A method and apparatus for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a method and apparatus for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle, belonging to the field of vehicle control technology. One specific embodiment of the method includes: acquiring occupant characteristics in the vehicle and determining occupant classification based on the occupant characteristics; when a collision occurs, collecting collision parameters and determining occupant injury levels based on the collision parameters; determining a target control strategy for the airbag system in the vehicle based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury levels; and controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy. This embodiment can provide a target control strategy adapted to different occupant categories and different collision situations. Therefore, controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy can provide better protection for passengers, thereby improving vehicle safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle control technology, and in particular to a method and apparatus for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a passive safety protection system in vehicles, the airbag system works in conjunction with seat belts to provide passengers with effective collision protection.

[0003] However, existing safety systems typically operate based on pre-set parameters, such as fixed airbag ignition timing and fixed gas generator ignition logic. During a vehicle collision, different collision scenarios and different passengers experience varying degrees of injury. The existing fixed operating modes cannot adapt to different situations and therefore cannot provide adequate protection for passengers. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an airbag control method that can adapt to different collision scenarios and different passengers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle. The method determines the occupant classification based on occupant characteristics and the occupant injury level based on collision parameters during a vehicle collision. Then, the method determines a target control strategy for the airbag system in the vehicle based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level. The target control strategy determined thereby is suitable for different occupant categories and different collision situations. Therefore, controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy can provide better protection for passengers, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle, comprising: acquiring occupant characteristics in the vehicle, and determining occupant classification based on the occupant characteristics;

[0007] When the vehicle collides, collision parameters are collected, and the occupant injury level is determined based on the collision parameters;

[0008] Based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level, the target control strategy for the airbag system in the vehicle is determined;

[0009] The airbag system is controlled according to the target control strategy.

[0010] Optionally, determining the target control strategy for the airbag system in the vehicle based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level includes:

[0011] The ignition level of the gas generator in the airbag system and / or the venting strategy of the air vent in the airbag system are set according to the occupant classification.

[0012] The target control strategy is obtained by adjusting the ignition level and / or the bleed strategy according to the occupant injury level.

[0013] Optionally, adjusting the ignition level and / or the bleed strategy according to the occupant injury level includes:

[0014] Based on the occupant injury level, adjust the gas generator's charging volume and / or charging direction to adjust the ignition level;

[0015] Optionally, adjusting the ignition level and / or the deflation strategy according to the occupant injury level includes: adjusting the deployment state of the flexible rope in the airbag system and / or the relative position of the flexible rope and the deflation port according to the occupant injury level, so as to adjust the deflation strategy.

[0016] Optionally, controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy includes:

[0017] The actual pressure during the airbag deployment process is detected in real time by the pressure sensor inside the airbag system.

[0018] The ignition level and / or the venting strategy are adjusted based on the actual pressure, the trend of the actual pressure change, and the target control strategy.

[0019] Optionally, adjusting the ignition level and / or the bleed strategy based on the actual pressure, the trend of the actual pressure change, and the target control strategy includes:

[0020] Determine the first estimated pressure corresponding to the target control strategy;

[0021] If the actual pressure or the second estimated pressure determined based on the changing trend is less than the estimated pressure, the ignition level of the gas generator is increased;

[0022] If the actual pressure or the second estimated pressure is greater than the estimated pressure, the flexible rope is controlled to be cut so that the gas in the airbag can be discharged through the vent.

[0023] Optionally, determining the occupant injury level based on the collision parameters includes:

[0024] The collision parameters are input into the damage level prediction model, and the occupant injury level is determined based on the output of the damage level prediction model; wherein, the damage level prediction model is constructed based on a neural network algorithm and is trained based on one or more pre-collected collision detection values ​​and the damage level labels corresponding to the collision detection values.

[0025] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0026] The target control strategy corresponding to the occupant classification and the occupant injury level is displayed inside the vehicle.

[0027] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a device for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle, comprising: an occupant classification module, an injury level prediction module, a strategy determination module, and a control module; wherein...

