EP1841629A2 - Logic for an automotive air bag system - Google Patents

Logic for an automotive air bag system

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Publication number
EP1841629A2
EP1841629A2 EP06733824A EP06733824A EP1841629A2 EP 1841629 A2 EP1841629 A2 EP 1841629A2 EP 06733824 A EP06733824 A EP 06733824A EP 06733824 A EP06733824 A EP 06733824A EP 1841629 A2 EP1841629 A2 EP 1841629A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
air bag
roadway
external air
information
vehicle
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06733824A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1841629A4 (en
Inventor
Daniel Myung Cho
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP1841629A2 publication Critical patent/EP1841629A2/en
Publication of EP1841629A4 publication Critical patent/EP1841629A4/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R21/013—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
    • B60R21/0134—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle, e.g. using radar systems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R22/00—Safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R19/00—Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions
    • B60R19/02—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects
    • B60R19/18—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
    • B60R19/20—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact containing mainly gas or liquid, e.g. inflatable
    • B60R19/205—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact containing mainly gas or liquid, e.g. inflatable inflatable in the direction of an obstacle upon impending impact, e.g. using air bags
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/26—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow
    • B60R21/276—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/34—Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
    • E01F15/00—Safety arrangements for slowing, redirecting or stopping errant vehicles, e.g. guard posts or bollards; Arrangements for reducing damage to roadside structures due to vehicular impact
    • E01F15/14—Safety arrangements for slowing, redirecting or stopping errant vehicles, e.g. guard posts or bollards; Arrangements for reducing damage to roadside structures due to vehicular impact specially adapted for local protection, e.g. for bridge piers, for traffic islands
    • E01F15/145—Means for vehicle stopping using impact energy absorbers
    • E01F15/148—Means for vehicle stopping using impact energy absorbers mobile arrangements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R2021/0002—Type of accident
    • B60R2021/0009—Oblique collision
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R2021/01204—Actuation parameters of safety arrangents
    • B60R2021/01211—Expansion of air bags
    • B60R2021/01225—Expansion of air bags control of expansion volume
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R21/2334—Expansion control features
    • B60R21/2338—Tethers
    • B60R2021/23386—External tether means
    • B60R2021/23388—External tether means having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/26—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow
    • B60R21/263—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow using a variable source, e.g. plural stage or controlled output
    • B60R2021/2633—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow using a variable source, e.g. plural stage or controlled output with a plurality of inflation levels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R21/013—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)
  • Traffic Control Systems (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a logic for an air bag system for protecting the vehicles, obstacle(s), passenger(s), and pedestrian(s) from a collision by using an external detection system, detectable coating material, wireless system, internal detection system, computer processing unit, at least one external air bag inflation device and at least one internal air bag inflation device. Particularly for an effective use of this system, the present invention describes a method for distinguishing objects, a method for applying a minimum allowable time window to a CPU process, a method for calculating information as to the portion of a roadway obstacle located within a blind zone, a method for using clampers to control inflation size of an external air bag installed on a roadway vehicle, a method for an inflated external air bag installed on an obstacle, and a method for increasing an effectiveness of the absorption capability and capacity of an inflated air bag.

Description

LOGIC FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE AIR BAG SYSTEM
I claim the priority filing date of my provisional application No. 60/645,921 filed on 01/24/2005. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present invention relates to the logic for an air bag system for a vehicle which incorporates the logic for an external air bag system and the logic for an internal air bag system. The external air bag system (EABS) inflates an external air bag outwardly from inside the vehicle prior to a collision to protect the vehicles(s), passenger(s), obstacle(s) and pedestrian(s) from a vehicle collision. The EABS includes an inflated external air bag that is preinstalled on an obstacle. The internal air bag system that inflates an internal air bag within the vehicle protects both driver and passenger from an intense collision that may inflict injury despite of an external air bag used. Obstacle represents all kinds of object except vehicle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED PRIOR ARTS:
Many patents regarding vehicle external air bag systems and vehicle internal air bag systems have been issued. The internal air bag system that inflates an internal air bag after a collision made has already been commercialized, but development of the external air bag system has failed or been cancelled by many inventors or auto industries due to the fact that there was a lack of logical ideas for using an external air bag system. This is because of the failure to resolve accurate deployment of an external air bag prior to a collision. The present invention is based on the logic and algorithms of the external air bag system to be realized and the method of using the internal air bag system based on the use of the external air bag system. The related prior arts are as follows.
British patent 550,194 issued in 1942, German patent 2020360 issued on Nov. 11, 1971, German patent DE3637165A1 issued on May 5, 1988, UK patent GB2289786A1 issued on Nov. 29, 1995, German patent DE4426090A1 issued on July 20, 1995, US patent 5,732,785 issued on March 31, 1998, US patent 5,646,613 issued on July 8, 1997, US patent 5,959,552 issued on Sept. 28, 1999 filed as continuation-in-part of US patent 5,646,613, and US patent 6,408,237 issued on June 18, 2002.
Contents of the above patents (550,194, 2020360, DE3637165A1, GB2289786A1, DE4426090A1, 5,732,785, 5,646,613) are summarized as follows: electromagnetic sensor, computer processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU), external air bag inflation device, and internal air bag inflation device that are installed on the vehicle. In order to protect the vehicle, driver, passenger, and pedestrian from a vehicle collision, the electromagnetic sensor detects a roadway obstacle and sends a signal to CPU. With the signal the CPU calculates an anticipated collision points. When it is judged as an imminent situation, the CPU sends signals to the inflator of the external air bag inflation device and to the infϊator of the internal air bag inflation device respectively for inflating the external air bag and the internal air bag prior to a collision. This is a general idea of these patents. Especially in German patent DE3637165A1 and UK patent GB2289786A, a system is described to identify an object. US patent 5,959,552 shows a description of a Minimum Allowable Time Window (hereinafter referred to as MATW). The MATW is the minimum time period for the inflation of an external air bag prior to a collision. The allowed time period for the inflation of an external air bag is also mentioned in the contents of the above related patents in the prior art but they are distinctly different from that of US patent 5,959,552. The meaning of the MATW in US patent 5,959,552 is that the driver is unable to take evasive action after perceiving an imminent situation prior to a collision. The MATW described in the above related patents of the prior arts can be interpreted as a sufficient time period during which the drive is able to take evasive action after perceiving an imminent situation prior to a collision. Example: German patent 3637165A1 insists that an air bag is just inflated when the vehicle gets into an unsafe distance. Even getting into the unsafe distance, it is surely possible that a driver is able to escape a collision by subconsciously turning the steering wheel. German patent 4426090A1 states that the air bag is actuated by an evaluation unit inside of the dashboard based on the signal from the sensors. It is also stated that the air bag can be activated manually by the driver or a passenger using switches or pushbuttons if they perceive an imminent collision. Wherein, if the driver or passenger is able to access the switch or pushbutton within the time period of an imminent situation prior to a collision, then it must be such situation as the driver has sufficient time to take evasive action and thereby the collision be avoided.
Therefore, in order to deploy an external air bag prior to a collision, it is very important to use the MATW described in the US patent 5,959,552. In the US patent 6,408,237 which is related to the US patent 5,959,552, the following methods are added:
• a method for using a second sensing device installed on roadside lamp posts and a third
sensing device on a satellite to detect an object
• a method for using a coating material to distinguish an object
• a method for using a wireless system
• a method for using the absorption quantity of an inflated air bag controlled by a CPU
• a method for controlling the inflation size of an air bag
• a method for a CPU process to control the inflation size of an external air bag • a method for a CPU process to control the absorption quantity of an inflated air bag
• a method for using a photoelectron system to supply energy to the air bag system
The present invention that is a supplement to US patents 5,646,613, 5,959,552, and 6,408,237, presents a method for using the technology of the mode of an external detection system, a detailed method for applying the MATW to implementing an algorithmically determined timeline in the CPU process, a method for detecting and evaluating a roadway obstacle within a blind zone that is normally undetectable from a sensor, a method for utilizing a coating material for identifying an object, a method for using clampers to control the inflation size of an external air bag, a method for installing an inflated external air bag on an obstacle, and a method for maximizing the absorption capability and capacity of an inflated air bag. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention defines the logic for an air bag system of a vehicle. The logic for the air bag system represents the logic for an external air bag system (EABS) and/or the logic for an internal air bag system. The terms used in the present invention are determined by the inventor and are listed in the Appendix. The EABS includes at least one of, but is not limited to, an external detection system, a wireless system, a CPU, an external air bag inflation device, and an inflated external air bag on an obstacle. The external detection system, wireless system, and CPU are to be installed on the vehicle, roadside obstacle, roadside posts, and satellite. The external air bag inflation device is to be installed on the vehicle. An inflated external air bag is to be installed on an obstacle. In order to protect the vehicle, obstacle, driver, passenger, animal, and pedestrian from a vehicle collision, a first CPU processes the signals sent by a first external sensing device and a first wireless apparatus based on the information stored in the first CPU and then sends the signals to the related parts of the external air bag inflation device. The external air bag then inflates to a proper size from the inside to the outside of the vehicle prior to the collision. The inflated external air bag effectively absorbs the impact energy created at the collision.
The internal air bag system represents at least one of a first CPU, a first internal sensing device, a second internal sensing device, a third internal sensing device, a fourth internal sensing device, an impact sensor, an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as ECU), and an internal air bag inflation device. That is, for protecting passenger from a collision made between the passenger and the inside of vehicle body, the impact sensor perceives an impact energy created at a vehicle collision and sends a signal to the ECU, and then the ECU appraises the impact energy. If the impact energy is determined to be enough to injure the passenger despite the external air bag used, a signal is sent to the first CPU. The first CPU processes signals received from various devices, including at least one_of ECU, first external sensing device, first wireless apparatus, first internal sensing device, second internal sensing device, third internal sensing device, and fourth internal sensing device based on the information stored in the first CPU. The first CPU then sends the signals to the related parts in the internal air bag inflation device for the internal air bag to inflate to a proper size. The inflated internal air bag then absorbs the impact energy created by the collision.
In particular, the present invention describes a method for using the information of logic in an external detection system, a detailed method for utilizing a coating material to analyze an object, a detailed method for applying a logic of MATW to the first CPU process, a method for calculating information as to the portion of a roadway obstacle within the blind zone that is unable to be detected by the sensor, a method for using clampers to control the inflation size of an external air bag, a method for an inflated external air bag to be installed on an obstacle, and a method for increasing the effectiveness of the absorption capability and capacity of an inflated air bag. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Fig. 1 is an environmental view for an EABS according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an illustration about an internal air bag system according to the present invention. Fig. 3 is an environmental view for the role of a first external sensing device 7 according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 is an illustration about a method to secure a first external sensing device 7 according to the present invention.
Fig. 5 is an illustration about the relation between the transmitter/receiver and processing unit of a first external sensing device according to the present invention.
Fig. 6 is an illustration about the roles of a second external sensing device, second CPU, and second wireless apparatus according to the present invention.
Fig. 7 is an environmental view for the roles of a second external sensing device, a second wireless apparatus, and a first wireless apparatus according to the present invention. Fig. 8 is an environmental view depicting the relationships among a third external sensing device, a third wireless apparatus, a first wireless apparatus, and a global position system according to the present invention.
Fig. 9 is an illustration about installations of a third external sensing device, a third CPU, and a third wireless apparatus on a GPS satellite according to the present invention. Fig. 10 is an environmental view for the use of a coating material according to the present invention.
Fig. 11 is a block diagram for the role of a wireless system according to the present invention.
Fig. 12 is a block diagram for the role of a first CPU according to the present invention.
Fig. 13 is an illustration about the location of a first external sensing device according to the present invention.
Fig. 14 is a block diagram for the role of a second CPU according to the present invention.
Fig. 15 is a block diagram for the role of a third CPU according to the present invention.
Figs 16 and 17 are perspective views for the installation of an external air bag inflation device according to the present invention.
Figs 18, 19, 20, and 21 are illustrations about the inflating method of an external air bag and installing method of the external air bag inflation device according to the present invention.
Fig. 22 is an illustration about the vehicle structure for installation of an external air bag inflation device according to the present invention. Figs 23 and 24 are illustrations about the role of an external air bag for protection of bumper according to the present invention.
Fig. 25 is an illustration about the relationships among an inflating external air bag, vehicle bumper, and protective membrane according to the present invention.
Figs 26 and 27 are illustrations about the structure and operation of an air bag inflation device according to the present invention.
Fig.28 is an illustration about the role of an absorption device according to the present invention.
Fig. 29 is a perspective view for the structure of an inflated external air bag installed on an obstacle according to the present invention.
Fig. 30 is an environmental view for the role of an inflated external air bag installed on an obstacle during collision by a vehicle according to the present invention.
Figs 31 and 32 are block diagrams for the role of a photoelectron system according to the present invention.
Fig. 33 is an environmental view of the air bag system according to the inflation sequence of the external and internal air bags according to the present invention. Fig. 34 is an illustration about the role of first wireless apparatus according to the present invention.
