Vehicle active safety system and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to an active safety system for a vehicle, comprising: a sensor unit for detecting surrounding information of the vehicle; a communication unit for wirelessly communicating with road facilities or other vehicles around the vehicle; and a control unit for determining the possibility of a collision and whether a collision has occurred based on information acquired through the sensor unit and the communication unit, and for actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision based on the determination result.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an active safety system for a vehicle and a method for controlling the same, and more specifically, to an active safety system for a vehicle and a method for controlling the same that can reduce passenger injury through active vehicle behavior control in preparation for a first collision and a second collision of the vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, the airbag system is a representative safety device equipped to reduce passenger injuries in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0003] These conventional safety devices operate on a passive basis, using collision sensors to detect a vehicle collision and then activating the seatbelts and deploying airbags for each body part.

[0004] As described above, conventional safety devices did not perform active behavior control (including attitude control and braking control) to prevent a collision or reduce the impact of a collision before a collision occurs. Furthermore, conventional safety devices did not perform active behavior control (including attitude control and braking control) to prevent another collision (i.e., a secondary collision) that occurs unintendedly due to the collision after a collision occurs, or to reduce the impact of the secondary collision.

[0005] Accordingly, conventional safety devices perform passenger protection operations through passive airbag control only after a collision occurs, so the passenger protection effect is not significant, and there is also a problem in that they cannot respond to a secondary collision that may occur as a result of the first collision.

[0006] The background technology of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Registered Patent No. 10-1781387 (registered September 19, 2017, side airbag device for automobiles). The problem to be solved

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the present invention is created to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide an active safety system for a vehicle and a method for controlling the same, which can reduce passenger injury through active vehicle behavior control in preparation for a first collision and a second collision of the vehicle. means of solving the problem

[0008] An active safety system for a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a sensor unit for detecting surrounding information of the vehicle; a communication unit for wirelessly communicating with road facilities or other vehicles around the vehicle; and a control unit for determining the possibility of a collision and whether a collision has occurred based on information acquired through the sensor unit and the communication unit, and for actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision based on the determination result.

[0009] In the present invention, the chassis components and safety device of the vehicle are characterized by including steering, brakes, suspension, and a vehicle drive unit, as well as an active seat belt, airbag deployment shape and direction control, suspension control, and torque vectoring control device.

[0010] In the present invention, the control unit is characterized by determining a route for the avoidance operation when it decides to perform an avoidance operation, and driving the vehicle along the avoidance route by integrally controlling the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices.

[0011] In the present invention, the control unit actively integrates and controls the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce injury to a passenger caused by a collision, and is characterized by pre-rotating the airbag toward the passenger at a specific angle in conjunction with the passenger's behavior and then deploying it, and adjusting the cushion thickness of the airbag in response to the passenger.

[0012] In the present invention, the control unit actively integrates and controls the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision, and selectively controls actuators installed for suspension adjustment for each wheel in response to the collision direction to raise and adjust the vehicle body height corresponding to the collision direction.

[0013] In the present invention, the control unit actively integrates and controls the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision, and performs torque vectoring control to control the driving torque or braking torque of each wheel to implement a yaw motion that can avoid or minimize the impact of the vehicle, wherein the direction of the yaw motion is based on a direction away from the collision target, and the driving torque of the inner wheel is reduced based on the rotational direction of the yaw motion, and the driving torque of the outer wheel is increased based on the rotational direction of the yaw motion.

[0014] In the present invention, the control unit is characterized by subdividing the situation before and after a collision into stages and actively performing behavior control corresponding to each stage in order to avoid a collision or minimize the impact of a collision when there is a possibility of a collision.

[0015] In the present invention, the control unit performs behavior control by collision index or step corresponding to the collision probability or collision occurrence rate of the vehicle, wherein the collision probability or collision occurrence rate of the vehicle is calculated based on surrounding environment information including the vehicle driving speed, the speed, direction, and size of the target, and obstacles capable of secondary collision, and the collision index or step is characterized by being divided into at least three steps (Index 0 to 3).

[0016] In the present invention, the control unit performs behavior control operations according to subdivided stages for each collision situation, wherein in the first stage (Index 0), it performs calculation of an avoidance path and avoidance simulation, and accordingly controls the behavior in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision; in the second stage (Index 1), it drives a passive safety device, but in the event of a non-collision, it operates an active seatbelt to restrain the passenger's behavior, and in the event of a collision, it controls the size and deployment angle of the airbag to be adjusted in advance to respond to the passenger's behavior, and in the third stage (Index 2), regardless of whether a collision occurs, it controls steering, braking, and driving force to induce behavior in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision, and in addition to the operation of the safety device in the first and second stages, it integrates suspension control that adjusts the height of the vehicle body corresponding to the collision direction and torque vectoring control that implements yaw motion.