[0028] The occupant classification module is used to acquire occupant characteristics in the vehicle and determine occupant classification based on the occupant characteristics;

[0029] The damage level prediction module is used to collect collision parameters when the vehicle collides, and determine the occupant injury level based on the collision parameters.

[0030] The strategy determination module is used to determine the target control strategy of the airbag system in the vehicle based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level.

[0031] The control module is used to control the airbag system according to the target control strategy.

[0032] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle, comprising: one or more processors; and a storage device for storing one or more programs, wherein when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement a method for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0033] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the program, when executed by a processor, implements a method for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] The technical solution of the above invention has the following advantages or beneficial effects: the occupant classification is determined according to the occupant characteristics, and the occupant injury level is determined according to the collision parameters during the vehicle collision process. Then, the target control strategy of the airbag system in the vehicle is determined according to the occupant classification and the occupant injury level. The target control strategy determined in this way is suitable for different occupant categories and different collision situations. Therefore, controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy can provide better protection for passengers, thereby improving vehicle safety. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of a vent hole being covered according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an exposed vent hole according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the ignition of a dual-chamber gas generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of another method for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the main modules of a device for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7 This is an exemplary system architecture diagram in which embodiments of the present invention can be applied;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer system suitable for implementing embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates exemplary embodiments of the present invention, including various details to aid understanding. These details should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0044] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present invention and the technical features thereof can be combined with each other.

[0045] The vehicles involved in the embodiments of the present invention may be internal combustion engine vehicles that use an engine as a power source, hybrid vehicles that use an engine and an electric motor as power sources, electric vehicles that use an electric motor as a power source, etc.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the main steps of a method for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, a method for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention mainly includes the following steps S101 to S104:

[0047] Step S101: Obtain the occupant characteristics in the vehicle and determine the occupant classification based on the occupant characteristics.

[0048] In this embodiment of the invention, occupant characteristics can be obtained in various ways. For example, occupant images can be captured by an in-vehicle camera, and then analyzed to obtain occupant characteristics (such as facial features, body shape features, height information, and seat belt tension status). Alternatively, occupant weight characteristics can be obtained through a weight sensor on the seat, or occupant weight and body shape characteristics can be determined through seat belt length and tension status. Furthermore, occupant characteristics (including but not limited to name, age, height, and weight information) input by the user can be obtained through an in-vehicle interactive interface. Occupants in the vehicle include the driver and passengers.

[0049] After obtaining occupant characteristics through one or more of the above methods, occupant classification can be determined based on these characteristics. For example, occupants can be classified according to age, physical characteristics, and / or seatbelt tension. For instance, occupants can be classified into youth, middle-aged, and elderly categories based on age; male and female categories can be classified based on facial and body characteristics, with females further categorized as pregnant or non-pregnant; and light-weight, moderate-weight, and heavy-weight categories can be classified based on seatbelt tension. It is understood that when classifying occupants, only one or more of the above classification methods can be selected. That is, each passenger can correspond to a classification result of one dimension (e.g., a passenger corresponds to only one dimension's classification result) or multiple dimensions' classification results (e.g., a driver corresponds to three dimensions: middle-aged, male, and moderate-weight).

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, after determining the classification results of each occupant, the ignition level of the gas generator in the airbag system and / or the venting strategy of the vent holes in the airbag system can be set according to the occupant classification. The airbag system referred to in this embodiment of the present invention can be a frontal airbag or a side airbag in a vehicle. The mechanism for controlling the frontal airbag or the side airbag through the control strategy is the same; therefore, for ease of description, the following embodiments mainly use the side airbag to illustrate the control method provided in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Here, after determining the occupant classification, the ignition level and / or venting strategy corresponding to each level are first set. For example, for the ignition level of the gas generator, multiple ignition levels (such as S0, S1, and S2) can be set using a multi-stage airbag generator, with higher levels indicating greater pressure generated during ignition. Similarly, the venting strategy of the side airbag is set by combining multiple vent holes with flexible vent caps. The more vent holes covered by the flexible vent caps, the slower the side airbag vents and the greater the pressure in the airbag. Thus, the venting strategy of the side airbag can be set by controlling the number of covered vent holes / the number of vent holes that can vent. Furthermore, based on different combinations of ignition levels and venting strategies, an initial control strategy for the airbag system corresponding to different occupant classifications can be constructed. This initial control strategy is set according to occupant characteristics, so the airbag deployment pressure is more adapted to the occupant characteristics, thereby helping to better protect occupant safety.

