Method for adjusting the sensitivity of at least one selective restraining system in a vehicle, and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for adjusting the sensitivity of at least one selective restraining system (10) in a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, wherein a sensitivity (12) of at least one restraining system (10) is set depending on a data source which comprises at least one piece of information about current driving data. In a method in which an improved speed of triggering a restraining system (10) in a danger situation is achieved, the invention proposes that the sensitivity (12) of the at least one restraining system (10) is set depending on the data of a chassis sensor (30).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Method for adapting the sensitivity of at least one selective restraint system in a vehicle and vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to a method for adapting the sensitivity of at least one selective restraint system in a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, wherein a sensitivity of at least one restraint system is set as a function of a data source which comprises at least one item of information about current driving data.

[0004] In addition, the invention relates to a vehicle with at least one chassis sensor, with at least one restraint system and with at least one restraint system control unit.

[0005] Restraint systems in motor vehicles are known in the state of the art in a wide variety of designs. The purpose of these restraint systems is, on the one hand, to secure vehicle occupants in order to protect them from the effects of an impact, which in the worst case could eject them from the vehicle. On the other hand, their purpose is also, in particular, to protect vehicle occupants from collisions with components of the vehicle structure. These include, for example, the steering wheel, the dashboard, and even the body pillars.

[0006] Restraint systems such as airbags can significantly reduce the risk of injury in these specific situations. The key to such a restraint system is that it deploys at a reliable speed even in dangerous situations, while at the same time, the system must not be set so sensitively that it deploys unexpectedly even in harmless situations.

[0007] US 2019 0256 027 A1, for example, discloses a method in which the sensitivity of an impact detection system is modified such that a restraint system is triggered earlier if data acquired by a sensor predicts a possible collision. In particular, at least one environmental sensor is used for this purpose. The disadvantage of the methods known from the prior art is that the use of environmental sensors may become less accurate the more dynamic a driving situation becomes.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a method for adapting the sensitivity of at least one selective restraint system in a vehicle and a vehicle in which an improved speed of triggering a restraint system in a dangerous situation is achieved.

[0009] This object is achieved in the present invention by the features of patent claim 1 in that the sensitivity of the at least one restraint system is adjusted as a function of the data of a chassis sensor.

[0010] Sensitivity refers to the deployment behavior of the respective restraint system. Higher sensitivity leads to faster deployment of the restraint system, for example, the deployment of an airbag. A restraint system is a device designed to protect the driver or passengers of a vehicle from injury in the event of an accident.

[0011] In this sense, restraint systems are devices that secure the driver or passenger in the vehicle and / or prevent the person from impacting on a part of the vehicle and injuring themselves.

[0012] Sensitivity is set based on a data source. The data source is primarily sensor data that is part of the vehicle ecosystem. Sensors that record driving data are primarily used. This includes, for example, speed, inclination, acceleration, steering angle, and so on.

[0013] According to the invention, data from a chassis sensor are used, wherein the sensitivity of the selective restraint system is adjusted depending on the sensor data from the chassis sensor or the chassis sensors.

[0014] A first advantage of the invention is that, by using driving data, the sensitivity of the restraint systems can be adjusted more quickly than is the case with environmental sensors. In the event of acceleration in an unexpected direction, which could, for example, be a sign of a loss of traction, the sensitivity can be increased before an accident occurs. The activation of the restraint system in the event of an impact can then occur significantly more quickly, thus increasing safety and reducing the risk of injury.

[0015] Further preferred embodiments of the invention emerge from the remaining features mentioned in the subclaims.