[0017] A method for controlling an active safety system of a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: a step in which a control unit of the active safety system of a vehicle detects surrounding information of the vehicle through a sensor unit; a step in which the control unit wirelessly communicates with road facilities or other vehicles around the vehicle through a communication unit; a step in which the control unit determines the possibility of a collision and whether a collision has occurred based on information acquired through the sensor unit and the communication unit; and a step in which the control unit actively integrates and controls the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision based on the determination result.

[0018] In the present invention, in the step of actively and integrally controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit is characterized by determining a route for the avoidance operation when it is determined to perform an avoidance operation, and integrally controlling the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle to drive the vehicle along the avoidance route.

[0019] In the present invention, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit is characterized by pre-rotating the airbag toward the passenger at a specific angle in conjunction with the passenger's behavior to avoid a collision or reduce injury to the passenger caused by a collision, and deploying the airbag, and adjusting the cushion thickness of the airbag in response to the passenger.

[0020] In the present invention, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit is characterized by selectively controlling actuators installed for suspension adjustment for each wheel in response to the collision direction to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision, thereby raising the vehicle body height corresponding to the collision direction.

[0021] In the present invention, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit performs torque vectoring control to control the driving torque or braking torque of each wheel to implement a yaw motion that can avoid or minimize the impact of the vehicle in order to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision, wherein the direction of the yaw motion is based on a direction away from the collision target, and the driving torque of the inner wheel is reduced based on the rotational direction of the yaw motion, and the driving torque of the outer wheel is increased based on the rotational direction of the yaw motion.

[0022] In the present invention, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit is characterized by subdividing the situation before and after a collision into stages to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision, and actively performing behavior control corresponding to each stage.

[0023] In the present invention, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit performs behavior control by collision index or step corresponding to the collision probability or collision occurrence rate of the vehicle, wherein the collision probability or collision occurrence rate of the vehicle is calculated based on surrounding environment information including the vehicle driving speed, the speed, direction, and size of the target, and obstacles capable of secondary collision, and the collision index or step is characterized by being divided into at least three steps (Index 0 to 3).

[0024] In the present invention, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit performs behavior control operations according to subdivided steps for each collision situation, wherein in the first step (Index 0), it performs calculation of an avoidance path and avoidance simulation, and accordingly controls the behavior in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision, in the second step (Index 1), it drives passive safety devices, but in the event of a non-collision, it operates an active seatbelt to restrain the passenger's behavior, and in the event of a collision, it controls the size and deployment angle of the airbag to be adjusted in advance to respond to the passenger's behavior, and in the third step (Index 2), regardless of whether a collision occurs, it induces behavior by controlling steering, braking, and driving force in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision, and in addition to the operation of safety devices in the first and second steps, it integrates suspension control that adjusts the height of the vehicle body corresponding to the collision direction and torque vectoring control that implements yaw motion. Effects of the invention

[0025] According to one aspect of the present invention, the present invention enables the reduction of passenger injury through active vehicle behavior control in preparation for a first collision and a second collision of the vehicle. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0026] FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing the schematic configuration of an active safety system of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an example diagram shown to explain the possibility of a collision (or the probability of a collision occurring) of a vehicle according to the present embodiment in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining behavior control operations according to the collision probability rate (or collision index) in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an example diagram shown to explain the airbag deployment shape and direction control, suspension control, and torque vectoring control in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an example diagram shown to provide a more specific explanation of the torque vectoring control method in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is an example diagram illustrating the response action according to the probability of collision occurrence for each collision situation when a side collision occurs in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is an example diagram for explaining the response action according to the collision probability rate for each collision situation when an inclined collision occurs in FIG. 1 above. FIG. 8 is an example diagram for explaining response actions according to the probability of collision occurrence for each collision situation when a frontal collision or a rear collision occurs in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a side view of the airbag module and sliding module of the airbag deployment shape and direction control device in FIG. 4. FIG. 10 is a side view of the operation of the sliding module of the airbag deployment shape and direction control device in FIG. 4. FIG. 11 is a drawing illustrating a first embodiment of a sliding module in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a drawing illustrating a second embodiment of a sliding module in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 13 to 14 are drawings illustrating a third embodiment of a sliding module in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a drawing illustrating the deployment of an airbag module when a single passenger is seated normally in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a drawing illustrating the deployment of an airbag module (100) when multiple passengers are abnormally seated in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a control method for an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an active safety system for a vehicle and a control method thereof according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0028] In this process, the thickness of lines or the size of components depicted in the drawings may be exaggerated for the sake of clarity and convenience of explanation. Furthermore, the terms described below are defined considering their functions in the present invention, and these may vary depending on the intent or convention of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions of these terms should be based on the content throughout this specification.