Fig. 35 is a block diagram for a list of the information to be stored in the CPU and in the processing unit of the external detection system according to the present invention. Fig. 36 is a block diagram for a list of the information to be detected by an external detection system according to the present invention.
Fig. 37 is a block diagram for a list of the information to be sent through wireless signal by wireless system according to the present invention.
Fig. 38 is a block diagram for a list of the information to be detected by an internal detection system according to the present invention.
Figs 39 and 40 are block diagrams with illustration showing a processing method of the processing unit of the first external sensing device for detecting a roadway obstacle within a blind zone according to the present invention.
Fig. 41 is a block diagram with illustration showing a processing method of the processing unit of the first external sensing device for detecting information of the moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and size of the shape according to the present invention.
Fig. 42 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of the moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on shapes of both the roadway vehicle and the roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes according to the present invention.
Fig. 43 is a block diagram with illustrations showing a method for the CPU to calculate for anticipated collision points according to the present invention.
Fig. 44 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for a time/distance remaining_prior to a collision according to the present invention.
Fig. 45 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for a time/distance that determines the true MATW according to the present invention.
Fig. 46 is a block diagram with illustration showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information on a roadway obstacle that is detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range according to the present invention.
Fig. 47 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of the moving location of a roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and the roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes that is calculated through processing the information of 900 according to the present invention.
Fig. 48 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of anticipated collision points that is calculated through processing the information of 900 according to the present invention.
Fig. 49 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the location of an external air bag inflation device on a roadway obstacle that is calculated through processing the information of 900 according to the present invention.
Fig. 50 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the nature of a roadway obstacle that is calculated through processing the information of 900 according to the present invention. Figs 51 and 52 are block diagrams showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the weight of a roadway obstacle that is calculated through processing the information of 900 according to the present invention.
Fig. 53 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle that is calculated through processing the information of 900 according to the present invention.
Fig. 54 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for a disaccord according to the present invention.
Fig. 55 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for an accord according to the present invention.
Fig. 56 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for anticipated real collision points based on disaccord according to the present invention.
Fig. 57 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for anticipated real collision points based on accord according to the present invention. Fig. 58 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of the relation of the anticipated real collision points between the roadway vehicle and the inflated external air bag of a roadway obstacle according to the present invention.
Fig. 59 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Fig. 60 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Fig. 61 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Fig. 62 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention. Fig. 63 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the gross weight of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Fig. 64 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the comparison of the weight of a roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Fig. 65 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of criterion for the inflation of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Fig. 66 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of an inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Figs 67 and 68 are block diagrams showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of an absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention. Figs 69 and 70 are illustration and graphical explanation respectively to show an operational method of the absorption device according to the present invention.
Fig. 71 is a block diagram showing a method for the ECU to inflate an internal air bag according to the present invention.
Fig. 72 is a block diagram showing a method for the ECU to inflate an internal air bag through the first CPU according to the present invention.
Fig. 73 is a block diagram showing a method for the CPU to calculate for the information of an inflation size and shape of the internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
Figs 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78 are block diagrams showing methods for the CPU to calculate for the information of an absorption quantity of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
The present invention relates to logic for an air bag system for a vehicle 79, logical calculation method and logical MATW information for inflating both an external air bag 34 and internal air bag 36 accurately, effectively; and smartly. A hardware for the air bag system includes at least one of an external detection system 6, a coating material 4, a wireless system 24, a CPU 81, a photoelectron system 61, an external air bag inflation device 33 that are seen in Fig.l, and includes an internal detection system 12 and an internal air bag inflation device 40 as seen in Fig. 2, and also includes an inflated external air bag 34 on obstacle 72 as seen in Fig. 29. The hardware of the air bag system is supporting the logic of software of the air bag system.
External Detection System 6:
Those able to be used as an external detection system 6 are electromagnetic radiation (electromagnetic spectrum), camera, and sonic. The external detection system 6 herein may employ all the technologies selectively used for all kinds of sensors that are able to actively or passively detect the information of an object 71: for instance, infrared laser, passive infrared, ultrasonic, radar, real beam radar, pulse radar, Doppler radar, pulse Doppler radar, multimode radar, terrain following radar, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), MTI radar, bistatic radar, low probability of intercept (LPI) radar, penetrating radar, millimeter wave radar, imaging radar, electronic scan radar, micro-impulse radar(MIR), and electro-optic sensor. Beside these, more varieties of sensors may be available. Decision for the use of one kind or more than one kind of sensor depends on the designer of the present system. The followings are examples: First - There could be a combination method using radar and infrared laser together for more accurate information. When radar detects an object 71, an anticipated collision point will be detected and next redetection will be made on the detected point by infrared laser for accurate and clear information.
Second - Another method is for using an infrared laser with a lens and a laser beam that is amplified when it passes through the lens, and by its amplification a wider area will be covered and therefore information of the object 71 will be more accurately detected. Third - In order to detect the shape of an object 71 and the size of the shape, imaging radar can be used.
Fourth - The radar with a passive infrared sensor can be used in detecting the shape of an object 71, size of the shape, speed, moving direction, and distance from the object 71. Fifth - To detect the size of an object's shape, a camera can be used together with radar or infrared laser. Through the camera, an object's shape is detected, and distance from the object
71 is detected through radar or infrared laser. The detected distance from the object 71 and the shape of the object 71 are calculated on the basis of perspective and graphic to decide the size of the object's shape or calculated on the basis of trigonometry or other arithmetic method. Sixth - MIR, or T-Ray laser may be used to detect an object 71. T-Ray laser uses frequency between infrared rays and microwave and has a distinctive character that is able to detect an object even through concrete and plastic. If the external detection system 6 uses the technology of penetrating sensor such as MIR or T-Ray laser, the external detection system 6 shall be able to effectively detect an object 71 through rain, snow, fog, or sand-storm and also be able to detect the first coating material 2 located behind the bumper 52 or inside of the body of vehicle 79 as shown in Fig. 10.
Seventh - The technology of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) may be used. The SAR is being used on mainly airplane or satellite, and the kind of the SAR is various, such as air-borne SAR (AIRSAR), space-borne imaging radar-C/X-band SAR (SIR-C/X-SAR), top SAR, etc. The SAR effectively processes an image and is particularly capable of detecting not only things on the ground through clouds from the sky but also through forest canopy, thin sand, and dry snow pack. If the SAR technology is used for an external detection system 6, the external detection system 6 shall be able to effectively detect an object 71 through rain, snow, fog, and sand-storm and also be able to detect first coating material 2 located behind the bumper 52 or inside of the body of a vehicle 79 as shown in Fig. 10. The sensor that is able to read temperature can be used for an external detection system 6. There are many kinds of such sensors already existed. Example, one of such sensors called infrared currently employed in wider use, is able to detect at night, and perceives the temperature of object 71. The infrared can be used with a camera to form an infrared camera. There is another sensing device called "thermal imaging device" with the range of 8.0 to 14.0 microwave length that is able to detect an object 71 by reading the temperature of the object 71. For another instance, there is a night vision system that detects an object 71 at night, taking a small amount of photon such as moonlight or starlight and letting the photon pass through the micro-channel plate, during which course the photon is converted into electron (electrical energy), so that the processing unit 912 processes the electron to obtain a required information, and there are more characters beside this night vision system. If the external detection system 6 uses the technology employed in the sensor able to read temperature, the external detection system 6 shall be able to effectively detect an object 71 through rain, snow, fog or sand-storm, and also able to read the sign of the first coating material 2 located behind the bumper 52 or inside the body of a vehicle 79 as shown in Fig. 10.
The external detection system 6 represents at least one of first external sensing device 7, second external sensing device 8, and third external sensing device 9 as seen in Fig. 1 and consists of TR (transmitter/receiver) 911 and processing unit 912 as shown in Fig. 13. The technology to be used in the external detection system 6 may include a method to find a location from where electromagnetic radiation (spectrum), sonic wave, or wireless signal is emitted and able to analyze the signal of electromagnetic radiation, sonic wave, or wireless signal that has been perceived by the external detection system 21. There are many pieces of technology being used for the mode and software of the electromagnetic sensor for fighter-jets, air planes, or satellites. The avionics technology may be applied to the external detection system 6 by selecting required technology for the purpose of the present system. For analyzing the required information, the external detection system 6 may use certain methods such as artificial intelligence, image processing, neural network, pattern recognition system, signal processing, analog processing, digital signal processing, real-time image processing, range gate processing, and etc. The technologies for the modes of AN/APG radar for the fighter-jets are applicable to the external detection system 6, are as follows. 1. Range While Scan (RWS):
This mode grasps objects and provides required information such as location, moving direction, velocity, and etc. 2. Track While Scan (TWS):
When an object comes into a threatening distance, the radar of TWS is converted into a searching pattern and processes the pursuit of the object.
3. Single Target Track (STT):
This mode precisely calculates the information of a pursued object such as distance, velocity or azimuth angle.
4. Raid Assessment:
Even if lots of objects stay in a mass, this mode grasps all the objects and the grasped objects are pursued individually.
5. Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) or Non Co-Operative Target Identification: If the technology of the mode that is able to tell our troops from enemy by the function of the radar is applied to the external detection system 6, it is expected to have efficiency in distinguishing objects.
6. Real Beam Mapping: Configuration of the ground can be recognized by the wave of the radar.
7. Doppler Beam Sharpening and High Resolution Mapping Mode:
This mode has a function to draw a detailed map by the effectiveness of the Doppler.
8. Shape Distinguishing Mode:
This mode has a function to distinguish the shape of a detected object. If all the technologies of the modes listed in the article 6 through 8 above are used, it is expected to have higher effect in analyzing the shape and size of an object and distinguishing sort of the object.
9. Function to increase the analyzing effect of the forward-looking infrared radar (FLIR): This function can be used in distinguishing a small object accurately. 10. Sea Surface Detecting Mode:
This mode has a function of detecting enemy's ship by emitting radar onto the sea. While searching an enemy ship, diffused reflection is detected on the sea just like when scanning the ground. Before searching the enemy ship, sensitivity of clutter is already measured and stored into the computer. When the enemy ship is searched, the detected clutter will be omitted in the process. This function manifests only the reflected wave on the object except the wave of clutter. If the technologies of the modes listed in the article 9 and 10 above are used, it is expected to be very effective in distinguishing whether or not the related object 71 has an external air bag inflation device and also expected to be very effective in determining whether the related object 71 is dangerous and needs the inflation of an external air bag 34.
One or more of the first external sensing device 7 can be installed on a vehicle 79 on the front, side, rear, or ceiling selectively as needed, as shown in Fig. 13. If the sensing device 7 needs to be installed on various places, TR 911 will be required on all the various places and only one processing unit 912 will be required to assist all the TR 911 as shown in Fig. 5. The role of the first external sensing device 7, as seen in Fig. 3, is to detect roadway obstacles 76 surrounding roadway vehicle 77 and send a signal to first CPU 82. The first external sensing device 7 needs to be designed for its safe installation not to be damaged by a low impact collision that does not require an inflation of the external air bag 34. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4, if a sensor is installed on the bumper 52 or near by the headlight 60, sensor holder 66 needs to be properly designed for its installation so as to absorb the impact energy. For the same purpose, as shown in Fig. 4, the first external sensing device 7 can be installed on the vehicle ceiling 69. If installed on the ceiling 69, the first external sensing device 7 and the first CPU 82 need to be properly designed so as to keep their functions not to be hindered by engine's disturbing wave 5. To decide the requirement of the first external sensing device 7, a detectable distance needs to be calculated based on the following 3 items.
1. Criterion for the maximum relative speed of a collision that could allow the passenger 73 to be protected by an external air bag 34 and an internal air bag 36.
2. A time period for analyzing at least twice the information of the roadway obstacle 76. 3. MATW (minimum allowable time window) 209.
Calculation is as follows, based on the assumptions of article 1 above, then at 90 miles per hour, the time period of the article 2 above to be 0.08 second, and the time period of the article 3 to be 0.2 second. 1) 90 mi/hr = 144,837 m/hr 2) 144,837 m/hr ÷ 3,600 = 40.2325 m/s
40.2325 m/s ÷ 12.5 = 3.2186 m/0.08s
3) 144,837 m/hr ÷ 3,600 = 40.2325 m/s
40.2325 m/s ÷ 5 = 8.0465 m/0.2s Thus, 3.2186 m + 8.0465 m = 11.2651 m
Least Detectable Distance: 11.2651 m == 12 m
For active sensor: The higher the PRF (pulse repetition frequency) goes, the greater is the wave energy. So that the detectable distance becomes to extend and penetration is increased as well. Therefore, as the wave energy goes greater, the capability of the sensor increases in detecting an object 71 even in penetrating rain, snow, fog, or sand-storm and in reading the sign of first coating material 2 behind the bumper 52 or inside the body of a vehicle 79. But even if the sensor with strong energy emits wave, the first external sensing device 7 may have the detectable distance shorter due to climate conditions like foggy, raining, snowing, or sand- storming. Therefore, under such climate conditions the following two methods can be applied for the driver to reduce speed.
