Airbag control unit and vehicle safety monitoring system and monitoring method

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present invention are an airbag control unit and a vehicle safety monitoring system and monitoring method. The airbag control unit has a passive safety mode for use during vehicle driving and a sentry mode for use after the vehicle is parked and powered off. The airbag control unit comprises a processing module, which is configured to: in response to a sentry mode activation signal, acquire a longitudinal acceleration, a lateral acceleration and a vertical acceleration of the vehicle; compare each acceleration with a corresponding acceleration threshold to obtain a comparison result, and acquire from a vehicle camera module a detection result for a target object around the vehicle; on the basis of the comparison result and / or the detection result, determine a potential safety event of the vehicle and a severity level of the event; and send information of the determined potential safety event and the severity level thereof to a communication unit of the vehicle, so that the communication unit sends same to a cloud server and / or a vehicle user's electronic device.

Description

Airbag control unit, vehicle safety monitoring system and monitoring method Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the technical field of vehicle safety monitoring. Specifically, this invention relates to a system and method for vehicle safety monitoring, and also to an airbag control unit. Background Technology

[0002] Sentry mode for vehicles typically uses a camera system installed on the vehicle to monitor its surroundings in real time to detect suspicious behavior or security threats. This mode is particularly useful when the vehicle is parked and unattended.

[0003] However, existing solutions for implementing Sentry Mode still face some challenges. For example, current solutions require the camera to be on 24 / 7, which significantly increases the vehicle's energy consumption, especially for electric or hybrid vehicles, potentially impacting their driving range.

[0004] In addition, the large amount of video data captured by the camera requires powerful chips for real-time processing. This necessitates the deployment of chips with high computing power and the ability to efficiently process video data in vehicles, which will increase the hardware and software costs of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In this context, the present invention aims to provide a Sentry Mode implemented using the vehicle's airbag control unit.

[0006] Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a safety airbag control unit for a vehicle is provided, having a passive safety mode suitable for use while the vehicle is in motion and a sentry mode suitable for use after the vehicle has stopped and the engine is turned off. The safety airbag control unit includes a processing module configured to: in response to a sentry mode activation signal, acquire the longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, and vertical acceleration of the vehicle; compare each acceleration with a corresponding acceleration threshold to obtain a comparison result, and acquire detection results of target objects around the vehicle from a vehicle camera module; determine potential safety events of the vehicle and the severity level of such events based on the comparison results and / or the detection results; and send the determined potential safety events and their severity levels to a communication unit of the vehicle, so that the communication unit can send them to a cloud server and / or the vehicle user's electronic device.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle safety monitoring method is provided, comprising: activating a sentry mode of a vehicle airbag control unit and generating a sentry mode activation signal; in response to the sentry mode activation signal, acquiring longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, and vertical acceleration of the vehicle; comparing each acceleration with a corresponding acceleration threshold to obtain a comparison result, and acquiring detection results of target objects around the vehicle from a vehicle camera module; determining potential safety events of the vehicle and the severity level of the events based on the comparison results and / or detection results; and sending the determined potential safety events and their severity levels to a communication unit of the vehicle, so that the communication unit can send them to a cloud server and / or the vehicle user's electronic device.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a machine-readable storage medium is provided that stores executable instructions, which, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the method described above.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product is provided, which includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the method described above.

[0010] The foregoing provides a summary of the main aspects of the invention to enable a basic understanding of these aspects. This summary is not intended to describe all key or essential elements of the invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of any or all aspects of the invention. The purpose of this summary is to present some implementations of these aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the detailed description that follows. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The technical solution of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that these drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle safety monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 illustrates one implementation of the airbag control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a vehicle safety monitoring method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] Figure 1 illustrates a vehicle safety monitoring system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which includes: an airbag control unit 10, a sensor unit 20, a camera unit 30, a body control unit 40, and a communication unit 50. The airbag control unit 10 and the sensor unit 20 can be installed in the vehicle's airbag system and implemented by means of the airbag control unit and the collision sensor unit in the airbag system, respectively.

[0017] Figure 2 illustrates one implementation of the airbag control unit 10. As shown in Figure 2, the airbag control unit 10 has a first power port 10A and a second power port 10B. The first power port 10A is connected to the vehicle's KL15 power supply (which can be understood as the vehicle's main power supply, activated when the vehicle is running) so that the airbag control unit 10 receives power from the KL15 power supply after the vehicle is ignited and the engine is started. The second power port 10B is connected to the vehicle's KL30 power supply (the vehicle's battery power supply, which can be understood as a constant power supply) so that the airbag control unit 10 receives power from the KL30 power supply during periods when the vehicle is off and parked for an extended period of time.