[0029] FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing the schematic configuration of an active safety system of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the active safety system of a vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a sensor unit (410), a communication unit (420), a control unit (430), and a vehicle driving unit (440).

[0031] The sensor unit (410) includes at least one sensor for detecting surrounding information of the vehicle.

[0032] For example, the sensor unit (410) includes sensors for detecting objects in front, to the side, and behind the vehicle (e.g., ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, lidar sensors, laser sensors, camera sensors, etc.), sensors for detecting the movement state of the vehicle (e.g., speed sensors, tire pressure sensors, brake sensors, etc.). In addition, sensors for detecting surrounding information of the vehicle may be further included in addition to the sensors described above.

[0033] The above communication unit (420) communicates wirelessly with road facilities or other vehicles around the vehicle (e.g., V2X communication).

[0034] The control unit (430) determines the possibility of a collision (or the probability of a collision occurring, e.g., a collision between vehicles, a collision between vehicles and obstacles, etc.) and whether a collision has occurred based on information obtained through the sensor unit (410) and the communication unit (420).

[0035] In addition, the control unit (430) performs active vehicle behavior control in preparation for a collision, based on the determination of the vehicle's collision probability (or collision probability rate) and whether a collision has occurred, in order to reduce passenger injury caused by the impact of the collision (i.e., minimize collision energy).

[0036] The vehicle drive unit (440) drives the vehicle chassis components and safety devices (e.g., steering, brake, suspension, drive (driving), seat belt, airbag, etc.) related to the movement of the vehicle according to the control of the control unit (430).

[0037] That is, the control unit (430) controls at least one of the vehicle's configuration means related to the vehicle's movement (e.g., steering, brake, suspension, drive (driving), seat belt, airbag, etc.) in an integrated manner, based on the determination of the vehicle's collision possibility (or collision occurrence rate) and whether a collision has occurred.

[0038] For example, the above control unit (430) can minimize collision energy by actively integrating and driving at least one of the steering, brake, suspension, and drive (driving) systems before a collision occurs, and also improves passenger protection effect (also secondary collision prevention effect) by actively controlling the deployment direction and size (or strength) of the airbag or seatbelt.

[0039] For example, the above control unit (430) can estimate the collision direction and level of collision based on ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) information, monitor surrounding vehicles through V2X (Vehicle to Everything), and, in order to avoid a collision or minimize the impact of a collision when there is a possibility of a collision, determine the steering angle, determine whether the brake is operated and the degree of brake operation for each wheel, and determine the vehicle height, thereby operating the air suspension (suspension system).

[0040] As described above, the active safety system of a vehicle according to the present embodiment integrates ADAS and a chassis system (i.e., a system including driving, steering, braking, and suspension) to subdivide the situation before and after a collision into stages (e.g., managing the impact index), and enables active behavior control corresponding to each stage (i.e., by impact index), thereby preventing a collision in advance (reducing the probability of a collision) or reducing collision energy even if a collision occurs to improve passenger safety, and also has the effect of preventing a secondary collision that may occur as a result of a primary collision.

[0041] FIG. 2 is an example diagram shown to explain the collision possibility (or collision occurrence probability rate) of a vehicle according to the present embodiment in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart to explain the behavior control operation according to the collision occurrence probability rate (or collision index) in FIG. 1.

[0042] In this embodiment, the probability of a collision (or the probability of a collision occurring) of a vehicle can be calculated based on the vehicle's driving speed, the speed, direction, and size of the target, and the surrounding environment (e.g., obstacles that may cause a secondary collision, etc.) (S101).

[0043] The control unit (430) determines to perform an avoidance action as the probability of a collision (or collision occurrence rate) of the vehicle decreases, and determines to perform a collision preparation action to reduce collision energy instead of an avoidance action as the probability of a collision (or collision occurrence rate) of the vehicle increases.

[0044] At this time, criteria for determining the avoidance action or collision preparation action based on the collision probability (or collision occurrence probability rate) of the vehicle may be set in advance.

[0045] For example, when the above control unit (430) decides to perform an avoidance operation, it determines a route for the avoidance operation, controls the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices (e.g., steering, brakes, suspension, drive, seat belts, airbags, etc.) in an integrated manner, and drives the vehicle along the avoidance route.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3, Index 0 corresponds to the avoidance and collision preparation stage, and the control unit (430) outputs an alarm to the passenger inside the vehicle and activates a system capable of increasing the restraint of the passenger (e.g., active safety belt, pre-crash airbag device, etc.) (S102, S103).

