Patent US6950014B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6950014B2
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Method for operating a pre-crash sensing system in a vehicle having external airbags
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
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Filing: 2003-08-18
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Granted: 2005-09-27
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Expires: 2023-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A pre-crash sensing system ( 10 ) for an automotive vehicle ( 50 ) is coupled to an external airbag system ( 120 ). The external airbag system ( 120 ) may include a bumper airbag ( 126 ), a grill airbag ( 122 ) or a bumper airbag and a grill airbag. An object classifier is used to generate an object classification signal. A controller ( 12 ) is coupled to the object classifier and the external airbag system for varying an activation level of the external airbag system ( 120 ) in response to the object classification signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Manoharprasad K. Rao
- 👤 Gary Steven Strumoto
- 👤 Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante
- 👤 Saeed David Barbat
- 👤 Peter J. Schuster
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:25
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; B60R21/013; B60R21/0134; B60R21/0132; B60R21/015; B60R21/01558; B60R21/0156; B60R21/34; B60R21/36; G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/87; G01S13/878; B60G; B60G2400/00; B60G2400/80; B60G2400/82; B60G2400/823; B60G2400/824; B60G2401/00; B60G2401/14; B60G2401/142; B60G2401/17; B60G2401/174; B60G2800/00; B60G2800/22; B60G2800/224; B60G2800/226; B60G2800/70; B60G2800/704; B60G2800/90; B60G2800/982; B60R19/00; B60R19/02; B60R19/18; B60R19/20; B60R19/205; B60W; B60W2420/00; B60W2420/40; B60W2420/403; B60W2420/408; B60W2554/00; B60W2556/00; B60W2556/45; B60W2556/50; B60W30/00; B60W30/08; B60W30/09; G01S11/00; G01S11/12; G01S13/88; G01S13/93; G01S13/931; G01S2013/932; G01S2013/9323; G01S2013/9327; G01S2013/93271; G01S2013/93275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle coupled to a countermeasure system having an external airbag system, said pre-crash sensing system and countermeasure deployment comprising: an object classifier generating an object classification signal, the object classifier comprises a radar or lidar unit generating an object distance signal and object relative velocity signal and a vision system generating the object classification signal that comprises object sizes including object area and object height; and a controller coupled to said object classifier for varying an inflation rate of the external airbag in response to said object classification signal, object distance signal, and the object relative velocity signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle coupled to a countermeasure system having an external airbag system, said pre-crash sensing system and countermeasure deployment comprising: an object classifier generating an object classification signal, the object classifier comprises a radar or lidar unit generating an object distance signal and object relative velocity signal and a vision system generating the object classification signal that comprises object sizes including object area and object height; and a controller coupled to said object classifier for varying an inflation rate of the external airbag in response to said object classification signal, object distance signal, and the object relative velocity signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said object classification comprises classifying collision objects into pedestrian and non-pedestrian objects.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a vehicle speed sensor generating a longitudinal speed signal corresponding to the longitudinal speed of the vehicle; wherein said controller activates said external airbag in response to the longitudinal speed signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a decision zone; wherein said radar or lidar sensor generates an object distance and relative velocity signals from an object within said decision zone and said vision sensor confirms the presence of the object within the said decision zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as recited in claim 1 wherein varying the activation rate comprises varying the activation rate from a high rate to a low rate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the low rate corresponds to an object classification of a pedestrian.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the high rate corresponds to an object classification of a second vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the external airbag system comprises a bumper bag.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the external airbag system comprises a grill bag.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the external airbag system comprises a bumper bag and a grill bag.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for operating a pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle having an external airbag system, said method comprising: establishing a decision zone relative to the vehicle; detecting an object within the decision zone; classifying the object into an object classification by determining object sizes including object area and object height; determining an external airbag inflation rate corresponding to the object classification; and activating the external airbag system at the inflation rate.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for operating a pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle having an external airbag system, said method comprising: establishing a decision zone relative to the vehicle; detecting an object within the decision zone; classifying the object into an object classification by determining object sizes including object area and object height; determining an external airbag inflation rate corresponding to the object classification; and activating the external airbag system at the inflation rate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 11 wherein determining comprises choosing between a low inflation rate and a high inflation rate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the low inflation rate corresponds to a pedestrian classification.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the high inflation rate corresponds to a vehicle classification.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 11 wherein activating the external airbag system at the inflation rate comprises activating a grill airbag.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 11 wherein activating the external airbag system at the inflation rate comprises activating a bumper airbag.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for operating a pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle having an external airbag system, said method comprising: detecting an object; classifying the object by determining object sizes including object area and object height; when the object is a pedestrian, activating an external airbag of the external airbag system at a first inflation rate; when the object is a second vehicle, activating the external airbag system at a second inflation rate greater than the first inflation rate.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for operating a pre-crash sensing and countermeasure deployment control system for an automotive vehicle having an external airbag system, said method comprising: detecting an object; classifying the object by determining object sizes including object area and object height; when the object is a pedestrian, activating an external airbag of the external airbag system at a first inflation rate; when the object is a second vehicle, activating the external airbag system at a second inflation rate greater than the first inflation rate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the second rate corresponds to object size.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-26 | 2009-03-28 | 2009-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-09-26 | 2013-03-28 | 2013-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-09-26 | 2017-03-28 | 2017-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |