Adaptive rollover detection apparatus and method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a vehicle rollover sensing apparatus and method are provided for detecting an anticipated overturn condition of a vehicle, and thus allowing for the timely deployment of safety-related devices.
The rollover sensing apparatus includes an angular rate sensor for sensing attitude rate of change of a vehicle and producing an angular rate signal indicative thereof, and a vertical accelerometer for sensing vertical acceleration of the vehicle and producing a vertical acceleration signal indicative thereof.
The rollover sensing apparatus also has a controller including an integrator for integrating the attitude rate signal and producing an attitude angle.
The controller determines an inclination angle of the vehicle based on the vertical acceleration signal and adjusts the roll angle as a function of the determined inclination angle.
The controller further includes deployment logic for comparing the adjusted attitude angle and angular rate signal to a threshold limit, and providing a vehicle overturn condition signal based on the comparison.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a rollover detection apparatus and method is provided for detecting an anticipated overturn condition for a vehicle and providing immunity to near-rollover events.
The apparatus comprises an angular rate sensor for sensing attitude rate of change of a vehicle and producing an attitude rate signal indicative thereof, an integrator for integrating the sensed attitude rate of change signal and producing an attitude angle, and deployment logic.
The deployment logic compares the attitude angle and sensed attitude rate signal with a variable threshold defining a region of deployment and a region of no deployment.
The deployment logic further detects the presence of a driving event, such as a near-rollover event, which causes at least one of a large attitude rate and a large attitude angle, and adjusts the variable threshold based on detecting the driving event so as to prevent deployment of a vehicle overturn condition