[0047] Index 1 and Index 2 are collision response stages, where Index 1 includes Index 0 and corresponds to cases where the expected impact amount during a collision between a vehicle and a target is smaller than the standard.

[0048] Index 2 includes Index 0 and Index 1, and corresponds to cases where the expected impact force during a collision between a vehicle and a target is greater than the standard.

[0049] The control unit (430) prepares (or performs) behavior (steering control, airbag deployment shape / direction, suspension adjustment, torque vectoring, etc.) to prepare for impact at Index 1 (S102, S104), and prepares (or performs) behavior control to prevent a chain collision (secondary collision) that may occur due to the ignition airbag operation and primary collision at Index 2 (S105).

[0050] FIG. 4 is an example diagram shown to explain the airbag deployment shape and direction control, suspension control, and torque vectoring control in FIG. 3.

[0051] The above control unit (430) can adjust the deployment direction and shape (i.e., cushion thickness) of the airbag as shown in FIG. 4 (a).

[0052] In other words, passenger movement varies depending on the collision type resulting from the vehicle's motion, and the optimal shape (e.g., cushion thickness) and direction of the passenger protection airbag are determined accordingly to deploy it. Specifically, by pre-rotating the airbag deployment angle (α, β) to a specific angle in conjunction with passenger movement, rapid deployment is achieved. Here, the airbag thickness can be adjusted by supplying additional gas according to the passenger (e.g., whether the passenger is close to or far from the airbag), and the rotation is controlled in real-time using a motor (not shown). The rotation of the airbag described above will be explained in more detail with reference to other drawings.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 4(b), the suspension (ride height) for each wheel can be adjusted.

[0054] That is, to adjust the suspension (ride height) for each wheel as described above, a device capable of adjusting the vehicle body height, such as a separate actuator (or air spring), is provided. The intended height adjustment part is based on the wheel closest to the collision vehicle, and in the event of a frontal collision, both actuators in the collision direction operate; in the event of a frontal oblique collision, one of the closest wheels is lifted; in the event of a side collision, both actuators of the side wheels are lifted; and in the event of a deflected collision, only one actuator at the corresponding position operates to control the vehicle posture.

[0055] In this case, predicting the collision point and reducing the number of actuator operations can improve the system's response speed. As described above, adjusting the suspension (ride height) for each wheel to raise the ride height at a position corresponding to the collision direction reduces collision energy, thereby effectively securing a passenger survival space in the direction of the collision.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 4(c), the driving (or braking) torque for each wheel can be adjusted to improve yaw control performance. Fig. 5 is an example diagram shown to provide a more detailed explanation of the torque vectoring control method in Fig. 4.

[0057] The above torque vectoring controls the driving (or braking) torque of each wheel individually to implement yaw motion capable of avoiding or minimizing vehicle impact. In this case, the direction of the yaw motion is based on moving away from the collision target.

[0058] More specifically, referring to FIG. 5, the control unit (430) reduces (or brakes) the torque on the inner wheel B or D in the direction of rotation to generate clockwise yaw motion for motion control to avoid collision, and applies driving torque to the outer wheel A or C in the direction of rotation, thereby improving clockwise yaw control performance. This function requires a device (e.g., in-wheel) capable of controlling the driving and braking torque of each wheel and performs torque vectoring that can avoid collisions and minimize torque.

[0059] The following describes the corresponding actions (i.e., behavior control actions) based on the collision probability rate (or collision index) for each collision situation.

[0060] As a first embodiment, the case where a side collision occurs is described as shown in FIG. 6.

[0061] First, as a first step (Index 0), the control unit (430) performs calculation of an avoidance path and avoidance simulation when the probability of a collision occurring is low, and accordingly controls the behavior in a direction to avoid obstacle A and obstacle B (i.e., diagonal direction).

[0062] In the next step (Index 1), the control unit (430) operates a passive safety device based on whether a collision occurs, for example, by operating an active seatbelt to restrain the passenger's movement in the event of a non-collision, and controls the deployment by pre-adjusting the size and deployment angle of the airbag in response to the passenger's movement in the event of a collision.

[0063] As the next 3rd step (Index 2), the control unit (430) controls steering, braking, and driving force to induce movement in a direction to avoid obstacle A and obstacle B regardless of whether a collision occurs, and integrates suspension (ride height) control and torque vectoring control in addition to the operation of the safety device of the 1st and 2nd steps.

[0064] As a second embodiment, the case where an inclined collision occurs, as illustrated in FIG. 7, will be described.

[0065] First, as a first step (Index 0), the control unit (430) performs calculation of an avoidance path and avoidance simulation when the probability of a collision occurring is low, and accordingly controls the behavior in the direction of avoiding obstacle A (i.e., the right direction).

