection system. The AR visual detection system is based on a deep learning model and outputs the volume and weight of the colliding object according to the input image information. Calculate the impact energy when the vehicle collides with the current vehicle based on the vehicle size and weight; determine the impact location and impact distance based on the distance of the side object from the current vehicle, the velocity of the side object, and the speed of the current vehicle. The seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle are controlled based on the impact energy. The step of controlling the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle based on the impact energy includes: If the impact energy is greater than the first safety energy threshold and less than the preset second safety energy threshold, the side airbags are deployed and the seat belts are pre-tensioned. At the same time, the remote airbag protection strategy is executed. The second safety energy threshold is greater than the first safety energy threshold. If the impact energy is greater than the second safety energy threshold, the current vehicle is controlled to execute a rollover protection strategy. If the impact energy is less than a preset third safety energy threshold, a second warning indication is sent. The second warning indication is used to remind that a minor impact may occur, and the third safety energy threshold is less than the first safety energy threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: For different impact locations, if the impact distance is equal to a preset safe distance threshold for the impact location, then it is determined whether there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle. If there are no obstacles in front of the current vehicle, the seat belts are pre-tensioned and the current vehicle is controlled to accelerate to avoid a collision.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold at the impact location, then the impact is determined to be unavoidable.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle, a first warning indicator will be displayed on the vehicle's infotainment system. The first warning indicator is used to indicate that there is a possibility of collision, and the vehicle will automatically decelerate.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The method of controlling the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle based on the impact energy further includes: If the impact energy is less than or equal to a preset first safety energy threshold, then the impact location where the impact occurred is obtained; If the impact location is located to the side and rear of the current vehicle, then the side and rear passenger side airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side and rear seat belts are deployed. If the impact location is located at the front side of the current vehicle, then the front side passenger airbag, side curtain airbag and pretensioner of the front seat belts are deployed. If the impact location is located at the side center of the current vehicle, then the side occupant protection airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side occupant seat belt will be deployed.

6. A side collision protection device for a vehicle, characterized in that, include: The acquisition module is used to acquire road condition information of the current vehicle in real time. The road condition information includes the shape of the object on the side of the vehicle, the distance of the object from the current vehicle, and the speed of the object. The processing module is used to determine, based on the road condition information and the current vehicle speed, whether the side object is a vehicle and whether it is likely to collide with the current vehicle. The collision module is used to detect and obtain the vehicle size and weight of the vehicle by means of an augmented reality (AR) visual detection system when the object on the side is a vehicle and an unavoidable collision may occur with the current vehicle. The AR visual detection system is based on a deep learning model and outputs the volume and weight of the colliding object according to the input image information. The calculation module is used to calculate the impact energy when the vehicle collides with the current vehicle based on the vehicle size and the vehicle weight; The processing module is used to determine the impact location and impact distance based on the distance between the side object and the current vehicle, the speed of the side object, and the driving speed of the current vehicle. The control module is used to control the seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle based on the impact energy. The control module is specifically used to control the deployment of the side airbags and pre-tighten the seat belts if the impact energy is greater than a first safety energy threshold and less than a preset second safety energy threshold, and to execute a remote airbag protection strategy at the same time. The second safety energy threshold is greater than the first safety energy threshold. If the impact energy is greater than the second safety energy threshold, the current vehicle is controlled to execute a rollover protection strategy. If the impact energy is less than a preset third safety energy threshold, a second warning indication is sent. The second warning indication is used to remind that a minor impact may occur, and the third safety energy threshold is less than the first safety energy threshold.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The device further includes: an identification module and a speed control module; The identification module is used to identify and determine whether there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle if the impact distance is equal to a preset safe distance threshold for the impact location for different impact locations. The speed control module is used to pre-tighten the seat belts and control the current vehicle to accelerate to avoid a collision if there are no obstacles in front of the current vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The identification module is also used for: If the impact distance is less than the safe distance threshold at the impact location, then the impact is determined to be unavoidable.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The device further includes: an early warning module; The warning module is used to display a first warning indicator on the vehicle's infotainment interface if there is an obstacle in front of the current vehicle. The first warning indicator is used to indicate that there is a possibility of collision, and the vehicle will automatically decelerate.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that, The control module is specifically used for: If the impact energy is less than or equal to a preset first safety energy threshold, then the impact location where the impact occurred is obtained; If the impact location is located to the side and rear of the current vehicle, then the side and rear passenger side airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side and rear seat belts are deployed. If the impact location is located at the front side of the current vehicle, then the front side passenger airbag, side curtain airbag and pretensioner of the front seat belts are deployed. If the impact location is located at the side center of the current vehicle, then the side occupant protection airbag, side curtain airbag, and pretensioned side occupant seat belt will be deployed.

11. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: The vehicle body and the vehicle side collision protection system, the vehicle side collision protection system being used to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

12. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the side-impact protection method for a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

13. A side-impact protection system for a vehicle, used to perform the side-impact protection method for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, include: An airbag controller, a speed sensor, a front lidar, a side lidar, a door pressure sensor, a front camera, a side camera, and an augmented reality (AR) visual detection system, all connected to the airbag controller. The AR vision detection system is used to detect the volume and weight of side objects that may collide with the current vehicle. The airbag controller is used for: Based on the signals collected by the speed sensor, the front lidar, the side lidar, and the side camera, it is determined whether an impact is possible, and if an impact is possible, it is determined the side object that will impact, the impact location, and the impact distance. The impact energy is calculated based on the vehicle size and weight detected by the AR vision detection system as potential sources of collision. The seat belts and airbags of the current vehicle are controlled based on the side object, the impact location, the impact distance, and the impact energy.

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