[0052] Step S102: When the vehicle collides, collision parameters are collected, and the occupant injury level is determined based on the collision parameters.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, a damage level prediction model can be constructed based on a neural network algorithm. This model is then trained using one or more pre-collected collision detection values ​​and their corresponding damage level labels to obtain the trained damage level prediction model. The collision detection values ​​used for training are obtained from historical collision events. For example, in historical collision events, collision detection values ​​can be obtained through one or more of the following: airbag pressure sensors, collision acceleration sensors, speed sensors, seat pressure sensors, collision signals, occupant characteristics, and B-pillar acceleration sensors. The corresponding damage level labels can be determined based on the damage results of historical collision events. For instance, if a historical collision event resulted in only minor vehicle damage and no injuries, the damage level label for the corresponding collision detection value is "minor collision." If a historical collision event resulted in minor injuries to occupants, the damage level label is "moderate collision." If a historical collision event resulted in serious injuries or even death to occupants, the damage level label for the corresponding collision detection value is "severe collision." In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, multiple sensors, including an airbag pressure sensor, a collision acceleration sensor, a velocity sensor, a seat pressure sensor, a collision signal, occupant characteristics, and a B-pillar acceleration sensor, are used to detect collision values. Training samples for a damage level prediction model are then constructed based on these collision detection values ​​and their corresponding damage level labels. The damage level prediction model is trained using these training samples. Because multiple collision detection values ​​from various sensors and their corresponding damage level labels are used to construct the training samples, the accuracy of the damage level prediction model is improved.

[0054] During a vehicle collision, collision parameters can be collected using one or more of the following sensors: airbag pressure sensor, collision acceleration sensor, speed sensor, seat pressure sensor, collision signal, and B-pillar acceleration sensor. These parameters are then input into a trained injury level prediction model, which predicts the occupant's injury level based on the model's output. For example, when controlling side airbags, the model can predict the occupant's abdominal injury level, allowing for adjustments to the side airbag control strategy to provide better protection.

[0055] Step S103: Determine the target control strategy for the airbag system in the vehicle based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level.

[0056] In this embodiment of the invention, in order to further improve the protective effect of the airbag, during a vehicle collision, the initial control strategy (such as the initial ignition level and / or the initial deflation strategy) set for the occupant characteristics can be adjusted according to the level of occupant injury.

[0057] After determining the occupant injury level, if the occupant injury level does not match the initial control strategy, the initial control strategy can be adjusted according to the occupant injury level. In one embodiment of the invention, adjusting the initial control strategy includes adjusting the inflation volume and / or inflation direction of the gas generator, thereby adjusting the ignition level of the gas generator. For example, if the initial control strategy uses a low ignition level for the gas generator, but during the collision, it is determined based on the occupant injury level that the airbag pressure needs to be increased, then the inflation volume of the gas generator needs to be increased. As another example, if the initial control strategy for the venting vents corresponds to a small number of venting vents, but during the collision, it is determined based on the occupant injury level that the airbag pressure needs to be reduced and the airbag needs to deflate rapidly, then the inflation direction of the gas generator can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the position of the gas generated by the gas generator relative to the flexible vent cap. In this example, the gas generated by the gas generator can be directed towards the direction that blows open the flexible vent cap, exposing the previously covered vents and thus accelerating the deflation of the airbag.

