JP5111337B2 - Crew protection control device - Google Patents

Description

 The present invention relates to an occupant protection control device that controls activation of an occupant protection device when a vehicle collision occurs.

 Generally, an SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbag system is known as a system for protecting an occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. This SRS airbag system detects that a collision has occurred based on acceleration data obtained from an acceleration sensor installed in each part of the vehicle, and activates an occupant protection device such as an airbag or a seat belt pretensioner. It is.

  As types of airbags, there are a driver's seat and a passenger's seat airbag for a frontal collision, a side airbag and a curtain airbag for a side collision, and the like. In particular, curtain airbags can be deployed over the entire roof side of the vehicle to prevent the front and rear occupants from being hit against the side windows and pillars when a collision occurs. Since then, it has been spreading rapidly.

  Furthermore, in recent years, an SRS airbag system that deploys a curtain airbag not only at the time of a side collision but also at the time of a one-side frontal collision (so-called offset collision) has been developed. The offset collision means that one side of the front of the vehicle collides with an obstacle, and the vehicle retreats (rebounds) while being swung in the lateral direction after the collision. In that case, the passenger's head may collide with the side window or the pillar, and the injury value to the head may increase (if the window is open, the head may jump out of the car) ). Therefore, when an offset collision occurs, it is necessary to protect the occupant from a frontal collision and an impact due to rebound by first deploying the curtain airbag after deploying the driver and passenger airbags.

  Such curtain airbag start-up (deployment) control is a main sensor that is installed in the center of the vehicle and detects acceleration acting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (this main sensor is an SRS unit that performs overall control of the SRS airbag system. And a plurality of side impact sensors (hereinafter abbreviated as SIS) installed along both sides of the vehicle and detecting acceleration acting in the width direction of the vehicle. It is common to be based on data.

Specifically, a microcomputer such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) built in the SRS unit takes in acceleration data from each sensor, and performs arithmetic processing (for example, integration of acceleration data) necessary for start-up control or collision determination processing. The curtain airbag activation control is performed by performing (for example, a comparison determination between an integral value of acceleration data and a collision determination threshold value that defines the activation timing of the curtain airbag).
In addition, refer to the following patent documents 1 and 2 as a prior art regarding the activation control of a curtain airbag.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-18744 JP 2007-55509 A

  By the way, although the number of SISs installed on both sides of the vehicle varies depending on the size of the vehicle, in general, the number of SISs in general is a maximum of six in each of the left and right. Conventionally, using the acceleration data obtained from a total of seven acceleration sensors, which are the six SIS plus the main sensor in the SRS unit, the above-described calculation processing and collision determination processing must be performed. Therefore, there is a problem that the amount of calculation processing in the microcomputer in the SRS unit becomes enormous, and a high-performance and expensive microcomputer is required.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides an occupant protection control device capable of reducing the calculation processing load necessary for starting control of the occupant protection device and reducing the cost. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, as a first solution means for an occupant protection control device, occupant protection in the event of a vehicle collision based on acceleration data obtained from an acceleration sensor installed at a predetermined location of the vehicle. An occupant protection control device that performs start-up control of the device, the storage means for storing sensor selection data that defines use / non-use of the acceleration sensor, and an initialization process at start-up based on the sensor selection data Computational processing means for determining an acceleration sensor used for starting control of the occupant protection device is provided.

 Further, as a second solving means relating to the occupant protection control device, in the first solving means, a plurality of the sensor selection data are accelerations installed on both sides of the vehicle for use in starting control at the time of a side collision. It is data that defines the use / non-use of the sensor.

 Further, as a third solving means relating to the occupant protection control device, in the second solving means, the occupant protection device to be subjected to the activation control at the time of the side collision is a curtain airbag.

