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DE-102024210869-A1 - Method and device for coordinated control of occupant protection measures in a vehicle

DE102024210869A1DE 102024210869 A1DE102024210869 A1DE 102024210869A1DE-102024210869-A1

Abstract

The present invention claims a method and a device for the coordinated control of the vehicle's existing features for reducing and preventing injuries and damage to occupants as a result of a crash or accident. In addition to irreversible restraint systems such as airbags, reversible restraint systems such as seat belts and seat adjustments are coordinated and synchronized, controlled in such a way as to achieve a damage-reducing interaction of the systems, measures, and components. Furthermore, the deceleration generated by the vehicle's braking system to reduce or prevent an impact is incorporated into the considerations for the coordinated or sequential control of the individual measures, components, and vehicle systems.

Inventors

  • Georg Schneider
  • Klaus Heyer

Assignees

  • Robert Bosch Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241113

Claims (14)

  1. Method for the coordinated control of occupant protection measures in a vehicle, wherein the method • acquires information from a pre-crash detection system (210), and • acquires information from an occupant sensing system (220), and • acquires a deceleration generated by a braking device depending on the pre-crash information, and • actuates a belt (270) of at least one seat (260) depending on the deceleration and the occupant information, and • actuates an adjustment of at least one part of at least one seat (260) depending on the deceleration and the occupant information, and • performs a coordinated transition to actuate irreversible restraint devices (280).
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the method controls the belt (270) in such a way that a predefined force level of the belt (270) is set in a time-dependent manner to the adjustment of the seat (260), wherein it is particularly provided that the force level of the belt (270) is set simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay before the adjustment of the seat (260).
  3. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the The timing of the belt and/or seat adjustment depends on the time of activation of the braking device and/or the detected deceleration, with particular provision that the belt and/or seat adjustment takes place before the effect of the inertia of the occupant body on the deceleration.
  4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method controls the steering system (240) of the vehicle depending on the pre-crash information and the occupant information, wherein it is particularly provided that the position of the steering wheel of the steering system (240) is changed in relation to the driver.
  5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method adjusts the position of the seat (260) in the longitudinal, transverse and/or vertical direction, the inclination of the backrest (20) and/or the seat surface angle, wherein it is particularly provided that the method detects the position of at least one seat (260), the inclination of the backrest (20) and/or the seat surface angle before the adjustment and takes them into account during the adjustment.
  6. Procedure according to Claim 5 , characterized in that the method adjusts the backrest (20) of the seat (260) from a first adjustment angle to a second adjustment angle during or after the build-up of the delay, wherein it is particularly provided that the adjustment starts within a predetermined time period after the start of the delay, for example within 100 to 400 ms.
  7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method • detects the adjustability of the backrest (20), and • adjusts the seat surface inclination depending on the adjustability, wherein it is particularly provided that the seat surface inclination is adjusted when a malfunction of the adjustability of the backrest (20) is detected.
  8. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after the start of the deceleration build-up by the braking device (230), the method iteratively reassesses the probability of a crash and adjusts the at least one seat (260) and/or the control of the belt, the steering system and/or the irreversible restraint means (280) depending on this reassessment, wherein it is particularly provided that a repositioning of the seat (260) is carried out if the avoidance of a collision or a reduced risk of injury to the occupants is determined.
  9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method uses occupant sensing to acquire information about • the seat occupancy, • the body dimensions, • the seating position, • the head position (15), • the posture and/or • the estimated mass of at least one occupant.
  10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the target deceleration to be achieved by controlling the brake device (203) is determined as a function of the intended adjustment of the seat (260), wherein in particular a predetermined time delay for building up the deceleration is taken into account when controlling the adjustment of the seat (260).
  11. Device for coordinated control of measures for occupant protection in a vehicle, wherein the device comprises an evaluation means (200) which uses one of the methods of Claims 1 until 10 executes, wherein the evaluation means (200) • acquires information from a pre-crash detection system, and • acquires at least one piece of information from an occupant sensing system, and • acquires a deceleration which is generated by a braking device depending on the information of the pre-crash information, and depending on the deceleration and the occupant information controls a belt (270) of the at least one seat (260), and • depending on the deceleration and the occupant information controls an adjustment of at least one part of at least one seat (260), and • performs a coordinated transition to the control of irreversible restraint means (280).
