KR20030012361A - A Frontal Airbag System of Vehicle and Control Method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A front air bag system comprises a proper algorithm to decide whether to operate the air bag, and method for controlling the front air bag system is provided. CONSTITUTION: A front air bag system comprises a speed sensor(10), a rotation sensor(20), a distance sensor(30), a front G sensor(Gravity sensor, 40), a danger determining portion(56) and a microprocessor. The speed sensor detects the speed of the automobile. The rotation sensor detects skid or rotation in frontal collision of the automobile. The distance sensor measures distance to the opposite automobile or an obstacle. The front G sensor senses acceleration of automobile in frontal direction. The danger determining portion decides whether to operate air bag from the signals of the speed sensor, the rotation sensor, the distance sensor, the front G sensor.

Description

A frontal airbag system of vehicle and control method

The present invention relates to an automobile front airbag system and a control method thereof, and more particularly, by using information input from various sensors mounted on an automobile, the vehicle is accompanied with sliding and rotation of the vehicle when driving from a low speed to a high speed of the vehicle. The present invention relates to a vehicle front airbag system and a control method thereof for enabling the front airbag to be properly operated in a frontal collision accident.

In general, the airbag (airbag) is a secondary safety device that has recently been used rapidly to reduce the injuries of the occupants in the event of a car crash.

The airbag includes a front airbag system that inflates the airbag momentarily between the driver and the steering wheel or between the passenger seat and the instrument panel of the passenger seat during a frontal collision of the vehicle to reduce injury due to impact, and the driver during a side collision of the vehicle. And a side airbag system that inflates the airbag momentarily between the passenger and the vehicle body to reduce injury due to impact.

The conventional front airbag system detects a deceleration (-G) value in the frontal direction in the event of a frontal collision and obtains a physical calculation value to determine whether the frontal airbag is deployed. To obtain this physical calculation, the same frontal collision algorithm operates regardless of the change in the vehicle's situation at the time of the collision.

3 illustrates an example of a conventional vehicle front airbag system. Referring to this, a vehicle front airbag system includes a front G sensor (110) and a front G sensor (110) for detecting acceleration in a front direction of a vehicle. It is configured to include an airbag ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (120) for overall control of the front airbag system, such as determining whether to drive the airbag operation unit 130 for deploying the airbag as a signal input from).

Such a front airbag system outputs a control signal for driving the airbag operation unit 130 by using the acceleration (shock) detected by the airbag ECU 120 when the vehicle is in front of the vehicle while driving in front of the vehicle. Determine if you want to. At this time, the airbag ECU 120 inflates the driver's front airbag 132 and the passenger front airbag 134 by outputting a control signal when the detected shock is greater than or equal to a preset reference value and outputting a control signal. .

However, the front airbag system as described above, firstly, operates a proper front airbag due to a reduction in the amount of impact (physical amount) in the front direction when an inclination or a frontal local collision occurs instead of the front direction of the vehicle due to slippage and rotation during a high-speed driving collision of a vehicle. There is a problem that can not be achieved.

Second, since the front airbag system starts to operate after a frontal crash, there is a limit in improving the reliability of the frontal airbag system due to a lack of ability to actively cope with changes in the situation immediately before the collision. Therefore, for this reason, in some cases, the front airbag may not be able to provide adequate passenger protection as well as cause customer dissatisfaction.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to select the appropriate algorithm for determining the deployment of the front airbag by using information input from various sensors mounted on the vehicle, so that the vehicle slips, turns, and rotates relative to the vehicle from low speed to high speed. The present invention provides a vehicle front airbag system and a control method thereof capable of properly operating a front airbag in a frontal collision accident with a speed of speed.

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle front airbag system according to the present invention is a speed sensor for detecting a driving speed of a vehicle, and detecting the presence or absence of a slip or rotation in the event of a front collision of the vehicle. A rotation sensor, a distance sensor for measuring a distance and a relative speed of a relative vehicle or an obstacle, a front G sensor (Gravity sensor) for detecting acceleration in a front direction of the vehicle, and the speed sensor And an airbag ECU configured as a signal input from a rotation sensor, a distance sensor, and a front G sensor, a risk determination unit for determining whether to drive the airbag operation unit for deploying the front airbag, and a microprocessor for controlling the above-described components as a whole.