The first method: The information about the detection range of the first external sensing device 7 that can be varied according to climate condition that needs to be informed to the first CPU 82, and the first CPU 82 changes the received information to a relative speed and informs it visually to the driver through monitor or hologram. The second method: This method is to transfer a warning signal to the driver visually or aurally when the detection range becomes shorter.
The following is a calculation method for the information of the detection range to be changed to a relative speed.
For instant: Detection Range - - 1.4m/0.28s MATW - - 0.2s
Time taken in analyzing at least twice - - 0.08s
0.28s ÷ 0.2s = 1.4
1.4m/0.28s ÷ 1.4 = lm/0.2s
lm/0.2s x 5 = 5m/s or
0.28s ÷ 0.08s = 3.5
1.4m/0.28s ÷ 3.5 = 0.4m/0.08s
0.4m/0.08s x 12.5 = 5m/s
or
1.4m/0.28s x 3.5714286 = 5m/s
5m/s x 3,600 = 18,000m/hr = 18km/hr
That is, the 18km/hr means that a protection from the external air bag system can be made as long as a collision comes with a relative speed lower than 18km/hr, so that the driver needs to reduce speed lower than 18km/hr at an imminent situation.
The second external sensing device 8, as shown in Fig. 1, installed on the roadside post 75 detects the information and situation of an object 71 and sends a signal to the second CPU 83 or sends a signal to the second wireless apparatus 22 as seen in Fig. 6. The second external sensing device 8 is also used for transferring to the driver visually through monitor or hologram 45, the information as to the blind zone which is formed on account of the curving or inclining of the road. For safe driving on the curving or inclining road, as shown in Fig. 7, the second external sensing device 8 detects a road situation and sends a signal to the second wireless apparatus 22 directly or through the second CPU 83. Then the second wireless apparatus 22 sends a signal to the first wireless apparatus 21, the first wireless apparatus 21 sends a signal to the first CPU 82, and the first CPU 82 processes the signal in the image-process to show the driver the road situation through the monitor or hologram 45 or other image device. The third external sensing device 9, as shown in Fig. 1, installed on a satellite 78 detects from the sky the information and situation of the object 71 on the earth. The third external sensing device 9 is such sensor as being attached to the satellite and possibly used for the purpose of detecting objects 71 on the earth. The third external sensing device 9 may be used together with a global position system (GPS). That is, as shown in Fig. 8, vehicle 79 has a GPS antenna 913 and so the GPS satellite 78-1 is able to continuously detect the location of a vehicle 79. The GPS satellite 78-1 sends the information of the vehicle's location to the third external sensing device 9 through the wireless system 24, and the third external sensing device 9 continues to detect the zone around the vehicle 79 and send the detected information to the third CPU 84 or send the information to the third wireless apparatus 23. For an economical purpose another method can be recommended; third external sensing device 9, third CPU 84, and third wireless apparatus 23 may be used all together on the GPS satellite 78-1 instead of using two satellites as shown in Fig. 9. For the activation of the external air bag system, the first external sensing device 7 is enough, but for better effectiveness the second external sensing device 8 and the third external sensing device 9 can be used in combination. Coating Material 4: The coating material 4 represents a first coating material 2 and/or a second coating material 3.
The first coating material 2 has a major purpose of helping the processing unit 912 of the external detection system 6 easily comprehend the location of an external air bag inflation device on the vehicle 79 by applying the coating material 4 to where the external air bag inflation device is stored inside of the vehicle 79. As shown in Fig. 10, when the first coating material 2 on the roadway obstacle 76 is detected by the first external sensing device 7 on the roadway vehicle 77, the second external sensing device 8 on the roadside post 75, or the third external sensing device 9 on the satellite 78, the processing unit 912 of the external detection system 6 will recognize that an external air bag inflation device 33 is installed on the place where a first coating material 2 is detected. The method using the first coating material 2 includes four different methods as follows.
(a) It may be obligatory to use a specially selected material that is able to be easily detected by the external detection system 6. Thus, the coating of such material needs to be legalized for being applied to the front surface of the bumper or of the vehicle body where the external air bag inflation device 33 is installed.
(b) Some kind of signal or sign needs to be legally settled as first coating material 2 like a barcode, and then the first coating material 2 will be set on the front surface or on the vehicle body where an external air bag inflation device 33 is installed.
(c) The third one is that the first coating material 2 represents the legally selected heat of certain temperature that is constantly furnished to where the external air bag inflation device 33 is installed or to the vehicle body where an external air bag inflation device 33 is installed. The way of furnishing the heat of certain temperature may be various, but it will not be described herein as it would be common in industry.
(d) The fourth one is that the first coating material 2 represents certain type of device as required, that produces frequency, band, signal, sign of radiation, radiation wave, electromagnetic spectrum, or sonic that is legally selected and is emitted constantly from where an external air bag inflation device 33 is installed in the vehicle 79.
The second coating material 3 is described below. In order to inflate the external air bag 34 prior to a collision, an obstacle 72 installed or arranged on the roadside or road, needs to be distinguished whether it could cause injury to passenger 73, damage to vehicle 79, and/or damage to the obstacle itself 72. If the obstacle 72 should be prevented from being damaged and would be able to inflict passenger 73 and/or vehicle 79 by a collision made between the obstacle 72 and the roadway vehicle 77, such obstacle 72 will hereinafter be added with description as "requiring the help of an external air bag" for convenience's sake. The second coating material 3 can also be used in a collision avoidance system, a collision warning system, or an automatic breaking system. For such distinction, there are two methods that are described below.
(a) It will be legally settled that a certain type of material to be easily detected by the external detection system 6 is to be used as a second coating material 3 on the obstacle 72 that requires a help of the external air bag 34.
(b) It will be legally settled that the signal or sign selected by the Government like a bar-code is to be coated on the obstacle 72 that requires a help of the external air bag 34. However, when the second coating material 3 is detected by the external detection system 6, the processing unit 912 of the external detection system 6 becomes to realize that the obstacle 72 is such kind as requires a help of the external air bag 34. If a signal or sign is selected for the first coating material 2 and second coating material 3 like a bar-code, the signal and sign can be differently expressed according to the shape, color and/or size by long, short, wide, or narrow form selectively that is in compliance with the object's shape, sort, quality, and weight. When the coating material 4 is detected by the external detection system 6, the processing unit 912 of the external detection system 6 becomes to realize the kind of material, quality, and mass which the roadway obstacle 76 is made of. The bar-code mentioned in the present invention should represent the type of signal, method, sign, and material that are easily detectable to the external detection system 6. Any signal, sign, or method for being used as a coating material 4 should not be used for other than the purpose of the air bag system. However, the second coating material 3 can be used for a collision warning system, collision avoidance system, or automatic breaking system. Wireless System 24: The wireless system 24 is designed to be able to communicate information and also includes digital communication. For communication, certain wireless signal such as a frequency is to be settled and the settled frequency is to be legalized just for being used in the external air bag system. As shown in Fig. 1, the wireless system 24 represents at least one of a first wireless apparatus 21 installed on a vehicle 79, a second wireless apparatus 22 installed on a roadside post 75 and a third wireless apparatus 23 installed on a satellite 78. As shown in Fig. 1, the first wireless apparatus 21 is installed on a vehicle 79 and may include an array antenna. The array antenna can be effectively used in perceiving the location of the wireless apparatus that has sent a signal to the array antenna. The first wireless apparatus 21 comprises all the technologies that are able to find the location where an electromagnetic radiation (spectrum), sonic wave, or wireless signal has been emitted from, and the first wireless apparatus 21 is also able to analyze the information of the electromagnetic radiation, sonic wave, or wireless signal that has been perceived by the first wireless apparatus 21.
As a method to find out whether an external air bag inflation device 33 is installed on the roadway obstacle (other vehicle) 76 where an anticipated collision point 702 is found, the first wireless apparatus 21 on the roadway obstacle 76 sends a signal to the first wireless apparatus 21 on the roadway vehicle 77 for the information of the location where an external air bag inflation device 33 exists. But as a simpler method, as shown in Fig. 34, the first wireless apparatus 21 that is installed on the place where an external air bag inflation device 33 is located on the roadway obstacle 76 continuously emits a signal, and then the first wireless apparatus 21 located on the roadway vehicle 77 catches the signal, processes it, and perceives that an external air bag inflation device 33 exists on the place where the signal was emitted from. The wireless system may comprise a sort of wireless signal including radio signal and/or sonic wave. As shown in Fig. 11, the first wireless apparatus 21 on the roadway vehicle 77 receives wireless signals from the second wireless apparatus 22, third wireless apparatus 23, and the first wireless apparatus 21 on roadway obstacle (other vehicle) 76, and also sends and receives a signal to and from the first CPU 82, and sends a signal to the first wireless apparatus 21 on the roadway obstacle (other vehicle) 76 as well. The second wireless apparatus 22, as shown in Fig. 6, receives a signal from the second CPU 83 or the second external sensing device 8 and sends the signal to the first wireless apparatus 21 installed on the vehicle 79. The third wireless apparatus 23, as shown in Fig. 8, receives a signal from the third CPU 84 or third external sensing device 9 and sends the signal to the first wireless apparatus 21 on the vehicle 79. Internal Detection System 12: The internal detection system 12 represents at least one of first internal sensing device 13, second internal sensing device 14, third internal sensing device 15, fourth internal sensing device 16, impact sensor 17, and ECU 11.
First: The first internal sensing device 13, second internal sensing device 14, and third internal sensing device 15 as shown in Fig. 2, are installed inside the vehicle 79 to detect size, location, position, posture, and weight of passenger 73 and send a signal of the detected information to the first CPU 82. The first internal sensing device 13 comprises an ultrasonic or an active or passive electromagnetic sensor for being used in detecting passenger's situation. The second internal sensing device 14 may use an encoder for detecting passenger's situation in compliance with a changed length of the seat belt 65 according to the size of the passenger 73 and his or her movement after the seat belt is put on. The third internal sensing device 15 is installed inside the seat 64 to detect passenger's situation according to the weight of the passenger 73 and his or her movement.
Second: The fourth internal sensing device 16, as shown in Fig. 2, is installed under the trunk 68 to detect the weight of the goods and sends the signal of the detected information to the first CPU 82.
Third: The impact sensor 17 is installed inside the vehicle body. There are two ways of installing the impact sensor 17. The first one, as being widely used, is to use the impact sensor 17 together with the ECU 11. The second one is that the impact sensor 17 perceives an impact energy created at a collision and sends a signal to the ECU 11 and the ECU 11 sends the information of impact intensity to the first CPU 82.
CPU (computer processing unit or central processing unit) 81 :
The CPU 81 represents at least one of first CPU 82, second CPU 83, and third CPU 84 as shown in Fig.l and may comprise at least one of, but is not limited, artificial intelligence, image processing, neural network, pattern recognition system, analog processing, and digital processing.
First: The first CPU 82 is installed on the vehicle 79 as shown in Fig. 1 and holds required information in it. The first CPU 82 receives the signals of the information from first external sensing device 7, first wireless apparatus 21, and internal detection system 12, and calculates based on the information stored in the first CPU 82, and sends signals to every related part in the external air bag inflation device 33 and the internal air bag inflation device 35 as shown in Fig.
12. The first CPU 82 also sends the information to the first wireless apparatus 21. Second: The second CPU 83 that is installed on a roadside post 75 as seen in Fig. 1, holds required information in it and receives a signal, as shown in Fig. 14, from the second external sensing device 8 to calculate based on the information stored in it and sends a signal to the second wireless apparatus 22. The second CPU 83 also sends the signal of the information stored in it to the second wireless apparatus 22.
Third: The third CPU 84 is installed on a satellite 78 as shown on Fig. 1. The third CPU 84 holds required information in it and as shown in Fig. 15, receives a signal from the third external sensing device 9 to calculate on the basis of the information stored in it and sends a signal to the third wireless apparatus 23.
External Air Bag Inflation Device 33 and Internal Air Bag Inflation Device 35: First: The external air bag inflation device 33 is installed inside the vehicle body and receives a signal from the first CPU 82 to effectively inflate the external air bag 34 outwardly from the internal side of the vehicle body for protection of the vehicle 79, obstacle 72, passengers 73, and pedestrians 74. If the external air bag inflation device 33 is installed on a commercial vehicle such as heavy truck, trailer, or bus, protection can be made to the commercial vehicle and its passenger 73 against a collision and to a family vehicle and its passenger 73, a roadway obstacle 76, and a pedestrian 74 as well. The external air bag inflation device 33 can be selectively installed on the front, rear, side, and above in the body of the vehicle 79 where it is needed.