[0018] Thus, by having two power ports and connecting to two power sources with different power modes, the airbag control unit 10 can obtain a 24-hour uninterrupted power supply.

[0019] Referring again to Figure 2, the airbag control unit 10 has a passive safety mode MODE_1 for use while the vehicle is in motion and a sentry mode MODE_2 for use while the vehicle is stationary. While the vehicle is in motion, the airbag control unit 10 is powered by the KL15 power supply and performs functions related to passive safety (functions related to collision detection and protection during vehicle operation). While the vehicle is stationary, the airbag control unit 10 is powered by the KL30 power supply and performs functions related to safety monitoring.

[0020] In one embodiment, the airbag control unit 10 may be implemented as including: a mode determination module 11, an initialization module 12, and a processing module 13. It should be understood that the naming of these modules is functional and not intended to limit their implementation or physical location. For example, these modules may be implemented on the same chip or circuit, or on different chips or circuits. Furthermore, these modules may be further divided into multiple sub-modules or merged into a single module based on their functions.

[0021] These modules can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both. For hardware implementations, they can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), data signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic units designed to perform their functions, or combinations thereof. For software implementations, they can be implemented using microcode, program code, or code segments, and can also be stored in machine-readable storage media such as storage components.

[0022] Sensor unit 20 includes sensors for sensing the vehicle's acceleration in the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions. For example, sensor unit 20 includes a longitudinal acceleration sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, and a vertical acceleration sensor. Sensor unit 20 is communicatively connected to airbag control unit 10 and transmits the sensed vehicle acceleration in the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions to airbag control unit 10. In one embodiment, sensor unit 20 further includes a water pressure sensor disposed at the bottom of the vehicle for detecting water pressure at the bottom of the vehicle and outputting a pressure signal. This pressure signal can be used to determine whether the vehicle has waded through water and the wading depth.

[0023] The camera unit 30 can interact with the airbag control unit 10 via the vehicle bus. The camera unit 30 includes a camera for detecting the vehicle's surrounding environment and a processor capable of executing a target recognition algorithm according to embodiments of the present invention. The camera unit 30 can be implemented using an environmental camera and processing chip from a vehicle's driver assistance system.

[0024] After the vehicle is parked and the engine is turned off, the camera unit 30 is normally in a dormant state, only activating when it receives an activation signal from the airbag control unit 10. One implementation involves the airbag control unit 10 continuously sending activation signals to the camera unit 30 to keep it operational. When the airbag control unit 10 stops sending activation signals, the camera unit 30 returns to a dormant state. The airbag control unit 10 can also stop sending activation signals to the camera unit 30 after receiving a target recognition result from it. Another implementation involves the airbag control unit 10 sending an activation signal to the camera unit 30 once, and then keeping it operational for a predetermined duration. During this duration, the camera unit 30 sends the target recognition result to the airbag control unit 10. After this predetermined duration, if the camera unit 30 does not receive another activation signal from the airbag control unit 10, it enters a dormant state.

[0025] The Body Control Module (BCM or BCU) 40 can interact with the Airbag Control Unit 10 via the vehicle bus. The BCM 40 controls and manages various vehicle body functions, such as the switching and adjustment of lights, windows, door locks, windshield wipers, and rearview mirrors. The BCM 40 can provide the Airbag Control Unit 10 with door lock status signals, window status signals, and so on.

[0026] The communication unit 50 is used to exchange information with external devices of the vehicle, such as the cloud server 200 and the vehicle's user equipment 300. The communication unit 50 can be implemented using the vehicle's T-Box.

[0027] Figure 3 illustrates a vehicle safety monitoring method 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This method 300 can be implemented by the aforementioned vehicle safety monitoring system 100 or airbag control unit 10.

[0028] Referring to Figure 3, in block 302, the mode determination module 11 determines whether to activate the sentry mode and generates a sentry mode activation signal when it is determined that the sentry mode is activated. For example, the mode determination module 11 can activate the sentry mode when it detects that the vehicle status meets predetermined sentry mode activation conditions. The predetermined sentry mode activation conditions may include: the vehicle is turned off, the driver has left the vehicle, and the doors are closed. The mode determination module 11 can also activate the sentry mode in response to a request from the vehicle user. For example, the vehicle driver may request to activate the sentry mode via the vehicle's HMI after parking the vehicle and before leaving the vehicle.

[0029] In one embodiment, the mode determination module 11 determines to activate the sentry mode when all of the following conditions are met: 1) a request signal indicating that the driver requests to activate the sentry mode is received; 2) the vehicle is stationary; 3) the vehicle is turned off; 4) the airbag control unit 10 is disconnected from the power supply of KL15 and receives power supply from the power supply of KL30; 5) no one is in the vehicle; 6) the doors are locked.

[0030] It should be understood that various means or signals on the vehicle bus can be used to detect whether conditions 1)-6) are met. This invention does not limit the specific means of detecting whether conditions 1)-6) are met.

[0031] If the mode determination module 11 determines that the sentry mode is not enabled, then after the vehicle stops and the engine is turned off, the process proceeds to box 304.

[0032] In frame 304, the airbag control unit 10 enters a dormant state.

[0033] If the mode determination module 11 determines that the sentry mode is enabled, then after the vehicle stops and the engine is turned off, the process proceeds to box 306.

[0034] In box 306, initialization module 12 performs sentry mode initialization. Sentry mode initialization can be viewed as the process of setting up and preparing the sentry mode operating environment in the vehicle system. This initialization includes hardware initialization and software initialization.

[0035] During hardware initialization, initialization module 12 checks and configures the hardware components required to implement sentry mode. These hardware components include, but are not limited to: 1) sensors, such as accelerometers and cameras, where hardware initialization ensures that the sensors are correctly connected and in a state where they can receive and transmit signals; 2) chips, such as chips specifically designed to process data related to sentry mode, such as microprocessors and image processors, where hardware initialization configures the operating modes, clock frequencies, memory allocations, and other parameters of these chips to ensure that they can efficiently perform sentry mode tasks; and 3) communication modules (e.g., communication unit 50), which are configured during initialization.

[0036] During software initialization, the initialization module 12 loads a series of software operations to ensure that the Sentinel mode functionality can be achieved. These software operations include, but are not limited to: 1) loading firmware and drivers related to Sentinel mode to ensure that the operating system can recognize and control the relevant hardware components; 2) configuring software parameters, such as multiple thresholds involved in Sentinel mode, to ensure that Sentinel mode can operate as designed; 3) starting services and processes. Sentinel mode requires multiple services and processes to work together, and software initialization starts these services and processes and allocates necessary resources to them.

[0037] In block 308, processing module 13 determines a potential safety event and its severity level based on the detection results of vehicle acceleration from sensor unit 20 and / or the detection results of target objects from camera unit 30. Sensor unit 20 detects the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration (i.e., sideways acceleration), and vertical acceleration in real time, and processing unit 13 acquires the detected accelerations in real time. Camera unit 30 detects target objects (e.g., people, trailers, or moving objects) around the vehicle only after being activated, and processing unit 13 acquires the detection results of target objects around the vehicle.

[0038] Below, we will introduce some specific examples of box 308.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] In one embodiment, referring to block 3081, processing module 13 determines whether the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is greater than a first longitudinal acceleration threshold, and whether the integral value of the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration over a first predetermined time period is greater than a first longitudinal acceleration integral threshold. If both determinations are affirmative, the vehicle's vertical acceleration is compared with a first vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result is that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the first vertical acceleration threshold, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a frontal or rear-end collision event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be high. If the comparison result is that the vertical acceleration is less than or equal to the first vertical acceleration threshold, no potential safety event is determined, and only the relevant data of this process is recorded and saved as historical data.

[0041] According to the embodiment in block 3081, the vehicle's motion state is comprehensively judged to be similar to the state at the time of a collision by combining longitudinal (i.e., the vehicle's direction of travel) acceleration and its integral, as well as vertical (i.e., the vehicle's vertical direction, perpendicular to the ground) acceleration. This approach is advantageous. Longitudinal acceleration refers to the rate of change of the vehicle's velocity along its direction of travel (e.g., forward or backward). By monitoring longitudinal acceleration and its integral, it is possible to preliminarily determine whether the vehicle has experienced a frontal or rear-end collision. Furthermore, if the detected vertical acceleration (i.e., vibration) exceeds a preset threshold, and this vibration is synchronous with the longitudinal acceleration event in time, then it can be further confirmed that the vehicle has indeed collided. Therefore, combining longitudinal acceleration and its integral, as well as the vertical motion state, for comprehensive judgment can greatly improve the accuracy and efficiency of collision detection. This method not only considers the velocity change in the vehicle's direction of travel but also the vertical vibration that may occur during a collision, thus enabling a more comprehensive and accurate judgment of whether a collision has occurred.

