Engine hood control device and method and vehicle

Abstract

An engine hood control device comprises a sensor, a processor and a lifting device, the sensor is used for obtaining environment information, and the processor is used for determining that a pedestrian collides with a vehicle according to the environment information and controlling the lifting device to lift an engine hood of the vehicle under the condition that the pedestrian collides with the vehicle. According to the engine hood control device, the engine hood control method and the vehicle comprising the engine hood control device, the engine hood control device lifts the engine hood before the head of a pedestrian collides with the engine hood of the vehicle, the degree of injury to the head of the pedestrian is reduced, the situation that the engine hood is lifted by mistake is reduced, and the use experience of a vehicle user is guaranteed.

Description

Engine hood control device, method and vehicle Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of vehicle control technology, and in particular to an engine hood control device, method, and vehicle. Background Art

[0002] According to relevant statistics, in a traffic accident, if a pedestrian collides with a hard part at the front end of a vehicle, the pedestrian's head is more likely to be seriously injured. The reason is that when a pedestrian collides with a hard part at the front end of a vehicle, the pedestrian's calf will first come into contact with the bumper at the front end of the vehicle, and then the calf will be forced forward by the bumper, causing the pedestrian's upper body to move toward the vehicle's hood, and then the head will hit the hood.

[0003] We know that pedestrian head injuries are likely to be life-threatening, so how to protect pedestrians' heads as much as possible in traffic accidents is an urgent problem that needs to be solved.

[0004] In order to protect pedestrians' heads as much as possible in traffic accidents, a pop-up hood is usually used. When an object contacts the bumper at the front of the vehicle, the pressure sensor arranged at the front of the vehicle can sense the collision event and then control the hood to pop up to minimize the impact intensity between the object and the hood.

[0005] However, in the above conventional method, when the object in contact with the bumper at the front end of the vehicle is not a pedestrian, the engine hood will be triggered to pop up, affecting the user experience.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application provides a hood control device, method and vehicle, which lift the hood before a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle's hood, thereby reducing the degree of injury to the pedestrian's head and reducing the possibility of the hood being lifted by mistake, thereby ensuring the user experience of the vehicle.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] In a first aspect, an engine hood control device is provided, comprising a sensor, a processor, and a lifting device.

[0010] The sensor is used to obtain environmental information; the processor is used to determine whether a pedestrian has collided with a vehicle based on the environmental information, and, in the event of a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle, control the lifting device to lift the vehicle's hood.

[0011] The above-mentioned device can determine whether a pedestrian has collided with a vehicle based on environmental information, and can raise the hood in the event of a collision. After a collision, the pedestrian's head may also collide with the hood. Raising the hood in the event of a collision can also be understood as raising the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood. This allows for sufficient time to ensure that the hood is already raised when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, reducing the collision distance and the impact intensity, thereby significantly reducing the severity of injury to the pedestrian's head.

[0012] In addition, when it is determined that a pedestrian has collided with the vehicle, raising the hood can also reduce the situation where the hood is lifted due to a collision between a non-pedestrian and the vehicle. In other words, it can reduce the situation where the hood is lifted by mistake and ensure the user experience of the vehicle.

[0013] In one implementation of the first aspect, the lifting device includes a spring, a spring stopper for compressing the spring, and a motor connected to the spring stopper. The processor is further configured to control the motor to move the spring stopper, release the spring, and thereby raise the hood in the event of a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle.

[0014] In this implementation, the lifting device is reusable. After the spring is released, it can be recompressed, awaiting the next release by the spring baffle. This significantly reduces replacement costs for vehicle users. Furthermore, even if the hood pops up due to a collision with a non-pedestrian, the lifting device can be reused, eliminating the need to reinstall the entire lifting device, significantly improving the user experience.

[0015] In one implementation of the first aspect, the lifting device further includes a locating pin disposed on the spring stopper, and the locating pin is used to secure a hinge of the hood. The processor is further specifically configured to control the motor to drive the spring stopper to move, thereby driving the locating pin to move to release the hinge, thereby releasing the hood and thereby lifting the hood.

[0016] In this implementation, when the motor drives the spring baffle to rotate, the spring baffle can drive the positioning pin to move, moving it out of its fixed position on the hinge, thereby releasing the hinge. Once the hinge is released, the base of the hood is also released, and then the hood is also released, and the hood can be lifted by the above-mentioned spring.

[0017] In one implementation of the first aspect, the lifting device includes a shape memory spring, which is compressed when de-energized. The processor is further configured to, in the event of a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle, control the shape memory spring to be energized to release the shape memory spring, thereby controlling the hood to be raised.

[0018] In this implementation, the lifting device is reusable. After the shape memory spring is released, it can be powered off again, returning to its compressed state and waiting to be released again upon the next power cycle. This significantly reduces replacement costs for vehicle users. Furthermore, even if the hood pops up due to a collision with a non-pedestrian, the lifting device can be reused, eliminating the need to reinstall the entire lifting device, significantly improving the user experience.