[0058] The flexible vent cap can utilize a flexible rope design found within the airbag. Understandably, the flexible rope has a certain width, and when the airbag is not deployed (i.e., in a folded state), the flexible rope 1 can cover the vent 2, such as... Figure 2 As shown, in Figure 2In this illustration, the airbag is not fully folded to clearly show the vents and flexible cords. It is understood that in practical applications, the vents and flexible cords may be invisible when folded. After a collision, the airbag deploys to protect the occupants, at which point the flexible cords extend, exposing the corresponding vents. Therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, adjusting the initial control strategy based on the occupant injury level may also include adjusting the deployment state of the flexible cords in the airbag system (including adjusting the coverage state of the flexible cords and vents), and / or the relative position of the flexible cords and vents, to adjust the side airbag deflation strategy. For example, when the airbag needs to deflate rapidly, the flexible cords are adjusted to deploy or even disconnect quickly. Figure 3 As shown, this allows the vent to be quickly exposed for rapid exhaust.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the above-described methods of adjusting the gas generator and the flexible rope are used in combination. For example, the deployment state of the flexible rope can be adjusted by adjusting the inflation direction of the gas generator. For instance, aligning the inflation direction with the flexible rope allows it to deploy rapidly, thus quickly exposing the vent and enabling rapid deflation of the airbag. Alternatively, by increasing the inflation volume of the gas generator and adjusting its inflation direction away from the flexible rope, the airbag inflation volume is increased while the deflation volume is reduced, thereby achieving rapid airbag inflation. Through these adjustment methods, the target control strategy is adapted to both passenger characteristics and occupant injury levels, thus providing better protection for the occupant.

[0060] Step S104: Control the airbag system according to the target control strategy.

[0061] After adjusting the target control strategy based on occupant classification and injury level, the airbag system can be controlled according to the target control strategy to ensure its deployment. During this process, the actual pressure during airbag deployment can be monitored in real time using pressure sensors within the airbag system. Based on the actual pressure and its changing trends (such as pressure conversion rate and rate of change acceleration) and the target control strategy, the ignition level of the gas generator and / or the venting strategy of the vent holes can be adjusted in reverse.

[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, a first estimated pressure corresponding to the target control strategy is first determined. This means that after determining the ignition level of the gas generator and the venting strategy in the target control strategy, the first estimated pressure corresponding to the target control strategy can be estimated. This first estimated pressure can be the first estimated pressure corresponding to multiple moments during the airbag deployment process. Furthermore, a second estimated pressure at a future moment during airbag deployment can be predicted based on the actual pressure change trend. If the real-time pressure is lower than the estimated pressure, the pressure inside the airbag can be increased by increasing the ignition level of the gas generator. For example, if the ignition level corresponding to the target control strategy is S1, then if the real-time pressure is lower than the estimated pressure, the ignition level of the gas generator is increased to S2, thereby increasing the pressure inside the airbag. For another example, if the gas generator is a multi-chamber gas generator, different ignition levels correspond to different chambers. Therefore, different chambers can be detonated according to the real-time pressure and the estimated pressure, thereby achieving control of the airbag pressure. Figure 4 As shown, if the ignition level corresponding to the target control strategy instructs the gas generator in chamber A to ignite, then when the real-time pressure is lower than the estimated pressure, the ignition level can be adjusted so that both the gas generators in chambers A and B ignite, allowing a large amount of gas to enter the airbag through cylinder 3, thereby increasing the internal pressure of the airbag. Alternatively, for a future moment during airbag deployment, if the second estimated pressure predicted based on the real-time pressure change is lower than the first estimated pressure at the corresponding moment, then the ignition level of the gas generator can be appropriately increased to change the trend of actual pressure change (e.g., by increasing the rate of change acceleration), so that the actual pressure changes accordingly based on the adjusted trend, thus adapting to the target control strategy in the future.

[0063] If the real-time pressure exceeds the estimated pressure, the detonator can be controlled to cut the flexible cord. This causes the side airbags to deploy rapidly, and the cut cord also exposes the vent, promoting airbag deflation and reducing the real-time pressure. Alternatively, similar to the second estimated pressure being less than the corresponding first estimated pressure, if the second estimated pressure exceeds the corresponding first estimated pressure, the detonator can also be controlled to cut the flexible cord, promoting airbag deflation and ensuring that the actual pressure at future times matches the target control strategy. Thus, through the coordination of multi-stage gas generators and vents, a multi-stage control strategy for the airbag system is achieved. By utilizing the rapid detonation of the gas generators and the interaction of the vents, the airbag pressure is dynamically adjusted, reducing occupant injury.