In addition, the vehicle front airbag control method according to the present invention in order to achieve the above object is a step of reading a signal from the speed sensor, rotation sensor and distance sensor required to determine whether the front airbag deployment, and input through the speed sensor If the vehicle driving speed is low and the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is low, determining that it is a safety situation and executing a safety situation algorithm; and the vehicle driving speed inputted through the speed sensor is low, and the front relative of the relative vehicle is low. If the speed is greater than the set minimum speed value and smaller than the maximum speed value, determining that it is dangerous and normal and executing a normal algorithm; and the vehicle driving speed inputted through the speed sensor is low, and the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is low. Is greater than the set maximum speed value, it is considered as a dangerous situation and the risk algorithm is executed. Step and, if the driving speed of the vehicle input through the speed sensor is a high speed, and there is a risk of skid or rotation of the vehicle by the signal input through the rotation sensor in the event of a frontal collision is determined to be a dangerous situation Executing an algorithm, and comparing the execution result of the risk algorithm, the normal algorithm, and the stable situation algorithm with a reference value set for each algorithm to determine whether to deploy the front airbag.

1 is a block diagram of a vehicle front airbag system according to the present invention.

2 is a flowchart of a vehicle front airbag control method according to the present invention;

3 is a block diagram of a conventional automotive front airbag system.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: speed sensor 20: rotation sensor

30: distance sensor 40: front G sensor

50: airbag ECU 54: microprocessor

56: danger judgment part 60: air bag operating part

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a vehicle front airbag system according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the vehicle front airbag system according to the present invention is mounted on the vehicle speed sensor (Speed Sensor) 10 for detecting the driving speed of the vehicle, and skid (skid) of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle Or a rotation sensor (20) for detecting the presence of rotation (rotation) is provided.

In addition, a distance sensor 30 is mounted on the vehicle and measures a distance and a relative speed with respect to a relative vehicle in a frontal collision accident or an obstacle in a collision. At this time, an ultrasonic sensor is used as the distance sensor 30 used, and when the ultrasonic wave is emitted from the ultrasonic sensor, the distance and the relative speed of the front vehicle or the obstacle are calculated from the reflected ultrasonic signal.

The vehicle is equipped with a front G sensor 40 on the front side to sense the acceleration from the front direction of the driver in the event of a frontal crash.

The signals sensed by the respective sensors are input to the airbag ECU 50 including the microprocessor 54 and the risk determination unit 56.

The risk determination unit 56 of the airbag ECU 50 performs front airbag deployment through signals input from the speed sensor 10, the rotation sensor 20, the distance sensor 30, and the front G sensor 40 of the vehicle. It is determined whether the airbag operation unit 60 for driving. At this time, the risk determination unit 56 determines the degree of danger according to the situation of the frontal collision of the vehicle through the signal input from each sensor, and the risk determination logic for selecting an appropriate algorithm according to the degree of danger logic is provided. In addition, the microprocessor 54 of the airbag ECU 50 controls the overall configuration of the front airbag system.

Three types of algorithms are stored in the risk determination logic to determine a degree of danger according to signals input from each sensor, and to actively select and execute different algorithms according to the corresponding degree of danger.

If it is determined that the dangerous situation according to a signal input during a frontal collision accident from the speed sensor 10, the rotation sensor 20 and the distance sensor 30, the front airbags 62 and 64 are more easily deployed than the safety situation or the normal state. A risk algorithm is executed to control the airbag actuator 60 as much as possible.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the stable state or normal state according to the signal input from each sensor, the stable situation that controls the airbag operating unit 60 so that the front airbag 62, 64 is not easily deployed or is normally driven in a general collision situation. Algorithm or normal algorithm is executed.

An embodiment of the front airbag system having the above configuration will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a flowchart of a vehicle front airbag control method according to the present invention.

First, the speed sensor 20 mounted on the vehicle detects the current traveling speed of the vehicle and transmits the signal to the airbag ECU 50.

The rotation sensor 20 detects vehicle conditions such as skid and rotation of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision and transmits a signal to the airbag ECU 50.

