Adaptive Airbag Hazard Zone Control for Cabin Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to account for varying hazard potentials of objects in a vehicle passenger compartment during airbag deployment, leading to unnecessary or inadequate measures to secure these objects.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines object position, extent, and property information to define a hazard zone based on the object's potential, using sensors and image recognition to issue warnings or control signals for repositioning or securing objects, with escalation measures if necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a fixed safety zone is used for all objects, then the system is simple to implement, but it causes unnecessary measures for low-hazard objects and inadequate protection for high-hazard objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the hazard zone parameters (size, position, shape) based on object properties such as weight, hardness, and size. Instead of using a fixed safety zone for all objects, the system modifies the hazard zone parameters according to the detected object characteristics, enabling differentiated protection levels that match the actual hazard potential of each object.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by making the hazard zone adaptive and variable rather than static. The control device continuously updates the hazard zone definition based on real-time object detection and property assessment, allowing the protection area to dynamically expand or contract depending on the object's hazard potential, thus optimizing both safety and resource utilization.
2Reliability
If the hazard zone is enlarged to cover all possible objects, then all objects are protected, but unnecessary measures are taken for low-hazard objects like plush toys
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the hazard zone parameters based on object properties. For low-hazard objects like plush toys with soft and lightweight characteristics, the hazard zone parameters are adjusted to create a smaller, more targeted protection area, avoiding unnecessary warnings or restrictions that would inconvenience users while maintaining adequate safety coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating differentiated hazard zones tailored to specific object types and their hazard potentials. Instead of applying a uniform large hazard zone to all objects, the system creates localized, customized hazard areas that match the actual risk profile of each object, ensuring safety measures are proportionate to the hazard level.
3Ease of operation
If the hazard zone is reduced for low-hazard objects, then unnecessary measures are avoided, but protection may be insufficient for high-hazard objects
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes hazard zone parameters based on object property assessments. For high-hazard objects characterized by hard, heavy, or sharp properties, the hazard zone parameters are increased to provide expanded protection coverage, ensuring adequate safety measures are triggered while avoiding unnecessary warnings for low-hazard objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The hazard zone implementation is made dynamic, allowing the protection area to automatically expand or contract based on the detected object's hazard potential. This dynamic adjustment ensures that high-hazard objects receive comprehensive protection with appropriately sized hazard zones, while low-hazard objects experience minimal interference, optimizing the balance between safety and user convenience.
4Measurement precision
If object detection and classification systems are enhanced to improve hazard assessment, then safety precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent focuses on detecting and utilizing specific object parameters (weight, hardness, size, shape) that are most relevant to hazard assessment. By concentrating on these key parameters rather than attempting to detect all possible object characteristics, the system achieves high hazard assessment accuracy while keeping the detection system complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by detecting only the essential object properties needed for hazard assessment (such as weight, hardness, and size) rather than attempting to detect and analyze all possible object characteristics. This selective detection approach provides sufficient precision for safety decisions without requiring overly complex detection systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for protecting a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, having the steps of: a) determining an item of object position information relating to a position and an item of object extent information relating to an extent and an item of object property information relating to a property of an object in the passenger compartment, b) determining an item of hazardous area position information relating to a position and an item of hazardous area extent information relating to an extent of a hazardous area, in each case on the basis of the object property information, wherein the hazardous area is that area of the passenger compartment in which triggering of an airbag of the motor vehicle causes a movement of the object that entails a risk of injury to an occupant of the motor vehicle if the object is in the hazardous area, c) checking that a hazard condition is satisfied, which hazard condition is satisfied if the object position information and the object extent information and the hazardous area position information and the hazardous area extent information implies that the object is in the hazardous area, d) generating a control signal which prompts a measure for removing the object from the hazardous area if the hazard condition is satisfied.