Continental Automotive Systems Corporation

Siemens Vdo Automotive Corporation

Continental Automotive Systems Us, Inc.

Continental Autonomous Mobility Us, LLC

Continental Teves, Inc.

Robert M Andres

Gerd Winkler

Andreas Knueppel

Holger Faisst

Tobias Tyroller

Thomas J Malbouef, Jr

Dennis Ziesmer

Amit Kapoor

Eric Mertz

Ningsheng Qiao

Helmut Steurer

Brian James Marlett

Douglas McConnell

Jeffrey D Gleacher

Christopher James Palazzolo

Manjunath P Venkataramana

Dean Beckman

Patrick Messi

A vehicle control system employing acoustic and impact sensors for sensing acoustics and vibrations at a vehicle to detect environmental conditions and provide appropriate vehicle control and driver warnings according to the environmental conditions. The acoustics may include sounds generated by objects in the external environment surrounding the vehicle or sounds generated by impacts on the vehicle. The vibrations may include vibrations of the vehicle generated by the sounds generated by objects in the external environment surrounding the vehicle or vibrations of the vehicle generated by the impacts on the vehicle.

Contact and audible sensor system to detect and warn driver of environmental conditions

A crash sensor system for a vehicle capable of operating in an autonomous mode includes an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor circuit. The ECU triggers an occupant restraint system of the vehicle in the event of a severe impact event with the vehicle. Satellite sensors are electrically connected to the ECU and are mounted at the front end, the rear end, the right side and the left side of the vehicle near or on an outer surface thereof to detect low severity impact event with the vehicle that does not cause activation of the occupant restraint system. The processor circuit executes an algorithm to confirm, via data from the plurality of satellite sensors, whether the low severity impact event with the vehicle occurred and if so, the ECU triggers a brake controller and a steering controller to cause the vehicle, while in the autonomous mode, to pull over and stop.

Low severity impact detection sensor system for a vehicle

A crash sensor system includes an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU has an accelerometer to measure longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle. Front crash satellite sensors are mounted at the front of the vehicle to detect a front or a rear crash event. When a front or rear crash event occurs, the first accelerometer is utilized to determine if the crash occurred at the front or the rear of the vehicle, regardless of the polarity of the front crash satellite sensors.

Crash sensor system for determining crash events independent of polarity of satellite sensors

A method of notifying an owner of a fault associated with a vehicle system of a vehicle. The method includes receiving, at a computing processor, one or more fault messages from a vehicle system of the vehicle. Each fault message includes a fault source identifying the vehicle system, a fault time identifying a time of the fault, and a fault description. The method also includes determining, by the computing processor, a fault value associated with the received one or more fault messages. The fault value indicative of a period of time or a number of events from an initial received fault message. The method also includes transmitting, from the computing processor to a third party in communication with the computing processor, the fault value. The method also includes receiving, from the third party, a service notification, and displaying, on a display in communication with the computing processor, the service notification.

Self-service repair for autonomous vehicles

A driver identification seatbelt system including a seatbelt system having at least one first belt with a first coupling member, and a second coupling member. The driver identification seatbelt system further including a fingerprint recognition member.

Vehicle theft deterrent utilizing driver identification seatbelt system

An occupant restraint system including a seat having a head rest where the seat has a seat belt anchor, a seat belt retractor and a seat coupling member each coupled with the seat. The system further includes a seat belt assembly including a first seat belt portion and a second seat belt portion. At least one deployable restraint is stored on or within at least one of the seat belt assembly or the seat, where the at least one deployable restraint has a deployed position and a retracted position that is deployed by a deployment member.

Occupant restraint system and related methods

A method of notifying a driver of a fault associated with a vehicle system is disclosed. The method includes receiving one or more fault signals from a vehicle system. Each fault signal includes a fault source, a fault time, and a fault description. The method includes determining a fault value associated with the received one or more fault signals. The fault value associated with a period of time or a number of events from an initial received fault signal. The method also includes executing on the computing processor a behavior system. The behavior system receives the fault signal and executes one or more behaviors from a first level of behaviors in response to the fault value being less than a first threshold value, and one or more behaviors from a second level of behaviors in response to the fault value being greater than the first threshold value.

Vehicle safety notification system

Disclosed is a method to determine a vehicle's lateral velocity during abnormal driving situations of a vehicle during controlled side-impact or rollover crash tests that involve the pulling of a vehicle sideways into an object. A high-resolution, low-range, lateral accelerometer is integrated to determine the lateral velocity. Furthermore, is a method to initiate the integration of the acceleration signal and a method to stop and reset the integration. The method recognizes special conditions associated with abnormal driving situations like controlled crash tests, and therefore will not be active during normal operating conditions. The method also includes a means to handle offset tolerances associated with accelerometers by finding the sensor's zero-g point while the vehicle is at rest.

Method of determining the lateral velocity of a vehicle during abnormal driving situations

A system and method of activating a restraint system of a vehicle is described. The method includes generating a vehicle speed signal that represents a longitudinal speed of a vehicle, generating a lateral acceleration signal that represents a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, filtering the lateral acceleration signal to generate a filtered lateral acceleration signal, comparing the filtered lateral acceleration signal to a predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold, estimating a lateral speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed signal when the filtered lateral acceleration exceeds the predetermined lateral acceleration enable threshold, and activating a restraint system of the vehicle based in part on the estimated lateral velocity.

Safety method and device for vehicle rollover prediction using estimated lateral vehicle velocity

A method of estimating values beyond sensor limits accurately and simply includes the initial step of determining an actual slope utilizing measured data. An estimated slope is then determined as a percentage of the actual slope to provide an estimation of data values outside of the sensor limits until measured values return to within sensor limits. The estimation method according to this invention increases sensor range without sacrificing resolution with a desired accuracy.

Clipped sensor data estimator

A method of operating a sensor system includes the steps of determining whether any of a plurality of sensors are malfunctioning in response to a physical stimulus on a vehicle, determining whether an outcome of the first step is plausible based upon expected physical stimuli, and determining whether to execute a decision, such as deploy a vehicle occupant restraint, or fail the sensor if it is producing signals beyond expected physical limits. The decision is executed if it is plausible and not executed if it is not plausible.

Method and system for detecting malfunctioning sensors

An air bag system () includes a controller (), a remote satellite sensor (), and a deployable air bag (). Controller logic for deployment discrimination of an impact event sensitizes an airbag deployment command in response to signals from the satellite sensor. The logic determines a crash-pulse energy term (CPE) which discriminates impact signals which are particularly useful for identifying side impact events.

Crash pulse energy algorithm for an inflatable restraint system

An air bag system () provides a central controller (), a multiple of satellite sensors () and a multiple of deployable air bags (). The central controller () runs the impact event algorithms. The number of satellites which are allowed to activate algorithms at any one time is limited. The minimum number of satellites required for full protection is the maximum number of satellite sensors allowed to wake up an impact event algorithm at any one time. An order for algorithm wake is also specified since the number of algorithms allowed is less than the total number of satellite sensors.

Multiple-satellite sensors algorithm wake up and reset strategy for an inflatable restraint system

Multiple-satellite sensor algorithm wake up and reset strategy for an inflatable restraint system

A system and method for selectively inhibiting deployment of an airbag for a period of time based upon the value of a sensor signal.

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Clarkston, MI, United States of America

Robert M Andres