[0019] In one implementation of the first aspect, the lifting device includes an electromagnet, which is used to adsorb the engine hood when energized, thereby controlling the hood to close; the processor is also specifically used to control the electromagnet to cut off power when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle, thereby controlling the engine hood to lift.

[0020] In this implementation, the lifting device is reusable. Even after the electromagnet loses power, it can be re-energized to retain the hood, waiting for the next power outage to release it. This significantly reduces replacement costs for vehicle owners. Furthermore, even if the hood pops up due to a collision with a non-pedestrian, the lifting device can be reused, eliminating the need to reinstall the entire lifting device, significantly improving the user experience.

[0021] In one implementation of the first aspect, the processor is specifically configured to determine, based on environmental information, that the vehicle's collision target is a pedestrian. This eliminates interference caused by collisions between non-pedestrians and the vehicle, and reduces the possibility of hood lift being falsely triggered by collisions between non-pedestrians and the vehicle.

[0022] In one implementation of the first aspect, the processor is further specifically used to, when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, determine the collision probability between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on environmental information; when the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, determine that the pedestrian and the vehicle have collided.

[0023] In this implementation, a collision probability greater than or equal to a preset threshold indicates that a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle is unavoidable, meaning a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle will occur. In this case, the hood is raised to ensure that when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, the hood is already raised, reducing the collision distance and the impact intensity, thereby mitigating the severity of the pedestrian's head injury.

[0024] In an implementation manner of the first aspect, the processor is further specifically configured to, when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, determine a collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on environmental information.

[0025] In an implementation manner of the first aspect, the processor is further specifically configured to control the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle when the collision time is within a preset time period.

[0026] In this implementation, the hood is lifted when the collision time is within a preset time period. The hood can be lifted before the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, thereby achieving the goal of lifting the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood. Sufficient lifting time can be retained to ensure that when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, the hood has been lifted, the collision distance between the pedestrian's head and the hood has been reduced, and the collision intensity between the pedestrian's head and the hood has also been greatly reduced, thereby reducing the degree of injury to the pedestrian's head.

[0027] In an implementation manner of the first aspect, the processor is further specifically configured to control the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle in response to a lifting signal received when the collision time is within a preset time period.

[0028] In the above implementation, if a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle is inevitable, the processor can obtain a lifting signal when the collision time is within a preset time length, and in response to the lifting signal, control the lifting device to lift the vehicle's engine hood, thereby achieving the purpose of lifting the engine hood in the event of a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle.

[0029] In an implementation manner of the first aspect, the environmental information includes a position of the pedestrian, a moving direction of the pedestrian, a moving speed of the pedestrian, a speed of the vehicle, and a moving direction of the vehicle.

[0030] In an implementation manner of the first aspect, the processor is further specifically configured to, when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, receive a braking signal, and control the vehicle speed to decrease in response to the braking signal.

[0031] In this implementation, the vehicle speed can be reduced in advance. In some cases, the brakes can be successfully applied before colliding with pedestrians, thereby avoiding the activation of the lifting device. If a collision with a pedestrian cannot be avoided (i.e., the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold), the vehicle speed can be reduced to a certain extent, reducing the impact force when colliding with a pedestrian and reducing the damage to the pedestrian.

[0032] In addition, when a collision with a pedestrian is unavoidable, the processor can also control the lifting device to lift the hood during the period of vehicle deceleration, that is, the hood is also lifted while decelerating. In this way, not only the impact force when the vehicle collides with the pedestrian is reduced, but the collision distance between the pedestrian's head and the hood after the collision is also reduced, reducing the damage to the pedestrian from two aspects.

[0033] In a second aspect, a hood control method is provided, which is applied to the aforementioned hood control device. The hood control device includes a sensor, a processor, and a lifting device. The method includes: the sensor acquiring environmental information; the processor determining, based on the environmental information, that a pedestrian has collided with the vehicle; and, if the pedestrian has collided with the vehicle, controlling the lifting device to raise the vehicle's hood.

[0034] In one implementation method of the second aspect, the lifting device includes a spring, a spring baffle for compressing the spring, and a motor connected to the spring baffle; when a pedestrian collides with a vehicle, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the vehicle's hood, including: when a pedestrian collides with a vehicle, the processor controls the motor to drive the spring baffle to move, release the spring, and thereby control the lifting of the hood.

[0035] In one implementation of the second aspect, the lifting device also includes a positioning pin, which is arranged on the spring baffle, and the positioning pin is used to fix the hinge of the engine hood; the spring baffle is used to drive the positioning pin to move to release the hinge, and then release the engine hood so that the engine hood is lifted.

[0036] In one implementation of the second aspect, the lifting device includes a shape memory spring, which is in a compressed state when the power is off; the processor controls the lifting device to lift the vehicle's hood when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle, including: when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the shape memory spring to be energized to release the shape memory spring, thereby controlling the lifting of the hood.

