Control Of Vehicle Safety Devices (e.g., Airbag, Seat-belt, Etc.) Patents (Class 701/45)
  • Publication number: 20130024074
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes at least one vehicle seat, which has a backrest, the inclination of which can be adjusted, and a control device, by means of which the backrest can be controlled to a lying position having a greater angle of inclination at the request of a seat user. The control device has a signal connection to a monitoring device, which detects at least one belt parameter, by means of which it can be determined whether a flawless belt course of a safety belt being worn by a seat user is ensured in the lying position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Elmar BAUR, Marcus Voigt, Helmut Walter
  • Publication number: 20130024073
    Abstract: Disclosed are a collision damage mitigation system of a vehicle and a control method thereof. The collision damage mitigation system includes a forward sensor to detect a distance and relative speed between an owner's vehicle and a vehicle in front thereof, an electronic control unit to judge a degree of collision risk based on a Time-To-Collision (TTC) value upon receiving sensor information transmitted from the forward sensor, the TTC value being obtained by dividing the distance between the owner's vehicle and the vehicle in front thereof by the relative speed therebetewen, and to control implementation of at least one of collision warning, vehicle control, and inflation of an air bag based on the judged degree of collision risk, and an air bag drive unit to inflate the air bag, immediately before vehicle collision, in response to an air bag inflation signal from the electronic control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventor: Young Seop SON
  • Patent number: 8354936
    Abstract: A capacitive passenger detector includes: a capacitive sensor having main, sub and guard electrodes; a sensor characteristic measurement unit for applying an alternating voltage signal to each electrode and for converting a current in each electrode to a voltage; and a controller. The controller defines a current in the guard electrode as a reference current when voltages of the main and guard electrodes have a same potential. The controller defines a current flowing direction of the guard electrode to be negative when the voltage of the main electrode is higher than the guard electrode. The controller defines the current flowing direction of the guard electrode to be positive when the voltage of the main electrode is lower than the guard electrode. The controller corrects the voltage of the main electrode based on the current of the guard electrode so that a corrected voltage is set to be a passenger determination data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kouji Ootaka
  • Publication number: 20130013156
    Abstract: A vehicle interior-exterior structure of the present invention is equipped with a main body formed from a resin foam material, a covering formed from a resilient material to cover the main body, and a void formed between the main body and the covering. The vehicle interior-exterior structure is also equipped with a front bumper cover supported by a vehicle body and a pressure sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to the internal pressure of the void. A reaction force is obtained from the main body when a colliding body collides with the location where the void is positioned in the front bumper and the void undergoes compression deformation. The degrees of freedom for the placement position of the void, namely for the placement position of an impact detection region, can accordingly be raised.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Shinya Watanabe, Akihiko Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8350685
    Abstract: A collision detecting device includes a chamber member providing a chamber, a pressure sensor connected to the chamber member, and a bumper absorber absorbing an impact generated by collision of an object with the vehicle. The bumper absorber has a region, which has a thickness in a front-rear direction of the vehicle. The thickness of the region is equal to or smaller than a predetermined thickness. The region is in contact with at least a portion of the chamber member. The collision is detected based on the pressure of the chamber detected by the pressure sensor. Hereby, a collision detecting device in which the bumper absorber has sufficient rigidity, and the chamber has sufficient deformability in case of collision can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takatoshi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8350615
    Abstract: If a power supply is provided to a circuit necessary to control a switch for switching a path after wakeup, or if a buckle switch is switched while a microcomputer is asleep, an electrical current necessary for reliable operation of the buckle switch cannot be supplied during sleep, so that the buckle switch will not operate normally. This creates the possibility that wakeup cannot be performed. To permit the electrical current necessary for reliable operation of the buckle switch to be secured if the buckle switch is switched while the microcomputer is asleep, an FET capable of being kept ON or OFF by a power supply acting during sleep, a resistor connected with the FET, and a resistor of large resistance for blocking excessive dark current if the buckle switch is connected are arranged in parallel. The combined resistance of the parallel combination of these elements is used as a pull-up resistance at the input of a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroto Nagoshi, Masashi Saito
  • Patent number: 8352116