  12. Device according to Claim 11 , characterized in that the evaluation means (200) controls the steering system (240) of the vehicle depending on the pre-crash information and the occupant information, wherein it is provided in particular that the evaluation means controls an actuator which changes the position of the steering wheel (50) of the steering system (240) in relation to the driver.
  13. device according to one of the Claims 11 or 12 , characterized in that the evaluation means (200) includes at least one actuator controls the position of the seat (260) in the longitudinal, transverse and/or vertical direction, the inclination of the backrest and/or the seat surface angle
  14. device according to one of the Claims 11 until 13 , characterized in that the evaluation means (200) iteratively reassesses the probability of a crash after the start of the deceleration build-up by the braking device (230) and controls the adjustment of the at least one seat (260) and/or the control of the belt (270), the steering system (240) and/or the irreversible restraint means (280) depending on this reassessment.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for reducing passenger injuries in vehicles during an accident. State of the art In modern vehicles, the severity of injuries to occupants in an accident is reduced by occupant protection systems such as seat belts and airbags. The selection, arrangement, and activation of these protection systems are designed for a normally upright seating position within a predefined seating area, where they function as intended. In a reclined seating position, such as that encountered in highly automated driving, the same level of protection is no longer guaranteed. The present invention is intended to describe a coordinated control of various occupant protection systems and their measures, in particular for reclined seating positions during travel. Disclosure of the invention The present invention claims a method and a device for the coordinated control of the vehicle's existing features for reducing and preventing injuries and damage to occupants as a result of a crash or accident. In addition to irreversible restraint systems such as airbags, reversible restraint systems such as seat belts and seat adjustments are coordinated, i.e., synchronized, and controlled in such a way as to achieve a damage-reducing interaction of the systems, measures, and components. Furthermore, the deceleration generated by the vehicle's braking system to reduce or prevent an impact is also considered in the coordinated or sequential control of the individual measures, components, and vehicle systems. The claimed method first acquires information indicating that a crash or accident is likely based on environmental sensor data. This could involve pre-crash detection inside or outside the vehicle. For example, the pre-crash information thus determined could be generated by other road users and transmitted to the ego-vehicle. Furthermore, the method acquires at least one piece of information containing details about the vehicle's passengers or occupants. Depending on this pre-crash information and the occupant information, the vehicle components, and in particular the reversible and irreversible restraint systems, are subsequently coordinated and synchronized accordingly. Based on pre-crash information, which includes, for example, the motion trajectories and/or dynamic parameters of the road users involved in the potential crash/accident, at least one brake of the (ego) vehicle's braking system is initially activated. This activation is usually carried out via a separate system, such as a (partially) automated driving system. Optionally, however, the present method can also perform this control. The deceleration generated and detected during the activation of the braking system can reduce the impact force and thus the extent of damage to the occupants. In some cases, this deceleration of the vehicle can even prevent a crash/accident altogether, especially if steering intervention is also performed. Since the build-up of deceleration and the inertial mass of the occupants cause a forward movement of the occupants in their seats, at least one seatbelt of the at least one occupied seat is activated, in particular by generating a pretension that can be varied during the build-up of deceleration and/or the crash. The system can also take into account the vehicle's target and/or actual deceleration. Furthermore, depending on the intended target deceleration and/or the actual deceleration, at least part of a seat in the vehicle is adjusted. When this adjustment control is activated, occupant information is used, ensuring that only seats occupied by occupants, animals, or luggage are adjusted. Additional information can also be used to adjust occupied seats, thus improving the protection of occupants, animals, or luggage. For example, the occupant information could be used to detect the occupant's posture and/or seating position. In addition to adjusting at least part of the seat (e.g., the backrest angle, seat cushion angle, or the seat's position/distance to the dashboard/steering wheel/front row of seats), the seat belt of at least one reclined seat can be activated, depending on the adjustment control and occupant information. The method then performs a transition to the control of the irreversible restraint systems, preferably also depending on the pre-crash information of the occupants. seninformation, in particular updated occupant information, the belt control and/or the adjustment control of at least one seat. This adapted and coordinated control of the various measures and components allows the occupant's seating position to be optimized and taken into account for the activation and control of further measures/components. For example, the seatbelt could be activated in close succession to the build-up of deceleration, preventing the occupant from sliding forward on the seat. The same applies to the seatback adjustment, ensuring that an excessively flat backrest setting does not cause the occupa