[0042] Example 2

[0043] In one embodiment, referring to block 3082, the processing module 13 determines whether the vehicle's lateral acceleration is greater than a first lateral acceleration threshold, and whether the integral value of the vehicle's lateral acceleration over a first predetermined time period is greater than a first lateral acceleration integral threshold. If both determinations are affirmative, the vehicle's vertical acceleration is compared with a first vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result is that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the first vertical acceleration threshold, it is determined that a side collision event may have occurred, and the severity level of the event is set to high. If the comparison result is that the vertical acceleration is less than or equal to the first vertical acceleration threshold, no potential safety event is determined, and only the relevant data of this process is recorded and saved as historical data.

[0044] According to the embodiment in block 3082, the vehicle's motion state is comprehensively determined by combining lateral (i.e., the vehicle's direction of travel) acceleration and its integral, as well as vertical (i.e., the vehicle's vertical direction, perpendicular to the ground) acceleration, to determine whether it resembles the state at the time of a collision. This approach is advantageous. Lateral acceleration refers to the rate of change of the vehicle's velocity in the lateral direction. By monitoring lateral acceleration and its integral, it is possible to preliminarily determine whether the vehicle has experienced a side impact. Furthermore, if the detected vertical acceleration (i.e., vibration) exceeds a preset threshold, and this vibration is synchronous with the lateral acceleration event in time, then it can be further confirmed that the vehicle has indeed collided. Therefore, combining lateral acceleration and its integral, as well as the vertical motion state, for comprehensive judgment can greatly improve the accuracy and efficiency of collision detection. This method not only considers the lateral velocity change of the vehicle but also the vertical vibration that may occur during a collision, thus enabling a more comprehensive and accurate determination of whether a collision has occurred.

[0045] In the description of reference boxes 3081 and 3082 above, multiple thresholds and predetermined values ​​are involved, such as a first longitudinal acceleration threshold, a first lateral acceleration threshold, a first predetermined duration, etc. These thresholds and predetermined values ​​are derived from vehicle collision test results (in the collision test, the scenario of the vehicle being collided with other vehicles at different speeds is simulated, and various dynamic response data of the vehicle under these scenarios, including acceleration) and model calculations (using vehicle dynamics models and collision mechanics models, etc., for simulation calculations) and can be used as boundaries to determine whether a collision event has occurred.

[0046] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, the sensitivity of the system is defined by combining multiple thresholds or predetermined values ​​(e.g., a first longitudinal acceleration threshold and a first predetermined duration), that is, it can respond quickly while avoiding unnecessary responses in non-collision situations.

[0047] Additionally, the processing module 13 can adjust the sensitivity of detecting frontal or rear-end collisions by adjusting the first longitudinal acceleration threshold and / or the first predetermined duration. For example, decreasing the first longitudinal acceleration threshold and / or the first predetermined duration can make the detection of frontal or rear-end collisions more sensitive. Increasing the first longitudinal acceleration threshold and / or the first predetermined duration can make the detection of frontal or rear-end collisions slightly less sensitive.

[0048] Additionally, the processing module 13 can adjust the sensitivity of side collision detection by adjusting the first lateral acceleration threshold and / or the first predetermined duration. For example, decreasing the first lateral acceleration threshold and / or the first predetermined duration can make side collision detection more sensitive. Increasing the first lateral acceleration threshold and / or the first predetermined duration can make side collision detection slightly less sensitive.

[0049] Example 3

[0050] In one embodiment, referring to block 3083, the processing module 13 calculates the vehicle's pitch angle based on the vehicle's longitudinal and vertical accelerations, and determines whether the calculated pitch angle exceeds a pitch angle threshold for a second predetermined duration. If the determination is affirmative, the camera module 30 is activated, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module. If the detection result indicates that a tow truck is present around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have been towed, and the severity level of the event is set to medium. If the detection result indicates that no tow truck is present around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have been towed, and the severity level of the event is set to low.