[0064] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the control strategy corresponding to the occupant classification and / or the target control strategy corresponding to the occupant classification and the occupant injury level can also be displayed in the vehicle, such as on the vehicle's dashboard, so that the occupant can perceive the control strategy adapted to themselves and perceive the personalized customization effect, thereby helping to improve user stickiness.

[0065] The control method of the airbag system in this embodiment of the invention will be described below using the control of the side airbag as an example. Figure 5 As shown, the method for controlling the airbag system in a vehicle provided by the embodiments of the present invention may include the following steps:

[0066] Step S501: Obtain occupant characteristics, determine occupant classification based on occupant characteristics, set the initial control strategy for side airbags based on occupant classification, and display the initial control strategy through the in-vehicle instrument panel.

[0067] Step S502: During the collision process, collect collision parameters.

[0068] Step S503: Determine the occupant injury level based on the collision parameters and the pre-trained damage level prediction model.

[0069] Step S504: Based on the occupant injury level, adjust the ignition level of the gas generator and / or the venting strategy of the flexible vent corresponding to the initial control strategy to obtain the target control strategy for the side airbag, and display the target control strategy through the in-vehicle instrument panel.

[0070] Step S505: Deploy the side airbags according to the target control strategy, and detect the actual pressure during airbag deployment using pressure sensors inside the airbags. If the actual pressure is less than (<) the estimated pressure corresponding to the target control strategy, proceed to step S506; if the actual pressure is greater than (>) the estimated pressure corresponding to the target control strategy, proceed to step S507.

[0071] Step S506: Improve the ignition level of the gas generator

[0072] Step S507: Control the flexible rope to be cut so that the gas in the airbag can be discharged through the vent.

[0073] The above steps are provided only to help understand the method, structure, and core ideas of this invention. Those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims.

[0074] As can be seen from the method for controlling the airbag system in a vehicle according to the embodiments of the present invention, the occupant classification is determined based on occupant characteristics, and the occupant injury level is determined based on the collision parameters during the vehicle collision process. Then, the target control strategy of the airbag system in the vehicle is determined based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level. The target control strategy determined thereby is suitable for different occupant categories and different collision situations. Therefore, controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy can provide better protection for passengers, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0075] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the main modules of a device for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 As shown, the device 600 for controlling the airbag system in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an occupant classification module 601, an injury level prediction module 602, a strategy determination module 603, and a control module 604; wherein,

[0076] The occupant classification module 601 is used to acquire occupant characteristics in the vehicle and determine occupant classification based on the occupant characteristics;

[0077] The damage level prediction module 602 is used to collect collision parameters when the vehicle collides, and determine the occupant injury level based on the collision parameters.

[0078] The strategy determination module 603 is used to determine the target control strategy of the airbag system in the vehicle based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level.

[0079] The control module 604 is used to control the airbag system according to the target control strategy.

[0080] In one embodiment of the present invention, the strategy determination module 603 is used to set the ignition level of the gas generator in the airbag system and / or the venting strategy of the vent in the airbag system according to the occupant classification; and adjust the ignition level and / or the venting strategy according to the occupant injury level to obtain the target control strategy.

[0081] In one embodiment of the present invention, the strategy determination module 603 is used to adjust the gas generator’s charging volume and / or charging direction according to the occupant injury level, so as to adjust the ignition level.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present invention, the strategy determination module 603 is used to adjust the deployment state of the flexible rope in the airbag system and / or the relative position of the flexible rope and the deflation port according to the occupant injury level, so as to adjust the deflation strategy.

[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control module 604 is used to detect the actual pressure during the airbag deployment process in real time according to the pressure sensor inside the airbag system; and to adjust the ignition level and / or the deflation strategy according to the actual pressure, the trend of the actual pressure change and the target control strategy.

[0084] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control module 604 is configured to determine a first estimated pressure corresponding to the target control strategy; when the actual pressure or a second estimated pressure determined according to the changing trend is less than the first estimated pressure, increase the ignition level of the gas generator; when the actual pressure or the second estimated pressure is greater than the first estimated pressure, control the flexible rope to be cut so that the gas in the airbag is discharged through the vent.

