DE102017204773A1 - Protection of a vehicle occupant by accident prediction - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for protecting a vehicle occupant in a collision between a motor vehicle and another object, typically a motor vehicle of the accident opponent. According to the invention, it is possible to plan security mechanisms before an accident and to activate them. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a correspondingly arranged arrangement or a security system. In addition, a computer program product with control commands is proposed which implement the method or operate the proposed arrangement.

Description

The invention relates to a method for protecting a vehicle occupant in a collision between a motor vehicle and another object, typically a motor vehicle of the accident opponent. According to the invention, it is possible to plan security mechanisms before an accident and to activate them. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a correspondingly arranged arrangement or a security system. In addition, a computer program product with control commands is proposed which implement the method or operate the proposed arrangement.

US 5,149,165 A shows a one-sided adjustment of a seat height in the event of an impact of an object on a vehicle.

DE 10 246 055 A1 shows a device for protection of a vehicle occupant, which calculates an individual deployment strategy in the vehicle and determines an occupant position-dependent deployment time of the airbag in the event of an accident or prevents the triggering, if the occupant is too close to the dashboard.

DE 19 946 406 B4 shows a trigger signal to what an actuator only a portion of a seat surface of the seat cushion seen in the direction of travel lifts the outside, wherein the actuator is disposed below the seat cushion cover or outside in the seat cushion.

Out DE 4212421 A1 It is known that a device for protecting the vehicle occupant in response to its estimated movement triggers retaining means. Only after the start of an accident, the future displacements of the vehicle occupant caused by the acceleration and / or its future relative speed with respect to the passenger compartment are estimated.

According to the prior art, some seats are already recognized as far as possible in an optimal crash position when detecting a danger. The seats are placed in an upright position for a front or rear crash. There are also approaches for pivoting a seat in the event of a detected impact of the vehicle on an obstacle. In these systems, an actuator, such as a spring, pivots the seat with seat back around a mounting rail as a pivot axis on the vehicle floor into the interior of the vehicle.

Furthermore, so-called curtain airbags are known. These are lateral occupant restraint systems, which, however, require sufficient deployment area in the vehicle interior. For the side crash, no significant improvement in the seating position for the occupant is achieved. A separate actuator or actuators for pivoting the seat is necessary. The seat is pivoted according to known methods only during the crash, which is not optimal.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for protecting a vehicle occupant from injury, which can be realized with little technical effort. Furthermore, it is an object to propose a correspondingly configured security system, as well as a computer program product with control commands which implement the method or operate the proposed arrangement.

The object is achieved with the features of the independent claims. Further features and details of the invention will become apparent from the respective dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

Accordingly, a method for protecting a vehicle occupant in a collision is proposed, comprising predicting the collision and triggering at least one safety mechanism, wherein the deployment occurs before the collision.

According to the invention, the disadvantage is overcome that typically pressure-based or deformation-based sensors must be used, which only enable safety mechanisms to be triggered if an accident has already happened. Thus, the security system so no time corresponding components to activate such that a risk of injury to the vehicle occupant is minimized. So it is important to be able to react quickly and quickly in an accident in order to protect the driver or the vehicle occupants. The earliest possible detection of an accident enables the security system to select a suitable setting of vehicle components and, based thereon, to actuate corresponding components in such a way that, depending on the situation, it is possible to react to the imminent impact.

Furthermore, it is not only possible to react depending on the situation and to select, for example, suitable airbags, but also spatial changes within the vehicle can be made so that security components can be arranged or configured particularly advantageous. Thus, it is also possible according to the invention to optimize the airbag deployment space, for example by means of a swivel of a seat. Since the pivoting of the seat a certain It takes time to operate, it is particularly advantageous that corresponding mechanisms are operated before the impact. Thus, it is possible according to the invention to retrieve before a collision, which security mechanisms come into question at all.