  In the present invention, in the initialization process at the time of activation, an acceleration sensor used for activation control of the occupant protection device is determined based on sensor selection data that defines whether the acceleration sensor is used or not. The reason why the acceleration sensor is selectively used in this way is that there are many cases where the activation control of the occupant protection device can be performed without necessarily using all the acceleration sensors installed in the vehicle depending on the collision mode. In other words, according to the present invention, since the minimum necessary acceleration sensor used for the activation control of the occupant protection device is determined in advance, it is not necessary to perform unnecessary calculation processing and collision determination processing. It is possible to reduce the processing load required for starting control of the apparatus. As a result, an inexpensive microcomputer or the like can be used as the arithmetic processing means, and the cost of the occupant protection control device can be reduced.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an occupant protection system including an occupant protection control device according to the present embodiment. In the following description, an SRS airbag system employed in a vehicle having a relatively long overall length, such as a three-row seat, will be described as an occupant protection system according to this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an occupant protection system according to this embodiment includes three side impact sensors (hereinafter referred to as R-SIS) 10R1, 10R2 installed at predetermined intervals along the right side of a vehicle 100. 10R3, three side impact sensors (hereinafter referred to as L-SIS) 10L1, 10L2, and 10L3 installed at predetermined intervals along the left side of the vehicle 100, and installed in the center floor tunnel of the center of the vehicle 100 The SRS unit 20 (occupant protection control device), the right curtain airbag 30R installed on the right roof side of the vehicle 100, the left curtain airbag 30L installed on the left roof side, and the right side of the driver's seat Outlined from the right side airbag 40R and the left side airbag 40L installed on the left side of the passenger seat It has been made.

  R-SIS 10R1, 10R2 and 10R3, and L-SIS 10L1, 10L2 and 10L3 are satellite sensors connected to the SRS unit 20 via buses, respectively, and are each in the width direction of the vehicle 100 (Y-axis direction in the figure). The sensor main body for detecting the acceleration acting on the control circuit and the control circuit for performing data communication with the SRS unit 20 are unitized.

  The R-SISs 10R1, 10R2, and 10R3 detect accelerations acting in the width direction of the vehicle 100 at the respective installation locations, convert the detection results into digital data (right side acceleration data), and transmit the digital data to the SRS unit 20. In FIG. 1, the R-SISs 10R1, 10R2, and 10R3 are illustrated as being connected in series (for example, daisy chain connection). However, the sensors may be connected in series, or each sensor May be individually connected to the SRS unit 20.

  The L-SISs 10L1, 10L2, and 10L3 detect acceleration acting in the width direction of the vehicle 100 at each installation location, convert the detection result into digital data (left side acceleration data), and transmit the digital data to the SRS unit 20. In FIG. 1, the L-SISs 10L1, 10L2, and 10L3 are illustrated as being connected in series (for example, daisy chain connection). However, the sensors may be connected in series as described above. May be individually connected to the SRS unit 20.

 The SRS unit 20 is obtained from each R-SIS 10R1, 10R2 and 10R3, each acceleration data transmitted from the L-SIS 10L1, 10L2 and 10L3 via a bus, and a main sensor 22 installed inside which will be described later. Based on the acceleration data, activation control of the occupant protection device, that is, the right curtain airbag 30R, the left curtain airbag 30L, the right side airbag 40R, and the left side airbag 40L is performed when a collision of the vehicle 100 occurs.

  The right curtain airbag 30R, the left curtain airbag 30L, the right side airbag 40R, and the left side airbag 40L are airbags provided as occupant protection devices for side collision, and when a collision occurs (particularly side collision or offset collision). It is deployed at the time of later rebound) to reduce injury caused by the passenger being hit by the side window or pillar.

  Next, details of the SRS unit 20 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the SRS unit 20 includes a power circuit 21, a main sensor 22, an R-SIS communication I / F 23, an L-SIS communication I / F 24, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 25, a memory ( Storage means) 26 and an ignition circuit 27 are provided inside.