The external air bag inflation devices 33 installed on various places in the body of the vehicle 79, can activate at once all together according to the anticipated collision points calculated by the first CPU 82. There is another method that an applicable external air bag inflation device 33 may activate according to the related anticipated collision point calculated by the first CPU 82. It also depends on the collision situation whether to inflate one, two, or more of the external air bags 34, and here are examples with three different collision situations shown in Fig. 18, 19, and 20. For such various situations, if the external air bag inflation device 33 is installed on various places in the body of the vehicle 79, vehicle price may go up. To avoid such a raise, it is desirable to make it a standard to install two external air bag inflation devices 33 on the front side of the vehicle 79 as shown in Fig. 16 or three external air bag inflation devices 33 installed on the front side of the vehicle 79 as shown in Fig. 17 to protect the front zone, both front corners, and the front side of the front wheel that is right behind the front corner, and also an installation on the other area than the mentioned zones on the vehicle 79 may be optionally made for the purpose of commercialization. As shown in Fig. 20, if three external air bag inflation devices 33 are installed on the front side of the vehicle 79, it may make good effectiveness to let only one external air bag 34 on the front zone inflate against a head-on collision in a very narrow road 80 to protect a pedestrian 74 or a roadway obstacle 76 that is situated right beside the collision point, against the inflating of the external air bag 34. If the external air bag inflation device 33 is installed on the front side of all the vehicles, a higher rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety may be expected for the protecting not only roadway vehicle 77 and its passengers 73 but also roadway obstacle (other vehicle) 76 and its passengers 73 and pedestrians 74. Location of the external air bag inflation device 33 and an inflating direction of the external air bag 34 may vary according to the sort of vehicle 79. For instance, in case of a collision made between a sports car with low height and a SUV or truck with high height, the difference between the two vehicle's frame heights may cause a serious injury to the passengers 73 of the sports car because the SUV/truck may be apt to climb over the sports car at the collision. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 21, it is desired that the location of the external air bag inflation device 33 and the inflating direction of the SUV^/bus/truck/trailer's external air bag 34 are to be adjusted in order that the external air bag 34 will be able to inflate to the direction of the front and to the lower side in consideration of the level of the sports car, and the external air bag inflation device 33 of the sports car is also desired to consider its location in order that the external air bag 34 may be able to inflate to the direction of the front and the upper side in consideration of the frame level of the SUV, bus, truck, and trailer. As shown in Fig. 22, the external air bag inflation device 33 is encompassed by the first frame 56 on the left, right, rear, underneath, and above of the external air bag inflation device 33, plus the front with protective membrane 62 in order to get protected against the impact energy that is created from a lower impact collision which doesn't require an inflation of the external air bag 34. Material for the first frame 56 and the protective membrane 62 should be strong enough to protect the external air bag inflation device 33 from the low impact collision that might cause damage to the bumper 52. hi order to hold the external air bag inflation device 33 sustained from being pushed backward by the collision's impact energy, the first frame 56 needs to be supported by the second frame 57. The external air bag inflation device 33 may be a bit deeply installed into the inside of the bumper 52, which will make an spare space 54 between the protective membrane 62 and the bumper 52, and the spare space 54 will let the external air bag inflation device 33 be protected from a low impact collision which doesn't require an inflation of the external air bag 34 even the bumper 52 is damaged. Once inflating or inflated, the external air bag 34 may potentially lean to one side while the roadway vehicle 77 is running or colliding against a roadway obstacle 76, but by holding the end part of the inflated external airbag tightly filled in the spare space 54, the potential leaning of the external air bag will not occur. To protect the bumper 52 from a low impact collision that does not require the external air bag to inflate toward the outside of the bumper 52, an spare space 54 needs to be made behind the bumper 52 in order that the external air bag 34 inflates to fill in the spare space 54 prior to a collision as shown in Fig. 23 or the external air bag 34 needs to stay in the state of inflation all the time behind the bumper, or as another method to keep the external air bag 34 always inflated behind the bumper 52, is to use an elastic sponge type material 70 filled in the air bag 34 as shown in Fig. 24. If the external air bag 34 is set to stay in state of inflation behind the bumper 52, protective membrane 62 may not be required. In order to have a protective membrane 62 opened as shown in Fig. 25 by the inflation of the external air bag 34 outwardly from the inside, not to be opened by the force pushing inwardly from the outside, the protective membrane 62 needs to be formed as shown in Fig. 22. Bumper 52 has a door 53 as shown in Fig. 25, the door 53 is formed as shown in Fig. 22 so as to be opened outwardly by the inflating of the external air bag 34 not by the force working inwardly from the outside as shown in Fig. 25. In order to have the door 53 functioned as it was aimed, there should be a groove 59 around the door 53 on the inside surface of the bumper 52 and no visible mark of the groove 59 should not be made on the outside surface of the bumper 52 as shown in Fig. 22. Accordingly the bumper 52 may have a good shape so that no one is able to know whether a door 53 exists on the bumper 52.
The layout of the external air bag inflation device 33 needs to be considered when it is installed, not to hinder the function of the radiator 63 that cools down the heat of the engine 55. Fig. 25 shows the shape of an external air bag 34 of a complete inflation. Second: An internal air bag inflation device 35 that is located internally of the vehicle 79 where a passenger 73 is seated, receives signal from the ECU 11 or from the first CPU 82 when a high impact energy was made from a collision resulting in causing injury to passenger 73 in spite of the external air bag 34 used, and effectively inflates the internal air bag 36 to protect the passenger 73. The internal air bag inflation device 35 may be selectively installed as needed where the passengers 73 are occupied.
Third: The external air bag inflation device 33 and the internal air bag inflation device 35 have basically the same character in structure. Therefore, the expression on the air bag inflation device 31 in the present invention indicates both external and internal air bag inflation device. The air bag inflation device 31 may be designed into two ways and they are as follows. (a) As shown in Fig. 26, the air bag inflation device 31 consists of at least one of an air bag 32, one or more absorbing device 37, more than one inflator 40, first clampers 38, junctures 41, and ropes 42. The external air bag inflation device may include all ldnds of devices that are currently used in the commercialized internal air bag such as steering wheel air bag, passenger air bag, side air bag, and etc. Therefore, the external air bag may include shield, retainer ring, mounting plate, ignition switch, gas generator and etc. Fig. 26 shows a sample using three inflators 40 out of the four inflators 40. That is, the related first clampers 38 receive signals from the first CPU 82 and then the first clampers 38 will release the ropes 42. In the same way, the related inflators 40 receive signals from the first CPU 82 to inflate the air bag 32. At this time, the air bag 32 inflates to the size decided by the first CPU 82. The additional information relating to the first clamper 38 shown in Fig. 26 is explained below.
The first clamper 38 shown in Fig. 26 represents all kinds of clampers that are able to release the rope 42 from the hold-up position. When the air bag inflation device 31 is designed, it will be decided by the engineer who designs the air bag what kind of clamper is going to be used. As another method to lose the rope 42 more quickly, the first clamper 38 explodes itself upon receipt of signal from the first CPU 82. For the purpose of exploding the first clamper 38, gunpowder may be used, then, the clamper doesn't need to release the rope 42 from the hold-up position. In which description, the first clamper 38 represents all the devices that stay on the position of holding the rope 42. (b) As shown in Fig. 27, the air bag inflation device 31 consists of an air bag 32, one or more than one absorption device 37, more than one inflator 40, and first clampers 38. The air bag inflation device 31 may include sodium azide/copper oxide gas and nitrogen gas or helium gas for its operation. Fig. 27 shows a sample using three inflators 40 out of the four inflators 40. That is the related first clampers 38 receive signals from the first CPU 82 and then the first clampers 38 will release air bag 32. In the same way, the related inflators 40 receive signals from the first CPU 82 and then the inflators 40 inflate the air bag 32. At this time, the air bag 32 inflates to the size as much as decided by the first CPU 82. The additional explanation as to the first clamper 38 shown in Fig. 27 is as below. The first clamper 38 shown in Fig. 27 represents all kinds of clampers that are able to release the air bag 32 from the position of holdup.
As shown in Fig. 28, an absorption device 37 releases the gas from the inside of the inflated air bag outwardly by the pressure made at a collision in order to absorb the impact energy created at the collision. The effect of absorbing impact energy depends on hole size on an absorption device 37 that releases gas outwardly from the inside of the inflated air bag 32. As shown in Fig. 28, the absorption device 37 has a second clamper 39 and the second clamper 39 controls the size of the hole on the absorption device 37. That is, the second clamper 39 receives a signal from the first CPU 82 to control hole size of the absorption device 37 according to the determination of the first CPU 82 for effectiveness of absorbing impact energy. To secure the external air bag 34 not to be torn by the impact energy, the controlling for the hole size of the absorption device 37 needs to be made in consideration of anticipated intensity of the impact energy. The additional explanation as to the second clamper 39 shown in Fig. 28 is as below. The second clamper 39 represents all kinds of devices that are able to control the size of the hole on the absorption device 37. The installation of an inflated external air bag 34 on the obstacle 72:
The inflated external air bag 34 may be required for such obstacles 72 as tree, roadside barrier 90, roadside post 75, any facilities, and etc. Installation of an inflated external air bag on the obstacle 72 has a purpose of protecting vehicle 79, passenger 73, obstacle 72 itself, and an example of the structure of the external air bag on the obstacle 72 is the same as shown in Fig. 29. The external air bag 34 is to be always maintained in an inflation state and surrounded by a third frame 58 and the third frame 58 is adhered to the obstacle 72, and the third frame 58 should not be made of solid material in order to have the third frame 58 be easily distorted by a collision. Particularly, if the third frame 58 is built with plastic or rubber material, it would be good in protecting the external air bag 34 from being torn by any sharp-edged part probably formed while being distorted. An elastic sponge material 70 is to be installed inside the external air bag 34 to keep the external air bag inflated, and because of the absorption device 37 installed on the inflated external air bag 34, the impact energy can be absorbed while air is released out through the absorption device 37 from the inside of the inflated external air bag 34 by the impelling pressure created by a collision as shown in Fig. 30. If a roadside post 75 is made from plastic or rubber material, it would be better for absorbing impact energy from a collision for the safety of the roadway vehicle 77 and passenger 73. Material for the External Air Bag 34: Material for the external air bag 34 must be of a special quality able to be sustained from the heat energy created by an explosion made while inflating the external air bag 34 and sustained from the impact power made from a vehicle collision. Examples of such material in the market are aratnid, lyocei^ olefin, rayon, spandex, synthetic material, glass fiber, nylon, fiber of parachute, fiber made from spider web properties, zyloflex, goldflex, polyethylene, spectra, spectra goldflex, araflex, spectra shield- plus, hi-lite pro-plus, kevlar, twaron, micro animated twaro fiber, bullet-proof film, polyester, carbon fiber, aracon, nomex, teflon, tyvek, tychem, thermount, vectran, dyneema, and etc. The technology for these materials or others like these can be used in developing a material for the external air bag 34. Nano-technology may also be used for developing and making a material for the external air bag 34. Photoelectron (photoelectric) system 61: To activate the air bag system, energy is needed. The energy may be provided from auto- battery. But if the photoelectron system 61 is used, energy can be provided endlessly. The photoelectron system 61 that converts photon into electricity has already been in use in the various industrial fields. Fig. 31 shows an example of the block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the relation between the photoelectron system 61 and the air bag system. The photoelectron system 61 furnishes electrical power to the required parts of the air bag system and the vehicle 19 where electricity is needed.
Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 32, the electricity that is converted from the photoelectron system 61 is continuously supplied to charge a battery 51 and the battery 51 supplies electrical power to the required parts of the air bag system and vehicle 79.
The explanation made so far will be simply re-arranged as follows shown in Fig. 33. The first external sensing device 7 detects a roadway obstacle 76 and sends a signal to the first CPU 82. The second external sensing device 8 detects an object 71 and sends a signal directly to the second wireless apparatus 22 or through the second CPU 83. The third external sensing device 9 detects an object 71 and sends a signal directly to the third wireless apparatus 23 or through the third CPU 84. The second wireless apparatus 22 and the third wireless apparatus 23 send signals to the first wireless apparatus 21. With the signals from the first external sensing device 7 and the first wireless apparatus 21, the first CPU 82 calculates on the basis of the information stored in itself to decide whether the situation requires an external air bag 34. If it requires an external air bag, the first CPU 82 sends a signal to the related parts in the external air bag inflation device 33 for the external air bag 34 to inflate.
An impact sensor 17 perceives impact energy created at a collision between an inflated external air bag 34 and a roadway obstacle 76 and sends a signal to the ECU 11, then if the ECU 11 decides that the situation requires an inflation of the internal air bag 36, the ECU 11 sends a signal to the first CPU 82 and simultaneously the first CPU 82 receives signals from the first internal sensing device 13, the second internal sensing device 14, the third internal sensing device 15, and the fourth internal sensing device 16, and the first CPU 82 calculates to send a signal to the related parts of the internal air bag inflation device 35 to have the internal air bag 36 inflate.
For an activation of the present invention, it is proper to use the first external sensing device 7, first coating material 2, second coating material 3, first CPU 82, external air bag inflation device 33, impact sensor 17, ECU 11, and internal air bag inflation device 35. The reason for the other devices to have been added in the description so far is for a better effect of the present invention.