    Abstract: A tilt or acceleration sensing apparatus and method that allows a tilt or acceleration sensing device of a vehicle to determine: 1) a maximum fall angle of the vehicle, regardless of the orientation of the vehicle and the vehicle's tilt sensor(s) to the incline; or 2) the downward acceleration of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a method of determining a maximum fall angle of a vehicle includes sensing tilt angles of two sensing axes of the vehicle relative to a horizontal reference plane and calculating the maximum fall angle of the vehicle based on the tilt angles. The apparatus and method may also include comparing the maximum fall angle to predetermined values and generating output signals when the maximum fall angle exceeds the predetermined values. In another embodiment, a method of determining when a vehicle is sliding downhill includes sensing the accelerations of three sensing axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Delta Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford H. Boylston, Arthur James Harvey, Nicholas Schragal
  • Patent number: 8348003
    Abstract: There is provided an occupant detection correction system including: a load detection section that detects load imparted to a vehicle seat and outputs a load signal representing the load; an occupant detection section that detects an occupant based on the load signal and is capable of resetting the load signal to a reference point based on a predetermined reset instruction; a tilt angle detection section that detects a predetermined tilt angle of a seatback; and a permitting section that permits execution of resetting the load signal to the reference point by the occupant detection section when the predetermined tilt angle is detected by the tilt angle detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Morishita, Yosuke Kubota, Isao Hagiwara, Koki Terashima, Muneto Inayoshi
  • Publication number: 20130006477
    Abstract: There is provided a control device for vehicle. A sideslip speed which is the moving speed of a vehicle in the width direction is calculated on the basis of an estimated running position of the vehicle after a predetermined time interval has elapsed from a time at a starting running position of the vehicle on the estimated running path, and the actual running position of the vehicle after the predetermined time interval has elapsed from the time at the starting running position of the vehicle on the estimated running path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyoshi BABA, Tetsuya Nakase, Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 8344866
    Abstract: A warning system for a motor vehicle includes sensor devices for detecting a driving situation, a warning device for the output of a warning to a driver of the motor vehicle, a device for detecting the driver's state of attention that includes operating elements of existing vehicle components, and a control device which triggers the warning device as a function of data of the sensor devices and the device for detecting the state of attention. In this warning system, the device for detecting the state of attention infers a reduced degree of driver attention when a total duration of a sequence of several operating actions related to the operating elements exceeds a minimum duration. A conclusion can also be drawn that the degree of driver attention is reduced when operating inputs are triggered that are known a priori as being cognitively demanding, for example, operating a telephone keypad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ramona Lermer, Josef Schumann, Olaf Mueller
  • Patent number: 8346438
    Abstract: Method and system for deploying an occupant restraint device in a vehicle includes arranging a sensor to detect a rear impact and deploying the occupant restraint device when the sensor detects the rear impact of sufficient magnitude to require deployment of the occupant restraint device to prevent injury to the occupant. The sensor may be a crush sensor which preferably extends across a major portion of the rear of the vehicle, an inertial sensor and/or an anticipatory sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Automotive Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Breed
  • Patent number: 8346440
    Abstract: A capacitance sensor outputs a signal indicating one of an occupant-seated state, a CRS-mounted state and a vacancy state. A load sensor is ON when a predetermined load applied to the load sensor through the seat, and is OFF when the predetermined load is not applied. A controller turns off both of an on-light indicating airbag inflation allowance and an off-light indicating airbag inflation prohibition, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is OFF. The controller turns on the off-light, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Nakagawa, Shoichi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8346439
    Abstract: A system and method of activating a restraint system of a vehicle is described. The method includes generating a vehicle speed signal that represents a longitudinal speed of a vehicle, generating a lateral acceleration signal that represents a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, filtering the lateral acceleration signal to generate a filtered lateral acceleration signal, comparing the filtered lateral acceleration signal to a predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold, estimating a lateral speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal when the filtered lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold, and activating a restraint system of the vehicle based in part on the estimated lateral velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Teves, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Andres, Patrick Messi, Eric Mertz, Holger Faisst
  • Patent number: 8346431
    Abstract: A suitable electrical system for a motor vehicle is provided, which system requires a voltage supply during a possible towing-away operation. A voltage-supply control device recognizes the provision of an external voltage supply, in particular by way of a towing vehicle for the motor vehicle, and controls the voltage supply in the motor vehicle in such a manner that only one or more subsystems of the entire electrical system of the motor vehicle are supplied with voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Froeschl, Klaus Wandel, Alexander Mai
  • Publication number: 20120330512