  The power supply circuit 21 is connected to an external power supply 50 such as a battery via the ignition switch 40. When the ignition switch 40 is turned on, the power supply circuit 21 receives a power supply voltage (for example, 12V) from the external power supply 50, This power supply voltage is converted into a predetermined internal power supply voltage and supplied to the main sensor 22, R-SIS communication I / F 23, L-SIS communication I / F 24, CPU 25, memory 26 and ignition circuit 27. The main sensor 22 detects acceleration acting in the length direction of the vehicle 100 (X-axis direction in the figure), and outputs acceleration data corresponding to the detected acceleration to the CPU 25.

The R-SIS communication I / F 23 is an interface that relays data communication between the CPU 25 and the R-SIS 10R1, 10R2, and 10R3, and transmits transmission data input from the CPU 25 to the R-SIS 10R1, 10R2, and 10R3. The right side acceleration data received from the R-SISs 10R1, 10R2 and 10R3 is output to the CPU 25.
The L-SIS communication I / F 24 is an interface that relays data communication between the CPU 25 and the L-SISs 10L1, 10L2, and 10L3, and transmits transmission data input from the CPU 25 to the L-SISs 10L1, 10L2, and 10L3. The left side acceleration data received from L-SIS 10L1, 10L2 and 10L3 is output to CPU 25.

 The CPU 25 executes a control program stored in the memory 26 and controls the entire operation of the SRS unit 20. Specifically, the CPU 25 converts the acceleration data obtained from the main sensor 22 and the right side acceleration data and the left side acceleration data obtained via the R-SIS communication I / F 23 and the L-SIS communication I / F 24. Based on the calculation processing (for example, integration of each acceleration data) and collision determination processing (for example, comparison of the integration value of each acceleration data and the collision determination threshold value that defines the start timing of the curtain airbag) And the right curtain airbag 30R, the left curtain airbag 30L, the right side airbag 40R and the left side airbag 40L are activated by controlling the ignition circuit 27 according to the processing result.

 Further, although details will be described later, the CPU 25 is a characteristic operation in the present embodiment, and each side impact sensor stored in the memory 26 in the initialization process at the time of starting (when the ignition switch 40 is turned on). (R-SIS10R1, 10R2, 10R3 and L-SIS10L1, 10L2, 10L3) on the basis of the Y-axis sensor selection data that defines use / non-use of the right curtain airbag 30R, left curtain airbag 30L, right side airbag It has a function of executing a Y-axis sensor selection process for determining a side impact sensor used for activation control of the 40R and the left side airbag 40L.

  The memory 26 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory or an EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory), for example, and includes a control program executed by the CPU 25 and other startup control including the above-described Y-axis sensor selection data. The necessary data is stored.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of Y-axis sensor selection data. As shown in FIG. 3, the Y-axis sensor selection data in this embodiment is set as 1-byte data consisting of upper 4 bits of R-SIS selection data and lower 4 bits of L-SIS selection data. Yes. The first bit of such Y-axis sensor selection data is used to define the use / non-use of L-SIS 10L1. The second bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is used to specify whether or not L-SIS 10L2 is used. The third bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is used for specifying whether or not L-SIS 10L3 is used. The fourth bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is “Do n’t care”, that is, a “Reserve” bit.

  The fifth bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is used to specify whether or not R-SIS 10R1 is used. The 6th bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is used to define the use / non-use of R-SIS10R2. The seventh bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is used to specify whether R-SIS10R3 is used / not used. The eighth bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is a “Do n’t care”, that is, a “Reserve” bit. In this embodiment, each bit of the Y-axis sensor selection data is set to “1” when “used” and “0” when “unused”. That is, FIG. 3 illustrates Y-axis sensor selection data that specifies that L-SIS 10L1 and 10L3, R-SIS 10R1 and 10R3 are “used”, and L-SIS 10L2 and R-SIS 10R2 are “unused”. ing.

  Under the control of the CPU 25, the ignition circuit 27 ignites each of the right curtain airbag 30R, the left curtain airbag 30L, the right side airbag 40R, and the left side airbag 40L by passing current through the squib inside the inflator. Deploy the airbag.