[0037] In one implementation method of the second aspect, the lifting device includes an electromagnet, which is used to adsorb the engine hood when energized, thereby controlling the closure of the engine hood; when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle, including: when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the electromagnet to de-energize, thereby controlling the lifting of the engine hood.

[0038] In an implementation manner of the second aspect, the method further includes: the processor determining, based on environmental information, that the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian.

[0039] In one implementation method of the second aspect, the processor determines a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle based on environmental information, including: when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor determines a collision probability between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on the environmental information; when the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, it is determined that a collision occurs between the pedestrian and the vehicle.

[0040] In an implementation manner of the second aspect, the method further includes: when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor determining a collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on environmental information.

[0041] In one implementation of the second aspect, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the vehicle's hood when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle, including: when the collision time is within a preset time period, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the vehicle's hood.

[0042] In an implementation manner of the second aspect, the environmental information includes the position of the pedestrian, the moving direction of the pedestrian, the moving speed of the pedestrian, the speed of the vehicle, and the moving direction of the vehicle.

[0043] In one implementation of the second aspect, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle when a pedestrian collides with the vehicle, including: the processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle in response to a lifting signal received when the collision time is within a preset time period.

[0044] In an implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes: when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor receives a braking signal, and controls the vehicle speed to decrease in response to the braking signal.

[0045] In a third aspect, a vehicle is provided, comprising the engine hood control device as in the first aspect and any implementation thereof.

[0046] In a fourth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, comprising computer instructions, which, when executed on a vehicle, cause the vehicle to execute the engine hood control method as in the second aspect and any implementation thereof.

[0047] In a fifth aspect, a computer program product is provided. When the computer program product is run on a vehicle, the vehicle executes the engine hood control method as in the second aspect and any implementation thereof.

[0048] It can be understood that the beneficial effects that can be achieved by the engine hood control method described in the second aspect, the vehicle described in the third aspect, the computer-readable storage medium described in the fourth aspect, and the computer program product described in the fifth aspect can refer to the beneficial effects in the first aspect and any possible design method thereof, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of various time points in a control method using a pyrotechnic lifting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG2 is a first structural diagram of an engine hood control device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG3 is a second structural diagram of the engine hood control device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG4 is a third structural diagram of the engine hood control device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG5 is a structural diagram of a lifting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG6 is a second structural diagram of a lifting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG7 is a third structural diagram of a lifting device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG8 is a flow chart of an engine hood control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of various time points in a control method using an engine hood control device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Among them, in the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, " / " indicates that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B; "and / or" in the present application is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In addition, in the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" refers to two or more than two. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be single or multiple. In addition, in order to facilitate the clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. Those skilled in the art will understand that words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and execution order, and words such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily limit differences. At the same time, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of the present application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete way for easy understanding.

[0060] In addition, the business scenarios described in the embodiments of the present application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can know that with the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0061] In traffic accidents, pedestrians can be injured in different parts of their bodies. Statistics show that in traffic accidents, pedestrians are more likely to suffer serious head injuries if they collide with a hard front vehicle component. This is because when a pedestrian collides with a hard front vehicle component, their lower leg first contacts the vehicle's front bumper, which then pushes their lower leg forward, causing their upper body to move toward the vehicle's hood, where their head can strike the hood.

[0062] We know that pedestrian head injuries are likely to be life-threatening, so how to protect pedestrians' heads as much as possible in traffic accidents is an urgent problem that needs to be solved.

[0063] To protect pedestrians' heads as much as possible in traffic accidents, pop-up hoods are often used. Accordingly, a pyrotechnic lift mechanism is typically installed in the vehicle's front cabin, along with a pressure sensor at the front end. As shown in Figure 1, when an object contacts the vehicle's front bumper, the pressure sensor detects the collision within approximately 15 milliseconds, triggering the pyrotechnic lift mechanism. After approximately 25 milliseconds, the pyrotechnic lift mechanism raises the hood. After this, if the object is a pedestrian, it takes another 50 milliseconds or more for the pedestrian's head to collide with the hood.

[0064] Lifting the hood can reduce the distance between the pedestrian's head and the hood during a collision, thereby reducing the interaction force between the head and the hood and reducing the impact intensity between the head and the hood.

[0065] However, sensing collision events through pressure sensors is not accurate enough. For example, the pressure sensor cannot identify whether the vehicle's collision object is a pedestrian. When the object in contact with the front bumper of the vehicle is not a pedestrian, it will also trigger the engine hood to lift or pop up, thereby affecting the user experience.

[0066] Furthermore, pyrotechnic lifting devices typically raise the hood through a pyrotechnic explosion (e.g., triggered by a signal from the automated-driving control unit (ACU), a gunpowder explosion, or the lifting of a cylinder). These devices are often disposable and difficult to recycle, requiring replacement after each use, which is costly and impacts the user experience.

