Patent Abstract:
An apparatus includes a center component defining a center chamber therein and first and second side components defining first and second chambers therein, respectively. The first and second side components are coupled to opposing ends of the center component with the first and second chambers in fluid communication with the center chamber. The center, first side and second side components are configured to extend substantially across a width of a vehicle. The apparatus further includes first, second and third pressure sensors in communication with the first, second and center chambers, respectively.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Vehicles, such as automobiles, may include equipment for mitigating the impact of collisions, such as, e.g., passenger and side-curtain air bags in the occupant cabin. Optimal deployment of such collision mitigation equipment, however, may be dependent on the impact mode. For example, in an oblique impact mode, one vehicle may contact another vehicle at an approximately 15° oblique angle and with an approximately 35% overlap of the widths of the vehicles and generate relatively large rotational forces, as compared to other impact events. In another example, for mitigation of collisions with pedestrians, vehicles may include equipment such as bumper- or hood-mounted airbags and/or hood-lifting systems on the exterior of the vehicle. To control and employ such equipment, the vehicle is required to detect a corresponding collision—e.g. discriminate an oblique impact or a pedestrian impact from other impact events, and from each other. Current mechanisms for detecting vehicle collisions may be unable to sufficiently discriminate between impact events and/or may also suffer from drawbacks such as relatively high complexity and cost. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0002]      FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of an exemplary front end of a vehicle, including an exemplary sensing apparatus. 
           [0003]      FIG. 2  is a partially schematic top view of the exemplary front end of the vehicle of  FIG. 1 , including the exemplary sensing apparatus. 
           [0004]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle system. 
           [0005]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary process for utilizing an exemplary sensing apparatus in collision detection and evaluation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary illustration of a vehicle  10  with a front end  12 . The vehicle  10  includes a front bumper assembly  14 , illustrated in  FIG. 1  in exploded view. The front bumper assembly  14  includes a bumper beam  22 , an energy-absorbing component or energy absorber  24 , and a front fascia component  26 , as well as a multi-cavity sensing apparatus  28  disposed between the energy absorber  24  and the front fascia  26 . 
         [0007]    The bumper beam  22  includes a front face  30  with a curved shape that substantially spans the width of the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . The bumper beam  22  may further include rearward-extending portions  32  and  34  configured to couple to a frame assembly of the vehicle  10 . The bumper beam  22  is a relatively rigid component of a material such as, for example, steel. 
         [0008]    The energy-absorbing component  24  includes a rear face  36  sized and shaped to correspond with the front face  30  of the bumper beam  22 , and it is fixed to the bumper beam  22 . The energy-absorbing component  24  further includes a forward face  38  with a plurality of protrusions  40 . The energy-absorbing component  24  is relatively elastic as compared to the bumper beam  22 . For example, the energy absorbing component  24  be a plastic or foam component and the protrusions  40  may be adapted to deform, crush, or flatten in order to absorb kinetic energy in the event of a collision or impact with the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . 
         [0009]    The front fascia component  26  overlaps and engages the assembly of the bumper beam  22 , the energy-absorbing component  24 , and the sensing apparatus  28  and attaches to the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . The sensing apparatus  28  has an overall width corresponding to the size of the forward face  38  of the energy absorber  24 . The sensing apparatus  28  extends across the forward face  38  of the energy absorber  24  and is fixed in engagement therewith. The sensing apparatus  28  is shaped complementary to the forward face  38  of the energy absorber  24  and the interior of the front fascia component  26 . 
         [0010]    The front fascia component  26  is relatively thin as compared to the energy-absorbing component  24  and the sensing apparatus  28 , and the front fascia component  26  is elastic as compared to the bumper beam  22 . The front fascia component  26  may include material such as, for example, plastic. The sensing apparatus  28  is shaped complementary to, and in mechanical engagement with, the interior of the front fascia component  26 . Therefore, a force applied to the exterior of the relatively thin front fascia component  26  in a location overlapping or otherwise mechanically engaged with the sensing apparatus  28  is translated to the sensing apparatus  28 . 