    Abstract: A method for triggering at least one irreversible retaining device of a motor vehicle before the beginning of an actual collision includes acquiring items of information regarding an object which is present in the vicinity of the motor vehicle by means of at least two acquisition devices of a motor vehicle which operate independent of one another and which continuously measure the vicinity of the vehicle, and separately analyzing the items of information with regard to whether triggering conditions for triggering the at least one irreversible retaining device are established, wherein the triggering only occurs when both analysis results indicate that the triggering conditions are established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventor: Mirko Mählisch
  • Publication number: 20120326487
    Abstract: Based on the operation of a motor driver (16), a counter (13) makes an addition to and a subtraction from a heat generation counter value which is stored in a storage (14) and represents the temperature variation of a motor (7) and/or the motor driver (16). Once a switching decider (12) decides that a shift has been made from a normal operation mode, in which operating power is supplied, to a sleep mode which has a lower power consumption than that in the normal operation mode, a power source controller (15) refers to the heat generation counter value; and, when the heat generation counter value is equal to or more than a specified threshold value, the power source controller (15) stands by until the counter (13) makes a subtraction from the heat generation counter value to the threshold value and then shifts to the sleep mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: TAKATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideyuki Tonbe
  • Publication number: 20120323447
    Abstract: A bumper arrangement for an automobile includes a crossbeam with crash boxes and a pedestrian protection element arranged on the crossbeam. The material of the pedestrian protection element has a lower firmness compared to the material of the crossbeam. A deformation element is arranged in the pedestrian protection element. The deformation element can be retracted into the crossbeam in an impact with a pedestrian, so that only the pedestrian protection element produces a damping effect. In a high-intensity crash, the deformation element can be rigidly connected with the crossbeam and thus lengthen the available deformation path of the crash box along the deformation element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: MAX NIESSE, Torsten Gröning
  • Patent number: 8335616
    Abstract: A method for predicting potential injury assessment for at least one occupant of a vehicle involved in a crash event and for broadcasting assessment of the occupant to a medical response unit. An occupant seated in each seat of a vehicle is detected. Occupant data is obtained relating to physical characteristics of each occupant seated in the vehicle. A crash event involving the vehicle is detected. Vehicle dynamic data and safety restraint data during the crash event is recorded. The potential injury assessment of each occupant is predicted by an injury assessment processing module based on the vehicle dynamic data and safety restraint data obtained during the crash event and the occupant data of each occupant in the vehicle. The corresponding injury assessment of each occupant of the vehicle is broadcast to a medical response unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Inventors: Mark O. Neal, Nataraju Vusirikala, Jenne-Tai Wang, Abir Chakraborty
  • Patent number: 8335615
    Abstract: A low cost whiplash reduction system for a host vehicle, said host vehicle including a sensor arrangement operable to detect closing velocities of one or more rearwardly approaching objects substantially in a direction of travel of the host vehicle, and a processing arrangement for receiving information from the sensor arrangement indicative of said detected closing velocities, said processing arrangement being operable to actuate adaptive safety features in response to detected velocities of detected rearwardly approaching objects to the host vehicle to automatically selectively apply said adaptive safety features in response to said information received from the sensor arrangement for avoiding or mitigating host vehicle occupant neck whiplash injury occasioned by a crash of the rearwardly approaching object and the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Manoharprasad K. Rao
  • Patent number: 8335617
    Abstract: A sensor detection controller is used in combination with a capacitive sensor that is mounted on a seat of a vehicle in such a manner that a capacitance of the capacitive sensor changes according to whether the seat is occupied. The sensor detection controller has a fault detection mode and a normal detection mode. The sensor detection controller includes a signal source for applying an amplitude signal to the capacitive sensor, a switch for switching a signal path, through which the amplitude signal is applied, between the fault detection mode and the normal detection mode, a signal detector for detecting a change in a voltage or a current of the amplitude signal when the amplitude signal is applied, and an impedance member connected to the signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Satake, Noboru Maeda, Hiroyuki Mori, Kouji Ootaka
  • Patent number: 8335614
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a reversible seat belt pretensioner in a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of detecting the speed and the steering angle of the vehicle, calculating an expected turning rate of the vehicle about its vertical axis from the speed and the steering angle and calculating an upper and a lower turning rate limiting value using the expected turning rate, detecting the actual turning rate of the vehicle about its vertical axis and activating the seat belt pretensioner of the vehicle if the actual turning rate of the vehicle is greater than the upper turning rate limiting value or is less than the lower turning rate limiting value. The present invention also relates to a safety arrangement for implementing the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Klaus Bauer, Simon Hesse, Horst Kettern-Kohler, Ulrich Rick
  • Publication number: 20120316734