The followings are the software information to be stored in the CPU 81 and in the processing unit 912 as shown in Fig. 35:
1. Criteria regarding the inflation of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations 201 (This information of 201 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
2. Inflation sizes and shapes of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations 202 (This information of 202 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
3. Absorption quantities of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various impact intensities 203 (This information of 203 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
4. Inflation sizes and shapes of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle 205 (This information of 205 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
5. Absorption quantities of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various impact intensities 206 (This information of 206 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.) 6. Location of each external air bag inflation device of the roadway vehicle 207 (This information of 207 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
7. Location of each internal air bag inflation device of the roadway vehicle 208 (This information of 208 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.) 8. Minimum Allowable Time Window 209 (This information of 209 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
9. Estimated period of time 210 (This information of 210 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing u nit 912.)
10. Nature of the roadway vehicle 211 (This information of 211 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
11. Net weight of the roadway vehicle 212 (This information of 212 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
12. Shape of the roadway vehicle and size of the shape 214 (This information of 214 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.) 13. Nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 215 (This information of 215 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
14. Information regarding the first coating material or wireless signal where an external air bag inflation device is installed 217 (This information of 217 is stored in the processing unit 912 or_CPU 81), 15. Information regarding the second coating material 218 (This information of 218 is stored in the processing unit 912 or CPU 81),
16. Information regarding a roadway obstacle 220 (This information of 220 is stored in the processing unit 912 or CPU 81),
17. Information regarding the weight of a roadway obstacle 222 (This information of 222 is stored in the processing unit 912 or CPU 81),
18. Various information regarding the various impact intensities 233 (This information of 233 is stored in the CPU 81 or processing unit 912.)
The followings are such information as able to be detected by an external detection system 6: 1. Speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301
2. Direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302
3. Moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and size of the shape 303
4. Location of an external air bag inflation device on the roadway obstacle 304 5. Nature of the roadway obstacle 305 (Additional explanation on 305 is that Neural Network or Pattern Recognition System has already been in use for various industrial fields as a technique to recognize the nature and sort of an object 71, which is common in the field of avionics. However, Neural Network and Pattern Recognition system are under development for the field of auto industry, but when the pattern recognition system is used, error could be arisen in grasping an object 71. The external air bag system should have a high reliability in grasping an object 71 because the system is directly connected with human life. It would be recommended to use such system with a simple program other than a complicated program such as the pattern recognition system. The three ways shown below are recommendable simple programs: First - The processing unit of the external detection system 6 is programmed for the information to be processed only when the detected object 71 is determined to be the same size as the vehicle 79 or greater.
Second - When the detected object 71 is of the same size as or greater than the vehicle 79, the processing unit of the external detection system 6 is programmed to perceive that the object 71 is possible to injure the passenger 73 and requires a help of an external air bag 34. Third - When it is judged as the detected object 71 to be of the same size as or greater than the vehicle 79 and as the object 71 to be made from the same material as that of the vehicle's body, the processing unit of the external detection system 6 is programmed to perceive that the object 71 is possible to injure the passenger 73 and requires a help of an external air bag 34.)
6. Weight of the roadway obstacle 306
7. Nature of an external air bag of the roadway obstacle 307
8. Location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and size of the shape 313 9. Roadway obstacle detected a minimum of three times by the external detection system 318
10. Roadway obstacle detected through processing the information of 900 by the external detection system 319
11. Moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of the roadway vehicle and the roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes 701
The followings are typical data received from wireless system 24 as shown in Fig. 37:
1. Speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301
2. Direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302
3. Location of an external air bag inflation device in the roadway obstacle 304 4. Nature of the roadway obstacle 305
5. Weight of the roadway obstacle 306
6. Nature of an external air bag of the roadway obstacle 307
7. Location of the roadway obstacle 308
8. Inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 309
9. Absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 310
10. Moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on shapes of both roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes 701
11. Information of the anticipated collision points 702 that are detected through processing the information of 900
The followings are such information as able to be detected by an internal detection system 12 and calculated by the first CPU 82 as shown in Fig. 38: 1. Position, posture, and size of passengers 501
2. Weight of passengers 502
3. Weight of goods 503
The following is an explanation as to the logic for an air bag system for calculation of the processing unit 912 and CPU 81 to find required software information. The processing unit 912 and the CPU 81 are of the same computing character to each other. Therefore, according to the designer who designs the air bag system, all the logic of the air bag system can be calculated in the processing unit 912 or CPU 81 or in both dividedly according to the character of the process unit 912 and CPU 81. First: A method for the processing unit 912 to calculate information on the roadway obstacle 313 that is located in a blind zone 87. The information of 313 comprises all kinds of information detected by the external detection system 6, and any part of the roadway obstacle 76 that won't be detected by the external detection system 6 is construed as a part located within the blind zone 87, like the part of the roadway obstacle 76 located in the blind zone 87 as shown in Fig. 39 or as the whole body of the roadway obstacle 76 within the blind zone 87 if the roadway obstacle 76 is too small as shown in Fig. 40. Accordingly, any part of a roadway obstacle 76 that is located within the blind zone is referred to as 313-3 and can be calculated through the following method.
According to Fig. 39, the information of 313-3 found partially within the blind zone 87 is calculated through a process based on the information of 313-2 that is a detected portion extended from the undetected portion of the roadway obstacle in the blind zone 87 and on the information of 313-1 previously detected to be at least twice within the detectable zone. Now, by adding the information of 313-3 to the information of 313-2, the information of 313 can be determined. The following is a method to calculate a small sized roadway obstacle 76, such as low height concrete stake or iron stake within the blind zone 87 as shown in Fig. 40: Information on the roadway obstacle 313 within the blind zone 87 is calculated through a process based on the information of a small sized roadway obstacle that has been detected a minimum of three times prior to moving into the blind zone. Second: The following method is to show how to calculate a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and the size of the shape 303. As shown in Fig. 41, the information of 303 is calculated through a process based on the information of 313 that was detected a minimum of three times. Third: The following method is to show how to calculate a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701. As shown in Fig. 42, the information of 701 is calculated through a process based on a) the information of 303 and b) the information of the shape of the roadway vehicle, and size of the shape 214. Fourth: The following method is to show how to calculate anticipated collision points 702. As shown in Fig. 43, the information of 702 is calculated through a process based on a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301 and b) the information of 701. Fifth: The following method is to show how to calculate a time/distance remaining prior to a collision 721. As shown in Fig. 44, the information of 721 is calculated through a process based on a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301, b) a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701, and c) the information of 702. Sixth: The following method is to show how to calculate a time/distance that determines the true MATW 722. As shown in Fig. 45, the information of 722 is calculated through a process based on a) the information of 721 and b) the information of MATW 209. The difference between the information of 209 and the information of 722 is as below. The MATW 209 is an abbreviation of Minimum Allowable Time Window and is a time period during which a driver is unable to take an evasive action prior to a collision. This time period is stored in the first CPU 82, but it is difficult to know whereabouts a time/distance of the MATW will exist prior to a collision in a real collision situation. In order to accurately know where the time/distance of the MATW is placed in a real situation, the first CPU 82 needs to calculate a time/distance that determines the true MATW 722 as shown in Fig. 45. Seventh: The following method is to show how to calculate the information of a roadway obstacle that is detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range 900. As shown in Fig. 46, the information of 900 is calculated through a process based on a) the information of a roadway obstacle detected a minimum of three times by the external detection system 318 and b) the information of 722. Repeatedly, the information of 900 will be settled when the last detected point of the roadway obstacle lies on the edge of 722 or within the range shown in Fig. 46.
Eighth: The following method is to show how to calculate the information of the moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701 calculated through processing the information of 900. As shown in Fig. 47, the information of 701 that is calculated through processing the information of 900 is calculated through a process based on a) the information of a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and the size of the shape 303 calculated through processing the information of 900 and b) the information of the shape of the roadway vehicle and the size of the shape 214.
Ninth: The following method is to show how to calculate the information of anticipated collision points 702 calculated through processing the information of 900. As shown in Fig. 48, the information of 702 calculated through processing the information of 900 is calculated through a process based on a) the information of a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301 and b) the moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701 that are calculated through processing the information of 900. Tenth: The following method is to show how to calculate the location of an external air bag inflation device on the roadway obstacle 304 calculated through processing the information of
900. As shown in Fig. 49, the information of 304 calculated through processing the information of 900 is calculated through a process with a) the roadway obstacle detected through processing the information of 900 by external detection system 319 and b) the information regarding the first coating material or wireless signal where an external air bag inflation device is installed 217.
Eleventh: The following method is to show how to calculate the nature of a roadway obstacle 305 calculated through processing the information of 900. As shown in Fig. 50, the information of 305 calculated through processing the information of 900 is calculated through a process with a) the roadway obstacle detected through processing the information of 900 by the external detection system 319, b) the Information regarding the second coating material 218, and c) the Information regarding a roadway obstacle 220.
Twelfth: The following two methods are for calculating the weight of a roadway obstacle 306 calculated through processing the information of 900. The one is, as shown in Fig. 51, that the information of 306 calculated through processing the information of 900 is calculated through a process with a) the roadway obstacle detected through processing the information of 900 by external detection system 319 and b) the Information regarding the second coating material 218. The other one is, as shown in Fig. 52, that the information of 306 calculated through processing the information of 900 is calculated through a process with a) the information of 319 and b) the information regarding a roadway obstacle 220.
Thirteenth: The following method is to show how to calculate the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle 307 calculated through processing the information of 900. As shown in Fig. 53, the information of 307 calculated through processing the information of 900 is calculated through a process with a) the information of 319 and b) the Information regarding the first coating material or wireless signal where an external air bag inflation device is installed 217. Fourteenth: The following method is to show how to calculate a disaccord 703. As shown in Fig. 54, the information of 703 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the location of an external air bag inflation device on a roadway obstacle 304 and b) the information of the anticipated collision point 702 that are calculated through processing the information of 900.
Fifteenth: The following method is to show how to calculate accord 704. As shown in Fig. 55, the information of 704 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the location of an external air bag inflation device on a roadway obstacle 304 and b) the information of an anticipated collision point 702 that are calculated through processing the information of 900.
Sixteenth: The following method is to show how to calculate anticipated real collision points based on disaccord 705. As shown in Fig. 56, the information of 705 is calculated through a process with a) the information of a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701 and b) the information of a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, and with the information of inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718 that is to be calculated in the way shown in Fig. 66. Seventeenth: The following method is to show how to calculate the information of anticipated real collision points based on accord 706. As shown in Fig. 57, the information of 706 is calculated through processes with a) the information of a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701 and b) the information of a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, and with the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718 that is calculated through the way shown in Fig. 66, and with the information of an inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 309. Eighteenth: The following is a method for calculating the information of the relation of the anticipated real collision points between the roadway vehicle and the inflated external air bag of a roadway obstacle 735. As shown in Fig. 58, the information of 735 is calculated through a process with a) the information of a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701 and b) the information of a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, and with the information of an inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 309. Nineteenth: The following is a method for calculating the comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle 707. As shown in Fig. 59, the information of 707 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the nature of the roadway obstacle 305 calculated through processing the information of 900 and b) the information of the nature of the roadway vehicle 211. Twentieth: The following is a method for calculating the comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 708. As shown in
Fig. 60, the information of 708 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the nature of the roadway obstacle 305 calculated through processing the information of 900 and b) the information of the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 215. Twenty-first: The following is a method for calculating the comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 709. As shown in Fig. 61, the information of 709 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the nature of an external air bag of the roadway obstacle 307 calculated through processing the information of 900 and b) the information of the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 215. Twenty-second: The following is a method for calculating the comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle 734. As shown in Fig. 62, the information of 734 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the nature of an external air bag of the roadway obstacle 307 calculated through processing the information of 900 and b) the information of the nature of the roadway vehicle 211.
Twenty-third: The following is a method for calculating the gross weight of the roadway vehicle 720. As shown in Fig. 63, the information of 720 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the weight of passenger 502, b) weight of goods 503, and c) the information of the net weight of the roadway vehicle 212 that is stored in the first CPU 82. Twenty-fourth: The following is a method for calculating the comparison of the weight of a roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle 710. As shown in Fig. 64, the information of 710 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the weight of the roadway obstacle 306 calculated through processing the information of 900 and b) the information of the gross weight of the roadway vehicle 720 that is detected through a way shown in Fig. 63.
The following description pertains to the logic implemented in the first CPU 82 for the use of an air bag system. The logic is based on the physics of the situation(s) and the description is arranged so as to have the design work easily performed by a designer who is knowledgeable on the fields of physics, engineering, and/or computer science. The following pertains to the logic for the use of an external air bag system:
For the use of an external air bag system, the first CPU 82 needs to find required information through a process in order to send a signal to the related parts of the external air bag inflation device 33. First: Fig. 65 shows a method to calculate a criterion for the inflation of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 717. That is, an anticipated impact intensity 711 is calculated through a process with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301, b) a direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302, c) anticipated collision points 702, and d) the nature of the roadway obstacle 305 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, and with the various information regarding various impact intensities 233-1 stored in the first CPU 82. Next, the information of an external air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 716 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the location of each external air bag inflation device of the roadway vehicle 207 stored in the first CPU 82 and b) the information of anticipated collision points 702 calculated through processing the information of 900. Finally, the information of 717 is calculated through a process with a) the information of 711, b) the information of 716, and c) the information of the Criteria regarding the inflation of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations 201 stored in the first CPU 82. Second: The following is a method for calculating the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718. A decision will be made for disaccord 703 or accord 704 through a process shown in Fig. 54 and Fig. 55. If the result of the process comes with a disaccord 703, the processing method will be the same as Fig. 66. That is, the information of an allowed volume of the space for the inflation of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 715 is calculated through processes with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301, b) anticipated collision points 702, and c) a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes 701 calculated through processing the information of 900, and with the information of an external air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 716 that has been calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 65, and with a) the information of the inflation sizes and shapes of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations 202 and b) an estimated period of time 210 that are stored in the first CPU 82, and with information of the roadway obstacle that is detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range 900. If the result of the process comes with an accord 704, the volume of space 715 is determined as half the size based on disaccord 703 as shown in Fig. 66. Finally, the information of 718 is calculated through a process with a) the information of 715 and b) the information of 716. Third: The following is a method for calculating an absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 719. A decision will be made for disaccord 703 or accord 704 through a process shown in Fig. 54 and Fig. 55.