[0066] In the next step (Index 1), the control unit (430) operates a passive safety device based on whether a collision occurs, for example, by operating an active seatbelt to restrain the passenger's movement in the event of a non-collision, and controls the deployment by pre-adjusting the size and deployment angle of the airbag in response to the passenger's movement in the event of a collision.

[0067] As the next 3rd step (Index 2), the control unit (430) controls steering, braking, and driving force to induce movement in a direction to avoid obstacle A regardless of whether a collision occurs, and integrates suspension (ride height) control and torque vectoring control in addition to the operation of the safety device of the 1st and 2nd steps.

[0068] As a third embodiment, the case where a frontal or rear collision occurs is described as illustrated in FIG. 8.

[0069] First, as a first step (Index 0), the control unit (430) performs calculation of an avoidance path and avoidance simulation when the probability of a collision occurring is low, and accordingly controls the behavior in a direction to avoid obstacle A regardless of the collision direction.

[0070] In the next step (Index 1), the control unit (430) operates a passive safety device based on whether a collision occurs, for example, by operating an active seatbelt to restrain the passenger's movement in the event of a non-collision, and controls the deployment by pre-adjusting the size and deployment angle of the airbag in response to the passenger's movement in the event of a collision.

[0071] As the next 3rd step (Index 2), the control unit (430) controls steering, braking, and driving force to induce movement in a direction to avoid obstacle A regardless of whether a collision occurs, and integrates suspension (ride height) control and torque vectoring control in addition to the operation of the safety device of the 1st and 2nd steps.

[0072] As described above, the control unit (430) calculates collision conditions with possible collision candidates in cases where collision avoidance is impossible, considering the driving environment around the vehicle and vehicle performance, and calculates expected injuries by inputting collision conditions, passenger conditions, etc. into a pre-built passenger comprehensive injury prediction artificial intelligence model for each case, selects a minimum injury occurrence condition based on the calculated expected injuries, and controls the vehicle until the collision to achieve the minimum injury collision condition.

[0073] The airbag deployment shape and direction control device described in (a) of Figure 4 above will be explained in more detail below.

[0074] FIG. 9 is a side view of the airbag module (100) and sliding module (200) of the airbag deployment shape and direction control device in FIG. 4, and FIG. 10 is a side view of the sliding module (200) of the airbag deployment shape and direction control device in FIG. 4 during operation.

[0075] The airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to the present embodiment is applied to an autonomous vehicle capable of a face-to-face seating position in which passengers can sit facing each other, and can protect passengers sitting facing each other in the event of a vehicle accident.

[0076] The airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to the present invention comprises: an airbag module (100) that is slidably mounted on the side of a vehicle in the front-rear direction or up-down direction of the vehicle and deploys into the interior of the vehicle upon operation; a sliding module (200) that slides the airbag module (100) in the front-rear direction or up-down direction of the vehicle or changes the deployment direction of the airbag module (100); a sensor unit (410) that detects a passenger; and a control unit (430) that controls the sliding module (200) based on the passenger detected by the sensor unit (410).

[0077] As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the airbag module (100) is mounted on the side of the vehicle in an autonomous vehicle capable of a face-to-face seating position and can slide in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0078] The above airbag module (100) includes an airbag cushion that deploys toward the passenger when activated to mitigate external impacts applied to the passenger, thereby reducing injury to the passenger.

[0079] The above sliding module (200) is mounted on the side of the vehicle and connected to the airbag module (100) so as to slide the airbag module (100) in the front-rear direction of the vehicle or in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction, or change the deployment direction of the airbag module (100) in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction including the front-rear direction or the up-down direction.

[0080] This allows the position of the airbag module to be changed to correspond to various positions of the passenger, or the deployment direction of the airbag module to be changed.

[0081] The sensor unit (410) can detect the position of a passenger seated inside the vehicle and detect the number of passengers or the seating position of the passengers.

[0082] The control unit (430) can control the sliding module (200) so that the airbag module (100) deploys at a position corresponding to the passenger's position in the event of a vehicle accident, based on the passenger's position detected by the sensor unit (410).

[0083] Through this, the airbag module (100) is moved to the position of the passenger, so that in the event of a vehicle accident, the airbag module (100) deploys to effectively protect the passenger.

[0084] The above airbag module (100) includes an airbag cushion that deploys toward the passenger and comes into contact with the passenger, and a gas injection device (110) connected to the airbag cushion to inject gas into the airbag cushion.

[0085] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the airbag module (100) may be equipped with a gas injection device (110) at the bottom for injecting gas into the airbag cushion to deploy the airbag cushion.