[0016] In a first embodiment of the method according to the invention, the sensitivity is adjusted when the chassis sensor transmits information indicating a skidding event. Especially when the vehicle loses control, environmental sensors cannot provide the accuracy required to selectively adjust the sensitivity of the restraint systems. However, the probability that a loss of control of the vehicle could lead to an accident is greatly increased. Therefore, if the signals from the chassis sensor indicate a skidding event, it is advisable to increase the sensitivity of the restraint system so that it can be triggered quickly in the event of a potential collision.In this way, a side impact in particular can be quickly predicted, whereby the corresponding areas can be specifically protected by lowering the activation threshold of the restraint system.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the chassis sensor is an ESP sensor. An electronic stability program is installed as standard in many vehicles. This driver assistance system attempts to prevent the vehicle from skidding in corners by selectively braking individual wheels, both in the case of oversteer and understeer, thus ensuring the driver maintains control of the vehicle. Corresponding ESP sensors therefore record driving behavior, especially at the limit, and can provide reliable information about whether a vehicle is skidding.

[0018] To further improve the method, a further embodiment of the invention provides for the sensitivity of the at least one restraint system to be additionally adjusted depending on an environmental sensor system installed on the vehicle. The environmental sensor system is used in addition. In this way, a plausibility check can be performed using the redundant signals.

[0019] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle. Especially in autonomous vehicles, where no driver is required, the seating positions for the occupants can be designed to be more relaxed than would be necessary in a manually controlled vehicle. Therefore, it is particularly important to keep the response time of the restraint system's sensitivity setting particularly short.

[0020] Additionally, a further embodiment of the method according to the invention can provide for the sensitivity of the restraint system to be adjusted based on the seating position of at least one occupant of the vehicle. Since, especially in autonomous vehicles, the seating position can be adjusted for maximum comfort, even to a reclining position, a seating position adjusted in this way can also be incorporated into the adjustment of the sensitivity of the restraint system. It is also conceivable to use separate restraint systems for the reclining position, in which an appropriate sensitivity is adjusted.

[0021] In order to better adapt the method according to the invention to conditions in the vehicle, a further embodiment of the method according to the invention provides for the sensitivity of at least two restraint systems to be adjusted, with a first sensitivity being set for a first restraint system and a second sensitivity being set for a second restraint system. Different restraint systems can therefore have different sensitivity settings. Depending on the type of restraint system, the sensitivity may not need to be as high in certain situations as with other restraint systems.

[0022] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the first restraint system is an airbag. An airbag, as a pyrotechnic restraint system, must be able to be activated particularly quickly to prevent injuries to the vehicle's occupants from impact with vehicle parts. The airbag's sensitivity must therefore be comparatively sensitive.

[0023] Additionally or alternatively, a further embodiment of the invention can provide for the second restraint system to be a seat function or a seat belt. The seat belt can, for example, be pulled taut during an impact to secure the vehicle occupant in the seat. Activation while driving, without an accident, can sometimes be unpleasant for an occupant. The sensitivity therefore does not need to be set as sensitively as is the case with an airbag, for example. By subsequently adjusting the sensitivity, depending on driving behavior, a maximum comfortable driving experience can be created for the occupants without having to compromise on safety.

[0024] The aforementioned object is also achieved by a vehicle having at least one chassis sensor, at least one restraint system, and at least one restraint system control unit. The restraint system control unit is configured and designed such that a method according to the invention can be carried out. The above statements regarding the method according to the invention also apply accordingly to the vehicle according to the invention.

[0025] Electronic or electrical devices and / or other relevant devices or components according to the embodiments of the present invention described herein may be implemented using any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit), software, or a combination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example, the various components of these devices may be packaged on an integrated circuit (IC) or on separate IC chips. Furthermore, the various components of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit board, a tape carrier package (TCP), a printed circuit board (PCB), or on a single substrate.Furthermore, the various components of these devices may be a process or thread running on one or more processors in one or more computing devices, executing computer program instructions and interacting with other system components to perform the various functions described herein. The computer program instructions are stored in memory, which may be implemented in a computing device using standard memory, such as random access memory (RAM). The computer program instructions may also be stored in other non-transferable, computer-readable media, such as a CD-ROM, flash drive, or the like.A person skilled in the art should also recognize that the functionality of various computing devices may be combined or integrated into a single computing device, or that the functionality of a particular computing device may be distributed among one or more other computing devices without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another, unless otherwise stated in individual cases.