Typically, an airbag can always be activated, and it is particularly advantageous to combine the triggering of this airbag with an adjustment of the seat. Adjusting the seat may include, for example, shifting the seat according to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and alternatively or additionally pivoting a seat sideways or backwards or forwards. If it is recognized that the time to impact is not sufficient to move the seat along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, then a corresponding inclination of the seat can be arranged, if this is possible faster. In this way, seat settings can already be selected and applied before an accident. For this purpose, certain profiles of backup settings can be stored and selected based on the acquired sensor data. For this purpose, the vehicle is able to select at runtime that setting which protects the vehicle occupant particularly well in the particular situation.

For this purpose, it has been recognized according to the invention that there are not only pressure sensors or acceleration sensors which detect an accident if it is already too late, but rather, for example, optical sensors are known which make it possible to predict an impact. Thus, a camera system can be arranged on a vehicle, which observes the surroundings and in this case calculates a driving behavior of other road users on the basis of an image sequence. In this case, it is also possible for the vehicles to exchange vehicle data with one another, and thus an impact can be predicted.

So it is possible that two vehicles recognize on a slippery road, that the grip is no longer given as desired and thus a steering behavior of the vehicle is no longer affected. For this purpose, known sensors are read out, which are already installed in vehicles and measure a grip of the tires. Furthermore, such information can be combined with speed data and from this the future vehicle behavior can be recognized. In this case, it is possible for the two vehicles to read such vehicle data and to exchange them with one another via a communication interface. Thus, the respective trajectory of the first vehicle can be compared with that of the second vehicle and thus not only recognized that an accident takes place, but rather it is already possible to determine the time.

If the time of the collision is known, then a special warning signal can be output to the driver and the seat can be brought into a position which is particularly advantageous for the vehicle occupant in the event of the accident detected as a result of the situation. Furthermore, it is possible to set aside moving parts in the vehicle interior of the kind that creates additional space that allows an airbag to deploy. For example, the seat may be moved away from a side airbag so that the airbag can not only be made larger than a conventional airbag at that position, but rather, by varying the seat settings, additional areas are exposed which also allow it to place an airbag in these places.

The inmate is later charged with forces by the intruding object. The development freedom of the airbag is optimized. The thorax airbag has more space for deployment between the occupant and the door. The seat is also swung before the crash.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the safety mechanism comprises varying at least one seat adjustment and / or deployment of an airbag. This has the advantage that adjustments of one or more seats can be adapted so advantageous that the occupant is moved as far as possible from the point of impact away. It is also possible alternatively or additionally to activate one or more airbags. Varying at least one seat adjustment includes, for example, displacing a seat or at least a portion thereof from a first position to a second position. In this case, the seat in the end position is arranged away from the point of impact such that additional space for airbags is created and / or the occupant is removed from the danger zone. Here, the occupant can also be offset by means of the seat adjustment in a position in which a risk of injury is minimized. In detail, attitudes should be aimed at, in which the initial contact takes place on robust body parts of the occupant, such as the pelvis or shoulder.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, varying the seat adjustment includes tilting and / or translating at least one component of a seat. This has the advantage that all degrees of movement of a seat can be exploited and the occupant or the seat can be tilted, swiveled, moved and / or adjusted in the seat height. Corresponding seat settings can be saved and depending on parameters of the expected impact.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the triggering of the safety mechanism causes the varying of at least one seating position based on a seat comfort adjustment. This has the advantage that no additional safety devices must be provided, which change a seat adjustment. Thus, the person skilled in the art recognizes that a seat comfort adjustment is conventional means which are present in vehicles and do not have to be installed extra. The seat comfort adjustment is thus used contrary to their actual intended use as a safety function. The prior art teaches this device according to the design of an airbag or a spring, which bring the seat abruptly in a different position. According to the invention, the use of these components is not necessary.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the prediction of the collision by sensors, for example optical detection by means of laser or radar, detection of a vehicle, detection of an impact angle, calculation of a movement trajectory of a vehicle, a speed detection of a vehicle, a vehicle-to-vehicle Vehicle communication and / or accident prediction. This has the advantage that it can be calculated exactly when an impact is to be expected and in this case even further parameters can be taken into account. Thus, the seat can be moved in an advantageous manner away from the point of impact and appropriate airbags are selected. The prediction of the collision thus relates at least to driving data of an accident opponent relative to the own vehicle or to a combination of the driving data of both vehicles. Based on a series of images of a vehicle movement, the movement trajectory can be extrapolated and thus determine the exact point of impact. In this case, the own movement trajectory and the movement trajectory of an accident opponent can be taken into account and the exact point of intersection can be determined. Furthermore, driving data can be read out and exchanged by car-to-car communication using an air interface. Thus, previously suitable seating positions can be adjusted and corresponding airbags can be selected and activated.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, security mechanisms are triggered depending on a detected time of a crash. This has the advantage that, for example, first the seat can be brought into an advantageous position so that then the airbag has an extended space for deployment available. In this case, the reaction times, which are relatively short in time, can be subdivided further in order to carry out a selection of security mechanisms in chronological order.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the safety mechanism is selected in dependence on the prediction of the collision. This has the advantage that based on the time remaining until the impact can be decided which security mechanisms can still be used effectively. For example, if the time is not enough to fully seat the seat in a desired position, an airbag that requires space between the home position and the seat's end position can not be activated. Also, the times of the individual security mechanisms are known, which are needed to develop the protection. Thus, if a security function were to be activated quickly, this can be advantageous given a short reaction time. If a security function takes longer to develop better protection, this longer duration can be accepted if enough time remains to develop this better protection.