[0067] Based on the above, an embodiment of the present application provides a hood control device, as shown in FIG2 . The device includes a sensor, a processor, and a lifting device. The sensor is used to obtain environmental information, and the processor is used to determine, based on the environmental information, whether a pedestrian has collided with the vehicle. In the event of a collision, the lifting device is controlled to raise the vehicle's hood.

[0068] The above-mentioned device can determine whether a pedestrian has collided with a vehicle based on environmental information, and raise the hood in the event of a collision. After a collision, the pedestrian's head may also collide with the hood. Raising the hood in the event of a collision can also be understood as raising the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood. This allows for sufficient time to ensure that the hood is already raised when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, reducing the collision distance and the impact intensity, thereby significantly reducing the severity of injury to the pedestrian's head.

[0069] In addition, when it is determined that a pedestrian has collided with the vehicle, raising the hood can also reduce the situation where the hood is lifted due to a collision between a non-pedestrian and the vehicle. In other words, it can reduce the situation where the hood is lifted by mistake and ensure the user experience of the vehicle.

[0070] In some embodiments, the aforementioned sensors may include infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors, millimeter-wave radars, lidars, monocular / binocular cameras, and the like. The environmental information acquired by the sensors may include information about objects in the vehicle's environment, vehicle information, and the like. Objects in the vehicle's environment may be static or dynamic objects such as pedestrians, trees, buildings, and other vehicles. Object information may indicate whether the object is a pedestrian. Object information may include the object's location, direction, and speed, such as the location, direction, and speed of a pedestrian. Vehicle information may include the vehicle's speed and direction.

[0071] In some possible application scenarios, the processor can determine whether the vehicle's potential collision target is a pedestrian based on environmental information (such as object information) acquired by sensors. Furthermore, in other possible application scenarios, if the collision target is a pedestrian, the processor can continue to determine whether a pedestrian-vehicle collision has occurred based on environmental information (such as the pedestrian's position, direction of travel, speed, and the vehicle's speed and direction). This can eliminate interference caused by collisions between non-pedestrians and vehicles, and reduce the possibility of hood lift being falsely triggered by collisions between non-pedestrians and vehicles.

[0072] In other possible application scenarios, after determining that the vehicle's collision object is a pedestrian, the processor can also determine the time to collision (TTC) between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on environmental information (such as the pedestrian's position, the pedestrian's direction of travel, the pedestrian's speed, the vehicle's speed and direction of travel, etc.), and when the collision time is within a preset time length, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood, thereby achieving the purpose of lifting the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle's hood.

[0073] The collision time indicates how long it will take for the pedestrian to collide with the vehicle. The preset time can be set to 200ms to 1s. That is, when the collision time is 600ms or 700ms, the collision time is within 200ms to 1s, and the processor controls the lifting device to raise the hood. In the embodiment of the present application, there is no specific limitation on the preset time.

[0074] In some embodiments, when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor can determine the collision probability between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on environmental information (such as the pedestrian's position, the pedestrian's travel direction, the pedestrian's travel speed, the vehicle's own speed and travel direction, etc.), and determine that the pedestrian and the vehicle have collided when the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold.

[0075] Among them, the collision probability is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, which may indicate that the collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle is inevitable, that is, the pedestrian and the vehicle will collide.

[0076] In this case, the hood should be raised in advance and sufficient lifting time should be reserved to ensure that when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, the hood has been raised, the collision distance between the pedestrian's head and the hood has been reduced, and the collision intensity between the pedestrian's head and the hood has also been greatly reduced, thereby reducing the degree of injury to the pedestrian's head.

[0077] In some embodiments, the processor may also receive a braking signal when determining that the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, thereby controlling the vehicle speed to decrease in response to the braking signal. This allows the vehicle speed to be reduced in advance. In some cases, the brakes can be successfully applied before the collision with the pedestrian, thereby avoiding the activation of the lifting device. If the collision with the pedestrian cannot be avoided (i.e., the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold), the vehicle speed can be reduced to a certain extent, reducing the impact force when colliding with the pedestrian and reducing the damage to the pedestrian. The braking signal may be a signal sent by other components, modules or processors of the vehicle. Other components, modules or processors may send a braking signal to the above-mentioned processor in the embodiment of the present application when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian. This is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0078] In addition, when a collision with a pedestrian is unavoidable, the processor can also control the lifting device to lift the hood during the period of vehicle deceleration, that is, the hood is also lifted while decelerating. In this way, not only the impact force when the vehicle collides with the pedestrian is reduced, but the collision distance between the pedestrian's head and the hood after the collision is also reduced, reducing the damage to the pedestrian from two aspects.

[0079] The above collision probability can also represent the probability of brake failure after determining that the collision is with a pedestrian. The higher the collision probability, the more likely the brakes will fail.