[0086] FIG. 15 is a drawing showing the airbag module (100) deployed when a single passenger is seated normally in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 16 is a drawing showing the airbag module (100) deployed when multiple passengers are seated abnormally in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the sensor unit (410) detects whether a passenger is on board, the position of boarding, or the seating posture through a camera sensor (not shown) mounted on the vehicle.

[0087] The sensor unit (410) can determine whether there is a single or multiple passengers based on image information from a camera sensor (not shown) mounted on the vehicle, and accordingly detect the boarding position or seating posture. Through this, the control unit (430) can control the movement of the sliding module (200) based on the detection information detected by the sensor unit (410), and thus has the effect of protecting the passengers more safely when the airbag is deployed.

[0088] The above sliding module (200) includes a rail (210) located on the side of the vehicle and extended in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, a sliding device (220) coupled to the rail (210) and sliding along the rail (210), and a connecting link (230) connecting the sliding device (220) and the airbag module (100).

[0089] The above sliding module (200) may be formed with a rail (210) that is mounted on the side of the vehicle and extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle to move the above sliding module (200), a sliding device (220) that is positioned on the rail (210) and moves along the length of the rail (210), and a connecting link (230) that connects the sliding device (220) and the airbag module (100) to control the deployment direction of the airbag module (100).

[0090] Through this, the airbag module (100) can be moved in the forward and backward directions of the vehicle, or the deployment direction of the airbag module (100) can be changed.

[0091] FIG. 11 is a drawing illustrating a first embodiment of a sliding module (200) in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] A rail (210) has a plurality of magnetic bodies (210a) positioned alternately with N and S poles, and a stator (210b) and a coil are formed in the sliding device (220), and slides on the rail (210) when power is input.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 11, a plurality of magnetic bodies (210a) are positioned in the rail (210) with alternating N and S poles in the longitudinal direction, and a stator (210b) wound with a coil is formed in the sliding device (220), so that when power is input to the sliding device (220), the sliding device (220) can be moved by the stator (210b), and when the sliding device (220) stops, power that suppresses electromagnetic force can be input.

[0094] Through this, the sliding device (220) can be moved by electromagnetic force, and the sliding device (220) can be fixed when stopped.

[0095] FIG. 12 is a drawing illustrating a second embodiment of a sliding module (200) in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0096] In the sliding device (220), a plurality of magnetic bodies (220b) are positioned with alternating N and S poles, and a plurality of stators (220a) wrapped in coils are positioned in the rail (210), and when power is injected into the rail (210), the sliding device (220) slides.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of coil-driven stators (220a) are positioned on the rail (210), and a plurality of magnetic bodies (220b) are positioned on the sliding device (220) with alternating N and S poles. When power is input to the rail (210), the sliding device (220) can move along the length of the rail (210). Additionally, power that suppresses electromagnetic force can be input when the sliding device (220) stops.

[0098] Through this, the sliding device (220) can be moved by electromagnetic force, and the sliding device (220) can be fixed when stopped.

[0099] FIGS. 13 to 14 are drawings illustrating a third embodiment of a sliding module (200) in an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] A rail (210) has a rack gear (210c) extended in the longitudinal direction, and a sliding device (220) is formed with a drive motor and a pinion gear (220c) coupled to the output shaft of the drive motor and meshing with the gear teeth of the rack gear (210c), and the sliding device (220) slides according to the rotation of the drive motor.

[0101] As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, in a third embodiment of the sliding device (220), the rail (210) is formed by a rack gear (210c) that extends in the longitudinal direction, and the sliding device (220) may be formed by a pinion gear (220c) that is coupled to a drive motor and the output shaft of the drive motor and meshes with the gear teeth of the rack gear (210c).

[0102] When the drive motor is operated, the pinion gear (220c) rotates and the sliding device (220) can slide on the rack gear (210c). At this time, when the drive motor stops, an electrical signal may be input so that the drive motor does not rotate electrically, or force may be applied to the drive motor in the opposite direction to the deployment direction of the airbag module (100).

[0103] Through this, the sliding device (220) can be slid by the operation of the drive motor, and thus the position of the airbag module (100) or the deployment direction of the airbag module (100) can be changed.

[0104] A plurality of sliding devices (220) are positioned on the rail (210), and a plurality of connecting links (230) are formed. One end is rotatably connected to each sliding device (220), and the other end is rotatably connected to the airbag module (100) at a position spaced apart from each other.

[0105] As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, two sliding devices (220) are positioned on the rail (210), and multiple connecting links (230) are formed to connect the sliding devices (220) and the airbag module (100). One end of each connecting link (230) is rotatably coupled to the sliding device (220), and the other end of each connecting link (230) can be rotatably coupled to the airbag module (100). The other ends of the multiple connecting links (230) can be coupled to the airbag module (100) at positions spaced apart from each other.