The object is also achieved by a safety system for protecting a vehicle occupant in a collision, comprising a prediction unit configured to predict the collision, and at least one actuator configured to actuate at least one safety mechanism, wherein the actuator is configured to perform the deployment prior to the collision.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the safety mechanism comprises varying a seating position and triggering at least one airbag, the arrangement and / or the size of the airbag taking into account the varied position of the seat. This has the advantage that

The object is also achieved by a computer program product with control commands that perform the method and operate the proposed arrangement when executed on a computer.

According to the invention, it is particularly advantageous that the method can be used to operate the proposed devices and units. Furthermore, the proposed devices and devices for carrying out the method according to the invention are suitable. Thus, the device implements structural features that are suitable for carrying out the corresponding method. However, the structural features can also be considered process steps be designed. Also, the proposed method provides steps to implement the function of the structural features.

• 1: eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausgangspunktes vor einem Aufprall;
• 2: ein Vorhersagen eines Aufpralls gemäß einem Aspekt der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 3: ein Reagieren auf einen bevorstehenden Aufprall gemäß einem Aspekt der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 4: ein weiteres Reagieren auf einen Aufprall gemäß einem Aspekt der vorliegenden Erfindung; und
• 5: ein schematisches Ablaufdiagramm des Verfahrens gemäß einem

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description in which, with reference to the drawings, aspects of the invention are described in detail. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may each be essential to the invention individually or in any desired combination. Likewise, the features mentioned above and further explained here can be used individually or in combination in any combination. The embodiments shown and described are not to be understood as exhaustive, but have exemplary character for explaining the invention. The detailed description is for the information of the person skilled in the art, therefore, in the description of known circuits, structures and methods are not shown or explained in detail in order not to complicate the understanding of the present description. In the figures show:

• 1 a schematic representation of a starting point before an impact;
• 2 : predicting an impact in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
• 3 a reaction to impending impact in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
• 4 further reacting to an impact according to one aspect of the present invention; and
• 5 a schematic flow diagram of the method according to a

Aspect of the present invention.

1 schematically shows a baseline scenario with a vehicle whose seat is adjustable with respect to the position. In 1 is the position of the seat in the schematic representation drawn on the right side. Thus, therefore, the driver sits in the direction of travel left. The seat shown may be a conventional seat which is variable in position by means of a comfort adjustment. Thus, the seat according to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle can be moved forward or backward. Furthermore, it is possible to provide further freedom of movement for the seat. This may include, for example, a tilting of the seat.

