DE102007033639A1 - A control system and method for controlling at least one component of an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control system for controlling at least one component (181, 182) of an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle (10), comprising an acceleration sensor (121, 122) configured to accelerate and / or vibrate the motor vehicle (10) detect and output a corresponding sensor signal (131, 132); a bandpass filter (141, 142) connected to the acceleration sensor (121, 122) configured to bandpass the sensor signal (131, 132) and thereby attenuate a defined frequency range of the sensor signal (131, 132); and an evaluation unit (16) connected to the bandpass filter (141, 142) and configured to activate the at least one component (181, 182) of the occupant protection system in response to the bandpass filtered sensor signal (151, 152). The bandpass filter (141, 142) has a filter characteristic by which a frequency range of the sensor signal (131, 132) is attenuated at an operating frequency of a component (201, 202, 203, 204) of a driving stabilization system, wherein the operating frequency of the component (201, 202, 203, 204) of the driving stabilization system is defined by activating and deactivating this component (201, 202, 203, 204).

Description

The The present invention relates to a control system according to claim 1 and a method for controlling at least one component an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle according to claim 8th.

at the control systems currently used in vehicles, in particular for the occupant protection area, it is more or less become the standard that these are arranged from a centrally Central unit and so-called outsourced assistance sensors be realized to be as safe as possible and fast to realize responsive and the corresponding required response times in the event of a crash to be able to comply. In addition to the corresponding large number of data sources (assistance sensors) This includes the signal processing algorithms in the central unit accordingly sensitive to the required fast tripping times to be able to guarantee. As a result of the corresponding However, sensitive algorithms have the disadvantage of having a system not only sensitive to crash-induced acceleration signatures reacts, but also just as sensitive to occurring in the vehicle Disturbance signatures, such as when driving on a Bad route can occur.

In addition to a resulting from driving on a poor road Störsignatur source in the vehicle a variety of other systematic sources of disturbance signature, such as the typical engine noise of the vehicle (diesel) engines, or the pulsating noise during braking with ABS (anti-lock braking system) - regulators. To keep these disturbing frequency components away from the accelerometers of the electronic components, for example, from WO 03/003022 A1 a housing realization known in the frequency selective forwarding the Nutzfrequenzanteile is made possible to the acceleration sensors located in the housing, while at the same time the forwarding of Störfrequenzanteile is attenuated. However, the disadvantage of this implementation is the correspondingly complex production process as well as the production method deviating from known plastic production methods according to the prior art.

From the DE 10 2005 018 084 A1 It is known to provide a safety system for vehicle occupants with a filter device which filters resonant vibrations of the vehicle structure, in particular at an installation location of a sensor of the safety system. In this case, the filter device may be a bandpass filter and / or a bandstop filter. By this measure, the reliability of a security system can be improved, as is reduced by the risk of false triggering of restraint means.

Of the The present invention is therefore based on the object, a control system and a method for controlling at least one component of a To propose occupant protection system of a motor vehicle, the one against interference more robust activation of enable one or more components of an occupant protection system.

These The object is achieved by a control system having the features of claim 1 and a method for controlling at least one component of a Occupant protection system of a motor vehicle with the features of Claim 8 solved. Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

An essential idea of the invention is as in the DE 10 2005 018 084 A1 The fact that interference frequency components can not only be suppressed by a special housing shape, but that the Störfrequenzanteile can also be suppressed by a particular specially adapted to the Störsignaturen bandpass filtering the recorded acceleration signals. The invention offers the advantage that it is now possible to use a housing shape which is easier to produce for encapsulating the acceleration sensors, but at the same time it is also possible to reliably suppress the interference frequency components. In addition, for example, a variation of the filtering behavior by different design of a bandpass filter used to suppress interference can be done. This allows a significantly simplified production, since standard components can be used. In contrast to DE 10 2005 018 084 A1 However, it is provided according to the present invention that the band-pass filter has a filter characteristic by which a frequency range of the sensor signal is attenuated at an operating frequency of a component of a driving stabilization system, wherein the operating frequency of the component of the driving stabilization system is defined by activating and deactivating this component. This makes it possible in particular to compensate for the strong knocking noises of ABS controllers or ESP (Electronic Stability Program) control valves as components of the driving stabilization system in the evaluation of the signal of the acceleration sensor or to largely ignore such a disturbance signature in the detection of a crash case. As a result, the risk of false triggering of protection means of an occupant protection system can be further reduced.

