Patent Publication Number: US-2021170924-A1

Title: System and method for reducing injury in autonomous vehicles

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The technical field relates generally to for a control system and method of reducing injury in autonomous vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Typically, automotive vehicles include a plurality of seats, with each seat holding an occupant upright and facing in a standard forward direction of travel. However, such automotive vehicles may utilize flexible seating configurations. For example, seats may recline to allow an occupant to rest in a lying position. In another example, seats may swivel or rotate to allow multiple occupants to face one another. Various other seating configurations are known or can be anticipated. It is likely that the availability and use of flexible seating configurations will increase with the rise in autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle technology. 
     One drawback to flexible seating configurations in automobiles regards the deployment of safety devices (e.g., air bags and seatbelts) to protect the occupants in a crash. For instance, air bags are typically designed for circumstances where the occupant is facing forward in the vehicle and sitting in an upright position. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes identifying a potential impact of a vehicle with an external object. The method further includes sensing a position of an occupant of the vehicle. The method also includes determining an advantageous position of the occupant based on the identified potential impact. The method further includes repositioning the occupant to the advantageous position in response to the identified potential impact. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, an occupant safety system for a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a seat for supporting an occupant of the vehicle and a mechanism operatively connected to the seat to change the position of the occupant between a first position and a second position. The occupant safety system includes an environment sensor configured to sense an environment around the vehicle. The system also includes a position sensor configured to sense the position of the occupant. The system further includes a processor in communication with the environment sensor, the position sensor, and the mechanism. The processor is configured to identify a potential impact of the vehicle with an external object utilizing the environment sensor. The processor is also configured to determine a position of the occupant utilizing the position sensor. The processor is further configured to determine an advantageous position of the occupant based on the identified potential impact. The processor is also configured to control the mechanism to reposition the occupant to the advantageous position in response to the identified potential impact. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, a vehicle includes a seat for supporting an occupant and a mechanism operatively connected to the seat to change the position of the occupant between a first position and a second position. The vehicle also includes an environment sensor configured to sense an environment around the vehicle. The vehicle further includes a position sensor configured to sense the position of the occupant. The vehicle also includes a processor in communication with the sensors and the mechanism. The processor is configured to identify a potential impact of the vehicle with an external object utilizing the environment sensor. The processor is also configured to determine a position of the occupant utilizing the position sensor. The processor is further configured to determine an advantageous position of the occupant based on the identified potential impact. The processor is also configured to control the mechanism to reposition the occupant to the advantageous position in response to the identified potential impact. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a vehicle having an occupant safety system according to one exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a side-view of an occupant in a seat of the vehicle in a generally horizontal position according to one exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a side-view of the occupant in the seat of the vehicle in a generally upright position according to one exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a top-view of seats of the vehicle each facing a center line of the vehicle according to one exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a top-view of seats of the vehicle each facing the front of the vehicle according to one exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a method of reducing injury in autonomous vehicles according to one exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a vehicle  100  having an occupant safety system  102  is shown and described herein. 
       FIG. 1  shows the vehicle  100  having the occupant safety system  102 . The vehicle in the exemplary embodiments is an automobile (not separately numbered) having a propulsion system (e.g., an engine and a powertrain) (not shown) as is widely recognized. Of course, other suitable vehicles  100 , other than the automobile, may be implemented with the occupant safety system. The vehicle  100  of the exemplary embodiments includes an interior compartment  104  that may accommodate at least one occupant  106 . 
     The vehicle  100  includes a seat  108  for supporting an occupant  106 . The seat  108  is configurable to move between at least a first seat position and a second seat position. A mechanism  110  is operatively connected to the seat  108  to change the position of the seat  108 . As such, the mechanism  110  is operable to change the position of the occupant  106  between at least a first occupant position (not numbered) and a second occupant position (not numbered). However, it should be appreciated that the seat  108 , and thus the occupant  106 , may be repositioned to any number of positions. Further, it should be appreciated that the vehicle  100  may include a plurality of seats  108  for supporting a plurality of occupants  106 . 
     In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the mechanism  110  for moving the seat  108  includes a drive rail  200  and a drive motor  202 . The seat  108  is coupled with the drive rail  200 , and the drive motor  202  is used to move the drive rail  200 , which in turn moves the seat  108  between positions. 
     The seat  108  further optionally includes a mount (not shown), such as a rotatable mount that is coupled with the vehicle  100 , such as the frame (not shown) of the vehicle  100  to provide stability to the seat  108 . 
     The occupant safety system  102  includes a position sensor  112 . The position sensor  112  is configured to sense the position of the seat  108  and/or the occupant  106 . The position sensor  112  may be implemented with any suitable device for sensing the seat  108  and/or a portion of the seat  108 . These position sensors  112  may include, but are certainly not limited to, magnetic field sensors, angular sensors, rotary and/or linear position sensors, etc. The position sensor  112  may also be implemented with a camera for sensing the position of the occupant  106  and/or the seat  108  as well as confirming the presence of an occupant  106  in the seat  108 . Of course, other implementations of the position sensor  112  will be realized by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The occupant safety system  102  also includes an environment sensor  114 . The environment sensor  114  is configured to sense an environment around the vehicle. In one exemplary embodiment, the environment sensor  114  produces data that may be utilized to determine a potential impact of the vehicle  100  with another object (not shown), including, but certainly not limited to, another vehicle. The environment sensor  114  may be implemented with a camera, radar, sonar, lidar, or other suitable device as is readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. In another embodiment, the environment sensor  114  may produce data indicating a current impact of the vehicle  100  with an object, e.g., an accelerometer. 