[0026] The invention is explained below in exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the improvement of a method for

[0028] Sensitivity setting of at least one restraint system for occupants in a vehicle and

[0029] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a sequence of an embodiment of a method for adjusting the sensitivity of at least one restraint system for occupants in a vehicle.

[0030] Figure 1 shows a comparison of the speed of a method for adjusting at least one restraint system 10 in a vehicle, whereby a sensitivity 12 of the restraint system 10 is adjusted. An accident can be divided into four phases. The first phase is considered to be normal driving behavior 14. If an accident is foreseeable but has not yet occurred, the vehicle is in the pre-crash phase 16. This is followed by the in-crash phase 18, in which the actual accident occurs. During this phase, there is contact between an obstacle and the vehicle. In the final phase of the accident, the post-crash phase 20, all parties involved are at rest.

[0031] A restraint system 10 should essentially be triggered as precisely as possible in the in-crash phase 18 so that the greatest possible protection is guaranteed for the occupants and the restraint system is not triggered during normal driving 14. It is known from the prior art that in-crash sensors 22 are used to detect an accident or impact. Figure 1 shows a timeline 24. The schematic representation above the timeline 24 represents the method commonly used in the prior art. At the time of impact 26, i.e. during the transition from the pre-crash phase 16 to the in-crash phase 18, the in-crash sensors 22 detect an accident or impact. A crash algorithm 28, which is calculated by a computing unit not shown here, detects the severity of the accident and uses this to calculate which restraint systems 10 must be activated.The restraint systems are then activated during the in-crash phase 18 through to the post-crash phase 20. The block diagram below the timeline 24 represents an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention for adjusting the sensitivity 12 of at least one restraint system 10. In the pre-crash phase 16, the driving behavior is initially checked by a chassis sensor 30. The chassis sensor 30 is part of an electronic stability program. An electronic stability program is installed as standard in many vehicles. This driver assistance system attempts to prevent the vehicle from skidding in the limit range when cornering, both during oversteering and understeering, by selectively braking individual wheels, thus ensuring the driver retains control of the vehicle.Corresponding ESP sensors therefore record driving behavior, especially at the limit, and can provide reliable information about whether a vehicle is skidding.

[0032] A computing unit (not shown here) determines a driving condition 32 based on the chassis sensors 30. If the values ​​transmitted by the chassis sensors 30 indicate that the vehicle is skidding or has skidded, the sensitivity 12 of the restraint systems 10 is subsequently adjusted. The probability that a loss of control of the vehicle could lead to an accident is greatly increased. Therefore, if the signals from the chassis sensor 30 indicate a skidding event, it is advisable to increase the sensitivity of a restraint system 10 so that it can be deployed quickly in the event of a potential subsequent impact. The sensitivity 12 is increased accordingly so that the restraint system 10 can deploy more quickly should an accident occur as a result of the loss of control of the vehicle.

[0033] Furthermore, in-crash sensors 22 are used in this exemplary embodiment. At the time of impact 26, i.e. during the transition from the pre-crash phase 16 to the in-crash phase 18, the in-crash sensors 22 detect an accident or an impact. The crash algorithm 28, which is calculated by a computing unit not shown here, recognizes the severity of the accident and uses this to calculate which restraint systems 10 must be activated. However, since the triggering threshold of the restraint systems 10 was already reduced in the pre-crash phase 16, the activation of the restraint systems 10 occurs significantly more quickly than would be the case with the method above the timeline 24. Figure 1 therefore shows that the restraint system 10 below the timeline 24 is located chronologically before the restraint system 10 of the method above the timeline 24.

[0034] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a method according to the invention for adjusting the sensitivity 12 of the restraint systems 10. In the present embodiment, the vehicle (not shown here) in which the sensitivity 12 of the restraint systems 10 is adjusted is an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle therefore drives without the direct influence of a driver, so that the vehicle's occupants do not need to pay attention to the traffic but can concentrate on more important things. Especially in autonomous vehicles, which do not require a driver, the seating positions for the occupants can be designed to be more relaxed than would be necessary in a manually controlled vehicle. It is therefore particularly important to keep the response time for the sensitivity adjustment of the restraint system 10 particularly short.