    Abstract: An alert sound output control apparatus provides audio data to a speaker unit that outputs an alert sound directed outside a vehicle. The alert sound output control apparatus includes a road information acquiring unit that acquires lane count information for a road being traveled by the vehicle; a position information acquiring unit that acquires traveling position information for the vehicle; and an output unit that based on the lane count information and the traveling position information, controls output of the alert sound directed outside the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventor: Haruhiko Takagi
  • Patent number: 8330593
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a vehicle. The method includes the steps of establishing a first wireless connection between a first portable wireless device and a vehicle communications system thereby creating a data transfer network between the first portable wireless device and the vehicle communications system, monitoring, by the vehicle communications system, at least one sensor for a specific vehicle activity, and if the specific vehicle activity occurs, sending a notification via the wireless connection from the vehicle communications system to the first portable wireless device via the data transfer network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ease Diagnostics
    Inventor: Stephen S. Golenski
  • Patent number: 8332101
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock system may include a control unit for selectively unlocking a door, the control unit having an input for receiving a signal from an occupant detection system, a logic unit for determining whether to send an unlock signal to the door based upon the input, and an output for selectively sending the unlock signal to the door when the automatic door unlock conditions are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Binfet, John Sgueglia
  • Patent number: 8332102
    Abstract: A vehicle safety system for detecting a side impact, the system comprising at least one sensor operable to detect one or more parameters relating to the rate of yaw of the vehicle, and to provide an output that is dependent upon the longitudinal position along the vehicle of the side impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Autoliv Development AB, Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yannick Erb, Yann le Merrer, Sylvain Triquigneaux, Andreas Wallin, Peter Hardå
  • Publication number: 20120310483
    Abstract: A belt lock is provided with a state sensor for detection of the locking state of a safety belt system, for example in an motor vehicle. The belt lock includes a locking mechanism which is located in a belt lock housing, which is formed from an upper shell and a lower shell, for an inserted belt tongue which has a component which changes its location from a first end position into a second end position when the locking mechanism is actuated. By means of the state sensor, actuation of the locking mechanism can be monitored. The state sensor is made as an electronic sensor element which is located in the lower shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: POLYCONTACT AG
    Inventor: Josua LANTER
  • Patent number: 8326504
    Abstract: A trailer sway intervention system. The trailer sway intervention system includes a trailer having a plurality of wheels, each wheel having a brake, and a vehicle towing the trailer. The vehicle includes a plurality of sensors configured to sense operating characteristics of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives the sensed operating characteristics from the sensors, determines an error based on a difference between an expected yaw rate and a sensed yaw rate, asymmetrically applies braking forces to one or more trailer wheels based on the difference, and symmetrically applies braking forces to the trailer wheels when the absolute value of the difference between the expected yaw rate and the sensed yaw rate is declining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hsien-cheng Wu, Jin-jae Chen, Nathan Drummond
  • Patent number: 8326498
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided which includes a closure member such as a powered window or a moon roof or sunroof that may be controlled in an auto close mode. The closure member may be controlled with anti-pinch control to provide a plurality of thresholds that are selected based on the presence of an occupant in close proximity to the vehicle, such as in the vehicle, so that an unsupervised control of the closure member provides a lower anti-pinch threshold than a supervised control of the closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph S. Witek
  • Publication number: 20120303220
    Abstract: An electronic control system for a safety device of a motor vehicle includes a first sensor for a motion quantity, a computer for converting the motion quantity to a triggering signal for the safety device, and a second sensor for checking the plausibility of the sensor signal supplied by the first sensor. The two sensors are arranged with an identical construction and/or effect and at an at least approximately identical location on a printed circuit board such that, in a proper operating mode, their output signals have different preceding signs and are identical with respect to their amount over their entire operating range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Richard Baur, Stephan Muhr, Simon Schilling, Michael Hackenberg, Marcus Weidner
  • Publication number: 20120303219
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor that functions to cancel both a function of a vehicle sensor and a function of a webbing sensor on a predetermined condition with a simple structure and a small number of components. When a seat belt is fully retracted, a cam follower of a first lever comes into contact with a second cam portion of a cam plate. An actuator pressing portion of the first lever presses an actuator of a vehicle sensor to a non-operation position. The function of the vehicle sensor is thereby cancelled. Further, when an engaging claw of a second lever separates from a ratchet tooth of a ring gear, the ring gear is allowed to rotate in a seat belt withdrawing direction. Therefore, the function of the webbing sensor is cancelled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Kenji OSADA, Hirokazu Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20120303221
