Adaptive Airbag Deployment for Occupant Posture and Seat Position
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbag systems fail to provide adaptive protection for occupants in different seat positions and sitting postures, especially with the changes brought about by autonomous driving.
Innovation Solution
An in-vehicle observation system acquires occupant posture and seat data, combined with a collision prediction system to formulate a deployment strategy for inflatable airbag assemblies, adjusting inflation volume based on seat position and posture, and optionally pre-inflating airbags for awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If airbag assemblies work independently without coordination, then the system structure is simple, but the system cannot provide adaptive protection for occupants in different seat positions and sitting postures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple airbag assemblies into a coordinated system where they work together rather than independently. The control unit integrates data from multiple sensors and coordinates deployment across different airbag assemblies based on occupant position, posture, and collision characteristics, creating a unified adaptive protection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts airbag deployment strategies based on real-time sensor data including occupant position, sitting posture, and collision characteristics. The control unit modifies deployment timing, sequence, and which specific airbag assemblies deploy based on the dynamic situation, enabling adaptive protection for varying occupant configurations.
2Reliability
If airbags are deployed without considering occupant position and posture, then the response time is fast, but the protection effectiveness is reduced for occupants in different seat positions and sitting postures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of occupant position and posture using sensors before a collision occurs. This pre-positioning of data allows the control unit to rapidly determine the appropriate deployment strategy during a collision event, reducing decision time while maintaining protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors occupant position, posture, and vehicle dynamics through multiple sensors, providing real-time feedback to the control unit. This feedback loop enables the system to adjust deployment strategies dynamically based on the actual situation, ensuring effective protection while maintaining rapid response capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides adaptive protection by optimizing airbag deployment strategies based on real-time occupant and seat data, ensuring effective protection in various collision scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
an airbag assembly configured to be inflated in the event of a collision and provide protection for an occupant
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided a system for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag, which can provide adaptive protection for occupants in different seat positions and different sitting postures. Further, there is provided a method for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag. Further, there is provided a computer-readable medium. The system for improving safety of an occupant by an airbag includes an in-vehicle observation system (1), an inflatable restraint system (2), a collision prediction system (4), and an integrated safety domain control unit (3). The integrated safety domain control unit (3) formulates a deployment strategy based on data transmitted from the in-vehicle observation system (1), the inflatable restraint system (2), and the collision prediction system (4), to selectively inflate at least one airbag assembly (21) and control an inflation volume for the airbag assembly (21) to be inflated.