[0051] The description above, referring to box 3083, involves several thresholds and predetermined values, such as a pitch angle threshold and a second predetermined duration. These thresholds and predetermined values ​​are limits calculated based on test results and models of vehicles being towed, enabling the determination of whether a towing event has occurred. This is because, in a towing scenario, the vehicle's pitch angle changes significantly, especially when the trailer connects to the vehicle and begins to move. Therefore, setting a pitch angle threshold aims to detect whether this change reaches a level sufficient to indicate that the vehicle is being towed. Furthermore, the setting of the second predetermined duration avoids misjudgments due to brief, non-continuous signal changes. Therefore, according to the embodiment in box 3083, situations where a vehicle is towed can be accurately and reliably identified.

[0052] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, the processing module 13 can adjust the sensitivity of detecting a vehicle being towed by a trailer by adjusting the pitch angle threshold and / or the second predetermined duration. For example, decreasing the pitch angle threshold and / or the second predetermined duration can make the detection of a vehicle being towed by a trailer more sensitive. Increasing the pitch angle threshold and / or the second predetermined duration can make the detection of a vehicle being towed by a trailer slightly less sensitive.

[0053] Example 4

[0054] In one embodiment, referring to block 3084, the processing module 13 calculates the vehicle's rollover angle based on the vehicle's lateral and vertical accelerations, and determines whether the calculated rollover angle exceeds a rollover angle threshold for a third predetermined time. If the determination is affirmative, the camera module 30 is activated, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module. If the detection result indicates that there are people around the vehicle, it is determined that a tire removal incident may have occurred, and the severity level of the incident is determined to be medium. If the detection result indicates that there are no people around the vehicle, it is still determined that a tire removal incident may have occurred, and the severity level of the incident is determined to be low.

[0055] In the description above referring to box 3084, several thresholds and predetermined values ​​are involved, such as a rollover angle threshold and a third predetermined duration. These thresholds and predetermined values ​​are limits that can determine whether a tire removal event has occurred on the vehicle, calculated based on the test results and models of tire removal of the vehicle. The rollover angle threshold refers to the threshold at which the vehicle's tilt angle on one side (left or right) reaches, indicating that the vehicle may be experiencing a tire removal event. The setting of the third predetermined duration can avoid misjudgment due to brief, non-continuous signal changes. Therefore, according to the embodiment in box 3084, the situation of tire removal of the vehicle can be accurately and reliably identified.

[0056] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, the processing module 13 can adjust the sensitivity of detecting a vehicle tire removal event by adjusting the rollover angle threshold and / or the third predetermined duration. For example, decreasing the rollover angle threshold and / or the third predetermined duration makes the detection of a vehicle tire removal more sensitive. Increasing the rollover angle threshold and / or the third predetermined duration makes the detection of a vehicle tire removal slightly less sensitive.

[0057] Example 5

[0058] In one embodiment, referring to block 3085, when the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is less than a second longitudinal acceleration threshold, the processing module 13 calculates the integral value of the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration within a first time window and compares this integral value with a short-time longitudinal integral value threshold. If the comparison result shows that the integral value is greater than the short-time longitudinal integral value threshold, the vehicle's vertical acceleration is further compared with a second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, the camera module 30 is activated, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module 30. If the detection result shows that there are moving objects around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient longitudinal security threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result shows that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient longitudinal security threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be low.

[0059] The second longitudinal acceleration threshold is less than the first longitudinal acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is less than the second longitudinal acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is significantly lower than the longitudinal acceleration level at the time of a collision. Similarly, the second vertical acceleration threshold is less than the first vertical acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's vertical acceleration is less than the second vertical acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is significantly lower than the vertical acceleration level at the time of a collision.

[0060] In this embodiment, using a second vertical acceleration threshold helps filter out some interfering factors that cause slight vibrations in the vehicle. For example, when a large truck passes by, it may cause longitudinal acceleration in the vehicle. To avoid misjudging acceleration changes caused by such minor external disturbances, a second vertical acceleration threshold is set to filter out these minor disturbances.

[0061] According to embodiments of the present invention, a transient safety threat event in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle refers to an impact or micro-collision that occurs suddenly within a short period of time and affects the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. For example, the front or rear bumpers of a vehicle are kicked.