[0080] In some possible application scenarios, the aforementioned sensors can acquire environmental information in real time while the vehicle's speed is decreasing, and the processor can determine, in real time, the time to collision and the probability of collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian based on the environmental information. It is understood that the time to collision changes in real time, and may even decrease. Furthermore, in some cases, the probability of collision may also change. For example, if a vehicle suddenly turns and hits a wall to avoid a collision with a pedestrian ahead, the probability of collision may decrease or even become zero. Alternatively, if a pedestrian in front of the vehicle quickly dodges, the probability of collision may also decrease or become zero.

[0081] In some embodiments, if a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle is unavoidable, the processor may further receive a lift signal when the collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle is within a preset time period, and in response to the lift signal, control the lift device to lift the vehicle's hood, thereby achieving the purpose of lifting the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle's hood. The lift signal may be a signal sent by other components, modules, or processors of the vehicle. Other components, modules, or processors may send a lift signal to the processor in the embodiments of the present application when a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle is unavoidable and the collision time is within a preset time period. This is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0082] In some embodiments, the processor may further include a first processor and a second processor. Furthermore, the sensor and the first processor may be separate components or devices on the vehicle, or may be provided by an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on the vehicle.

[0083] ADAS can include the aforementioned sensors installed on vehicles. Using these sensors, ADAS collects real-time environmental data or information from inside and outside the vehicle (such as the movement of objects and vehicles), identifying, detecting, and tracking static and dynamic objects. This allows drivers to quickly detect potential dangers, drawing their attention and improving driving safety.

[0084] When ADAS provides the above-mentioned sensor and the first processor, as shown in FIG3 , the ADAS can send a lifting signal to the second processor based on the processing result of the first processor, so that the second processor can receive the lifting signal and control the lifting device to lift the vehicle's hood in response to the lifting signal.

[0085] In some possible application scenarios, when the first processor determines that the vehicle's collision object is a pedestrian, the ADAS can also send a braking signal to the second processor, so that the second processor receives the braking signal and controls the vehicle speed to reduce in response to the braking signal.

[0086] It is understandable that in the above case, the second processor does not need to perform operations such as determining the collision object and determining the control timing of the lifting device, and can control the vehicle and / or lifting device according to the control signal initiated by the ADAS.

[0087] In other embodiments, the ADAS may only provide environmental information acquired by sensors. In this case, as shown in (a) and (b) of Figure 4 , the first processor and the second processor may be the same processor, that is, the second processor is the first processor, or the first processor is the second processor. In this case, either the first processor or the second processor can implement the functions implemented by the first and second processors in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0088] Alternatively, if the sensor is a separate component or device on the vehicle, the first processor and the second processor may also be the same processor.

[0089] In some embodiments, the lifting device may include a spring and a latch. When the spring is released, the hood is lifted. When the latch is closed, the spring is compressed, and when the latch is opened, the spring is released. For example, the lifting device may be located on the front of the vehicle near the base of the hood or near the windshield.

[0090] Illustratively, the latch may include a spring stopper for compressing the spring and a motor connected to the spring stopper. Referring to FIG5(a), a lifting device 500 includes a spring 5001, a spring stopper 5002 for compressing the spring 5001, and a motor 5003 connected to the spring stopper 5002. Illustratively, the spring 5001 may be inserted into a spring sleeve 5004, and the spring stopper 5002 is used to block the opening of the spring sleeve 5004, thereby compressing the spring 5001.

[0091] When the processor controls the lifting device 500 to lift the engine hood, it can specifically drive the motor 5003 in the lifting device 500, which in turn drives the spring baffle 5002 connected thereto to rotate. For example, the angle of rotation of the spring baffle 5002 can be between 90° and 180°, such as 90°, 100°, 180°, etc. After the spring baffle 5002 rotates, as shown in FIG5 (b), the spring 5001 can be released. The released spring 5001 can then lift the engine hood, thereby achieving the purpose of lifting the engine hood. For example, after the spring baffle 5002 rotates, the opening of the spring sleeve 5004 can be exposed, thereby releasing the spring 5001.

[0092] In some possible application scenarios, as shown in Figures 6(a) and (b), the lifting device 500 may further include a locating pin 6001. This locating pin 6001 is disposed on the spring retainer 5002 and is used to secure the hood hinge 6002. The hinge 6002 connects the hood to the front cabin of the vehicle, and the securement of the hinge 6002 serves to secure the base of the hood.

[0093] When the motor 5003 drives the spring baffle 5002 to rotate, the spring baffle 5002 can drive the positioning pin 6001 to move, for example, moving the positioning pin 6001 out of its fixed position on the hinge 6002, thereby releasing the hinge 6002. After the hinge 6002 is released, the base of the hood is also released, and then the hood is also released, and the hood can be lifted by the spring 5001.

[0094] In some embodiments, the lifting device may include a shape memory spring, where a shape memory spring refers to a spring made of shape memory material. The processor can energize or de-energize the shape memory spring. When de-energized, the shape memory spring is in a compressed state (memory state), and when energized, the shape memory spring is in a released state. In this case, the processor can control the shape memory spring to energize and release the shape memory spring in the event of a pedestrian-vehicle collision, thereby controlling the hood to lift before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood.

[0095] It is understood that the spring or shape memory spring has a relatively high elastic coefficient, thereby achieving the purpose of lifting or elevating the engine hood when in the released state. Furthermore, in some possible application scenarios, the height of the spring or shape memory spring in the released state can be between 80 mm and 120 mm, for example, 80 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, 120 mm, etc., which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0096] In some embodiments, the lifting device may include an electromagnet. For example, as shown in FIG7(a), when electromagnet 7001 is powered on, it exerts magnetic force, which can attract the vehicle's hood and thereby control the hood's closure. As shown in FIG7(b), when electromagnet 7001 is powered off, its magnetic force disappears, making it unable to attract the vehicle's hood, thereby releasing the hood and causing it to lift. In this case, the processor can control the electromagnet to de-energize in the event of a collision between a pedestrian and the vehicle, thereby controlling the hood to lift before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood.

[0097] The lifting devices provided in the embodiments of the present application are all devices that can be used repeatedly.

[0098] For example, in the devices shown in (a) and (b) of Figure 5, after being released, the spring can be compressed again, waiting to be released by the spring baffle again. The spring baffle can rotate in the opposite direction during the spring compression process until the spring can be compressed again, or the spring baffle can continue to rotate in its current position until the spring can be compressed again.

[0099] For another example, after the shape memory spring is released, the power may be turned off again, thereby returning to the compressed state and waiting to be released by the next power-on.

[0100] For another example, in the devices shown in (a) and (b) of FIG7 , after the electromagnet is powered off, it can be powered on again to attract the engine hood and wait for the next power off to release the engine hood.

[0101] This reusable lifting device significantly reduces replacement costs for vehicle owners. Furthermore, even if the hood pops up due to a collision between the vehicle and a non-pedestrian, the lifting device can be reused, eliminating the need for the user to reinstall the entire lifting device, significantly improving the user experience.

[0102] The embodiment of the present application further provides an engine hood control method, which can be applied to the above-mentioned engine hood control device. Referring to FIG8 , the method can include the following steps S801 - S803 .

[0103] S801. The sensor obtains environmental information.

[0104] Among them, environmental information may include object information and vehicle information in the vehicle's environment, such as the position of pedestrians, the direction of pedestrians' movement, the speed of pedestrians, the speed of vehicles, and the direction of vehicles' movement.

[0105] After the sensor obtains environmental information, it can send the environmental information to the processor.

[0106] S802: The processor determines, based on environmental information, that a pedestrian collides with a vehicle.

[0107] In some embodiments, the processor can determine the collision object of the vehicle based on environmental information, where the collision object may be a pedestrian, an object (such as a tree, a building, or another vehicle other than the vehicle), etc. Therefore, when the collision object is a pedestrian, the processor can perform further subsequent processing.

[0108] Furthermore, in some embodiments, if the vehicle is about to collide with a pedestrian, the processor may further determine the probability of a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on environmental information. For example, the processor may determine the probability of a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on the current position of the pedestrian, the pedestrian's speed, the vehicle's speed and direction, etc. When the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, it is determined that a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle has occurred, or that a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle is unavoidable.

[0109] In other embodiments, when the vehicle determines it is headed for a collision with a pedestrian, the processor can also send a braking signal, which the processor receives and, in response to, controls the vehicle to reduce speed. In some cases, this can successfully brake before a collision with a pedestrian, thus preventing the lifting device from being activated. If a collision with a pedestrian is unavoidable, it can also reduce the vehicle's speed to a certain extent, lessening the impact force and minimizing injuries to the pedestrian.

[0110] In other embodiments, when it is determined that the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor can also determine the collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on environmental information. For example, the processor can determine the collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on the current position of the pedestrian, the pedestrian's travel speed, the vehicle's speed and travel direction, etc.

[0111] S803: When a pedestrian collides with a vehicle, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle.

[0112] In some embodiments, the processor can determine when the pedestrian and vehicle will collide based on the collision time determined in the aforementioned embodiments, thereby controlling the lifting device to raise the hood before the pedestrian and vehicle collide, or in other words, to raise the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle. The collision time decreases as the vehicle and pedestrian approach. For example, the processor can control the lifting device to raise the vehicle's hood when the collision time is within a preset time period.

[0113] In other embodiments, the processor may receive a lift signal when a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle is unavoidable (i.e., when the probability of a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle is greater than or equal to a preset threshold). Thus, the processor, in response to the lift signal, controls the lift device to raise the vehicle's hood when the collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle is within a preset time period.

[0114] For example, see Figure 9, where two timelines represent the pedestrian's timeline and the hood control device's timeline. As shown in Figure 9, the hood is raised before the pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle, allowing sufficient time for the hood to be raised. This ensures that the hood is already raised when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, reducing the collision distance and intensity of the collision, thereby mitigating the severity of the pedestrian's head injury.