According to an embodiment of the invention A control system is provided for controlling at least one component of an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle, comprising:
an acceleration sensor configured to detect accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle and to output a corresponding sensor signal;
a bandpass filter connected to the acceleration sensor and configured to band pass the sensor signal and thereby attenuate a defined frequency range of the sensor signal; and
an evaluation unit connected to the bandpass filter and configured to activate the at least one component of the occupant protection system in response to the bandpass filtered sensor signal.

The Bandpass filter has a filter characteristic by which a frequency range of the sensor signal at an operating frequency a component of a vehicle stabilization system is damped, wherein the working frequency of the component of the driving stabilization system defined by enabling and disabling this component is.

According to one Another embodiment of the invention, the bandpass filter a variable filter characteristic include. This offers the advantage that the bandpass filter flexible to certain (depending set according to the environmental situation) Störsignaturen can be.

In another embodiment of the present invention the bandpass filter may be a digital filter, wherein the evaluation unit is further formed to the filter coefficients of the bandpass filter and to transfer these into the bandpass filter. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that Such a filter has a high edge steepness and continues to be filtered out in the frequency range has a high attenuation, with the new setting the filter coefficients on the evaluation a good Adaptivity to (variable) spurious signatures is possible.

According to one Another embodiment of the present invention the evaluation unit is designed to be the component of the driving stabilization system at a first operating frequency and one of the first operating frequency activate different second operating frequency, wherein the evaluation unit is further configured to determine the filter characteristic such that the frequency components of the sensor signal are attenuated, the by activating and deactivating the component of the vehicle stabilization system be caused with the first and / or second operating frequency. Such an embodiment of the present invention offers the advantage that even at different operating frequencies the component of the driving stabilization system of the motor vehicle a sufficient damping caused by this component Fault signature is possible.

Also the evaluation unit according to an embodiment of the invention comprise a vibration sensor which is designed to vibrations of the engine of the motor vehicle during its operation to detect filter coefficients of the bandpass filter responsive to determine a signal supplied by the vibration sensor and to the bandpass filter, the bandpass filter is designed to be based on the transmitted filter coefficients To attenuate frequency ranges of the sensor signal passing through Vibrations caused during operation of the engine of the motor vehicle become. This offers the possibility that often at Diesel engines increased knocking noise as a disturbance signature can be detected and thus when activating the Component of occupant protection system not considered will need. This leads to a further increase the robustness of the proposed tax system.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the control system further comprises a second acceleration sensor, which is designed to detect accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle and to output a corresponding second sensor signal, wherein the second acceleration sensor is mounted on a side of the motor vehicle the side opposite to which the first acceleration sensor is attached;
a second bandpass filter connected to the second acceleration sensor and configured to bandpass the second sensor signal and thereby attenuate a defined frequency range of the second sensor signal, a filter characteristic of the bandpass filter being equal to a filter characteristic of the second bandpass filter;
wherein the evaluation unit is connected to the bandpass filter and the second bandpass filter and configured to activate the at least one component of the occupant protection system in response to the bandpass filtered sensor signal and the bandpass filtered second sensor signal when the bandpass filtered sensor signal and the bandpass filter signal filtered second sensor signal in a frequency range outside the frequency range to be attenuated by the first or second bandpass filter is above a predefined threshold value. Such an embodiment of the present invention offers the advantage that the evaluation unit not only evaluates the (bandpass-filtered) signal of a single acceleration sensor, but takes into account two such filtered signals. The fact that the two acceleration sensors are arranged offset from one another, the influence of the Störsignatur is relativized and the signal components outside of the filtered out frequency range of the bandpass-filtered sensor signals receive a higher weight.