[0085] In one embodiment of the present invention, the damage level determination module 602 is used to input the collision parameters into the damage level prediction model and determine the occupant damage level according to the output of the damage level prediction model; wherein, the damage level prediction model is constructed based on a neural network algorithm and trained according to one or more pre-collected collision detection values ​​and the damage level labels corresponding to the collision detection values.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, the strategy determination module 603 is further configured to display the target control strategy corresponding to the occupant classification and the occupant injury level inside the vehicle.

[0087] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle can be seen that occupant classification is determined based on occupant characteristics, and occupant injury level is determined based on collision parameters during a vehicle collision. Then, a target control strategy for the airbag system in the vehicle is determined based on the occupant classification and occupant injury level. The target control strategy determined thereby is suitable for different occupant categories and different collision situations. Therefore, controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy can provide better protection for passengers, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0088] Figure 7 An exemplary system architecture 700 is shown, which can be applied to a method or apparatus for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0089] like Figure 7 As shown, system architecture 700 may include an airbag system 701, a power supply system 702, a network 703, and a controller 704. The power supply system 702 may include a power circuit supplying power to the airbag system 701 and the controller 704, and an electric system providing a power source for the vehicle. The power circuit supplying power to the airbag system 701 and the controller 702 may be a 12V power circuit. The network 703 serves as a medium for providing a communication link between the controller 704 and the airbag system 701. The network 703 may include various connection types, such as wired or wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables, etc.

[0090] The controller 704 can determine the occupant classification based on occupant characteristics and the occupant injury level based on collision parameters. Then, it determines the target control strategy and sends control commands to the gas generator and / or detonator of the airbag system 701 via network 703 based on the target control strategy, so as to control the airbag internal pressure by controlling the working state of the gas generator and / or detonator.

[0091] It should be understood that Figure 7 The number of airbag systems, power supply systems, networks, and controllers shown is merely illustrative. Any number of airbag systems, power supply systems, networks, and controllers can be included depending on implementation requirements.

[0092] The following is for reference. Figure 8 It shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer system 800 suitable for implementing embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The computer system shown is merely an example and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0093] like Figure 8 As shown, the computer system 800 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 801, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on programs stored in read-only memory (ROM) 802 or programs loaded from storage section 808 into random access memory (RAM) 803. The RAM 803 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the system 800. The CPU 801, ROM 802, and RAM 803 are interconnected via a bus 804. An input / output (I / O) interface 808 is also connected to the bus 804.

[0094] The following components are connected to I / O interface 805: an input section 806 including a keyboard, mouse, etc.; an output section 807 including a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), etc., and speakers, etc.; a storage section 808 including a hard disk, etc.; and a communication section 809 including a network interface card such as a LAN card, modem, etc. The communication section 809 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 810 is also connected to I / O interface 805 as needed. A removable medium 811, such as a disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, semiconductor memory, etc., is installed on drive 810 as needed so that computer programs read from it can be installed into storage section 808 as needed.

[0095] In particular, according to the embodiments disclosed in this invention, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments disclosed in this invention include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication section 809, and / or installed from removable medium 811. When the computer program is executed by central processing unit (CPU) 801, it performs the functions defined above in the system of this invention.

[0096] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium shown in this invention can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this invention, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In this invention, a computer-readable signal medium can include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals can take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media can also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wire, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0097] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0098] The modules described in the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in software or hardware. The described modules can also be housed in a processor; for example, a processor can be described as including an occupant grading module, a damage level determination module, a strategy determination module, and a control module. The names of these modules do not necessarily limit the module itself; for example, the control module can also be described as "a module that controls the airbag system according to the target control strategy."

[0099] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a computer-readable medium, which may be included in the device described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the device. The computer-readable medium carries one or more programs that, when executed by the device, cause the device to include: acquiring occupant characteristics in the vehicle and determining an occupant classification based on the occupant characteristics; acquiring collision parameters and determining an occupant injury level based on the collision parameters when the vehicle is involved in a collision; determining a target control strategy for an airbag system in the vehicle based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level; and controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy.