[0035] The method again provides that in step 100, in a pre-crash phase 16, a chassis sensor is used to check whether the vehicle is skidding, i.e., has lost control, or whether normal driving is taking place. If a skidding event is detected, the sensitivity 12 of restraint systems 10 is adjusted in step 102.

[0036] Additionally, in step 104, the sensitivity of the restraint system 10 is adjusted based on the seating position of at least one occupant of the vehicle. Since, especially in autonomous vehicles, the seating position can be adjusted for maximum comfort, even to a reclining position, a seating position adjusted in this way can also be incorporated into the setting of the sensitivity of the restraint system 10. It is also conceivable that separate restraint systems 10, not shown here, could be used for the reclining position, for which an adequate sensitivity 12 is set.

[0037] Based on the knowledge that the sensitivity 12 of the restraint systems 10 needs to be adjusted, step 106 provides for setting a first sensitivity 12 for a first restraint system 10. In step 108, a second sensitivity 12 is set for a second restraint system 10. Different restraint systems 10 can therefore have different sensitivity settings. Depending on the type of restraint system 10, the sensitivity 12 may not need to be as high in certain situations as for other restraint systems 10. In the present exemplary embodiment, the first restraint system 10 is an airbag. The second restraint system 10 is described by a seatbelt.

[0038] In-crash sensors 18 can detect an accident or impact at the time of impact 26, i.e., during the transition from the pre-crash phase 16 to the in-crash phase 18, in step 110. The crash algorithm 28, which is calculated by a computing unit not shown here, recognizes the severity of the accident in step 112 and uses this to calculate which restraint systems 10 must be activated. According to the exemplary embodiment, the first restraint system 10 and the second restraint system 10 are activated independently of one another in steps 114 and 116, respectively. However, since the triggering threshold of the restraint systems 10 was already lowered in the pre-crash phase 16, the activation of the restraint systems 10 occurs sufficiently quickly to minimize the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.

[0039] List of reference symbols

[0040] restraint system

[0041] Sensitivity

[0042] Normal driving

[0043] Pre-crash phase

[0044] In-Crash Phase

[0045] Post-Crash Phase

[0046] In-crash sensors

[0047] Timeline

[0048] Time of impact

[0049] Crash algorithm

[0050] Chassis sensor

[0051] Driving condition

[0052] Checking the driving process

[0053] Sensitivity setting

[0054] Sensitivity of restraint system according to seat position Setting of sensitivity of first restraint system Setting of sensitivity of second restraint system Accident or impact detection

[0055] Calculating the severity of the accident

[0056] Activation of the first restraint system

[0057] Activation of second restraint system

Claims

Patent claims Method for adjusting the sensitivity (12) of at least one selective restraint system (10) in a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, wherein a sensitivity (12) of at least one restraint system (10) is adjusted as a function of a data source which comprises at least one item of information about current driving data, characterized in that the sensitivity (12) of the at least one restraint system (10) is adjusted as a function of the data of a chassis sensor (30). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that an adjustment of the sensitivity (12) is carried out when information is transmitted by the chassis sensor (30) which indicates a skidding of the vehicle. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the chassis sensor (30) is an ESP sensor.Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sensitivity (12) of the at least one restraint system (10) is additionally adjusted as a function of an environmental sensor system installed on the vehicle. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the sensitivity (12) of the restraint system (10) is adjusted based on the seating position of at least one occupant of the vehicle. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sensitivity (12) of at least two restraint systems (10) is adjusted, wherein a first sensitivity (12) is adjusted for a first restraint system (10) and a second sensitivity (12) is adjusted for a second restraint system (10). Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the first restraint system (10) is an airbag. Method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the second restraint system (10) is a seat function or a seat belt. Vehicle with at least one chassis sensor (30), with at least one restraint system (10), and with at least one restraint system control unit, characterized in that the restraint system control unit is configured and designed such that a method according to one of claims 1 to 9 can be carried out.

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