Abstract:
Method and system for enabling semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle travel includes providing a vehicle travel management system which monitors the location of vehicles in a travel lane and the location of the travel lane, creating dedicated travel lanes for vehicles equipped with the vehicle travel management system, and managing travel of vehicles in the dedicated travel lanes to maximize travel speed of the vehicles and minimize collisions between the vehicles. The travel management may entail establishing and maintaining communications between the vehicles with the movement of the vehicles being coordinated to enable a minimal distance between adjacent vehicles in the dedicated travel lanes. Entry into the dedicated travel lanes is optimally restricted only to vehicles equipped with the vehicle travel management system.
Abstract:
Vehicle including a first substructure and a second substructure arranged such that an interior space is defined by or between the first and second substructures, and an arrangement for determining whether an object is present in the interior space. The arrangement includes ultrasonic transducers arranged on the second substructure and to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the first substructure and receive any waves reflected by objects in the interior space and a processor coupled to the ultrasonic transducers and arranged to determine whether an object is present in the interior space based on reception of waves by the ultrasonic transducers. If the vehicle is an automobile and the interior space is the passenger compartment therein, the first substructure can be the passenger seat and the second substructure can be the A-pillar, in which case, the processor determines the presence or absence of a passenger in the passenger seat.
Abstract:
Method and arrangement for setting a speed limit for vehicle travelling on a road includes monitoring conditions of the road, determining a speed limit for travel of vehicles on the road based on the monitored conditions, and transmitting the determined speed limit to the vehicles to thereby notify operators of the vehicles of the determined speed limit. Monitoring conditions of the road may entail monitoring weather conditions around the road, monitoring visibility for operators of the vehicles on the roads, monitoring traffic on the road, monitoring accidents on the road or emergency situations of vehicles on the road and/or monitoring the speed of vehicles travelling on the road and a distance between adjacent vehicles.
Abstract:
Vehicle with an occupant safety system for use in a crash involving the vehicle includes an occupant protection device, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) arranged to measure acceleration of the vehicle in three orthogonal directions and angular velocity of the vehicle about three orthogonal axes, the accelerations and angular velocities being measured at a substantially common location, and a processor coupled to the IMU for receiving the measured acceleration of the vehicle and the measured angular velocity of the vehicle. The processor determines whether the vehicle is experiencing a crash, and specifically, a rollover, and if so determines whether actuation of the occupant protection device is beneficial. If actuation is deemed beneficial, the processor generate a signal to actuation of the occupant protection device. The occupant protection device may be an inflatable airbag.
Abstract:
Vehicle with a knee protection airbag having a storage position and a deployed position. The airbag includes at least one cell constructed from reinforced elastic film and an inflator for inflating the airbag from the storage position to the deployed position. The airbag is arranged to substantially fill a space between the knees and lower extremities of the occupant when seated on the front seat and the instrument panel in the deployed position such that the airbag cushions only the knees and lower extremities of the occupant. Alternatively, the airbag includes at least one cell constructed from a laminate of a first elastic film and a second inelastic film. Alternatively, the airbag is a composite airbag having at least one layer of inelastic plastic film attached to a second layer of a more elastic plastic film, the second layer serves to blunt the propagation of a tear.
Abstract:
System and method for preventing collisions between a vehicle and objects in a path of the vehicle includes a laser system arranged to direct at least one laser beam outward therefrom and which is in an eye-safe portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, an imaging receiver for receiving at least one laser beam reflected from objects in the path of the laser beam, a processor coupled to the receiver and arranged to receive signals derived from the received laser beam and process the signals to determine a distance between the laser system and the objects from which the laser beam has been reflected, and one or more reactive systems coupled to the processor. The processor controls the reactive system to indicate the presence of objects at specific distances from the vehicle. This indication may be used to take preventive action to avoid the collision, either manually or automatically.
Abstract:
System and method for reacting to an expected impact involving a vehicle including an anticipatory sensor system for determining that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur prior to the impact and an impact responsive system coupled to the sensor system and actuated after its determination of the expected impact. The sensor system includes wave receivers spaced apart from one another, each receiving waves generated by, modified by, or reflected from a common object exterior of the vehicle. The impact responsive system attempts to reduce the potential harm resulting from the impact and can be a protection apparatus which protects a vehicular occupant or a pedestrian, such as one including an airbag and an inflator for inflating the airbag.
Abstract:
Airbag for a vehicle includes at least one section of material defining a plurality of cells, chambers or compartments, and one-way valves arranged in connection with the material section(s) between the cells to control flow of inflating fluid between the cells. Each valve can lead from a respective first cell to a respective second cell and are preferably designed to close once a predetermined pressure prevails in the second cell to prevent fluid outflow from the respective second cell. The cells may be interconnected such that at least one cell is interposed between and connected to two other cells. A plurality of valves may be arranged between adjacent pairs of the cells, or only a single valve may be arranged between an adjacent pair of cells.
Abstract:
System and method for obtaining information about occupancy of a compartment in a movable object in which at least first and second optical imagers obtain images of a common area of the compartment and spaced apart from one another. Processing circuitry derives information from the images obtained by the imagers. A light source may illuminate the common area of the compartment and be interposed between the imagers. The processing circuitry can include a microprocessor with at least one pattern recognition algorithm and be arranged to determine the distance between the imagers and an object in the common area by locating a specific feature in the common area by first locating the feature in only the image obtained by one imager, then determining the location of the same feature in the image obtained by another imager, and determining the distance of the feature from the imagers by triangulation.
Abstract:
A vehicle including a system for obtaining information about occupants of the vehicle including a rear-view mirror including a mirror part and a support for mounting the mirror part to the vehicle (such as to a windshield of the vehicle), a wave-receiving system arranged on the mirror for receiving waves from spaces above seats of the vehicle in which occupants would normally be situated and a processor coupled to the wave-receiving system and arranged to obtain information about the occupants based on the waves received by the wave-receiving system. The wave-receiving system may include an infrared receiver, a transmitter/receiver capable of transmitting and receiving waves, an ultrasonic wave receiver and/or an array for displaying infrared light reflected from or generated by the occupants. Based on the waves received by the wave-receiving system, the processor may identify or ascertain the identity of the occupants, determine the position or movement of the occupants and/or determine the distance between the wave-receiving system and the occupants. The processor may embody a pattern recognition system for obtaining information about the occupants based on training designed to create an algorithm capable of processing data on the waves received by the wave-receiving system into information about the occupants.