[0106] When multiple sliding devices (220) move the airbag module (100) in the forward and backward directions of the vehicle, the distance traveled by each sliding device (220) is the same, and when the direction of deployment of the airbag module (100) is changed, the distance traveled by each sliding device (220) may differ relatively.

[0107] This allows the airbag module (100) to be moved according to the passenger's position or the direction of deployment of the airbag module (100) to be changed.

[0108] A plurality of connecting links (230) are arranged to intersect each other and are rotatably coupled to the airbag module (100) at positions spaced apart from each other in the front and rear directions of the vehicle.

[0109] As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, a plurality of connecting links (230) intersect each other and can be rotatably connected in the airbag module (100) at positions spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0110] Through this, the sliding device (220) can move the airbag module (100) stably when changing the direction of deployment of the airbag module (100), and also has the effect of allowing the sliding module (200) to stably withstand the deployment pressure of the airbag module (100) when the airbag module (100) is deployed.

[0111] FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a control method for an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 17, we will examine a preferred embodiment of the control method of the airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to the present invention.

[0113] A method for controlling an airbag deployment shape and direction control device according to the present invention comprises: a detection step (S10) for detecting a passenger; a judgment step (S20) for determining whether a passenger is on board, a boarding position, or a sitting position based on the passenger detected in the detection step (S10); and a control step (S30) for controlling a sliding module (200) based on whether a passenger is on board, a boarding position, or a sitting position determined in the judgment step.

[0114] The judgment step (S20) includes a first judgment step (S21) for determining whether there is a single or multiple passengers; and the control step (S30) controls the movement of the sliding module (200) based on the determination of whether there is a single or multiple passengers in the first judgment step (S21).

[0115] The judgment step (S20) further includes a second judgment step (S22) for determining whether the passenger's seating posture is normal or abnormal; and the control step (S30) controls the sliding module (200) based on the passenger's seating posture determined in the second judgment step (S22).

[0116] If the passenger's seating position is determined to be normal in the second judgment step (S22), the control step (S30) slides the sliding module (200) in the forward and backward directions of the vehicle based on the passenger's position.

[0117] If the passenger's seating position is determined to be abnormal in the second judgment step (S22), the control step (S30) controls the position of the sliding module (200) and the deployment direction of the airbag module (100) to be changed based on the passenger's position.

[0118] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, this is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible therefrom. Accordingly, the technical scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the claims below. Furthermore, the implementations described herein may be implemented, for example, as methods or processes, devices, software programs, data streams, or signals. Even if discussed only in the context of a single form of implementation (e.g., discussed only as a method), the implementation of the discussed features may also be implemented in other forms (e.g., devices or programs). Devices may be implemented in appropriate hardware, software, and firmware, etc. Methods may be implemented in devices such as processors, which generally refer to processing devices including, for example, computers, microprocessors, integrated circuits, or programmable logic devices. Processors also include communication devices such as computers, cell phones, portable / personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), and other devices that facilitate the communication of information between end-users. Explanation of the symbols

[0119] 410 : Sensor unit 420 : Communication unit 430: Control unit 440: Vehicle drive unit