The distance sensor 30 detects the distance and the relative speed of the relative vehicle and the obstacle and calculates the distance and the relative speed of the vehicle or the obstacle from the front vehicle or the obstacle from the ultrasonic signal which is reflected by the ultrasonic emission and returns, and the signal is used as the airbag ECU 50. To send).

On the other hand, the front G sensor 40 mounted on the front of the driver detects the acceleration from the front direction of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision, and transmits the detection signal to the airbag ECU 50.

The airbag ECU 50 reads information necessary to determine whether the front airbags 62 and 64 are deployed from the respective sensors (S201).

The risk determining unit 56 of the airbag ECU 50 determines whether the vehicle driving speed input through the speed sensor 10 is smaller than a set minimum speed value (S202). As a result of the determination, when the vehicle driving speed is smaller than the set minimum speed value, it is recognized that the vehicle is running at a low speed.

If the vehicle is running at a low speed but the front vehicle collides with the other vehicle or the moving vehicle at a high speed, the driver and the passenger may be at risk due to the speed of the opposite vehicle or the moving vehicle. Therefore, in order to determine whether the danger is possible, the risk determination unit 56 utilizes a signal obtained by measuring a distance and a relative speed with the relative vehicle or the moving object through the distance sensor 30 and the front G sensor 40.

When the vehicle is driven at a low speed, the danger determination unit 56 determines whether the frontal relative speed of the relative vehicle input through the distance sensor 30 and the front G sensor 40 is smaller than the set minimum speed value (S205). ). As a result of the determination, when the frontal relative speed is smaller than the set minimum speed value, the vehicle recognizes that the relative vehicle or the moving vehicle is running at a low speed, and determines that it is a safety situation to execute a safety situation algorithm stored in the risk determination logic (S209). ).

On the other hand, if the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is greater than the set minimum speed value in step S205, the risk determination unit 56 determines whether the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is smaller than the set maximum speed value (S206). As a result of the determination, if the frontal relative speed of the relative vehicle is smaller than the set maximum speed value, the risk determination unit 56 determines that the danger is possible and normal and executes the normal algorithm stored in the risk determination logic (S208).

If the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is greater than the set maximum speed value in step S206, the risk determination unit 56 determines that it is a dangerous situation and executes a risk algorithm stored in the risk determination logic (S207).

If the vehicle driving speed input through the speed sensor 10 in step S202 is greater than the set minimum speed value, the risk determination unit 56 determines whether the driving speed of the vehicle is smaller than the set maximum speed value (S203).

As a result of the determination, if the running speed of the vehicle is smaller than the set maximum speed value, the risk determining unit 56 determines that the dangerous situation is possible, and compares the process of comparing with the front relative speed of the relative vehicle in step S205 as described above. By executing the algorithm, the risk, normal and stability algorithms stored in the risk determination logic are executed according to the judgment result.

On the other hand, if the running speed of the vehicle is greater than the set maximum speed value in step S203, the risk determination unit 56 is the skid (skid) or rotation (rotation) of the vehicle by the signal input through the rotation sensor 30 in the event of a frontal collision It is determined whether there is any (S204). If there is a sliding or rotation of the vehicle as a result of the determination, the risk determination unit 56 determines that it is a risk situation and executes a risk algorithm stored in the risk determination logic (S207).

If there is no sliding or rotation of the vehicle in step S204, the risk determination unit 56 determines that the normal situation, and comparing the front relative speed of the relative vehicle of step S205 in the same manner as described above to determine the result Based on the risk determination logic, the algorithm implements the risk, normal and stable situation algorithms.

When the risk algorithm of step 207, the normal algorithm of step S208, and the stable situation algorithm of step S209 are executed by the risk determination unit 56, the microprocessor 54 of the airbag ECU 50 performs The execution result is compared with the reference value set in each algorithm (S210).

When the comparison result of the algorithm exceeds the reference value set in each algorithm, it is determined that the deployment of the front airbags 62 and 64 is necessary, and the microprocessor 54 controls the airbag operation unit 60 to control the driver. Alternatively, the front airbags 62 and 64 of the passenger are deployed (S211).

