Patent ID: 6278924
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A method for deploying a safety device during a crash event involving a motor vehicle, comprising:monitoring the immediate vicinity of the motor vehicle by illuminating the surrounding environment with electromagnetic radiation and receiving said illuminating electromagnetic radiation from objects positioned near the motor vehicle, and analyzing said received electromagnetic radiation to determine velocity of objects in the vicinity of the motor vehicle relative to the motor vehicle;sensing motor vehicle acceleration to detect the onset of a crash event, and, when the crash event is detected, selecting a first velocity corresponding to an object that is colliding with the motor vehicle;performing analysis on said acceleration and functions of said acceleration and based on said analysis making a fire/no-fire decision, wherein a fire decision determines a time-to-fire, and includes determining a parameter which characterizes the crash;determining from a previously derived relationship between motor vehicle velocity and time-to-fire, a second velocity;comparing the first velocity with the second velocity, and, if the second velocity is greater than the first velocity, selecting the first velocity, and if the second velocity is less than the first velocity, selecting a third velocity which is between the first velocity and the second velocity;if the parameter which characterizes the crash indicates a crash which is non-frontal, normalizing the selected velocity to a normalized velocity corresponding to an equivalent frontal crash;supplying the selected velocity or, if determined, the normalized velocity, to a biomechanical algorithm;deriving from the biomechanical algorithm a list of actuations to be initiated; and initiating the list of actuations.