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor system including a plurality of sensor elements which are designed so that the elements detect at least partially different primary measured values and utilize at least partially different measurement principles, further including a signal processing apparatus, an interface apparatus and a plurality of functional apparatuses. The sensor elements are connected to the signal processing apparatus, which is designed so that it includes at least one of the following signal processing functions each for at least one of the sensor elements and/or the output signals thereof, an error handling, a filtering, a calculation and/or provision of a derived measured value. At least one measured value is derived from at least one primary measured value of one or more sensor elements, and all functional apparatuses are connected to the signal processing apparatus via the interface apparatus and the signal processing apparatus provides the signal processing functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO. OHG
    Inventors: Stefan Günthner, Alexander Kolbe, Bernhard Schmid, Otmar Simon, Ulrich Stählin
  • Patent number: 8321092
    Abstract: A method of predicting severity of a potential collision of first and second vehicles. The method includes determining that a probability of a potential collision of the vehicles is greater than a threshold value. Vehicle condition-defining signals are exchanged between the vehicles when the probability of the potential collision is greater than the threshold value including a first vehicle condition-defining signal developed on board the first vehicle and a second vehicle condition-defining signal developed onboard the second vehicle. The method further includes predicting onboard the first vehicle a severity of the potential collision for the first vehicle based upon input that includes the first vehicle condition-defining signal and the second vehicle condition-defining signal. A severity of the potential collision for the second vehicle is predicted onboard the second vehicle based upon the second vehicle condition-defining signal and the first vehicle condition-defining signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alan L Browne, Francis D Wood, Osman D Altan
  • Patent number: 8320932
    Abstract: A system (100) and method (300) of using a context vector and database (202) for location applications can include a transceiver (104), a plurality of environmental sensors (114, 116, 118, 120, 121) including at least two location technology devices (110, 112), and a processor (102) coupled to the transceiver and the plurality of environmental sensors. The processor can be programmed to sense (302) an environmental condition for a given location, define (310) a context vector for the given location, detect (312) a context transition corresponding to a change in the environmental condition, and modify (314) an operation of the at least two location technology devices based on the context transition detected. The processor can be further programmed to form (320) a new context vector based on the context transition and attempt to match the new context vector with a pre-stored context vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ellis A. Pinder, Charles B. Swope
  • Publication number: 20120296526
    Abstract: A control unit for setting a device for the adaptive reduction of crash energy for a vehicle includes a first interface which provides a first signal characterizing an imminent or a beginning crash process, a computing element which, as a function of the first signal, generates a first control signal for setting the deformation behavior of at least one deformation element of the device for the adaptive reduction in the crash energy, and a second interface which provides a second signal characterizing at least one passenger parameter that changes as a function of the crash process. The computing element generates at least one second control signal as a function of the second signal for setting the deformation behavior during the crash process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Heiko Freienstein, Markus Koenning
  • Patent number: 8311701
    Abstract: A hood pop-up system for a vehicle that pops up a hood of the vehicle when detecting or predicting a collision of the vehicle. The hood pop-up system includes an oscillation-offsetting unit that offsets and reduces oscillation of the hood caused by the popping-up of the hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Iwai, Toshihiro Yoshitake, Yusuke Inomata, Kazuo Hoshino, Mitsuo Ehama, Yasuhiro Miyata
  • Patent number: 8311693
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stabilizing a hybrid electric vehicle (“HEV”) towing a trailer. One system includes a regenerative braking system, a non-regenerative braking system, and a stabilization system. The stabilization system determines a direction of rotation and a speed of the HEV and compares the HEV's speed to a predetermined low speed threshold value and a predetermined high speed threshold value. The stabilization system instructs the regenerative braking system to brake at least one wheel when the speed is less than or equal to the predetermined low speed threshold value and instructs the regenerative braking system to brake at least one wheel opposite the direction of rotation and at least one of the regenerative braking system and the non-regenerative braking system to provide an extra stabilizing braking torque to at least one wheel opposite the direction of rotation when the speed is greater than the predetermined high speed threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hsien-Cheng (Kevin) Wu, Bo Xu
  • Publication number: 20120282885
    Abstract: A system and method for airbag deployment sensing with a mobile device is provided. The system senses an effluent indicative of airbag deployment with a chemical sensor and determines if an airbag deployment condition exists based on the sensing of the chemical sensor. The system may then initiate an emergency communication if it is determined that the airbag deployment condition exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC.