[0100] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the occupant classification is determined based on occupant characteristics, and the occupant injury level is determined based on the collision parameters during the vehicle collision process. Then, the target control strategy of the airbag system in the vehicle is determined based on the occupant classification and the occupant injury level. The target control strategy determined thereby is suitable for different occupant categories and different collision situations. Therefore, controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy can provide better protection for passengers, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0101] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can occur depending on design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an airbag system in a vehicle, characterized by, The method comprises: obtaining passenger characteristics in the vehicle, and determining a passenger classification according to the passenger characteristics; collecting a collision parameter when the vehicle is in a collision, and determining a passenger injury level according to the collision parameter; determining a target control strategy of an airbag system in the vehicle according to the passenger classification and the passenger injury level, which comprises: setting a firing level of a gas generator in the airbag system according to the passenger classification and setting a deflation strategy of a safety airbag in the airbag system according to the passenger classification, wherein the deflation strategy comprises adjusting a position of gas generated by the gas generator relative to a flexible vent cover by adjusting an inflation direction of the gas generator in the airbag system; and adjusting the firing level and the deflation strategy according to the passenger injury level to obtain the target control strategy; controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The adjusting the firing level and the deflation strategy according to the passenger injury level comprises: adjusting an inflation amount and / or an inflation direction of the gas generator according to the passenger injury level to adjust the firing level; and / or adjusting an unfolding state of a flexible rope in the airbag system and / or a relative position of the flexible rope to the vent according to the passenger injury level to adjust the deflation strategy. The controlling the airbag system according to the target control strategy comprises:

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, detecting an actual pressure in an airbag unfolding process in real time according to a pressure sensor inside the airbag system; adjusting the firing level and / or the deflation strategy according to the actual pressure, a change trend of the actual pressure and the target control strategy. The adjusting the firing level and / or the deflation strategy according to the actual pressure, the change trend of the actual pressure and the target control strategy comprises:

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, determining a first estimated pressure corresponding to the target control strategy; increasing the firing level of the gas generator when the actual pressure or a second estimated pressure determined according to the change trend is less than the first estimated pressure; controlling the flexible rope to be cut off to make the vent discharge gas in the airbag when the actual pressure or the second estimated pressure is greater than the first estimated pressure. The determining the passenger injury level according to the collision parameter comprises:

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, inputting the collision parameter into an injury level prediction model to determine the passenger injury level according to an output of the injury level prediction model, wherein the injury level prediction model is constructed based on a neural network algorithm and is trained according to one or more collision detection values and injury level labels corresponding to the collision detection values. The method further comprises:

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, displaying the target control strategy corresponding to the passenger classification and the passenger injury level in the vehicle. The method comprises:

7. An apparatus for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle, characterized by comprising: a passenger classification module, an injury level prediction module, a strategy determination module and a control module, wherein the passenger classification module is configured to obtain passenger characteristics in the vehicle and determine a passenger classification according to the passenger characteristics; ​ The damage level prediction module is configured to collect a collision parameter when the vehicle is in a collision, and determine an occupant damage level according to the collision parameter; The strategy determination module is configured to determine a target control strategy of an airbag system in the vehicle according to the occupant classification and the occupant damage level; specifically, the strategy determination module is configured to set a firing level of a gas generator in the airbag system and a deflation strategy of a safety airbag in the airbag system according to the occupant classification, and adjust the firing level and the deflation strategy according to the occupant damage level to obtain the target control strategy, wherein the deflation strategy comprises adjusting a position of gas generated by the gas generator relative to a flexible vent cover by adjusting an inflation direction of the gas generator in the airbag system. The control module is configured to control the airbag system according to the target control strategy.

8. An electronic device for controlling an airbag system in a vehicle, characterized by comprising: The method comprises: one or more processors; a storage device configured to store one or more programs, when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the method of any one of claims 1-6.

9. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program, characterized in that, The program is executed by the processor to implement the method of any one of claims 1-6.

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