Patent ID: 7664587

Claim:
An apparatus for detecting a vehicle rollover, comprising: a sensor arrangement for sensing vehicle dynamics data and rollover data; and a processor connected to the sensor arrangement, wherein the processor categorizes an operating state of the vehicle into one of a plurality of successive phases, and wherein the processor determines, for each phase, a float angle and a transverse vehicle velocity from the vehicle dynamics data and the rollover data, and wherein the vehicle rollover is detected based on the float angle and the transverse vehicle velocity wherein chronologically successive phases include a stable operating state, a breakaway state, and a skid state, wherein the stable operating state is characterized by a constant value of the float angle, the breakaway state is characterized by an increase in the float angle by at least 20 degrees, and the skid state is characterized as occurring after the breakaway state has occurred and where the vehicle is skidding and of the float.