Detection of a vehicle rollover using a low-Earth orbit satellite communication system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer device (100) implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle (1) comprising such a device (100). Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Detection of a motor vehicle rollover using a low Earth orbit satellite communication system. Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicle safety systems. The invention relates in particular to a method for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a device implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle comprising such a device. The invention is applicable to motor vehicles such as motor land vehicles, in particular cars. Prior art

[0002] It is known that automobile manufacturers are constantly developing ways to improve the safety of motor vehicles. Among these ways of enhancing the safety of drivers and vehicle occupants, manufacturers have sought to develop systems that can detect risky situations as quickly as possible, in order to be able to inform emergency services as promptly as possible in the event of an accident. In this context, manufacturers have notably used inertial measurement units (IMUs) integrated into vehicles to detect situations in which a vehicle rolls over, in other words, when the vehicle rolls.However, the cost of such a component is not negligible, and such a solution is therefore not suitable for all types of vehicles, particularly those aimed at lower market segments, i.e., entry-level vehicles for which the need to minimize the cost of manufacturing the vehicle is critical. Summary of the invention

[0003] The invention aims to solve this problem. In particular, it aims to provide an alternative solution for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle that does not require the integration of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) into the vehicle. In this way, the invention aims to enable the supply of safe motor vehicles while minimizing their manufacturing cost.

[0004] In order to achieve these goals, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a method for detecting, by a computer device installed on board a motor vehicle, a rollover of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: i. determine data characterizing a connectivity parameter between a low-Earth orbit satellite communication system and at least one antenna of a vehicle's radio frequency signal communication equipment; ii. determine if a vehicle rollover occurs based on the data determined during step i).

[0005] According to one variant, said connectivity parameter may be the phase variation of a signal emitted by said antenna.

[0006] According to another variant, step ii) may include a step of determining whether said variation is greater than a pre-established threshold value.

[0007] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle, the device comprising at least one information processing unit, including at least one processor, and a data storage medium configured to implement a method as described above.

[0008] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of a process as described above when said program is executed by at least one processor.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a medium usable in a computer on which a program as described above is recorded.

[0010] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle which includes a device as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0011] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying figures, in which:

[0012] [Fig-1] is a diagram of a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0013] [Fig.2] is a functional diagram of a device according to the invention; and

[0014] [Fig.3] is a flowchart of the steps of a process according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0015] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. This vehicle is equipped with radio frequency signal communication equipment 2 comprising at least one antenna 3, preferably an array of several antennas, for communicating with a low Earth orbit satellite communication system 4 (i.e., LEO, for which the satellites are at a distance from Earth of between 160 km and 2000 km). Thus, the antenna 3 is directional so that it can constantly point towards a satellite of system 4, and this is achieved by varying the phase of radio frequency signals emitted by antenna 3. In other words, as vehicle 1 moves, the phase of the radio frequency signals emitted by antenna 3 varies constantly. Under normal conditions, however, this variation remains relatively minimal; that is, the difference between the phase of a signal emitted at a given instant and the phase of a signal emitted at the immediately preceding instant is generally small.

[0016] Advantageously, the vehicle 1 according to the invention further incorporates a device 100 for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle within the meaning of the present invention, as described below, which implements a method for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle within the meaning of the present invention, as briefly summarized below and described in detail further down.

[0017] During driving, the device 100 according to the invention constantly determines the connectivity between the low-Earth orbit satellite communication system 4 and the antenna 3 of the radio frequency signal communication equipment 2 of the vehicle 1. More specifically, the device 100 determines the phase variation of the radio frequency signals emitted by the antenna 3. When it determines that the phase variation exceeds a predetermined threshold value, it deduces that a vehicle rollover has occurred. In this way, the device 100 according to the invention enables the detection of a vehicle rollover without requiring an inertial measurement unit integrated into the vehicle 1.

[0018] Figure 2 schematically illustrates the device 100 for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle according to the invention. It is essentially a computer device, which includes at least one information processing unit 101, comprising one or more processors, a data storage medium 102, on which is recorded in particular a program which includes program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the process according to the invention described below, and an input and output interface 103 allowing the reception and transmission of data.

[0019] Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention is hosted on an independent computer and interacts via its input / output interface 103 and by means of a wired vehicle communication network (e.g., CAN, Ethernet, MOST) – represented in [Fig. 1] by the double-headed arrow – with the radio frequency signal communication equipment 2. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention is partially or entirely part of the radio frequency signal communication equipment 2. As a result, the device 100 according to the invention can, in particular, determine data characterizing a connectivity parameter between the low-Earth orbit satellite communication system 4 and the antenna 3 of the radio frequency signal communication equipment 2.

[0020] According to the invention, all the elements described above contribute to enabling the implementation of a method for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle, as described below in relation to [Fig.3].

[0021] Figure 3 illustrates, by means of a flowchart, the steps of the process according to the invention.

[0022] According to a first step 301 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines data characterizing a connectivity parameter between the low-Earth orbit satellite communication system 4 and the antenna 3 of the radio frequency signal communication equipment 2. More specifically, the device 100 according to the invention determines the variation in the phase of the radio frequency signals emitted by the antenna 3. Indeed, the antenna 3 constantly varies the phase of the radio frequency signals emitted to always point towards a satellite of the satellite communication system 4. The device 100 according to the invention therefore continuously observes this variation and calculates its amplitude at every instant; in other words, it determines at every instant the difference between the phase of the radio frequency signals emitted by the antenna 3 and the phase of the radio frequency signals emitted at an immediately preceding instant.

[0023] Next, according to a second step 302 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines whether a vehicle rollover occurs based on the data determined during the previous step. More specifically, the device 100 according to the invention establishes that a rollover of the vehicle 1 occurs when it determines that the phase variation of the signals emitted by the antenna 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, in other words, when the difference between the phase of the radio frequency signals emitted by the antenna 3 at a given instant and the phase of the radio frequency signals emitted by the antenna 3 at an immediately preceding instant exceeds the threshold value. Indeed, as already mentioned above, the phase variation of the radio frequency signals emitted by the antenna 3 remains minimal under normal conditions. On the other hand, if a rollover of the vehicle 1 occurs, the antenna 3 will rapidly change, i.e.over a very short time interval, the phase of the radio frequency signals to attempt to re-establish connectivity with the low-orbit satellite communication system 4. It is therefore this sudden phase variation that the device 100 according to the invention advantageously takes into account to establish that a reversal of the vehicle 1 is occurring.

[0024] Thus, thanks to the method and device according to the invention described above, a solution exists for detecting a vehicle rollover without having to resort to the use of an inertial measurement unit integrated into the vehicle. In this way, the method and device according to the invention contribute to the provision of safe motor vehicles while minimizing their manufacturing cost.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for detecting, by a computer device (100) on board a motor vehicle (1), a rollover of the vehicle, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. determining data characterizing a connectivity parameter between a low-Earth orbit satellite communication system (4) and at least one antenna (3) of a radio frequency signal communication device (2) of the vehicle; ii. determining whether a rollover of the vehicle occurs based on the data determined during step i).

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said connectivity parameter is the phase variation of a signal emitted by said antenna.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that step ii) comprises a step of determining whether said variation is greater than a pre-established threshold value.

4. Device (100) for detecting a rollover of a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that the device comprises at least one information processing unit (101), comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium (102) configured to implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

5. Computer program comprising program code instructions for carrying out the steps of a process according to any one of claims 1-3 when said program is executed by at least one processor.

6. A medium usable in a computer, characterized in that a program according to claim 5 is stored thereon.

7. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that the vehicle (1) comprises a device (100) according to claim 4.

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