ESC Sensor Passenger Detection Fail-Safe Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing passenger occupancy detection systems face reliability issues due to sensor failures, which can lead to non-deployment of airbags and false alarms, potentially causing passenger injury or safety concerns, especially when weight sensors or ultrasonic sensors malfunction.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes an electronic stability control (ESC) sensor, specifically a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) acceleration sensor, to detect vehicle acceleration changes, replacing or supplementing weight and ultrasonic sensors, and implementing a Fail-Safe mechanism to enhance sensor reliability and accuracy for passenger detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If weight detection sensor or ultrasonic sensor is used for passenger occupancy detection, then passenger detection capability is improved, but sensor reliability deteriorates due to sensor failures and malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (weight detection sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and acceleration sensor) into an integrated passenger occupancy detection system. The controller processes signals from all sensors to determine passenger presence, classification, and motion state, ensuring that if one sensor fails, other sensors can compensate to maintain reliable detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes acceleration sensor data to detect changes in vehicle acceleration caused by passenger boarding, exiting, or motion. By monitoring acceleration parameter changes rather than relying solely on static weight or ultrasonic reflections, the system achieves more reliable dynamic passenger detection that is less susceptible to sensor failures.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used for accurate passenger detection, then detection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acceleration sensor serves multiple functions within the system: detecting passenger boarding/exiting events, determining passenger classification (child/adult), and monitoring passenger motion state. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated sensors for each detection task, thereby managing system complexity while maintaining high detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that integrates and processes signals from multiple sensors. It combines weight sensor data, ultrasonic sensor data, and acceleration sensor data to make comprehensive passenger detection decisions, simplifying the overall system architecture by centralizing the processing logic rather than requiring complex direct sensor-to-actuator connections.
3Reliability
If specialized passenger detection sensors are used, then passenger safety detection is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acceleration sensor, which is a standard component in modern vehicles for other safety systems, is repurposed to perform passenger occupancy detection functions. This eliminates the need to add specialized dedicated sensors, thereby maintaining high safety detection reliability while avoiding additional component costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's existing acceleration sensor, originally designed for other purposes, is utilized to provide passenger detection functionality. The sensor essentially serves itself by providing data that benefits multiple vehicle systems including passenger occupancy detection, airbag control, and stability control, thereby eliminating the need for separate dedicated detection hardware.
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
This approach improves the reliability and accuracy of passenger detection, preventing airbag non-deployment and false alarms, while reducing costs by using basic ESC sensors, and enabling cooperative control for chassis-integrated systems like electronic controlled suspension and traction control.
Implementation Method 1
determine an acceleration sensor value indicating vehicle acceleration change when the vehicle is stopped, and distinguish an in-vehicle passenger for the passenger to implement passenger safety with the acceleration sensor value
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger occupancy detection system is provided that implements a sensor-connected passenger detection method. The system includes that a sensor controller that reads a sensor value using an ESC as an acceleration sensor when a vehicle is stopped and distinguishes an in-vehicle passenger with a vehicle acceleration change by the sensor value. The operations of a rear-seat passenger notification system 200 and a passenger-seat occupant classification advanced airbag system 300 are connected by the distinguishing the in-vehicle passenger, enhancing the sensor reliability by providing Fail-Safe together with increasing the accuracy of the passenger detection utilizing longitudinal/lateral accelerations/yaw rate information.