Claims

Claim 1 An active safety system for a vehicle comprising: a sensor unit for detecting surrounding information of the vehicle; a communication unit for wirelessly communicating with road facilities or other vehicles around the vehicle; and a control unit that determines the possibility of a collision and whether a collision has occurred based on information acquired through the sensor unit and the communication unit, and actively integrates and controls the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision based on the determination result; wherein the control unit selectively controls actuators installed for suspension adjustment for each wheel to raise the vehicle body height in response to the collision direction, and performs torque vectoring control to control the driving torque or braking torque of each wheel to implement a yaw motion that can avoid or minimize the impact of the vehicle, and is characterized by reducing the driving torque of the inner wheel and increasing the driving torque of the outer wheel based on the rotational direction of the yaw motion. Claim 2 An active safety system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle include steering, brakes, suspension, and a vehicle drive unit, and active seat belts, airbag deployment shape and direction control, suspension control, and torque vectoring control devices. Claim 3 An active safety system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a route for the avoidance operation when it decides to perform an avoidance operation, and controls the vehicle's chassis components and safety device in an integrated manner to drive the vehicle along the avoidance route. Claim 4 An active safety system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit actively integrates and controls the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety devices to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision, and in conjunction with the passenger's behavior, rotates the airbag toward the passenger at a specific angle in advance and then deploys it, and adjusts the cushion thickness of the airbag in response to the passenger. Claim 5 delete Claim 6 delete Claim 7 An active safety system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit subdivides the situation before and after a collision into stages and actively performs behavior control corresponding to each stage in order to avoid a collision or minimize the impact of a collision when there is a possibility of a collision. Claim 8 An active safety system for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the control unit performs behavior control by collision index or step corresponding to the probability of a collision or the probability of a collision occurring of a vehicle, wherein the probability of a collision or the probability of a collision occurring of a vehicle is calculated based on surrounding environment information including the vehicle driving speed, the speed, direction, and size of a target, and obstacles capable of secondary collision, and wherein the collision index or step is divided into at least three steps (Index 0 to 3). Claim 9 In claim 7, the control unit performs behavior control operations according to subdivided stages for each collision situation, wherein in Stage 1 (Index 0), it performs calculation of an avoidance path and avoidance simulation, and accordingly controls the behavior in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision; in Stage 2 (Index 1), it drives a passive safety device, but in the event of a non-collision, it operates an active seatbelt to restrain the passenger's behavior, and in the event of a collision, it controls the size and deployment angle of the airbag to be pre-adjusted and deployed in response to the passenger's behavior; and in Stage 3 (Index 2), regardless of whether a collision occurs, it induces behavior by controlling steering, braking, and driving force in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision, and in addition to the operation of the safety devices in Stages 1 and 2, it integrates suspension control that adjusts the height of the vehicle body corresponding to the collision direction and torque vectoring control that implements yaw motion. Claim 10 A method for controlling an active safety system of a vehicle, comprising: a step in which a control unit of the active safety system of a vehicle detects surrounding information of the vehicle through a sensor unit; a step in which the control unit wirelessly communicates with road facilities or other vehicles around the vehicle through a communication unit; a step in which the control unit determines the possibility of a collision and whether a collision has occurred based on information acquired through the sensor unit and the communication unit; and a step in which the control unit actively integrates and controls the behavior of the vehicle's chassis components and safety device to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision based on the determination result; wherein the integrated control step is characterized by selectively controlling actuators installed for suspension adjustment for each wheel to raise the vehicle body height in response to the collision direction, and performing torque vectoring control to control the driving torque or braking torque of each wheel to implement a yaw motion that can avoid or minimize the impact of the vehicle, and wherein the driving torque of the inner wheel is reduced and the driving torque of the outer wheel is increased based on the rotational direction of the yaw motion. Claim 11 A method for controlling an active safety system of a vehicle, characterized in that, in the step of actively and integrally controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit determines a route for the avoidance operation when it is determined to perform an avoidance operation, and integrally controls the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle to drive the vehicle along the avoidance route. Claim 12 A method for controlling an active safety system of a vehicle, wherein, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety device of the vehicle, the control unit rotates the airbag in advance toward the passenger at a specific angle in conjunction with the passenger's behavior to avoid a collision or reduce injury to the passenger caused by a collision, and deploys the airbag, and adjusts the cushion thickness of the airbag in response to the passenger. Claim 13 delete Claim 14 delete Claim 15 A method for controlling an active safety system of a vehicle, wherein, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit subdivides the situation before and after a collision into stages to avoid a collision or reduce passenger injury caused by a collision, and actively performs behavior control corresponding to each stage. Claim 16 A method for controlling an active safety system of a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety device of the vehicle, the control unit performs behavior control by collision index or step corresponding to the collision probability or collision occurrence rate of the vehicle, wherein the collision probability or collision occurrence rate of the vehicle is calculated based on surrounding environment information including the vehicle driving speed, the speed, direction, and size of a target, and obstacles capable of secondary collision, and wherein the collision index or step is divided into at least three steps (Index 0 to 3). Claim 17 In claim 15, in the step of actively integrating and controlling the behavior of the chassis components and safety devices of the vehicle, the control unit performs behavior control operations according to subdivided steps for each collision situation, wherein in Step 1 (Index 0), it performs calculation of an avoidance path and avoidance simulation, and accordingly controls the behavior in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision; in Step 2 (Index 1), it drives passive safety devices, but in the event of a non-collision, it activates an active seatbelt to restrain the passenger's behavior, and in the event of a collision, it controls the airbag to deploy by pre-adjusting its size and deployment angle in response to the passenger's behavior; and in Step 3 (Index 2), regardless of whether a collision occurs, it induces behavior by controlling steering, braking, and driving force in a direction to avoid obstacles that may cause a secondary collision, and in addition to the operation of the safety devices in Steps 1 and 2, it integrates and implements suspension control that adjusts the height of the vehicle body corresponding to the collision direction and torque vectoring control that implements yaw motion. Control method of a safety system.

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