    Inventors: Siri Hamed, Bill Johnson, Tara Thweny, Karen Skalny, Syed Nabi, Shafer Seymour
  • Publication number: 20120283916
    Abstract: An occupant restraint system including a harness coupled to the occupant by surrounding a portion of the occupant, a winding mechanism fixed to the vehicle and configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, and a flexible linking member having a first end coupled to the harness and a second end coupled to the winding mechanism. The linking member is configured to selectively wind and unwind from the winding mechanism. When the winding mechanism is in the first mode of operation, the linking member may be unwound from the winding mechanism to allow the occupant to move freely about the vehicle. When the winding mechanism is in the second mode of operation, the winding mechanism winds the linking member to pull the harness toward the winding mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher Joe KRANZ, Paul Michael SMITH, Nicklaus John PELLICCIA
  • Publication number: 20120279794
    Abstract: An automatic vehicle safety belt release system is disclosed having a seat belt, control unit, and power source, connected and operated by the vehicles transmission. The releasing system is incorporated with and will work concurrently with a manual vehicle safety release system. The system is automatically controlled by the vehicles transmission and designed so that when the transmission is put in a specified position an electric signal will be sent to a control unit that is connected to a power source which will send an electric signal to a specified vehicle safety belt latch which will automatically release the specified safety belt through an electronically operated mechanism in the seat belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Joshua Jeffrey Clayton, Jason Braley
  • Patent number: 8306727
    Abstract: A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Riccardo Morselli, John Posselius
  • Patent number: 8297651
    Abstract: A pre-crash side airbag device includes a side collision detection sensor, a pre-crash sensor, a main airbag, an auxiliary airbag, and a control unit. The side collision detection sensor detects a collision occurring at the side of a vehicle. The pre-crash sensor detects physical quantities related to the speed of an approaching object. The main airbag is deployed when a control signal is input. The auxiliary airbag is coupled to one side of the main airbag. The control unit controls the deployment of the main airbag and the auxiliary airbag depending on a pre-crash case where a high-speed side collision is expected and a normal case where a low-speed side collision is expected or the measurement value is erroneous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Hyock In Kwon, Hyeong Ho Choi, Seung Woo Lee, Jae Ho Choi, Jun Yeol Choi
  • Patent number: 8301344
    Abstract: A device for classifying at least one object in the surrounding field of a vehicle with the aid of an environmental sensor system, the device classifying the at least one object on the basis of its shape and its dimensions, and the environmental sensor system ascertaining the dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Simon, Sebastian Lindner, Henning Voelz
  • Patent number: 8301345
    Abstract: A device and a method for transmitting an activation decision for an actuator system from a first to at least one second control unit is provided, the second control unit activating the actuator system as a function of at least two messages from the first control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Schmid, Holger Denz
  • Patent number: 8292324
    Abstract: A side impact crash sensor that operates in conjunction with displacement of a door outer panel of a vehicle door in the event of a side impact crash. The side impact crash sensor comprises a sensor housing coupled to a vehicle door member in a sectioned region of the door and a pendulum rotates around a rotating shaft secured to the sensor housing in the event of a side impact crash. The pendulum is conductive and is housed in a housing space of the sensor housing. The side impact crash sensor further comprises a detecting section including a conductive coil energized by an alternating current secured to the sensor housing. The detecting section detects a rotation operation mode of the pendulum on the basis of a change in impedance of a conductive coil which occurs in conjunction with a rotation operation of the pendulum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushiko Oigawa, Yasuo Itoga, Hiroo Kawaguchi, Kohtaroh Yoshida, Masaki Kobayashi, Hisayoshi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8296018
