Airbag Deployment Image Verification for Timely Inflation Checks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for verifying the correct deployment of airbag devices are time-consuming and prone to human error due to the need for visual inspection of image sequences, which can lead to inconsistent results.
Innovation Solution
A computer-based system that automatically identifies and measures the geometric extension of the airbag deployment in selected or recognized image regions, comparing it with reference threshold values to determine if the deployment is correct and timely, ensuring the protection of vehicle occupants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual inspection of image sequences is used to verify airbag deployment, then the verification process can be performed with simple equipment, but the process becomes time-consuming and prone to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual visual inspection process with an automated computer-based image analysis system. The computer automatically processes image sequences, identifies the airbag structure, measures its geometric extension, and compares it against reference values, eliminating human operators from the verification process and thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The verification system performs self-assessment by automatically analyzing images, measuring airbag deployment parameters, and determining compliance without external human intervention. The computer system serves itself by executing the entire verification workflow autonomously, from image processing to compliance determination, which improves both speed and consistency.
2Measurement precision
If manual visual evaluation of image sequences is performed, then equipment complexity is minimized, but measurement precision and consistency deteriorate due to human perception errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes human visual evaluation with computer-based image analysis algorithms. The computer automatically measures the geometric extension of the airbag in images, comparing it against reference threshold values with high precision. This automated measurement system eliminates human perception errors and provides consistent, repeatable results across multiple tests.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital representation of the airbag deployment by processing image data to extract geometric extension measurements. This digital copy of the physical deployment is then analyzed and compared against reference values, enabling precise measurement without physical contact and ensuring measurement consistency.
3Reliability
If repeated testing of airbag deployment is performed to ensure reliability, then verification thoroughness is improved, but productivity decreases due to the time required for multiple manual evaluations
Solution Approach 1:
The automated computer-based system enables continuous processing of image sequences without interruption. Multiple images can be analyzed in rapid succession, and the system can automatically perform multiple tests back-to-back without the setup and teardown time required for manual evaluation. This continuous automated operation maintains high reliability through repeated testing while significantly improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
By replacing manual evaluation with automated computer processing, the system can rapidly execute multiple verification tests in sequence. The computer processes images and performs measurements much faster than human operators, enabling high-throughput testing that maintains statistical reliability while increasing overall verification productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for checking the correct deployment of an airbag device comprises, in a vehicle or test vehicle model, optionally arranging a dummy or model of a vehicle occupant in the vicinity of the airbag device, triggering the deployment of the air chamber of the airbag device, taking at least one image of a scene including the air chamber at a plurality of discrete times following the triggering of its deployment and verifying the volume of inflation and/or deployment of the air chamber at the plurality of discrete times following the triggering of its deployment on the basis of the at least one image.