If the result of the process comes with a disaccord 703, the processing method will be the same as shown in Fig. 67. That is, an anticipated impact intensity 712 is calculated through processes with the various information regarding various impact intensities 233-2 stored in the first CPU 82, with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301 and b) a direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, with a) the information of the anticipated real collision points based on disaccord 705, b) a comparison of the nature of the roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 708, and c) a comparison of the weight of the roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle 710, and with the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718 that has been calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 66. Finally, the information of 719 is calculated through processes with a) the information of 712, and b) the absorption quantities of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on the various impact intensities 203 stored in the first CPU 82, and with the information of an external air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 716 that has been calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 65. If the result of the process comes with an accord 704, the method of finding the information 719 is divided into the two ways below. The one is a way to determine the opening size of an absorption device 37 as half the size based on a disaccord 703 as shown in Fig. 67, and the other is a finding method through a process as shown in Fig. 68. That is, the information of an anticipated impact intensity 712 is calculated through processes with the various information according to the various impact intensities 233-2 stored in the first CPU 82, with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301, b) a direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302, and c) the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 309 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, and with a) the information of anticipated real collision points based on an accord 706, b) a comparison of the nature of an external air bag of the roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 709, and c) a comparison of the weight of the roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle 710, and with the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718 that has been calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 66. Finally, the information of 719 is calculated through processes with a) the information of 712, and b) the absorption quantities of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various impact intensities 203 stored in the first CPU 82, and with the information of an external air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 716 that has been calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 65. Additional explanation will be made below as to the method to find a) an inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of an roadway obstacle 309 and b) absorbing function of the absorption device 37 based on the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 719. For the information of 309, there are two ways. The first one is to find the information of 309 through a first wireless apparatus 21. The second one is to consider the information of 309 to be the same as the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718 based on an accord 704. For the absorbing function of the absorption device 37 based on the information of 719, an explanation is to be followed as below. The absorption device 37 roles to let the gas leak out from the inside of the inflated external air bag 34 by the pressing energy occurred at a collision, and the absorbability of the inflated external air bag varies depending on the hole size of the absorption device. To improve the absorbability of the absorption device 37, two methods are applied as follows. The first method is, right before the collision, that the hole size of the absorption device is properly adjusted according to the information of 719 decided by the first CPU 82. Second method is that when a collision is made between an inflated external air bag 34 and a roadway obstacle 76, due to the characteristic of the air bag as shown in Fig. 69, vehicle 79 's deceleration may not be made well until the vehicle reaches to a certain point 915 which indicates the point for the inflated external air bag to be fully expanded and after the certain point 915 the deceleration is expected well. In order to make the deceleration balanced, the absorption device 37 may be designed in the way shown in Fig. 70. That is, for the deceleration to be balanced, the hole(s) on the absorption device 37 should stay in the state of being closed or slightly opened until a collision is made and the hole of the absorption device 37 will be adjusted to a proper size up to the certain point 915 to which the inflated external air bag would have been fully expanded. The followings pertain to the logic for the use of an internal air bag system: First: There are three ways in inflating the internal air bag 36.
The first one is to use the same method as that of the air bag system on the steering wheel and passenger currently in use. That is, an impact sensor 17 perceives impact energy caused by a collision which is against an inflated external air bag 34 or a roadway vehicle 77 as shown in Fig. 71 and sends a signal to the ECU 11 (electronic control unit), and the ECU 11 sends a signal to the inflator 40 of an internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 551 when the ECU 11 judges that the impact intensity 733 requires an inflation of the internal air bag 36. The second one is that the first CPU 82 sends signals to the related parts of the internal air bag inflation device 35 for controlling activation time of the related parts of the internal air bag 36. That is, as shown in Fig. 72, when a collision is made against an inflated external air bag 34 or a roadway vehicle 77, the impact sensor 17 perceives impact energy and sends a signal to the ECU 11, then if the ECU 11 decides that the situation requires an inflation of the internal air bag 36 on account of the impact intensity 733, the ECU 11 sends a signal to the first CPU 82 and the first CPU 82 processes to send a signal to the related parts of the internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 551. The third one is to use the processing method shown in Fig. 65. The caution required in this process is for the information of 201, 207, 716, and 717 described in Fig. 65 that are for the use of an external air bag 34, but the caution needs to be applied to the case of an internal air bag 36 to be used. That is, the information of 201 which is the criteria regarding the inflation of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations, needs to be changed to the criteria regarding the inflation of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations. The information of 207 which is the location of each external air bag inflation device of the roadway vehicle needs to be changed to the location of each internal air bag inflation device of the roadway vehicle. The information of 716 which is the external air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle needs to be changed to the internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle. The information of 717 which is the criterion on the inflation of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle needs to be changed to the criterion on the inflation of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
Second: The following is a method to control inflation size of the internal air bag 36. As published through the mess-com, it is reality that if the internal air bag 36 inflates while a passenger 73 gets close to the internal air bag inflation device 35, the passenger 73 will get a mortal injury by the blow of the internal air bag 36 or die if it is serious. To solve such problem, the smart internal air bag system has been introduced in the market. The simple explanation regarding the smart internal air bag system is as follows.
That is, as shown in Fig. 73, the first CPU 82 processes to find an inflation size and shape of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 552 on the basis of a) the information of the inflation sizes and shapes of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle 205 that is stored in the first CPU 82, b) the information of the position, posture, and size of the passengers 501 that is detected by an internal detection system 12, and c) the information of the internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 551 that is connected to the impact sensor 17. Third: The following is a method for calculating absorption quantity of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 554. Reason for the information of 554 to be required is to maximize the absorbing impact energy made at a collision between the inflated internal air bag and the passenger 73. There are two ways in calculating the information of 554. The first one is the same as shown in Fig. 74 that when a collision is made to an inflated external air bag 34, the impact sensor 17 perceives an impact energy and sends a signal to the ECU 11 and if the ECU 11 decides that the internal air bag 36 needs to inflate because of the impact intensity 733, a signal is sent to the first CPU 82. Then, the first CPU 82 calculates the information of 554 on the basis of a) the information of the absorption quantities of the internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on the various impact intensities 206 that is stored in the first CPU 82, b) the information of the weight of passengers 502 detected by the internal detection system 12, c) the information of the inflation size and shape of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 552 that has been calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 73, and d) the information of the signal regarding the impact intensity 733 sent by the ECU I l.
The second one is as follows. A decision will be made whether it is disaccord 703 or accord 704 through a process shown in Fig. 54 and Fig. 55. If the process results in a disaccord 703, as shown in Fig. 75, an impact intensity 733 is calculated through a process with the various information regarding various impact intensities 233-3 stored in the first CPU 82, with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301 and b) a direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, with a) the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718, b) an absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 719, c) the anticipated real collision points based on disaccord 705, d) a comparison of the nature of the roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 708, and e) a comparison of the weight of the roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle 710, and with the information of the signal as to the status of the impact intensity sent by the ECU 11. Herein, it is additionally mentioned that the reason of the impact intensity 733 to be calculated through a process by adding other information, despite of the impact intensity 733 detected through ECU 11, is to obtain more accurate information. Now, an anticipated impact intensity 553 to be made at a collision against passenger 73 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the absorption quantities of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on the various impact intensities 206 stored in the first CPU 82, b) the information of the inflation size and shape of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 552 that is calculated through a process shown in Fig. 73, c) the information of the weight of passengers 502 that is detected by the internal detection system 12, and d) the information of an impact intensity 733. Then, the information of 554 is calculated through a process with a) the information of an internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 551 that is connected to the impact sensor 17 and b) the information of 553.
If the process results in an accord 704, the process is the same as shown in Fig. 76. The impact intensity 733 is calculated through processes with the various information regarding various impact intensities 233-3 stored in the first CPU 82, with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301, b) a direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302, c) the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 309, and d) an absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 310 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, and with a) the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718, b) an absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 719, c) the anticipated real collision points based on accord 706, d) a comparison of the nature of an external air bag of the roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 709, and e) a comparison of the weight of the roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle 710, and with the information of the signal as to the status of the impact intensity 733 sent by the ECU 11. Herein, it is additionally mentioned that the reason of the impact intensity 733 to be calculated through a process by adding other information, despite of the impact intensity 733 detected through ECU 11, is already explained through Fig. 75. Now, an anticipated impact intensity 553 to be made at a collision against passenger 73 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the absorption quantities of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on the various impact intensities 206 stored in the first CPU 82, b) the information of the inflation size and shape of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 552 that is calculated through a process shown in Fig. 73, c) the information of the weight of passengers 502 that is detected by the internal detection system 12, and d) the information of an impact intensity 733. Then, the information of 554 is calculated through a process with a) the information of an internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 551 that is connected to the impact sensor 17 and b) the information of 553. As previously mentioned on the information of 309 and 310 in Fig. 76, a related explanation is made below as to the method of finding the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of a roadway obstacle 309 and the information of the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 310. There are two ways in finding the information of 309. The first finding method is through a first wireless apparatus 21, and the second method is to consider the information of 309 to be the same as the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718 at accord 704. There are two ways in finding the information of 310. The first method is to find through a first wireless apparatus 21, and the second method is to consider the information of 310 to be the same as the information of the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 719 that has been calculated through a processing manner as shown in Fig. 68.
If the result of process comes with a disaccord 703 and an anticipated collision point is found on the place where an external air bag inflation device 33 is not installed on the roadway vehicle 77, the processing method is the same as the following shown in Fig. 77. That is, the impact intensity 733 is calculated through processes with the various information according to the various impact intensities 233-3 that is stored in the first CPU 82, with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301, b) the anticipated collision points 702, and c) a direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, with a) a comparison of the nature of the roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle 707, b) a comparison of the weight of the roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle 710, and c) the information of the signal as to the status of the impact intensity 733 sent by the ECU 11. Herein, it is additionally mentioned that the reason of the impact intensity 733 to be calculated through a process by adding other information, despite of the impact intensity 733 detected through ECU 11, is explained through Fig. 75. Now, an anticipated impact intensity 553 to be made at a collision against passenger 73 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the absorption quantities of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on the various impact intensities 206 stored in the first CPU 82, b) the information of the inflation size and shape of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 552 that is calculated through a process shown in Fig. 73, c) the information of the weight of passengers 502 that is detected by the internal detection system 12, and d) the information of an impact intensity 733. Then, the information of 554 is calculated through a process with a) the information of an internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 551 that is connected to the impact sensor 17 and b) the information of 553. If the result of the process comes with an accord 704 and an anticipated collision point is made to the place where an external air bag inflation device 33 is not installed on the roadway vehicle 77, the processing method is the same as the following shown in Fig. 78. The impact intensity 733 is calculated through processes with the various information according to the various impact intensities 233-3 stored in the first CPU 82, with a) a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 301, b) a direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle 302, c) the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 309, and d) the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 310 that are calculated through processing the information of 900, and with a) the information of the relation of the anticipated real collision points between the roadway vehicle and the inflated external air bag of a roadway obstacle 735, b) a comparison of the nature of an external air bag of the roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle 734, c) a comparison of the weight of the roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle 710, and d) the information of the signal as to the status of the impact intensity 733 sent by the ECU 11. Herein, it is additionally mentioned that the reason of the impact intensity 733 to be calculated through a process by adding other information, despite of the impact intensity 733 detected through ECU 11, is explained through Fig. 75. Now, an anticipated impact intensity 553 to be made at a collision against passenger 73 is calculated through a process with a) the information of the absorption quantities of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on the various impact intensities 206 stored in the first CPU 82, b) the information of the inflation size and shape of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 552 that is calculated through a process shown in Fig. 73, c) the information of the weight of passengers 502 that is detected by the internal detection system 12, and d) the information of an impact intensity 733. Then, the information of 554 is calculated through a process with a) the information of an internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 551 that is connected to the impact sensor 17 and b) the information of 553. As previously shown in Fig. 78, an explanation is made below as to the method of finding the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of a roadway obstacle 309 and the information of the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle 310. There are two ways in determining the information of 309. The first method is through a first wireless apparatus 21, and the second method is to consider the information of 309 to be the same as the information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 718 at a disaccord 703. There are also two ways in finding the information of 310. The first method is through a first wireless apparatus 21, and the second method is to consider the information of 310 to be the same as the information of the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 719 that has been calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 67. The following is an explanation as to the absorbing function of an internal air bag that is in conformity with the absorption quantity of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 554 that is shown in Fig. 74, Fig. 75, Fig. 76, Fig. 77, and Fig. 78. The absorbing function according to the information of 554 has the same principle as that of the external air bag 34 as aforementioned.