    Abstract: The invention relates to a headrest system comprising: a headrest device (1); a plurality of sensors (2, 3); and an electromechanical headrest device positioning system, associated to said sensors (2, 3). Data are recorded during an upward movement of the headrest device (1), relating to the distance between the headrest device (1) and the head in a plurality of positions of the headrest device (1) throughout said upward movement. The upward movement ends when, through the sensors, the system detects that the headrest is at a certain height. Based on this data recorded during the upward movement, the headrest device (1) is moved substantially horizontally until it is located at a certain distance from the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fundacion Robotiker
    Inventors: Juan Manuel Pedrero Iniguez, Mercedes Ferros Presa, Jesus Murgoitio Larrauri, Inaki Iglesias Aguinaga, Antonio Sanchez Diaz
  • Patent number: 8296099
    Abstract: A vehicle tilt detecting apparatus includes a load sensor provided for detecting a load acts on a supporting portion, a load detecting portion detecting a partial load value of the load placed on the seat on the basis of an output from the load sensor and outputting a detected load value, first interrelating portion indicates a relation between a detected load value of no-load and a front-rear tilt angle of the vehicle, unoccupied seat determining portion determining an unoccupied state, where no-load is placed on the seat, when the detected load value outputted from the load detecting portion is less than an unoccupied seat determining value and front-rear tilt angle calculating portion calculating the front-rear tilt angle corresponding to the detected load value outputted from the load detecting portion, on the basis of the first interrelating portion, when the unoccupied seat determining portion determines the unoccupied state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Publication number: 20120265405
    Abstract: A vehicular electronic control apparatus includes a mother unit having a microcomputer, a plurality of ECU modules connected to the mother unit detachably and configured to execute respective vehicle controls, an operation data communication section for communicating with the microcomputer operation data used by the plurality of ECU modules in executing respective control operation processing, and alternative operation execution section for causing at least one of the other ECU modules and the microcomputer to execute, as an alternative operation, at least a part of the arithmetic operation processing, which is to be executed by at least one of the plurality of the ECU modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Matsumura, Eiichi Kamei
  • Publication number: 20120265406
    Abstract: A method for detecting a safety-critical impact of an object on a vehicle is described. The method has a first step of obtaining a starting signal for starting a time measurement, to establish the start of a subsequent predetermined time span. In addition, the method has a step of receiving a signal representing a yaw acceleration of the vehicle, the signal being received during the predetermined time span. Finally, the method has a step of detecting the safety-critical impact of the object on the vehicle detecting the safety-critical impact of an object on the vehicle when the signal within the predetermined time span has a value that is outside a threshold value range or when the signal after the predetermined time span has a value derived from the signal that is outside of a threshold value range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Gunther Lang, Alfons Doerr, Stephan Rittler
  • Publication number: 20120265407
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for lessening the consequences of an accident affecting a vehicle occupant in the event of a collision of the vehicle with an obstruction. Before the collision, the absolute speed of the vehicle occupant relative to the obstruction is reduced independently of the traveling speed of the vehicle by way of a reduction of the vehicle occupant's speed relative to the vehicle, without the vehicle occupant experiencing a first displacement movement against the vehicle movement direction beyond his initial destination-related traveling position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Markus ZIMMERMANN, Christian GRUBER
  • Patent number: 8286999
    Abstract: An occupant protection device includes a plurality of gas generators that actuate respective mechanisms, and a control portion that actuates the gas generators. If a condition for actuating at least one of the gas generators is fulfilled and a condition for actuating the other gas generators are unfulfilled, the other gas generators are controlled by the control portion at a timing that is uninfluential on an actuation state of one of the mechanism actuated by the one of the gas generators and that is different from a preset timing for actuating the other mechanisms actuated by the other gas generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Shuji Yamada