[0062] Example 6

[0063] In one embodiment, referring to block 3086, when the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is less than a second longitudinal acceleration threshold, the processing module 13 calculates the integral value of the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration within a second time window and compares this integral value with a long-term longitudinal integral value threshold. The length of the second time window is longer than the length of the first time window. If the comparison result shows that the integral value is greater than the long-term longitudinal integral value threshold, the vehicle's vertical acceleration is further compared with a second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, the camera module 30 is activated, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module 30. If the detection result shows that there are moving objects around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent longitudinal security threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result shows that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent longitudinal security threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be low.

[0064] The second longitudinal acceleration threshold is less than the first longitudinal acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is less than the second longitudinal acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is significantly lower than the longitudinal acceleration level at the time of a collision. Similarly, the second vertical acceleration threshold is less than the first vertical acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's vertical acceleration is less than the second vertical acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is significantly lower than the vertical acceleration level at the time of a collision.

[0065] In this embodiment, using a second vertical acceleration threshold helps filter out some interfering factors that cause slight vibrations in the vehicle. For example, when a large truck passes by, it may cause longitudinal acceleration in the vehicle. To avoid misjudging acceleration changes caused by such minor external disturbances, a second vertical acceleration threshold is set to filter out these minor disturbances.

[0066] According to embodiments of the present invention, a persistent safety threat event in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle refers to an impact or micro-collision that occurs in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle over a period of time. For example, someone forcefully pushing or pulling the front or rear of the vehicle.

[0067] Example 7

[0068] In one embodiment, referring to block 3087, when the vehicle's lateral acceleration is less than a second lateral acceleration threshold, the processing module 13 calculates the integral value of the vehicle's lateral acceleration within a first time window and compares this integral value with a short-time lateral integral value threshold. If the comparison result is that the integral value is greater than the short-time lateral integral value threshold, the vehicle's vertical acceleration is further compared with a second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result is that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, the camera module 30 is activated, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module 30. If the detection result shows that there are moving objects around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient lateral safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result shows that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient lateral safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be low.

[0069] The second lateral acceleration threshold is less than the first lateral acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's lateral acceleration is less than the second lateral acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's lateral acceleration is significantly lower than the lateral acceleration level at the time of a collision. Similarly, the second vertical acceleration threshold is less than the first vertical acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's vertical acceleration is less than the second vertical acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is significantly lower than the vertical acceleration level at the time of a collision.

[0070] In this embodiment, using a second vertical acceleration threshold helps filter out some interfering factors that cause slight vibrations in the vehicle. For example, when a large truck passes by, it may cause lateral acceleration in the vehicle. To avoid misjudging acceleration changes caused by such minor external disturbances, a second vertical acceleration threshold is set to filter out these minor disturbances.

[0071] According to embodiments of the present invention, a transient safety threat event to a vehicle in the lateral direction refers to a sudden impact or minor collision that occurs within a short period of time to the side of the vehicle. For example, a side window of a vehicle being struck.

[0072] Example 8

[0073] In one embodiment, referring to block 3088, when the vehicle's lateral acceleration is less than a second lateral acceleration threshold, the processing module 13 calculates the integral value of the vehicle's lateral acceleration within a second time window and compares this integral value with a long-term lateral integral value threshold. The length of the second time window is longer than the length of the first time window. If the comparison result shows that the integral value is greater than the long-term lateral integral value threshold, the vehicle's vertical acceleration is further compared with a second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, the camera module 30 is activated, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module 30. If the detection result shows that there are moving objects around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent lateral safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result shows that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent lateral safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be low.

[0074] The second lateral acceleration threshold is less than the first lateral acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's lateral acceleration is less than the second lateral acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's lateral acceleration is significantly lower than the lateral acceleration level at the time of a collision. Similarly, the second vertical acceleration threshold is less than the first vertical acceleration threshold. When the vehicle's vertical acceleration is less than the second vertical acceleration threshold, it means that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is significantly lower than the vertical acceleration level at the time of a collision.

[0075] In this embodiment, using a second vertical acceleration threshold helps filter out some interfering factors that cause slight vibrations in the vehicle. For example, when a large truck passes by, it may cause lateral acceleration in the vehicle. To avoid misjudging acceleration changes caused by such minor external disturbances, a second vertical acceleration threshold is set to filter out these minor disturbances.

[0076] According to embodiments of the present invention, a persistent lateral safety threat event to a vehicle refers to an impact or minor collision that occurs over a period of time in the lateral direction. For example, someone continuously and forcefully pulling on a car door handle.

[0077] It should be understood that in the above embodiments, multiple predetermined durations and multiple time windows are involved. Their durations are preset according to the specific scenario, and their durations may be the same or different.

[0078] In addition, after identifying a potential safety incident involving the vehicle and its severity level, the communication unit 50 sends the identified potential safety incident and its severity level to the cloud server 200 and / or the user equipment 300. One implementation is that the communication unit 50 sends the identified potential safety incident and its severity level to both the cloud server 200 and the user equipment 300. Another implementation is that the communication unit 50 sends the identified potential safety incident and its severity level to the cloud server 200, which then forwards it to the user equipment 300. Yet another implementation is that the communication unit 50 sends the identified potential safety incident and its severity level to the user equipment 300, which then uploads it to the cloud server 200.

[0079] Additionally, after activating Sentry Mode, the processing module 13 also acquires a pressure signal from a water pressure sensor located at the bottom of the vehicle. This pressure signal indicates the depth of water the vehicle is wading through, and the processing module generates an alarm signal indicating that the vehicle is wading through water.

[0080] It should be understood that the operations involved in the above method do not necessarily have to be performed in the precise order described. Instead, multiple operations can be processed in different orders or simultaneously, and operations can be added or omitted.

[0081] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a machine-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the method 300 as described above.

[0082] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer program product including computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the method 300 as described above.

[0083] It should be understood that all operations in the methods described above are merely exemplary, and this disclosure is not limited to any operation in the methods or the order of such operations, but should cover all other equivalent transformations under the same or similar concept.

[0084] It should be understood that a processor can use any combination of one or more of the following: a suitable central processing unit, CPU, multiprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, DSP, application-specific integrated circuit, etc., capable of executing software instructions of a computer program stored in memory. Therefore, memory can be considered part of a computer program product or forming part of a computer program product. The processor can be configured to execute the computer program stored therein to cause the controller to perform the required steps.

[0085] It should be understood that software should be broadly considered as representing instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, running threads, procedures, functions, etc. Software may reside on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media may include, for example, memory, which may be, for example, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic stripes), optical disks, smart cards, flash memory devices, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), registers, or removable disks. Although memory is shown as separate from the processor in several aspects set forth in this disclosure, memory may also reside within the processor (e.g., in caches or registers).

[0086] The above description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to implement the various aspects described herein. The general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the various aspects described herein that are known or would be apparent to those skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims.

Claims

1. An airbag control unit for a vehicle, having a passive safety mode suitable for use while the vehicle is in motion and a sentry mode suitable for use after the vehicle has stopped and the engine is turned off. The airbag control unit includes a processing module configured to: In response to the Sentry Mode activation signal, acquire the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, and vertical acceleration; Each acceleration is compared with its corresponding acceleration threshold to obtain the comparison result, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the vehicle camera module; The potential safety incidents of the vehicle and the severity level of the incident are determined based on the comparison results and / or detection results; as well as Information about identified potential security events and their severity levels is sent to the vehicle's communication unit, which then forwards it to the cloud server and / or the vehicle user's electronic devices.

2. The airbag control unit as described in claim 1, wherein, In the sentry mode, the camera module is typically in a dormant state, and the airbag control unit is configured to: The decision to activate the camera module is based on the comparison results. as well as After the camera module is activated, the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module.

3. The airbag control unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to: Determine whether the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a first longitudinal acceleration threshold, and determine whether the integral value of the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle over a first predetermined time period is greater than the first longitudinal acceleration integral threshold. If both judgments are affirmative, then the vertical acceleration is compared with the first vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vertical acceleration is greater than the first vertical acceleration threshold, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a frontal or rear-end collision, and the severity level of the event is determined to be high.

4. The airbag control unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to: Determine whether the lateral acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a first lateral acceleration threshold, and determine whether the integral value of the lateral acceleration of the vehicle over a first predetermined time period is greater than the first lateral acceleration integral threshold. If both judgments are affirmative, then the vertical acceleration is compared with the first vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vertical acceleration is greater than the first vertical acceleration threshold, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a side collision, and the severity level of the event is determined to be high.

5. The airbag control unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to: The vehicle's pitch angle is calculated based on its longitudinal and vertical acceleration. Determine whether the calculated pitch angle is greater than the pitch angle threshold for a second predetermined duration; If the judgment result is positive, the camera module is activated and the detection results of the target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module; If the detection results indicate that there is a tow truck around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have been towed, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the inspection results show that there are no tow trucks around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have been towed, and the severity level of the event is determined to be low.

