Vehicle collision detecting method employing an acceleration sensor

Claim 1

A method for detecting a collision of a vehicle body on the basis of an acceleration signal produced by an acceleration sensor and for starting a collision safety device based on a detected collision of said vehicle body, said method comprising the steps of: detecting the acceleration signal by the acceleration sensor; estimating a reduction in the amount of speed of the vehicle body due to a collision at a first time point by the acceleration signal from said acceleration sensor and a rate of time variation in the acceleration signal at a second time point earlier than said first time point; detecting the collision of the vehicle body when said reduction in the amount of speed exceeds a predetermined value, wherein said detecting step includes the steps of inputting into a comparator said reduction in the amount of speed and comparing thereof within said comparator with said predetermined value; and starting a safety collision device based on the detected collision.

Claim 2

A method for detecting a collision of a vehicle body on the basis of an acceleration signal produced by an acceleration sensor and for starting a collision safety device based on a detected collision of said vehicle body, said method comprising the steps of: detecting the acceleration signal by the acceleration sensor; estimating a reduction in the amount of speed of the vehicle body due to a collision at a first time point by the acceleration signal from said acceleration sensor and a rate of time variation in the acceleration signal at a second time point earlier than said first time point; detecting the collision of the vehicle body when said reduction in the amount of speed exceeds a predetermined value, wherein said detecting step includes the steps of inputting into a comparator said reduction in the amount of speed and comparing thereof within said comparator with said predetermined value; and starting a safety collision device based on the detected collision.

Claim 8

A method for detecting a collision of a vehicle on the basis of an acceleration signal produced by an acceleration sensor and for starting a collision safety device based on a detected collision of said vehicle body, said method comprising the steps of: detecting said acceleration signal by said acceleration sensor; integrating in an integrator said acceleration signal over a first period of time, and outputting an integration value; comparing in a first comparing means said integration value with a first predetermined value; detecting when said first integration value resulting from integration of the acceleration signal over said first period of time to a time point exceeds the first predetermined value and outputting a first resulting signal; differentiating in a differentiation said acceleration signal, and outputting a differentiation value; comparing in a second comparing means said differentiation value with a second predetermined value; detecting when a differentiating value of the acceleration signal at said time point exceeds said second predetermined value and outputting a second resulting signal; detecting said collision of said vehicle by detecting both first and second resulting signals; and starting a safety collision device based on the detected collision.

Claim 9

A method for detecting a collision of a vehicle on the basis of an acceleration signal produced by an acceleration sensor and for starting a collision safety device based on a detected collision of said vehicle body, said method comprising the steps of: detecting said acceleration signal by said acceleration sensor; integrating in an integrator said acceleration signal over a first period of time, and outputting an integration value; comparing in a first comparing means said integration value with a first predetermined value; detecting when said first integration value resulting from integration of the acceleration signal over said first period of time to a time point exceeds the first predetermined value and outputting a first resulting signal; differentiating in a differentiation said acceleration signal, and outputting a differentiation value; comparing in a second comparing means said differentiation value with a second predetermined value; detecting when a differentiating value of the acceleration signal at said time point exceeds said second predetermined value and outputting a second resulting signal; detecting said collision of said vehicle by detecting both first and second resulting signals; and starting a safety collision device based on the detected collision.

Claim 14

A method for detecting a collision of a vehicle body on the basis of an acceleration signal produced by an acceleration sensor and for starting a collision safety device based on a detected collision of said vehicle body, said method comprising the steps of: (1) detecting said acceleration signal by said acceleration sensor; (2) determining the collision of the vehicle body, said determining step including the steps of: integrating in a first integrator the acceleration signal over a first period of time, comparing in a first comparator a first integration value with a first predetermined value, and determining whether said first integration value resulting therefrom exceeds said first predetermined value, and outputting a first resulting signal; (3) predicting the collision of the vehicle body, said predicting step includes the steps of: (a) integrating in a second integrator the acceleration signal over a second period of time, comparing in second comparator a second integration value with a second predetermined value, and determining whether said second integration value resulting therefrom exceeds said second predetermined value and outputting a second resulting signal, and (b) filtering with a band pass filter the acceleration signal, differentiating in a differentiator the filtered acceleration signal, comparing in a third comparator a differentiation value with a third predetermined value, and determining whether the differentiated value resulting therefrom exceeds the third predetermined value, wherein detecting of said collision of said vehicle body is dependent on at least one of: (a) said first resulting signal and (b) said second and third resulting signals; and (4) starting a safety collision device based on the detected collision.

Claim 15

A method for detecting a collision of a vehicle body on the basis of an acceleration signal produced by an acceleration sensor and for starting a collision safety device based on a detected collision of said vehicle body, said method comprising the steps of: (1) detecting said acceleration signal by said acceleration sensor; (2) determining the collision of the vehicle body, said determining step including the steps of: integrating in a first integrator the acceleration signal over a first period of time, comparing in a first comparator a first integration value with a first predetermined value, and determining whether said first integration value resulting therefrom exceeds said first predetermined value, and outputting a first resulting signal; (3) predicting the collision of the vehicle body, said predicting step includes the steps of: (a) integrating in a second integrator the acceleration signal over a second period of time, comparing in second comparator a second integration value with a second predetermined value, and determining whether said second integration value resulting therefrom exceeds said second predetermined value and outputting a second resulting signal, and (b) filtering with a band pass filter the acceleration signal, differentiating in a differentiator the filtered acceleration signal, comparing in a third comparator a differentiation value with a third predetermined value, and determining whether the differentiated value resulting therefrom exceeds the third predetermined value, wherein detecting of said collision of said vehicle body is dependent on at least one of: (a) said first resulting signal and (b) said second and third resulting signals; and (4) starting a safety collision device based on the detected collision.