In another embodiment of the present invention the evaluation unit is designed to be the component of the occupant protection system not activate when either the bandpass filtered sensor signal or the bandpass filtered second sensor signal in a frequency range, the through the first or second bandpass filter is over is a predetermined threshold. This offers the advantage that the robustness of the above control system increases again can, for example, in the case that the Störsignatur occurs only on one side of the vehicle, the Störsignatur in the first bandpass filter (due to its strength) possibly not be pressed below the predefined threshold can, but what about the spatial distance of the second bandpass filter to the source of interference in the second bandpass filter possible is. In this case, the disturbance signature in the evaluation unit be clearly recognized, where the crash case represents an acceleration signature, by their considerable strength in both acceleration sensors (or signals) is clearly recognizable as a crash signature.

Furthermore, according to a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for controlling at least one component of an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:
Detecting accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle by means of an acceleration sensor and outputting a corresponding sensor signal;
Bandpass filtering the sensor signal by means of a bandpass filter connected to the acceleration sensor to thereby attenuate a defined frequency range of the sensor signal; and
in response to the bandpass-filtered sensor signal, activating the at least one component of the occupant protection system by means of an evaluation unit connected to the band-pass filter.

The Bandpass filter has a filter characteristic by which a frequency range of the sensor signal at an operating frequency a component of a vehicle stabilization system is damped, wherein the working frequency of the component of the driving stabilization system defined by enabling and disabling this component is.

After all relates to the present invention according to a Embodiment of a computer program for implementation the above method, when the computer program on a computer is running. In particular, the step of Bandpass filtering (for example, by a digital filter) and the step of activating the component of the occupant protection system through the evaluation can by means of a computer be executed.

Further Advantages and applications of the present invention will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the in the drawings illustrated embodiments.

In the description, in the claims, in the abstract and in the drawings are those mentioned in the back List of reference terms listed and assigned Reference numeral used.

The Drawings show in:

1 a block diagram representation of an embodiment of the control system according to the invention; and

2 a flow diagram of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

in the The following may be identical and / or functionally identical elements be provided with the same reference numerals. The absolute values given below Values and dimensions are only exemplary values and represent no limitation of the invention to such a dimension represents.

1 shows an embodiment of the control system according to the invention in block diagram representation. This includes a motor vehicle 10 For example, a car, a first acceleration sensor 121 and a second acceleration sensor 122 , The first acceleration sensor 121 is (for transmitting a first sensor signal 131 ) with a first bandpass filter 141 which (for transmitting a first bandpass filtered sensor signal 151 ) with the evaluation unit 16 connected is. The second acceleration sensor 122 is (for transmitting a second sensor signal 132 ) with a second bandpass filter 142 which (for transmitting a second bandpass filtered sensor signal 152 ) also with the evaluation unit 16 connected is. The first and second acceleration sensor 121 respectively. 122 For example, crash sensors can be used to detect an impact of the motor vehicle 10 to be an obstacle. The evaluation unit 16 , For example, a central processing unit of the motor vehicle 10 , is further configured to be responsive to that of the acceleration sensors 121 respectively. 122 supplied signals and the one with the bandpass filter 141 respectively. 142 filtered components corresponding components 181 respectively. 182 an occupant protection system (for example, an airbag or a rollover system) to activate. In 1 are these components 181 . 182 shown only as lateral components, but they can also at any other points of the Krafffahrzeugs 10 be arranged.

Furthermore, the motor vehicle includes 10 also components of a driving stabilization system 201 . 202 . 203 and 204 , which are for example an ABS regulator or a component of an ESP system. These components 201 . 202 . 203 and 204 for example, also from the central unit 16 to be controlled. Become these components 201 . 202 . 203 and 204 When activated, this results in a typical stutter noise, which is considered to be strong vibration and hence jamming due to the acceleration sensors 121 and 122 is detected. Will now be the first and second bandpass filter 141 respectively. 142 set such that the spurious signature of the activation of the components of the driving stabilization system is damped or suppressed, the evaluation unit 16 be set much more sensitive for the detection of crash-related acceleration signals. In particular, when dependent on the driving speed of the motor vehicle 10 different activation frequencies of the ABS regulator valves 201 to 204 through the evaluation unit (or central unit) 16 can be given a favorable readjustment of the (for example, digital) band-pass filter 141 respectively. 142 be performed on different attenuation filter characteristics. This can be done, for example, that in the central unit 16 determines the new filter coefficients and into the bandpass filters 141 respectively. 142 be transmitted. For the calculation algorithms of the new filter coefficients, the algorithms known to those skilled in the art of digital signal processing can be used.