6. The airbag control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to: The rollover angle of the vehicle is calculated based on its lateral and vertical acceleration. Determine whether the calculated rollover angle exceeds the rollover angle threshold for a predetermined duration. If the judgment result is positive, the camera module is activated and the detection results of the target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the camera module; If the detection results indicate that there are people around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have had its tires removed, and the severity level of the incident is determined to be medium. If the detection results indicate that no one is around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have had its tires removed, and the severity level of the incident is classified as low.

7. The airbag control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to handle situations where the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is less than a second longitudinal acceleration threshold: Calculate the integral value of the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration within the first time window; Compare this integral value with the short-time longitudinal integral value threshold; If the comparison result shows that the integral value is greater than the short-time longitudinal integral value threshold, then the vehicle's vertical acceleration is compared with the second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, then the camera module is activated and the detection result of the target objects around the vehicle is obtained from the camera module. If the detection result indicates that there is a moving object around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient longitudinal safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result indicates that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient longitudinal safety threat, and the severity level is set to low.

8. The airbag control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to handle situations where the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration is less than a second longitudinal acceleration threshold: Calculate the integral value of the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration within the second time window; Compare this integral value with the long-term longitudinal integral value threshold; If the comparison result shows that the integral value is greater than the long-term longitudinal integral value threshold, then the vehicle's vertical acceleration is compared with the second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, then the camera module is activated and the detection result of the target objects around the vehicle is obtained from the camera module. If the detection results indicate that there are moving objects around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent longitudinal safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result indicates that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent longitudinal safety threat, and the severity level is set to low.

9. The airbag control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to handle situations where the vehicle's lateral acceleration is less than a second lateral acceleration threshold: Calculate the integral value of the vehicle's lateral acceleration within the first time window; Compare this integral value with the short-time lateral integral value threshold; If the comparison result shows that the integral value is greater than the short-time lateral integral value threshold, then the vehicle's vertical acceleration is compared with the second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, then the camera module is activated and the detection result of the target objects around the vehicle is obtained from the camera module. If the detection results indicate that there are moving objects around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient lateral safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result indicates that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a transient lateral safety threat, and the severity level is set to low.

10. The airbag control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to handle situations where the vehicle's lateral acceleration is less than a second lateral acceleration threshold: Calculate the integral value of the vehicle's lateral acceleration within the second time window; Compare this integral value with the long-term lateral integral value threshold; If the comparison result shows that the integral value is greater than the long-term lateral integral value threshold, then the vehicle's vertical acceleration is compared with the second vertical acceleration threshold. If the comparison result shows that the vehicle's vertical acceleration is greater than the second vertical acceleration threshold, then the camera module is activated and the detection result of the target objects around the vehicle is obtained from the camera module. If the detection results indicate that there are moving objects around the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent lateral safety threat event, and the severity level of the event is determined to be medium. If the detection result indicates that there are no moving objects around the vehicle, it is still determined that the vehicle may have experienced a persistent lateral safety threat, and the severity level is set to low.

11. The airbag control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The processing module is configured to: In response to the sentry mode activation signal, it acquires a pressure signal from a water pressure sensor located at the bottom of the vehicle; When the pressure signal indicates that the bottom of the vehicle is submerged in water, an alarm signal indicating that the vehicle is submerged in water is generated.

12. The airbag control unit of claim 1, further comprising a mode determination module configured to: activate the sentry mode and generate a sentry mode activation signal when all of the following conditions are met: - Received a request signal indicating that the driver requests to activate sentry mode; -The vehicle is stationary; -The vehicle is off; - No one was inside the car; - The doors are locked. - The airbag control unit is disconnected from the KL15 power supply and receives power from the KL30 power supply.

13. A vehicle safety monitoring method, comprising: Activate the sentry mode of the vehicle airbag control unit and generate a sentry mode activation signal; In response to the Sentry Mode activation signal, acquire the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, and vertical acceleration; Each acceleration is compared with its corresponding acceleration threshold to obtain the comparison result, and the detection results of target objects around the vehicle are obtained from the vehicle camera module; The potential safety incidents of the vehicle and the severity level of the incident are determined based on the comparison results and / or detection results; as well as Information about identified potential security events and their severity levels is sent to the vehicle's communication unit, which then forwards it to the cloud server and / or the vehicle user's electronic devices.

14. A machine-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the method of claim 13.

15. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the method of claim 13.

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