Patent ID: 9043077
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a type of an impact of an object on a vehicle, comprising: reading in at least one of: a rotational acceleration value representing an acceleration of the vehicle about a vertical axis of the vehicle; a longitudinal acceleration value of the vehicle representing an acceleration in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; and a lateral acceleration value of the vehicle representing an acceleration in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; determining at least one of: a transverse acceleration difference value representing a difference between (i) the lateral acceleration value and (ii) an acceleration value based on the rotational acceleration value and representing an acceleration transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; and a longitudinal acceleration difference value representing a difference between (iii) the longitudinal acceleration value and (iv) an acceleration value based on the rotational acceleration value and representing an acceleration in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; identifying the type of the impact, depending on at least one of: (a) one of the transverse acceleration difference value or a transverse signal derived from the transverse acceleration difference value stands in a predetermined relation to at least one first threshold value; and (b) one of the longitudinal acceleration difference value or a longitudinal signal derived from the longitudinal acceleration difference value stands in a predetermined relation to at least one second threshold value; and activating, in response to the identified type of impact, a predetermined passenger protective device of the vehicle depending on at least one of: (a) one of the transverse acceleration difference value or the transverse signal derived from the transverse acceleration difference value stands in a predetermined relation to a first activation threshold value; and (b) one of the longitudinal acceleration difference value or the longitudinal signal derived from the longitudinal acceleration difference value stands in a predetermined relation to a second triggering threshold value.