APPENDIX (Terms to the Information used)
Representing No. Terms
2: First coating material (helping the external detection system 6 confirm whether an external air bag inflation device 33 is installed on an object 71) 3: Second coating material (helping the external detection system 6 distinguish the sort of an obstacle 72)
4: Coating material (representing first coating material 2 and/or second coating material 3)
5: Disturbing wave (a wave produced from the engine 55 on a vehicle 79)
6: External detection system (representing at least one of first external sensing device 7, second external sensing device 8, and third external sensing device 9)
7: First external sensing device (installed on a vehicle 79)
8: Second external sensing device (installed on the roadside post 75)
9: Third external sensing device (installed on the satellite 78)
11: ECU (Electronic Control Unit - a device that judges the level of impact energy on the basis of the signal sent by an impact sensor 17)
12: Internal detection system (representing at least one of first internal sensing device 13, second internal sensing device 14, third internal sensing device 15, fourth internal sensing device 16, impact sensor 17, and ECU 11)
13: First internal sensing device (using ultrasonic or electromagnetic sensor for detecting the status of the passenger 73)
14: Second internal sensing device (using encoder and seat belt 65 to detect the status of the passenger 73)
15: Third internal sensing device (detecting the status of the passenger 73 according to the weight and movement of the passenger 73) 16: Fourth internal sensing device (installed under the bottom of the trunk 68 for detection of the weight of goods)
17: Impact sensor (preserving impact energy created at a collision) 21 : First wireless apparatus (installed on a vehicle 79) 22: Second wireless apparatus (installed on the roadside post 75) 23: Third wireless apparatus (installed on the satellite 78)
24: Wireless system (representing at least one of first wireless apparatus 21, second wireless apparatus 22, and third wireless apparatus 23) 31: Air bag inflation device (representing external air bag inflation device 33 and/or internal air bag inflation device 35)
32: Air bag (representing external air bag 34 and/or internal air bag 36) 33: External air bag inflation device (comprising at least one of absorption device 37, first clamper 38, inflator 40, juncture 41, rope 42, and external air bag 34, and also comprising at least one of all other devices used in the airbag system currently shown in the market such as shield, retainer ring, and etc.)
34: External air bag (that inflates from inside of vehicle body to the outside) 35: Internal air bag inflation device (comprising at least one of absorption device 37, first clamper 38, inflator 40, juncture 41, rope 42, and internal airbag 36 and also comprising at least one of all the devices used in the airbag system currently shown in the market such as shield, retainer ring, and etc.)
36: Internal air bag (representing at least one of all the internal air bags currently shown in the market such as steering wheel air bag, side air bag, passenger air bag and etc) 37: Absorption device (comprising second clamper 39) 38: First clamper 39: Second clamper (valve typed clamper for controlling hole size)
40: Inflator (including at least one of mounting plate, gas generator, ignition switch, sodium- azide/copper oxide gas, nitrogen gas, helium gas, and etc. for its operation)
41: Juncture 42: Rope (or containment strap) or tether
45 : Monitor or hologram (or image correlation device)
51: Battery
52: Bumper
53 : Door (a door to let an external air bag 34 inflate through) 54: Spare space (located between bumper 52 and the external air bag inflation device 33 or between bumper 52 and Protective membrane62)
55: Engine
56: First frame (encompassing an external air bag inflation device 33 for protects the external air bag inflation device 33) 57: Second frame (vehicle frame)
58: Third frame (encompassing an inflated external air bag installed on an obstacle 72)
59: Groove (engraved on the inside surface of the vehicle body to build a door for the external air bag to inflate through)
60: Headlight 61: Photoelectron system
62: Protective membrane (located in front of external air bag inflation device 33 for protection of external air bag inflation device 33 from a low impact collision)
63: Radiator
64: Seat 65: Seat belt
66: Sensor holder (encompassing first external sensing device 7 to protect first external sensing device 7 from a low impact collision)
67: Steering wheel 68: Trunk
69: Vehicle ceiling
70: Sponge material (or absorbent material, that is installed inside of an inflated external air bag)
71 : Object (representing roadway vehicle 77 and/or roadway obstacle 76) 72: Obstacle (representing all kinds of object 71 except vehicle 79)
73 : Passenger (including driver)
74: Pedestrian
75: Roadside post
76: Roadway obstacle (representing all kinds of object 71 including other vehicle except roadway vehicle 77)
77: Roadway vehicle (primary vehicle)
78: Satellite
78- 1 : GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite
79: Vehicle (representing at least one of roadway vehicle 77, roadway obstacle 76, and all kinds of moving object (such as family vehicle, SUV, sedan, sports car, commercial vehicle, truck, bus, trailer, tractor, motorcycle, train, construction vehicle, raising car, construction equipment and etc.))
80: Road
81: CPU (Computer Processing Unit including Central Processing Unit, that means all the devices or system used for obtaining required software information, represents at least one of first CPU 82, second CPU 83, and third CPU 84)
82: First CPU (installed on a vehicle 79)
83 : Second CPU (installed on the roadside post 75) 84: Third CPU (installed on the satellite 78)
87: Blind zone (a location unable to be detected by an external detection system 6)
90: Roadside barrier.
201: Criteria regarding the inflation of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations (information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912)
202: Inflation sizes and shapes of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various collision situations (information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912)
203: Absorption quantities of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various impact intensities (information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912 and herein the impact intensity is such created from a vehicle collision)
205: Inflation sizes and shapes of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle (information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912)
206: Absorption quantities of an internal air bag of the roadway vehicle based on various impact intensities (information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912 and herein the impact intensity is such created from a vehicle collision and also from a collision between the inside of the vehicle 79 and passenger 73)
207: Location of each external air bag inflation device of the roadway vehicle (information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912)
208: Location of each internal air bag inflation device of the roadway vehicle (information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912)
209: MATW (Minimum Allowable Time Window - as the information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912, it is a very short time period prior to a collision during which the driver is unable to take evasive action after perceiving an imminent situation prior to a collision, and it is advisable that the decision for MATW is to be made through external air bag system processing speed test, a human action speed ability test, a video simulation test, and a computer simulation test.)
210: Estimated period of time (as the information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912, a period of time to elapse from a point in time when an object is detected to a point in time when an inflated external air bag of the roadway vehicle collides against.)
211: Nature of the roadway vehicle (as information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912, comprising the kind of material, solidity, and/or impact absorbability) 212: Net weight of the roadway vehicle (the information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912) 214: Shape of the roadway vehicle and size of the shape (the information stored in the first
CPU 82 or processing unit 912)
215: Nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle (as the information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912, comprising the kind of material, solidity, absorbability and/or elasticity) 217: Information regarding first coating material or wireless signal where an external air bag inflation device is installed (as the information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912) 218: Information regarding second coating material or wireless signal (as the information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912) 220: Information regarding roadway obstacle (as the information stored in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912) (First) - There are two ways of programming inputted in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912: the first way is to program the information of the size of the smallest vehicle 79. The reason to use such logic of programming is due to the fact that if a detected vehicle 79 is bigger than the programmed vehicle size, it may be assumed to cause injury or death to passenger 73 and damage to vehicle 79, and/or damage to object itself, and another way is to program both the information of the same material as that of the vehicle 79 and the information of the same size of the smallest vehicle. Therefore, the detected object may require an external air bag 34 if the detected object 71 has the same material as that of the vehicle body and is the same size as the smallest vehicle 79 or larger size. (Second)- This is a program inputted in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912 to distinguish the kind of material, quality, and weight of the detected obstacle 72 without a second coating material 3. That is, if the obstacle 72 is judged by neural network and/or pattern recognition system to damage the passenger 73 and/or the roadway vehicle 77a the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912 decides that the obstacle 72 needs an external air bag 34. (Third)- This is a program inputted in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912 to distinguish humans or animals from other objects 71 for protecting a pedestrian 74, animal, roadway vehicle 77, and passenger 73, from a collision. That is, the information of temperature, size, shape, and/or motion to be the same as or similar to a human or animal, is to be programmed in the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912. Therefore, if the detected information is judged as a moving object 71 because of temperature, size, shape, and/or motion similar to a human or animal, the first CPU 82 or processing unit 912 will determine the moving object 71 to require an external air bag 34.
222: Information regarding the weight of a roadway obstacle (stored in the processing unit 912 of an external detection system 6 or first CPU 82), 233: Various information regarding to various impact intensities (the information stored in the processing unit 912 of an external detection system 6 or first CPU 82, and the 233 represents 233-1, 233-2, and/or 233-3); (First)- The information of the 233-1 is required for finding a criterion for the inflation of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 717. (Second)- The information of the 233-2 is required for finding an absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 719. (Third)- The information of the 233-3 is required for calculating an absorption quantity of the internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 554.) 301: Speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle (the information able to be obtained by an external detection system 6 or first wireless apparatus 21)
302: Direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle (the information able to be obtained by an external detection system 6 or first wireless apparatus 21) 303: Moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and the size of the shape (the information able to be detected by the first external sensing device 7; the moving location includes the moving direction of a roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle and the distance between the first external sensing device that is installed on the moving roadway vehicle and on the moving roadway obstacle) 304: Location of an external air bag inflation device on the roadway obstacle (the information able to be obtained by the external detection system 6 or first wireless apparatus 21)
305: Nature of the roadway obstacle (comprising the kind of material, solidity, impact absorbability, and/or kind of a roadway obstacle 76 that are able to be obtained by the external detection system 6 or first wireless apparatus 21) 306: Weight of a roadway obstacle (including weight of passenger and weight of goods, the information of which are able to be obtained by the external detection system 6 or first wireless apparatus 21)
307: Nature of the external air bag of a roadway obstacle (comprising the kind of material, solidity, impact absorbability, and/or elasticity of the external air bag of a roadway obstacle that are able to be obtained by the external detection system 6 or first wireless apparatus 21)
308: Location of the roadway obstacle (the information able to be obtained by the first wireless apparatus 21)
309: Inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle (309 is determined through the first wireless apparatus 21 or construed as the same as the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle) 310: Absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle (310 is determined through the first wireless apparatus 21 or construed as the same as the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle) 313: Information on the roadway obstacle (all kinds of information on the roadway obstacle able to be detected by the first external sensing device 7)
318: Roadway obstacle detected a minimum of three times by the external detection system 319: Roadway obstacle detected through processing the information of 900 by the external detection system 501: Position, posture, and size of passenger (able to be detected by the internal detection system 12)
502: Weight of passenger (able to be detected by the internal detection system 12)
503 : Weight of goods (able to be detected by the internal detection system 12)
551: Internal air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle
552: Inflation size and shape of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle
553: Anticipated impact intensity (required for calculating absorption quantity of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 554)
554: Absorption quantity of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle 701: Moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and the roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes (able to be obtained by the second external sensing device 8, third external sensing device 9, or first wireless apparatus 21 and able to be calculated through a process as shown in Fig. 42, and the moving location of the roadway obstacle comprises the meaning of the moving direction of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle and a distance between the moving roadway vehicle and the moving roadway obstacle)
702: Anticipated collision points (comprising physical points on both the roadway vehicle 77 and roadway obstacle 76)
703: Disaccord (indicating that an external air bag inflation device is not installed where an anticipated collision point is detected on the roadway obstacle)
704: Accord (indicating that an external air bag inflation device is installed where an anticipated collision point is detected on the roadway obstacle)
705: Anticipated real collision points based on disaccord (indicating the collision points between a roadway obstacle and an inflated external air bag on the roadway vehicle) 706: Anticipated real collision points based on accord (indicating the collision points between the inflated external air bags on the roadway vehicle and on the roadway obstacle)
707: Comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle
708: Comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle 709: Comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle
710: Comparison of the weight of a roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle
711: Anticipated impact intensity (required for calculating the information of 717) 712: Anticipated impact intensity (required for calculating the information of 719)
715: Volume of space for the inflation of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle (the space between anticipated collision points on the roadway obstacle and on the roadway vehicle)
716: External air bag inflation device in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle
717: Criterion for the inflation of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle
718: Inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle
719: Absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle
720: Gross weight of the roadway vehicle (including the weight of passengers and the weight of goods)
721 : Time/distance remaining prior to a collision (time/distance means a distance according to a given time, speed, and moving direction)
722: Time/distance that determines the true MATW
733 : Impact intensity (required for calculating the information of 553) 734: Comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle
735: Relation of the anticipated real collision points between the roadway vehicle and the inflated external air bag of a roadway obstacle
900: Information of a roadway obstacle that is detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range
911: TR (transmitter and receiver of external detection system 6)
912: Processing unit of an external detection system 6
913: GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna
915: Certain point (indicating a point up to which an inflated air bag having been maximally expanded after a collision)

Claims

What is claimed is:
1. A logic for an automotive air bag system designed for protecting vehicles, passengers, pedestrians, animal, and obstacles from a vehicle collision, the logic for the air bag system comprises: means for representing the logic for an external air bag system; means for representing the logic for an internal air bag system together with the external air bag system; means for representing hardware of the air bag system and the software of the air bag system based on logic; means for including at least one hardware of: coating material, external detection system, wireless system, computer processing unit or central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU), External air bag inflation device installed on vehicle, and inflated external air bag on obstacle for support the logic of the software of the air bag system; means for using at least one hardware of: first coating material installed on vehicle, second coating material installed on obstacle, first external sensing device installed on vehicle, second external sensing device installed on roadside post, third external sensing device installed on satellite, first wireless apparatus installed on vehicle, second wireless apparatus installed on roadside post, third wireless apparatus installed on satellite, first CPU installed on vehicle, second CPU installed on roadside post, third CPU installed on satellite, external air bag installed on external air bag inflation device, inflator installed on external air bag inflation device, absorption device installed on inflator, sponge material installed in a inflated external air bag in the vehicle and on the obstacle, first clamper installed on inflator, second clamper installed on absorption device, juncture installed on air bag, rope installed on air bag, impact sensor installed in the vehicle, electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as ECU) installed in the vehicle, first internal sensing device installed in the vehicle, second internal sensing device installed in the vehicle, third internal sensing device installed in the vehicle, and fourth internal sensing device installed in the vehicle for operation of air bag system; means for using software information to calculate and obtain required information; means for using logical calculation method for inflating both external air bag and internal air bag accurately, effectively, and smartly;
2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external detection system includes at least one of: real beam radar, pulse radar, pulse Doppler radar, multimode radar, terrain following radar, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), MTI radar, bistatic radar, low probability of intercept (LPI) radar, penetrating radar, millimeter wave radar, imaging radar, electronic scan radar, micro-impulse radar(MIR), electro-optic sensor, T-Ray laser, and thermal imaging device.
