US 11,752,963 B2
Apparatus for operating airbag of autonomous vehicle and control method thereof
Min Kyu Ha, Yongin-si (KR)
Assigned to HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Filed by HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Nov. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/535,850.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0161042 (KR), filed on Nov. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161749 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B60R 21/015 (2006.01); B60R 21/0134 (2006.01); B60R 21/231 (2011.01); B60R 21/01 (2006.01); B60R 21/013 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 21/01538 (2014.10) [B60R 21/015 (2013.01); B60R 21/0134 (2013.01); B60R 21/01542 (2014.10); B60R 21/01554 (2014.10); B60R 21/01558 (2014.10); B60R 21/231 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01013 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01034 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01231 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01245 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01286 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01315 (2013.01); B60R 2021/23107 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for operating an airbag of a vehicle, comprising:
an interior image sensor configured to capture an image of an interior of a vehicle;
an autonomous driving system configured to predict a collision of the vehicle and generate collision prediction information;
an airbag module comprising a plurality of airbags and configured to selectively deploy the plurality of airbags; and
an airbag control unit configured to:
estimate, based on the captured image, a sitting position of a passenger of the vehicle and a dynamic behavior of the passenger caused by the collision of the vehicle;
estimate, based on the collision prediction information, a collision status of the vehicle;
determine, based on the estimated sitting position, (i) a set of the airbags to be deployed, and (ii) a time to deploy the set of the airbags, the set of the airbags comprising at least one of the plurality of airbags; and
transmit, to the airbag module, a deployment signal indicating the determined set of the air bags and the determined time to deploy the set of the air bags,
wherein, to estimate the dynamic behavior of the passenger caused by the collision of the vehicle, the airbag control unit is further configured to:
determine, based on the captured image, whether a displacement of the passenger's chest meets a chest displacement threshold; and
in response to determining that the displacement of the passenger's chest meets the chest displacement threshold, determine that the dynamic behavior of the passenger has occurred,
wherein the chest displacement threshold is varied depending on the estimated sitting position of the passenger.