         [0011]    With further reference to  FIG. 2 , the sensing apparatus  28  includes a left cavity or chamber  50 , a center cavity or chamber  52  and a right cavity or chamber  54 . The left cavity  50  and the center cavity  52  are coupled with a left channel portion  56  extending therebetween. The center cavity  52  and the right cavity  54  are coupled with a right channel portion  58  extending therebetween. In one exemplary implementation, the length of the left and right chambers  50  and  54  are each approximately 25˜35% of the length of the bumper beam  22 , and the length of the center chamber  52  is approximately 30˜50% of the length of the bumper beam  22 . 
         [0012]    The left, center and right cavities  50 ,  52 ,  54  each substantially enclose fluid volumes  60 ,  62 ,  64 , respectively. The left and right channel portions  56 ,  58  fluidly couple the volumes  60 ,  62 ,  64 , and, therefore, enable the pressures in the volumes  60 ,  62 ,  64  to substantially equalize over time. In some implementations, the sensing apparatus  28  may be pressurized to a higher pressure than the volume outside thereof. The left, center and right cavities  50 ,  52 ,  54  each include a front surface, respectively denoted at reference numerals  66 ,  68 ,  70 , and a rear surface, respectively denoted at reference numerals  72 ,  74 ,  76 . The sensing apparatus  28  may be formed of any suitable materials, including, e.g., automotive grade pipe and blow-molded plastic, and may be formed as a unitary body of such suitable materials, such as blow-molded plastic. 
         [0013]    The sensing apparatus  28  further includes left, center and right pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  respectively coupled to the left, center and right cavities  50 ,  52 ,  54  and in communication with the volumes  60 ,  62 ,  64 , respectively. The pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  may be any suitable pressure sensor for automotive applications. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2 , the pressure sensors of the sensing apparatus  28  may be outside of the respective chambers thereof, such as the left and right pressure sensors  80  and  84 , or integrated in to the shape of a chamber, such as the center pressure chamber  82 . In other implementations, the pressure sensors of a sensing apparatus of the present disclosure may be disposed within the volumes of the chambers. 
         [0014]    The bumper beam  22  is coupled to left and right frame rails  90 ,  92 , and the pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  are in communication with a vehicle computing device or computer  105  of the vehicle  10 . It should be understood that a sensing apparatus according to the present disclosure may vary in configuration with variations in shape and/or material composition across the width thereof, alone or in combination with variations in configuration, size or thickness as discussed herein. For example, a sensing apparatus according to the present disclosure may have a variety of cross-sectional shapes, including, for example, circular, elliptical, and rectangular. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the vehicle computing device or computer  105  in communication with the pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  of the sensing apparatus  28  generally includes a processor and a memory, the memory including one or more forms of computer-readable media, and storing instructions executable by the processor for performing various operations, including as disclosed herein. The computer  105  of the vehicle  10  receives information, e.g., collected data, from one or more data collectors  110  related to various components or conditions of the vehicle  10 , e.g., components such as a braking system, a steering system, a powertrain, etc., and/or conditions such as vehicle  10  speed, acceleration, pitch, yaw, roll, etc. The computer  105  generally includes restraint control module  106  that comprises instructions for operating collision mitigation systems or equipment  120 . Further, the computer  105  may include more than one computing device, e.g., controllers or the like included in the vehicle  10  for monitoring and/or controlling various vehicle components, e.g., a restraint control module  106 , an engine control unit (ECU), transmission control unit (TCU), etc. The computer is generally configured for communications on a controller area network (CAN) bus or the like. The computer may also have a connection to an onboard diagnostics connector (OBD-II). Via the CAN bus, OBD-II, and/or other wired or wireless mechanisms, the computer may transmit messages to various devices in a vehicle and/or receive messages from the various devices, e.g., controllers, actuators, sensors, etc., including the pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  of the sensing apparatus  28  and collision mitigation systems or equipment  120 . Alternatively or additionally, in cases where the computer actually comprises multiple devices, the CAN bus or the like may be used for communications between the multiple devices that comprise the vehicle computer. In addition, the computer may be configured for communicating with a network, which may include various wired and/or wireless networking technologies, e.g., cellular, Bluetooth, wired and/or wireless packet networks, etc. 