3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external detection system comprises: method of night vision system that takes a small amount of photon letting the photon pass through the micro-channel plate during which course the photon is converted into the electron (electrical energy) to obtain a required information.
4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said the external detection system includes: method for detecting a distance from an object and the shape of the object to be calculated on the basis of perspective and graphic to decide the size of the object's shape or on the basis of trigonometry or other arithmetic method.
5. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external detection system selectively uses the technologies for the modes of AN/APG radar. The technologies for the modes of AN/APG radar are selected from the follows.
1) Technologies for the mode of Range While Scan (RWS)
2) Technologies for the mode of Track While Scan (TWS)
3) Technologies for the mode of Single Target Track (STT) 4) Technologies for the mode of Raid Assessment
5) Technologies for the mode of Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) or Non Co-operative Target Identification
6) Technologies for the mode of Real Beam Mapping
7) Technologies for Doppler Beam Sharpening and High Resolution Mapping Mode 8) Technologies for Shape Distinguishing Mode
9) Technologies for the mode of Forward-Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR)
10) Technologies for Sea Surface Detecting Mode
6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external detection system includes at least one of: analog signal processing, digital signal processing, real-time image processing and range gate processing.
7. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said first external sensing device include: sensor holder to be used for protecting said first external sensing device from low impact collision.
8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said first external sensing device requires the software information on
(1) criterion for the maximum relative speed of a collision that could allow the passenger be protected by an external air bag and an internal air bag,
(2) time period for analyzing at least twice the information of the roadway obstacle, and (3) MATW that are for calculating detectable distance to create a requirement for the first external sensing device.
9. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said third external sensing device is used together with a global positioning system (hereinafter referred to as GPS) satellite.
10. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said coating material uses a signal or sign like a bar-code in analyzing an object.
11. The system recited in claim 10, wherein said signal or sign is differently expressed according to the shape, color and/or size by long, short, wide, or narrow form selectively that is in compliance with the object's shape, sort, quality, and weight.
12. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said first coating material represents heat of certain temperature that let the external air bag inflation device be analyzed by the external detection system.
13. The system recited in claim 12, wherein said heat of certain temperature needs to be constantly furnished to where the external air bag inflation device is installed or to the vehicle body where an external air bag inflation device is installed.
14. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said first coating material represents at least one of such types of devices producing: frequency, band, signal, sign of radiation, radiation wave, electromagnetic spectrum, and/or sonic constantly emitted from where an external air bag inflation device is installed in the vehicle for letting the processing unit and/or CPU of the other vehicle analyze the information.
15. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless system includes method of a digital communication.
16. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless system includes an array antenna.
17. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said first wireless apparatus installed on the place where an external air bag inflation device is located on the roadway obstacle continuously emitting signal, the first wireless apparatus located on the roadway vehicle catches the signal, processes it, and perceives that an external air bag inflation device exists on the place where the signal was emitted from.
18. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said CPU includes at least one of: processing method: artificial intelligence, image processing, neural network, pattern recognition, analog processing, and digital processing.
19. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said CPU sends signals to the related parts of the internal air bag inflation device for controlling activation time of the related parts of the internal air bag.
20. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external air bag inflation device is encompassed by a protective membrane and the first frame for said external air bag inflation device be protected from a low impact collision.
21. The system recited in claim 20, wherein said external air bag inflation device is being encompassed by the first frame which is supported by the second frame for said external air bag inflation device to be sustained from being pushed backward by the collision's impact force.
22. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said inflator includes: sodium azide/copper oxide gas and nitrogen gas or helium gas for its operation.
23. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external air bag inflation device requires a spare space between the protective membrane and the bumper to let the external air bag inflation device be protected from a low impact collision which doesn't require an inflation of the external air bag even if the bumper is damaged.
24. The system recited in claim 23, wherein said spare space prevents the inflating or inflated state of an external air bag from its potential leaning on one side while the roadway vehicle is running or colliding against a roadway obstacle, so as to be accomplished by way of the end part of the inflated external airbag being tightly filled in the spare space.
25. The system recited in claim 23, wherein said spare space behind the bumper allows the external air bag to be filled in the spare space to protect the bumper from a low impact collision which doesn't require an inflation of the external air bag.
26. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external air bag has a sponge material filled in it to keep the external air bag inflated always behind the bumper.
27. The system recited in claim 26, wherein said bumper has a door that is engraved with a groove around the door on the internal surface of the bumper for the external air bag to inflate easily through the bumper, and no visible mark of the groove shall be made on the external surface of the bumper.
28. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external air bag inflation device includes: first clamper to control the inflation size of the external air bag.
29. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external air bag inflation device includes: rope to control the inflation size of the external air bag.
30. The system recited in claim 28, wherein said first clamper represents all kinds of clampers that are able to release the rope from the hold-up position.
31. The system recited in claim 28, wherein said first clamper represents all kinds of clampers that are able to release the air bag from the hold-up position.
32. The system recited in claim 30, wherein said first clamper explodes itself upon receipt of signal from the first CPU for releasing the rope more quickly.
33. The system recited in claim 32, wherein said first clamper uses gun-powder to explode said first clamper.
34. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said second clamper controls the size of the hole on the absorption device upon receipt of a signal from the first CPU according to the determination of the first CPU for effectiveness of absorbing impact energy.
35. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said sponge material is installed inside the inflated external air bag on an obstacle to keep the external air bag constantly inflated.
36. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external air bag is made from synthetic material.
37. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said external air bag is made from the fiber including spider web properties.
38. The system recited in claim 36, wherein said external air bag is made from polyester.
39. The system recited in claim 36, wherein said synthetic material used for the external air bag includes at least one of properties of: aramid, lyoceik olefin, rayon, spandex, synthetic material, glass fiber, nylon, fiber of parachute, fiber made from spider web properties, zyloflex, goldfiex, polyethylene, spectra, spectra goldfiex, araflex, spectra shield- plus, hi-lite pro-plus, kevlar, twaron, micro animated twaro fiber, bullet-proof film, polyester, carbon fiber, aracon, nomex, teflon, tyvek, tychem, thermount, vectran, and dyneema.
40. The system recited in claim 36, wherein said synthetic material uses nano-technology for developing and making a material for the external air bag.
41. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said calculation method of the external air bag system comprises:
The roadway obstacle being found partially within the blind zone is calculated through a process based on (1) the information of the roadway obstacle that is a detected portion extended from the undetected portion of the roadway obstacle in the blind zone and
(2) the information of the roadway obstacle previously detected to be at least twice within the detectable zone.
42. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said calculation method of the external air bag system includes:
The roadway obstacle that is outside of the detectable zone is calculated through a process based on the information of a small sized roadway obstacle that has been detected a minimum of three times prior to moving into the blind zone.
43. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said calculation method of the external air bag system includes:
A moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and the size of the shape is calculated through a process based on information on the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times.
44. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said calculation method of the external air bag system includes:
The information of time/distance remaining prior to a collision is calculated through a process based on (1) speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle,
(2) moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and roadway obstacle and the sizes of both the shapes, and
(3) anticipated collision points.
45. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said calculation method of the external air bag system includes:
The information of time/distance that determines the true MATW is calculated through a process based on
(1) time/distance remaining prior to a collision and (2) MATW.
46. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said calculation method of the external air bag system includes:
The roadway obstacle that is detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range is calculated through a process based on the information of (1) roadway obstacle detected a minimum of three times by the external detection system and
(2) time/distance that determines the true MATW.
47. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the first external sensing device on the roadway vehicle based on the shape of the roadway obstacle and the size of the shape calculated through processing the information of roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and the roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes calculated through processing the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range.
48. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of a speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle calculated through processing the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of
(1) anticipated collision points calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range,
(2) relation of the anticipated real collision points between the roadway vehicle and the inflated external air bag of a roadway obstacle,
(3) anticipated real collision points based on accord, and
(4) anticipated real collision points based on disaccord.
49. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of a moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and the roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of
(1) anticipated collision points calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, (2) anticipated real collision points based on disaccord,
(3) anticipated real collision points based on accord, and
(4) relation of the anticipated real collision points between the roadway vehicle and the inflated external air bag of a roadway obstacle.
50. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of the roadway obstacle detected through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range by the external detection system, is required for calculation of (1) location of an external air bag inflation device on the roadway obstacle,
(2) nature of the roadway obstacle,
(3) weight of a roadway obstacle, and
(4) nature of the external air bag of a roadway obstacle that are calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range.
51. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of the location of an external air bag inflation device on the roadway obstacle calculated through processing the information of a roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of
(1) disaccord and
(2) accord.
52. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of anticipated collision points calculated through processing the information of a roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of (1) disaccord and (2) accord.
53. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle is required for calculation of (1) anticipated real collision points based on accord and
(2) anticipated real collision points based on disaccord.
54. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of the nature of the roadway obstacle calculated through processing the information of a roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of
(1) comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle and
(2) comparison of the nature of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle.
55. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of the nature of the external air bag of a roadway obstacle calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of (1) comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of an external air bag of the roadway vehicle and
(2) comparison of the nature of an external air bag of a roadway obstacle to the nature of the roadway vehicle.
56. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of the weight of a roadway obstacle calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of the comparison of the weight of the roadway obstacle to the weight of the roadway vehicle.
57. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of
(1) speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle, (2) direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle, (3) nature of the roadway obstacle, and
(4) anticipated collision points that are calculated through processing the information of a roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of the criterion for the inflation of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
58. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of (1) speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle,
(2) moving location of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle based on the shapes of both the roadway vehicle and the roadway obstacle and sizes of both the shapes,
(3) anticipated collision points that are calculated through processing the information of a roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
59. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes:
The information of
(1) speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle and
(2) direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle that are calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
60. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the external air bag system includes: The information of
(1) speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle,
(2) direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle, and
(3) inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle that are calculated through processing the information of a roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
61. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said software information based on the logic for the internal air bag system includes: The information of
(1) speed of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle,
(2) direction of motion of the roadway obstacle relative to the roadway vehicle, (3) inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle, and
(4) absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle that are calculated through processing the information of the roadway obstacle that was detected a minimum of three times with one of them being within the MATW range, is required for calculation of the absorption quantity of an internal air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
62. The system recited in claim 34, wherein said second clamper on the absorption device stays in the state of being closed or slightly opened until a collision is made and the hole of the absorption device will be adjusted to a proper size up to the certain point which the inflated external air bag would have been maximally expended for the deceleration to be balanced.
63. The system recited in claim 60, wherein said Inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle are considered as the same as the inflation size and shape of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
64. The system recited in claim 61, wherein said absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway obstacle is considered as the same as the absorption quantity of an external air bag in an applicable zone of the roadway vehicle.
EP06733824A 2005-01-24 2006-01-23 Logic for an automotive air bag system Withdrawn EP1841629A4 (en)

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WO2006081218A8 (en) 2007-03-22
KR100952592B1 (en) 2010-04-15

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