Vehicle safety system and method implementing weighted active-passive crash mode classification

US11560108B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG · DE

Inventors

• Kiran Balasubramanian · Canton, US
• Charles A. Bartlett · Oakley Park, US
• Andreas Fleckner · Mühlhausen-Ehingen, DE
• Harald Pfriender · Friedrichshafen, DE
• Raymond David · Dearborn Heights, US
• Huahn-Fern Yeh · Novi, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 19, 2020
• Grant date: Jan 24, 2023
• Expiry date: Jun 20, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R2021/01313
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A vehicle safety system implements a method for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision. The method includes determining a passive safety crash mode classification in response to crash signals received in response to the occurrence of a crash event. The method also includes determining an active safety crash mode classification in response to active safety signals received prior to the occurrence of the crash event. The method also includes determining an active safety confidence factor for the active safety crash mode classification. The method also includes determining the weighted crash mode classification as being the active crash mode classification in response to the active safety confidence factor exceeding a predetermined confidence value. The method further includes determining the weighted crash mode classification as being the passive crash mode classification in response to the active safety confidence factor not exceeding the predetermined confidence value.