On the other hand, if the execution result of the comparison result algorithm is less than the reference value set in each algorithm, it is determined that the deployment of the front airbags 62, 64 is not necessary, and the microprocessor 54 controls the airbag operation unit 60 to control the driver or Suppression of the front airbags 62 and 64 of the passenger is suppressed (S212).

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that control of the vehicle front airbag system may be performed by methods other than the above control method. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the described embodiments but should be defined by the following claims.

As described above, the vehicle front airbag system and the control method according to the present invention has the following effects.

First, it is possible to minimize the possibility of malfunction of the front airbag by using the information input from various sensors mounted on the car, thereby minimizing the possibility of malfunction of the front airbag, reducing the possibility of passenger injury due to the airbag, and preventing unnecessary front airbag deployment. This reduces the economic burden of re-installation and minimizes customer complaints.

Second, by changing the operation start time of the front airbag system from the accident to before the accident, there is an effect of improving the passenger protection function and the reliability of the front airbag system by the front airbag.

Claims (5)

A speed sensor detecting a driving speed of a vehicle; Rotation sensor for detecting the presence of slip or rotation in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle; A distance sensor measuring a distance and a relative speed of the relative vehicle or the obstacle; A front G sensor (Gravity sensor) for detecting acceleration in the front direction of the vehicle; And An airbag ECU comprising a risk determination unit for determining whether to drive the airbag operation unit for deploying the front airbag as a signal input from the speed sensor, the rotation sensor, the distance sensor, and the front G sensor, and a microprocessor that controls the overall configuration. Equipped with a car front airbag system. The method of claim 1, wherein the risk determination unit of the airbag ECU, Determining the degree of danger according to the situation of the frontal collision of the vehicle through the signals input from the speed sensor, the rotation sensor and the distance sensor, and the risk determination logic for selecting an appropriate algorithm according to the degree of danger Equipped with a car front airbag system. Reading signals from a speed sensor, a rotation sensor, and a distance sensor required to determine whether the front air bag is deployed; Executing a safety situation algorithm by determining that the vehicle driving speed input through the speed sensor is a low speed and the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is a safe situation; Executing a normal algorithm by determining that the vehicle driving speed inputted through the speed sensor is a low speed and the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is greater than the set minimum speed value and smaller than the maximum speed value, indicating that it is dangerous and normal; Executing a risk algorithm when the vehicle driving speed inputted through the speed sensor is a low speed and the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is greater than the set maximum speed value; If the driving speed of the vehicle inputted through the speed sensor is high speed and there is a risk of slip or rotation of the vehicle due to a signal inputted through the rotation sensor in the event of a frontal collision, the risk algorithm is determined to execute a risk algorithm. step; And And determining whether to deploy the front airbag by comparing the execution results of the risk algorithm, the normal algorithm, and the stable situation algorithm with the reference values set in the respective algorithms. The method of claim 3, further comprising: determining that the driving speed of the vehicle input through the speed sensor is greater than the set minimum speed value and smaller than the maximum speed value, and that it is a dangerous state, and comparing it with the front relative speed of the relative vehicle; As a result of the comparison, if the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is low, determining that the safety situation is executed and executing the safety situation algorithm; As a result of the comparison, determining that the frontal relative speed of the relative vehicle is greater than the set minimum speed value and smaller than the maximum speed value, and thus executing a normal algorithm by determining that it is dangerous and normal; And And comparing the front vehicle relative speed of the relative vehicle with a predetermined maximum speed value and executing a risk algorithm. The vehicle driving speed input through the speed sensor is a high speed, and if there is no risk of skid or rotation of the vehicle due to a signal input through the rotation sensor in the event of a frontal collision, it is determined that it is a dangerous state. Comparing it with the front relative speed of the relative vehicle; As a result of the comparison, if the front relative speed of the relative vehicle is low, determining that the safety situation is executed and executing the safety situation algorithm; As a result of the comparison, determining that the frontal relative speed of the relative vehicle is greater than the set minimum speed value and smaller than the maximum speed value, and thus executing a normal algorithm by determining that it is dangerous and normal; And And comparing the front vehicle relative speed of the vehicle with a predetermined maximum speed value and executing a risk algorithm.