Vehicle Damage Detection via Vibration Signal Subtraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airbag control systems and sensors are inadequate in detecting minor vehicle damage, particularly in areas like doors, luggage racks, or fenders, which can only be revealed through characteristic vibrations during driving, posing a safety risk for occupants.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing existing vehicle sensors to read and evaluate body and chassis vibrations, subtracting chassis vibrations from body sensor signals to isolate damage-specific signals, and employing signal preprocessing and pattern recognition to identify and locate damage, thereby enhancing safety without adding complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing vehicle sensors are used to detect minor damage, then detection capability for hard-to-detect damage is improved, but the ability to distinguish between normal driving vibrations and damage-induced vibrations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vibration signal analysis into two distinct components: body sensor signals (capturing local vibrations including potential damage) and chassis sensor signals (capturing road-induced vibrations). By separating these signal sources and processing them independently before comparison, the system can isolate damage-specific vibrations from normal driving vibrations, resolving the contradiction between detection sensitivity and signal distinction capability.
2Measurement precision
If chassis vibrations are subtracted from body sensor signals to isolate damage-specific signals, then measurement precision is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the control unit multi-functional by enabling it to perform both traditional airbag safety assessments and new damage detection functions using the same sensor inputs and processing architecture. The existing body and chassis sensors, originally designed for collision detection, are repurposed to also detect minor damage through vibration analysis, eliminating the need for separate dedicated hardware and reducing overall system complexity despite the enhanced processing requirements.
3Reliability
If signal preprocessing and pattern recognition are employed to identify damage, then detection reliability is improved, but computational requirements and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by continuously pre-processing and analyzing vibration signals in real-time during normal vehicle operation. The control unit constantly monitors body and chassis sensor data, pre-computing vibration patterns and comparing them against stored damage patterns. This continuous preliminary analysis ensures that when damage occurs, detection can happen immediately without requiring extensive post-event processing, thus maintaining high reliability while minimizing detection time.
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 allows for the detection of hard-to-detect vehicle damage, improving occupant safety by distinguishing between normal driving vibrations and damage-induced vibrations, using existing sensors to enhance safety without increasing data processing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a body sensor signal is read in via an interface to a body sensor of the vehicle. The body sensor signal represents at least one body vibration recorded in the body area. A chassis sensor signal is furthermore read in via an interface to a chassis sensor of the vehicle, which represents at least one chassis vibration recorded in the chassis area.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting a damage to a vehicle. The method includes a reading-in step and an evaluation step. In the reading-in step, a body sensor signal is read in via an interface to a body sensor of the vehicle, the body sensor signal representing at least one body vibration recorded in the body area. A chassis sensor signal is furthermore read in via an interface to a chassis sensor of the vehicle, which represents at least one chassis vibration recorded in the chassis area. In the evaluation step, the body sensor signal and the chassis sensor signal are evaluated to obtain an evaluation result representing the damage.