  Next, the operation of the SRS unit 20 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. In addition, since the operation | movement regarding start control of the right curtain airbag 30R, the left curtain airbag 30L, the right side airbag 40R, and the left side airbag 40L in the SRS unit 20 according to the present embodiment is the same as the conventional one, the description thereof is omitted. Hereinafter, the Y-axis sensor selection process executed in the initialization process when the CPU 25 is activated (when the ignition switch 40 is turned on) will be described in detail.

 FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the Y-axis sensor selection process executed in the initialization process when the CPU 25 is activated. As shown in FIG. 4, in the Y-axis sensor selection process, the CPU 25 first reads Y-axis sensor selection data from the memory 26 (step S1). Then, the CPU 25 determines whether or not the L-SIS 10L1 is “unused” based on the first bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data (step S2). In the case of “Yes”, that is, the Y-axis sensor selection. If the first bit of the data is “0”, the use prohibition flag of the L-SIS 10L1 is set to “1” (step S3). If “No” in step S2, that is, if the first bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data is “1”, the CPU 25 sets the use prohibition flag of the L-SIS 10L1 to “0”. The process proceeds to step S4 while maintaining the above.

 Subsequently, the CPU 25 determines whether or not the L-SIS 10L2 is “unused” based on the second bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data (step S4). In the case of “Yes”, that is, the Y-axis sensor. When the second bit data of the selection data is “0”, the use prohibition flag of the L-SIS 10L2 is set to “1” (step S5). In step S4, if “No”, that is, if the second bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data is “1”, the CPU 25 sets the use prohibition flag of the L-SIS 10L2 to “0”. The process proceeds to step S6 while maintaining the above.

 Subsequently, the CPU 25 determines whether or not the L-SIS 10L3 is “unused” based on the third bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data (step S6). In the case of “Yes”, that is, the Y-axis sensor. If the third bit of the selected data is “0”, the use prohibition flag of the L-SIS 10L3 is set to “1” (step S7). In step S6, if “No”, that is, if the third bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data is “1”, the CPU 25 sets the use prohibition flag of the L-SIS 10L3 to “0”. The process proceeds to step S8 while maintaining the above.

 Subsequently, the CPU 25 determines whether or not the R-SIS 10R1 is “unused” based on the fifth bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data (step S8). In the case of “Yes”, that is, the Y-axis sensor. If the fifth bit of the selected data is “0”, the use prohibition flag of the R-SIS 10R1 is set to “1” (step S9). In step S8, if “No”, that is, if the fifth bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data is “1”, the CPU 25 sets the use prohibition flag of the R-SIS 10R1 to “0”. The process proceeds to step S10 while being held.

 Subsequently, the CPU 25 determines whether or not the R-SIS 10R2 is “unused” based on the sixth bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data (step S10). In the case of “Yes”, that is, the Y-axis sensor. When the sixth bit data of the selection data is “0”, the use prohibition flag of the R-SIS 10R2 is set to “1” (step S11). In step S10, if “No”, that is, if the sixth bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data is “1”, the CPU 25 sets the use prohibition flag of the R-SIS 10R2 to “0”. The process proceeds to step S12 while being held.

 Subsequently, the CPU 25 determines whether or not the R-SIS 10R3 is “unused” based on the seventh bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data (step S12). In the case of “Yes”, that is, the Y-axis sensor. When the 7th bit data of the selection data is “0”, the use prohibition flag of the R-SIS 10R3 is set to “1”, and then the Y-axis sensor selection process is ended (step S13). In step S12, if “No”, that is, if the seventh bit data of the Y-axis sensor selection data is “1”, the CPU 25 sets the use prohibition flag of the R-SIS 10R3 to “0”. The Y-axis sensor selection process is terminated while being held.