Furthermore, a vibration sensor in the region of the engine of the motor vehicle 10 be provided, which absorbs vibrations of the engine during its operation. Especially in diesel engines, this makes sense, therefore, this class of engines over other engines produces higher knocking noise and thus stronger Störsignaturen. The signals of these vibration sensors may then be taken into account in the evaluation of the acceleration sensor signals or taken into account in the readjustment of the bandpass filter coefficients such that the vibrations caused by the operation of the engine are damped or suppressed.

to Improving the robustness of the control system can also improve the evaluation of (bandpass filtered) signals of 2 offset from each other arranged acceleration sensors as outlined above, so that errors are only in a single one of these signals occur, can be compensated.

Regarding the bandpass filter 141 and 142 It should be noted that these are at an arbitrary position between the first acceleration sensor 121 and the evaluation unit 16 or the second acceleration sensor 122 and the evaluation unit 16 can be arranged. For example, the first bandpass filter 141 also in the first acceleration sensor 121 be integrated but also in the evaluation unit 16 be integrated. The same applies to the second bandpass filter 142 , It should be noted that the corresponding bandpass filter can also be interpreted as a bandstop filter, which is intended to damp or suppress the correspondingly to be filtered out Störsignatur. Especially with fixed and known interference frequencies or signatures, however, the use of analog bandpass filters can also be considered, since they require less implementation effort.

Furthermore, the present invention also encompasses a method for controlling at least one component of an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle, as disclosed in US Pat 2 is shown in the form of a schematic flow diagram. Here, the method comprises a first step of detecting 50 accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle 10 by means of an acceleration sensor 121 or 122 and outputting a corresponding sensor signal 131 or 132 , In a subsequent step, bandpass filtering occurs 52 the sensor signal 131 or 132 by means of one with the acceleration sensor 121 or 122 associated bandpass filter 141 or 142 to thereby define a defined frequency range of the sensor signal 131 or 132 to dampen. Finally, in response to the bandpass filtered sensor signal 151 or 152 , an activation 54 the at least one component 181 or 182 of the occupant protection system by means of the evaluation unit 16 that with the bandpass filter 141 or 142 connected is.

In summary is to carry out that the invention in particular a method to suppress disturbing or unwanted ABS / ESP interference signatures concerning the function of the algorithm for an occupant protection system (airbag, rollover system). could disturb.

Although these Störsignaturen can be reduced by a special housing construction, but this construction corresponds to the special housing shape no standard housing components, so that the production of this hous seform is costly. To circumvent this disadvantage or continue to use a housing according to the prior art, it is therefore proposed according to the invention that the filtering / attenuation of the interfering frequency components is not achieved by means of the special housing implementations, but is achieved in that the disturbing frequency components in System are filtered out by means of specially adapted to the Störsignaturen bandpass filter / attenuated. This makes it possible to achieve greater robustness in algorithms in motor vehicle occupant protection applications compared to interference signatures, which is caused, for example, by the pulsation of the ABS regulator valves.

10

motor vehicle

121 122

first Acceleration sensor, second acceleration sensor

131 132

first Sensor signal, second sensor signal

141 142

first Bandpass filter, second bandpass filter

151 152

first Bandpass filtered sensor signal, second bandpass filtered sensor signal

16

evaluation, central processing unit

181 182

first or second component of an occupant protection system, airbag, rollover system

201 202

203 204

component a driving stabilization system, ABS controller, ESP control unit

50

step detecting accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle and outputting a corresponding sensor signal

52

step the bandpass filtering of the sensor signal to thereby a defined To attenuate the frequency range of the sensor signal;

54

appealing to the bandpass filtered sensor signal, step of activating the at least one component of the occupant protection system

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 03/003022 A1 [0003]
• - DE 102005018084 A1 [0004, 0007, 0007]

Claims (9)