[0115] In some possible application scenarios, combined with the specific structure of the lifting device in the aforementioned embodiment, the processor can also control the motor to move the spring baffle in the event of a pedestrian collision with the vehicle, releasing the spring, thereby controlling the hood to lift, thereby achieving the purpose of lifting the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood. The released spring can then lift the hood.

[0116] Furthermore, in other possible application scenarios, combined with the specific structure of the lifting device in the aforementioned embodiment, when the processor controls the motor to drive the spring baffle to move, the spring baffle also drives the positioning pin to move, thereby releasing the hinge secured by the positioning pin, and further releasing the engine hood secured by the hinge. In this way, when the spring is released, since the engine hood is in the released state, the engine hood can also be lifted up by the spring.

[0117] In some possible application scenarios, combined with the specific structure of the lifting device in the aforementioned embodiment, the processor can also control the shape memory spring to energize and release the shape memory spring in the event of a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle, thereby controlling the hood to lift, thereby achieving the purpose of lifting the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood. The released shape memory spring can then lift the hood.

[0118] In some possible application scenarios, combined with the specific structure of the lifting device in the aforementioned embodiment, the processor can also control the electromagnet to de-energize, and thereby control the hood to be raised, in the event of a pedestrian-vehicle collision. This achieves the purpose of raising the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood. After the power is removed, the electromagnet's magnetic force disappears, and it is unable to attract the hood, thereby releasing the hood and raising it.

[0119] As can be seen from the above, the hood control method provided in the embodiment of the present application can determine whether a pedestrian and a vehicle have collided based on environmental information, and raise the hood in the event of a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle. After the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the pedestrian's head may also collide with the hood. Raising the hood in the event of a collision between the pedestrian and the vehicle can also be understood as raising the hood before the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, thereby retaining sufficient lifting time to ensure that the hood has been raised when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood, the collision distance between the pedestrian's head and the hood has been reduced, and the collision intensity between the pedestrian's head and the hood has also been greatly reduced, thereby reducing the degree of injury to the pedestrian's head.

[0120] In addition, when it is determined that a pedestrian has collided with the vehicle, raising the hood can also reduce the situation where the hood is lifted due to a collision between a non-pedestrian and the vehicle. In other words, it can reduce the situation where the hood is lifted by mistake and ensure the user experience of the vehicle.

[0121] In some schemes, multiple embodiments of the present application can be combined, and the combined scheme can be implemented. Optionally, some operations in the process of each method embodiment are optionally combined, and / or the order of some operations is optionally changed. In addition, the execution order between the steps of each process is only exemplary and does not constitute a restriction on the execution order between the steps. There can also be other execution orders between the steps. It is not intended to indicate that the execution order is the only order in which these operations can be performed. Those of ordinary skill in the art will think of many ways to reorder the operations described in the embodiments of the present application. In addition, it should be noted that the process details involved in a certain embodiment of the present application are also applicable to other embodiments in a similar manner, or different embodiments can be used in combination.

[0122] Furthermore, some steps in the method embodiments may be equivalently replaced with other possible steps. Alternatively, some steps in the method embodiments may be optional and may be deleted in certain usage scenarios. Alternatively, other possible steps may be added to the method embodiments.

[0123] Furthermore, the various method embodiments may be implemented separately or in combination.

[0124] It is understandable that in order to achieve the above functions, the aforementioned engine hood control device includes hardware and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. In combination with the algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application in combination with the embodiments, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0125] In this embodiment, the engine hood control device can be divided into functional modules based on the above-described method example. For example, each functional module can be divided into corresponding functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into a single processing module. The above-mentioned integrated modules can be implemented in hardware. It should be noted that the module division in this embodiment is illustrative and only represents a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used.

[0126] The present application also provides a vehicle that may include the sensor, processor, and lifting device described in the aforementioned embodiment, or the vehicle may include the hood control device described in the aforementioned embodiment. The functions performed by the sensor, processor, and lifting device may be found in the aforementioned embodiments and will not be further described here.

[0127] In other possible application scenarios, as shown in FIG10 , the vehicle provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include one or more processors 1001 , a memory 1002 and a communication interface 1003 .

[0128] The memory 1002 and the communication interface 1003 are coupled to the processor 1001. For example, the memory 1002, the communication interface 1003 and the processor 1001 may be coupled together via a bus 1004.

[0129] The communication interface 1003 is used to transmit data with other devices. The memory 1002 stores computer program code. The computer program code includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed by the processor 1001, the vehicle executes the engine hood control method of the embodiment of the present application.

[0130] The processor 1001 may be a processor or a controller, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the present disclosure. The processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, and the like.

[0131] The bus 1004 may be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus. The bus 1004 may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, FIG10 shows only one thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0132] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a vehicle, the vehicle can execute the relevant method steps in the above method embodiment.