         [0016]    Generally included in instructions stored in and executed by the computer  105  is a restraint control module  106 . Using data received in the computer  105 , e.g., from data collectors  110 , including the pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84 , and data included as stored parameters  116 , etc., the module  106  may control various vehicle  10  collision mitigation systems or equipment  120 . For example, the module  106  may be used to deploy equipment responsive to an oblique impact event, such as side curtain air bags, or a pedestrian impact event, such as bumper- or hood-mounted airbags and/or hood-lifting systems. Further, the module  106  may include instructions for evaluating information received in the computer  105  relating to vehicle  10  operator characteristics, e.g., from pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  and/or other data collectors  110 . 
         [0017]    Data collectors  110  may include a variety of devices. For example, various controllers in a vehicle may operate as data collectors  110  to provide data  115  via the CAN bus, e.g., data  115  relating to vehicle speed, acceleration, etc. Data collectors  110  may include conventional crash or impact detectors, such as accelerometers. Yet other sensor data collectors  110  could include impact sensors such as pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84 . In addition, data collectors  110  may include sensors to detect a position, change in position, rate of change in position, etc., of vehicle  10  components such as a steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator, gearshift lever, etc. 
         [0018]    A memory of the computer  105  generally stores collected data  115 . Collected data  115  may include a variety of data collected in a vehicle  10 . Examples of collected data  115  are provided above, and moreover, data  115  is generally collected using one or more data collectors  110 , and may additionally include data calculated therefrom in the computer  105 , and/or at a server (not shown). In general, collected data  115  may include any data that may be gathered by a collection device  110  and/or computed from such data. Accordingly, collected data  115  could include a variety of data related to vehicle  10  operations and/or performance, data received from another vehicle, as well as data related to environmental conditions, road conditions, etc. relating to the vehicle  10 . For example, collected data  115  could include data concerning a vehicle  10  speed, acceleration, pitch, yaw, roll, braking, presence or absence of precipitation, tire pressure, tire condition, etc. 
         [0019]    A memory of the computer  105  may further store parameters  116 . A parameter  116  generally governs control of a system or component of vehicle  10 . These parameters may vary due to an environmental condition, road condition, vehicle  10  condition, or the like. In one example, parameters  116  may specify thresholds for determining frontal impacts, generally, and for identifying oblique frontal impacts from other frontal impacts and, thus, conditions for deployment of impact mitigation systems, such as passenger airbags and seat belt pre-tensioning systems, particularly tailored for the type of impact. In another example, parameters  116  may specify predetermined impact thresholds for identifying impacts with pedestrians and, thus, conditions for deployment of pedestrian impact mitigation systems such as bumper- or hood-mounted airbags and/or hood-lifting systems. 
         [0020]    The sensing apparatus  28  provides a range of responses to impact forces applied to the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 , toward sensing and identifying a collision or impact with the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . The left, center and right cavities  50 ,  52 ,  54  may be elastically deformable in response to relatively low impact forces, such as a collision of the vehicle  10  with a pedestrian, so as to generate a change in the pressure of one or more of the volumes  60 ,  62 ,  64 , depending on the impact location and magnitude, which may be detected by pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84 , respectively. The pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  generate pressure signals from which the vehicle computer  105  may discriminate between the impact location and magnitude, so as to further control the operation of collision mitigation equipment and systems. For example, at the time immediately after the vehicle  10  experiences an oblique impact on the left side of the front end  12 , the left pressure sensor  80  of the left chamber  50  senses a stronger pressure change than the center pressure sensor  82  of the center chamber  52 , and the right pressure sensor  84  of the right chamber  54  senses little or no pressure change. By comparing the pressure differences between the three sensors various frontal impact modes, such as full frontal impact mode can be differentiated from the oblique impact. In some implementations, this discrimination between the pressure signals may be executed by the sensing apparatus  28  and the computer  105  in  20  milli-seconds or less. Over a longer period of time, in the absence of permanent deformation to the sensing apparatus  28 , the pressure equalizes through the channels  56 ,  58 . 