     The occupant safety system  102  further includes a processor  116 . The processor  116  may be implemented as a computational device configured to perform calculations, send and/or receive data, and/or execute instructions (i.e., run a program). The processor  116  may be a microprocessor, microcontroller, application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”), programmable logic controller, or any other suitable device as readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The occupant safety system  102  may include additional electrical and electronic circuitry devices, integrated circuits, and/or other devices (none shown) for interfacing the processor  116  with other systems and/or devices. For example, the occupant safety system  102  may include an analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) (not shown), a digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”), a control relay, a power transistor, and a communications processor (not shown). 
     The processor  116  is in communication with the environment sensor  114  and receives data from the environment sensor  114  regarding a potential or current impact of the vehicle  100  with another object. The processor  116  is also in communication with the position sensor  112  and receives data from the position sensor  112  regarding the position of the seat  108  and/or the occupant  106 . 
     The processor  116  may be configured to determine an advantageous position of the occupant  106  based on the identified potential impact. The advantageous position may be a single, pre-determined position. For example, the advantageous position may be a generally upright, forward-facing position. However, it should be appreciated that other advantageous positions may be realized, based on the structure of the vehicle, air bag positions, direction of the potential impact, location of the potential impact, and/or other variables. The determination of the advantageous position of the occupant  106  may be based on a look-up table using any sensing variable. Alternatively, the determination of the advantageous position may be performed by an algorithm, such as, but not limited to an artificial intelligence algorithm. 
     The processor  116  is also in communication with the mechanism  110  to change the position of the seat  108 . The processor  116  is configured to selectively send a control signal to the mechanism  110  to control the position of the seat  108 . As such, the processor  116  is configured to control the mechanism  110  to reposition the occupant  106  to the determined advantageous position in response to an identified potential impact. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the position sensor is  112  senses that the occupant  106  is facing generally away from a potential impact. The processor  116  then controls the mechanism  110  to reposition the occupant  106  to generally face toward the potential impact. This repositioning works in concert with the airbags (not shown) of the vehicle  100 , which are typically positioned to maximize protection for occupants  106  facing forward in the vehicle  100 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show one example of such an embodiment. In  FIG. 2 , the first position of the seat  108  is a generally horizontal position, allowing the occupant to be in a generally lying position. In  FIG. 3 , the second position of the seat  108  is a conventional seating position, putting the occupant  106  in a generally upright position. In this embodiment, in the event of a potential impact of the vehicle  100 , the processor  116  automatically controls the mechanism  110  to reposition the occupant  106  to the generally upright position prior to the impact of the vehicle  100 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show another example of such an embodiment. In  FIG. 4 , the first position of the seat  108  is directed toward a center line  400  of the vehicle  100 . As such, the occupant  106  may face other occupants  106  of the vehicle  100 , instead of facing a front  402  of the vehicle  100 . In  FIG. 5 , the second position of the seat  108  in this embodiment is directed toward the front  402  of the vehicle  100 . 
     The processor  116  may be further configured to calculate a time to impact of the vehicle with the external object. This calculation is done in response to the potential impact of the vehicle with the external object being identified. The time to impact may be calculated utilizing data from the environment sensor  114  and/or other sensors (not shown). For example, the distance to the external object, the speed of the external object, the acceleration of the external object, the speed of the vehicle  100 , and/or the acceleration of the vehicle  100  may be utilized to calculate this time. 
     The processor  116  may also be configured to calculate a time to reposition the occupant  106  from the sensed position to the more advantageous position, i.e., from the first position to the second position. This time may be based, at least in part, on the sensed position of the seat  108  and historical data regarding the speed of moving the seat using the mechanism  110 . 
     In some cases, it may not be prudent to begin moving the occupant to the more advantageous position, particularly if the repositioning may not be complete prior to the impact. As such, in one embodiment, the processor  116  may further be configured to reposition the occupant from the first position to the second position only if the calculated time to reposition the occupant is less than the calculated time to impact. The processor  116  may also take into account the time necessary for a restraint device to fully activate. For example, the processor  116  may not move the occupant between positions if the time to move the occupant and the time is greater than the time to inflate an airbag to protect the occupant. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a method  600  of reducing injury in autonomous vehicles is presented. The method  600  includes, at  602 , identifying a potential impact of a vehicle  100  with an external object. The method  600  also includes, at  604 , sensing a position of an occupant of the vehicle. The method  600  further includes, at  606 , determining an advantageous position of the occupant based on the identified potential impact. The method also includes, at  608 , repositioning the occupant to the advantageous position in response to the identified potential impact. 
     The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Embodiments discussed in different portions of the description or referred to in different drawings can be combined to form additional embodiments of the present application. The scope should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.