2 schematically shows on the right side an approaching vehicle, which is detected for example by means of an optical sensor. This can be an infrared sensor. Depending on the configuration of the corresponding sensors, it can be detected early that an impact is imminent. Here, the time is typically to determine and also the position of the impact or impact point can be determined in this case.

3 shows the particularly advantageous technical effect that the seat can be brought into a suitable position before an impact with another vehicle. This creates an important reaction time because it does not have to react until the impact has already occurred. In this case, according to the prior art, which provides that the tilting occurs during the impact, it is particularly disadvantageous that, according to the prior art, the forces acting on the vehicle occupant are added up. Thus, according to the prior art, the forces act simultaneously on the driver by the tilting of the seat and the impact. However, this is overcome according to the invention, as in the present 3 is shown. This is done only a tilting and thus a force on the driver and then takes place at a later date, the force due to the impact. Thus, therefore, the forces are not added but are given time-shifted and each weaker on the driver.

When an imminent collision is detected by sensors, the seat is tilted away from the intruding object prior to collision by tilting the seat about the X-axis. Thus, the deployment of the security system before the collision occurs by prediction. Thus, the deployment behavior of the curtain airbag and thorax airbags can be optimized. There is more deformation space available until the occupant of interior components is pushed.

The tilting should not be performed by separate drives according to one aspect of the present invention, but by existing actuators seat comfort adjustment.

4 shows a further advantageous technical effect, namely, that with the varied seating position and at least one airbag can be triggered. As in the present 4 is shown on the top right, created by the varied seating position a larger space, so that the airbag can be configured particularly advantageous.

In this case, the disadvantage of the prior art is overcome according to the invention that often there is no time left to tip over the seat and thus to activate the airbag completely. According to known methods, the time-consuming tilting is shortened by the fact that a particularly jerky force is applied to the seat. According to the invention, such a jerky force be attenuated or it can be installed at least one less powerful movement device of the seat.

It is particularly advantageous that a conventional comfort device of the seat can be addressed according to the invention such that it directs the seat as quickly as possible in an advantageous position in the event of an accident. This is therefore possible according to the invention, since there is more reaction time before an impact and thus no special device is to be provided which changes the seat explosively in its position. Thus, so conventional motion motors can be fitted to change the seat and there are no other components necessary, as shown in the prior art.

5 shows a method for protecting a vehicle occupant in a collision, comprising a forecast 100 of the collision and a triggering 101 of at least one safety mechanism, wherein the triggering 101 done before the collision. In this case, further method steps can be provided, which are read-out 100A provide a sensor and triggering a move 101A a seat and then activating 101 Leg airbags.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 5149165 A [0002]
• DE 10246055 A1 [0003]
• DE 19946406 B4 [0004]
• DE 4212421 A1 [0005]

Claims (10)

A method of protecting a vehicle occupant in a crash, comprising: - predicting (100) the crash; and - triggering (101) at least one safety mechanism, characterized in that - the triggering (101) takes place before the collision. Method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the safety mechanism comprises varying at least one seat adjustment and / or triggering of an airbag. Method according to Claim 2 characterized in that varying the seat adjustment includes inclining and / or displacing at least one component of a seat. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the triggering (101) of the safety mechanism causes the varying of at least one seating position based on a seat comfort adjustment. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the predicting (100) of the collision, an optical recognition of a vehicle, detecting a collision angle, calculating a movement trajectory of a vehicle, a speed detection of a vehicle, a vehicle-to-vehicle communication and / or includes an accident prediction. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that safety mechanisms are triggered as a function of a determined time of a collision. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the safety mechanism is selected as a function of the prediction (100) of the collision. A security system for protecting a vehicle occupant in a crash, comprising: - a prediction unit configured to predict (100) the crash; and - at least one actuator configured to trigger (101) at least one safety mechanism, characterized in that - the actuator is arranged to perform the triggering (101) before the collision. Backup system after Claim 8 characterized in that the safety mechanism includes varying a seating position and deploying at least one airbag, wherein the arrangement and / or size of the airbag takes into account the varied position of the seat. Computer program product with control commands, which performs the method according to one of Claims 1 to 7 to implement.

Images