[0133] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product, which, when running on a vehicle, enables the vehicle to execute the relevant method steps in the above method embodiment.

[0134] Among them, the vehicle, computer storage medium or computer program product provided in this application is used to execute the corresponding method provided above. Therefore, the beneficial effects that can be achieved can refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0135] Through the description of the above implementation methods, technical personnel in the relevant field can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the division of the above-mentioned functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above-mentioned functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0136] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the modules or units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0137] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may be one physical unit or multiple physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed in multiple places. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0138] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated into a single processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit. The aforementioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional units.

[0139] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is essentially or the contributing part or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a device (which can be a single-chip microcomputer, chip, etc.) or a processor to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

[0140] The above content is only a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited to this. Any changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An engine hood control device, characterized in that: including sensors, processors and lifting devices; The sensor is used to obtain environmental information; The processor is used to determine that a pedestrian collides with a vehicle based on the environmental information, and, when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, control the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The lifting device includes a spring, a spring baffle for compressing the spring, and a motor connected to the spring baffle; the processor is also specifically used to control the motor to drive the spring baffle to move, release the spring, and then control the lifting of the engine hood when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The lifting device further includes a positioning pin, the positioning pin being disposed on the spring baffle, and the positioning pin being used to fix a hinge of the engine cover; The processor is also specifically used to control the motor to drive the spring baffle to move, thereby driving the positioning pin to move to release the hinge, thereby releasing the engine hood so that the engine hood is lifted.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The lifting device includes a shape memory spring, which is in a compressed state when the power is off; the processor is also specifically used to control the shape memory spring to be energized to release the shape memory spring, thereby controlling the lifting of the engine hood when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The lifting device includes an electromagnet, which is used to adsorb the engine hood when energized, thereby controlling the hood to close; the processor is also specifically used to control the electromagnet to cut off power when a collision occurs between the pedestrian and the vehicle, thereby controlling the engine hood to lift.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The processor is specifically configured to determine, based on the environmental information, that a collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that The processor is also specifically used to, when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, determine the collision probability between the pedestrian and the vehicle according to the environmental information; when the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, determine that the pedestrian collides with the vehicle.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that The processor is further specifically configured to, when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, determine a collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle according to the environmental information.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that The processor is further specifically configured to control the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle when the collision time is within a preset time period.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The environmental information includes the position of the pedestrian, the direction of travel of the pedestrian, the speed of the pedestrian, the speed of the vehicle, and the direction of travel of the vehicle.

11. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that The processor is further specifically configured to control the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle in response to a lifting signal received when the collision time is within a preset time period.

12. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that The processor is further specifically configured to receive a braking signal when the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, and control the vehicle speed to decrease in response to the braking signal.

13. A method for controlling an engine hood, characterized in that: Applicable to an engine hood control device, the engine hood control device comprising a sensor, a processor and a lifting device; The method comprises: The sensor acquires environmental information; The processor determines, based on the environmental information, that a pedestrian collides with a vehicle, and controls the lifting device to lift a hood of the vehicle when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The lifting device includes a spring, a spring baffle for compressing the spring, and a motor connected to the spring baffle; when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle, including: when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the motor to drive the spring baffle to move, release the spring, and then control the lifting of the hood.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The lifting device also includes a positioning pin, which is arranged on the spring baffle plate and is used to fix the hinge of the engine hood; the spring baffle plate is used to drive the positioning pin to move to release the hinge, thereby releasing the engine hood so that the engine hood is lifted.

16. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The lifting device includes a shape memory spring, and the shape memory spring is in a compressed state when the power is off; When the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle, including: when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the shape memory spring to be energized to release the shape memory spring, thereby controlling the hood to be lifted.

17. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The lifting device includes an electromagnet, which is used to adsorb the engine hood when energized, thereby controlling the engine hood to close; when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle, including: when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, the processor controls the electromagnet to cut off power, thereby controlling the engine hood to be lifted.

18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The processor determines, based on the environmental information, that a collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that The processor determines, according to the environmental information, that a pedestrian collides with a vehicle, including: When the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor determines the collision probability between the pedestrian and the vehicle according to the environmental information; when the collision probability is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, it is determined that the pedestrian collides with the vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor determines a collision time between the pedestrian and the vehicle according to the environmental information.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that The processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, including: When the collision time is within a preset time period, the processor controls the lifting device to lift the engine hood of the vehicle.

22. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 21, characterized in that: The environmental information includes the position of the pedestrian, the direction of travel of the pedestrian, the speed of the pedestrian, the speed of the vehicle, and the direction of travel of the vehicle.

23. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that The processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle, including: The processor controls the lifting device to lift the hood of the vehicle in response to a lifting signal received when the collision time is within a preset time period.

24. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the collision object of the vehicle is a pedestrian, the processor receives a braking signal and controls the vehicle speed to decrease in response to the braking signal.

25. A vehicle, characterized in that: Comprising an engine hood control device as described in any one of claims 1-12.

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