         [0021]    Additionally, in an implementation in which the sensing apparatus  28  is pressurized relative to a volume outside thereof, the computer  105  may use signals from the pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  for failure mode prevention, e.g. to identify a leak in the sensing apparatus  28 . For example, if the pressure of the volumes  60 ,  62 ,  64  drops over time, as opposed to equalizes as described herein, the computer  105  may generate a communication or signal identifying the leak. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of an exemplary process  400  for utilizing an exemplary sensing apparatus of the present disclosure, e.g. sensing apparatus  28 , to identify an oblique frontal impact with the vehicle  10 . It should be understood that an exemplary sensing apparatus of the present disclosure, e.g. sensing apparatus  28 , may be utilized in a variety of sensing applications in addition to or as an alternative to the exemplary process  400 , e.g., to identify an impact with a pedestrian and to identify a head-on impact with another vehicle. 
         [0023]    The process  400  begins in a block  405 , in which the computer  105  of the vehicle  10  receives signals from the left, center and right pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84 . Next, in a block  410 , the computer  105  respectively compares the signals from the left, center and right pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  to a frontal impact threshold value among the stored parameters  116 . For example, the frontal impact threshold value may correspond to a minimum value that would be experienced by any part of the sensing apparatus  28  in the event of a collision of the front end  12  of the vehicle  10  with another vehicle or rigid object and which may necessitate the activation of occupant protection measures. Accordingly, next, in a block  415 , if none of the pressure signals from pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  meets or exceeds the frontal impact threshold, the process  400  returns to the block  405 . On the other hand, if any of the pressure signals from pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  meets or exceeds the frontal impact threshold, the process  400  continues to a block  420 . 
         [0024]    In the block  420 , the computer  105  compares the signals from the left and right pressure sensors  80  and  84  with a processing threshold value among the stored parameters  116 . For example, if the impact at either the left or right side of the sensing apparatus  28  meets or exceeds a certain severity, as set by the processing threshold value, the frontal impact identified relative to the frontal impact threshold may be further identified as at least involving the side corresponding with the one of the pressure sensors  80  and  84  providing a signal exceeding the processing threshold. 
         [0025]    If, as determined at a block  425 , one or both of the pressure sensors  80  and  84  does provide a signal exceeding the processing threshold, next, in a block  430 , the computer  105  subtracts the signal from the center pressure sensor  82  from the one or both of the pressure sensors  80  and  84  providing a signal exceeding the processing threshold. Next, in blocks  435  and  440 , the computer  105  compares the resultant difference to an oblique impact threshold value among the stored parameters  116 . For example, in an at least offset frontal impact as identified by comparison of the signals of the pressure sensors  80 ,  82 ,  84  to the frontal impact threshold and/or the processing threshold, the difference calculated at the block  430  may meet or exceed the oblique impact threshold when the impact force is sufficiently concentrated to one of the sides of the vehicle  10 , and thus at the sensing apparatus  28 , as may be with an oblique impact between vehicles. 
         [0026]    If, in the block  440 , the oblique impact threshold has been determined to have been met or exceeded, then, at block  442 , based on the output from blocks  435  and  440 , the computer  105  determines if oblique impact is a left or right oblique impact. At block  445 , the computer  105  selects operational parameters from the stored parameters  116  for the collision mitigation systems  120  for identified left or right oblique impact and applies those parameters, e.g. through the restraint control module  106 . For example, oblique impact specific impact countermeasures, such as side curtain airbags, may be deployed, in the event an oblique impact is identified. Upon application of those parameters, the process  400  ends. 
         [0027]    If, at the block  425 , neither of the signals from the left or right pressure sensors are at or above the processing threshold, or, if, at the block  440 , the difference calculated at the block  435  is not at or above the oblique impact threshold, the process  400  continues to the block  450 , where other impact modes, and corresponding parameters for the collision mitigation systems  120 , may be identified. Following the block  450 , the process  400  ends. 
         [0028]    Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, Java™, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, HTML, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, e.g., from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer-readable media. A file in a computing device is generally a collection of data stored on a computer readable medium, such as a storage medium, a random access memory, etc. 
         [0029]    A computer-readable medium includes any medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions), which may be read by a computer. Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, etc. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes a main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read. 
         [0030]    In the drawings, the same reference numbers indicate the same elements. Further, some or all of these elements could be changed. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It should be understood that, as used herein, exemplary refers to serving as an illustration or specimen, illustrative, or typical. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the invention is capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following claims. 
         [0031]    All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary in made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1