Control system for controlling at least one component ( 181 . 182 ) of an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle ( 10 comprising an acceleration sensor ( 121 . 122 ), which is designed to accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle ( 10 ) and a corresponding sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) issue; one with the accelerometer ( 121 . 122 ) connected bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) configured to receive the sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) be subjected to a bandpass filtering and thereby a defined frequency range of the sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) to dampen; and an evaluation unit ( 16 ) with the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) and adapted to respond to the bandpass filtered sensor signal ( 151 . 152 ) the at least one component ( 181 . 182 ) of the occupant protection system, characterized in that the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) has a filter characteristic by which a frequency range of the sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) at a working frequency of a component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) of a driving stabilization system, wherein the working frequency of the component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) of the driving stabilization system by activating and deactivating this component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) is defined. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) comprises a variable filter characteristic. Control system according to one of Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) is a digital filter, wherein the evaluation unit ( 16 ) is further configured to reduce the filter coefficients of the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) and insert them into the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) transferred to. Control system according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the evaluation unit ( 16 ) is adapted to the component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) of the driving stabilization system with a first operating frequency and a second operating frequency different from the first operating frequency, wherein the evaluation unit ( 16 ) is further configured to determine the filter characteristic such that the frequency components of the sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) due to the activation and deactivation of the component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) of the driving stabilization system are caused at the first and / or second operating frequency. Control system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the evaluation unit ( 16 ) comprises a vibration sensor which is designed to detect vibrations of the motor of the motor vehicle ( 10 ) during its operation in order to obtain filter coefficients of the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) in response to a signal provided by the vibration sensor and to the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ), the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) is then designed to determine frequency ranges of the sensor signal on the basis of the transmitted filter coefficients ( 131 . 132 ) due to vibrations during operation of the engine of the motor vehicle ( 10 ) caused. Control system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the control system further comprises a second acceleration sensor ( 122 ), which is designed to accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle ( 10 ) and a corresponding second sensor signal ( 132 ), the second acceleration sensor ( 122 ) a side of the motor vehicle ( 10 ), which is opposite to the side that the first acceleration sensor ( 121 ) assigned; a second bandpass filter connected to the second acceleration sensor ( 142 ) configured to receive the second sensor signal ( 132 ) be subjected to a bandpass filtering and thereby a defined frequency range of the second sensor signal ( 132 ), wherein a filter characteristic of the bandpass filter ( 141 ) equal to a filter characteristic of the second bandpass filter ( 142 ); wherein the evaluation unit ( 16 ) with the bandpass filter ( 141 ) and the second bandpass filter ( 142 ) and configured to respond in response to the bandpass filtered sensor signal ( 151 ) and the bandpass filtered second sensor signal ( 152 ) the at least one component ( 181 . 182 ) of the occupant protection system when the bandpass filtered sensor signal ( 151 ) and the bandpass filtered second sensor signal ( 152 ) in a frequency range outside of the first or second bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) is to be attenuated frequency range above a predefined threshold. Control system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the evaluation unit ( 16 ) is configured to not activate the occupant protection system component when either the bandpass filtered sensor signal (FIG. 151 ) or the bandpass filtered second sensor signal ( 152 ) in a frequency range determined by the first or second bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) is above a predetermined threshold. Method for controlling at least one component ( 181 . 182 ) of an occupant protection system of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) comprising the following steps: detecting accelerations and / or vibrations of the motor vehicle ( 10 ) by means of an acceleration sensor ( 121 . 122 ) and outputting a corresponding sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ); Bandpass filtering of the sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) by means of a with the acceleration sensor ( 121 . 122 ) bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ), thereby defining a defined frequency range of the sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) to dampen; in response to the bandpass filtered sensor signal ( 151 . 152 ), Activating the at least one component ( 181 . 182 ) of the occupant protection system by means of an evaluation unit ( 16 ) with the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ), characterized in that the bandpass filter ( 141 . 142 ) has a filter characteristic by which a frequency range of the sensor signal ( 131 . 132 ) at a working frequency of a component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) of a driving stabilization system, wherein the working frequency of the component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) of the driving stabilization system by activating and deactivating this component ( 201 . 202 . 203 . 204 ) is defined. Computer program for carrying out the method according to claim 8, when the computer program a computer is running.