 In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the Y-axis that defines that L-SIS 10L1 and 10L3, R-SIS 10R1 and 10R3 are “used”, and L-SIS 10L2 and R-SIS10R2 are “unused”. Since the sensor selection data is used, the use prohibition flag of the L-SIS 10L2 and the R-SIS 10R2 is set to “1” by performing the Y-axis sensor selection process as described above.

 When the initialization processing as described above is completed, the CPU 25 performs arithmetic processing and collision determination processing necessary for activation control of the right curtain airbag 30R, the left curtain airbag 30L, the right side airbag 40R, and the left side airbag 40L. At this time, depending on the state of the use prohibition flag corresponding to each side impact sensor, the acceleration data acquisition process from the use prohibition applicable sensor is stopped or the acceleration data obtained from the use prohibition applicable sensor is calculated. Stop processing. That is, the CPU 25 performs activation control of each airbag using the side impact sensors excluding the L-SIS 10L2 and the R-SIS 10R2.

  The side impact sensor is selectively used in this way in the curtain airbag and side airbag start control using the X axis sensor and the Y axis sensor. This is because there are many cases where the calculation processing and collision determination processing necessary for the start-up control can be performed while the necessary accuracy is ensured without using. That is, according to this embodiment, it is necessary to perform unnecessary calculation processing and collision determination processing by determining in advance the minimum necessary side impact sensor used for curtain airbag and side airbag activation control. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the processing load necessary for the start-up control of the curtain airbag and the side airbag. As a result, an inexpensive CPU 25 can be used, and the cost of the SRS unit 20 can be reduced.

 In the above embodiment, as the Y-axis sensor selection data, L-SIS10L1 and 10L3, R-SIS10R1 and 10R3 are defined as “used”, and L-SIS10L2 and R-SIS10R2 are defined as “unused”. Although an example is illustrated, it is needless to say that it may be appropriately changed according to the specification of the vehicle 100 and the collision mode of the detection target. In the above embodiment, the case where six side impact sensors are used has been illustrated, so that the Y-axis sensor selection data is configured with 1-byte data. However, the number of data bits may be changed as appropriate according to the number of sensors. good.

 In the above embodiment, the case where the curtain airbag and the side airbag are activated and controlled as the occupant protection device is illustrated. However, other occupant protection devices such as a driver seat and a passenger seat airbag, a knee airbag, and a seat belt are exemplified. The present invention can also be applied to a case where a plurality of acceleration sensors are used for starting control of a pretensioner or the like.

It is a composition schematic diagram of a crew member protection system provided with a crew member protection control device (SRS unit 20) concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is detailed explanatory drawing of the SRS unit 20 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is an example of the Y-axis sensor selection data which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart showing the Y-axis sensor selection process in the initialization process at the time of starting of SRS unit 20 (CPU25) which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

 100 ... Vehicle, 10R1, 10R2, 10R3, 10L1, 10L2, 10L3 ... Side impact sensor, 20 ... SRS unit, 30R ... Right curtain airbag, 30L ... Left curtain airbag, 40R ... Right side airbag, 40L ... Left side Airbag, 21 ... power supply circuit, 22 ... main sensor, 23 ... R-SIS communication I / F, 24 ... L-SIS communication I / F, 25 ... CPU (Central Processing Unit), 26 ... memory, 27 ... ignition circuit

Claims (3)

An occupant protection control device that performs start-up control of an occupant protection device when a vehicle collision occurs, based on acceleration data obtained from an acceleration sensor installed at a predetermined location of the vehicle,
Storage means for storing sensor selection data defining use / non-use of the acceleration sensor;
In initialization processing at the time of activation, arithmetic processing means for determining an acceleration sensor used for activation control of the occupant protection device based on the sensor selection data;
An occupant protection control device comprising:  The occupant according to claim 1, wherein the sensor selection data is data defining use / non-use of a plurality of acceleration sensors installed on both sides of the vehicle for use in start-up control in a side collision. Protection control device.  The occupant protection control device according to claim 2, wherein the occupant protection device that is a target of activation control at the time of a side collision is a curtain airbag.

Images