Detection System for Analyzing Crash Events and Methods of the Same

Abstract

Method for analyzing a crash event. The method may comprise receiving an acceleration of a vehicle over a predetermined length of time, the vehicle involved in the crash event, determining a change in velocity of the vehicle based on the acceleration, determining vehicle information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event, and estimating a damage cost for the vehicle involved in the crash event, and/or estimating injuries to occupant(s) of the vehicle involved in the crash event. Estimating damage cost(s) may include determining crash force information for the vehicle, determining physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle subsequent to the crash event, and calculating the estimated damage cost to the vehicle. Estimating injuries to the occupant(s) may include determining occupant information relating to the occupant of the vehicle, calculating estimated forces exerted on the occupant, and calculating an injury probability for various body portions for the occupant.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for instantaneously estimating a damage cost for a vehicle involved in a crash event, the method comprising:
 automatically receiving an acceleration of the vehicle over a predetermined length of time in substantial real-time;   determining a change in velocity of the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle;   determining crash force information for the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle and the change in velocity of the vehicle;   determining physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle subsequent to the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of:
 the acceleration of the vehicle; 
 the change in velocity of the vehicle; and 
 the crash force information for the vehicle; and 
   calculating the estimated damage cost to the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of:
 the determined crash force information for the vehicle; and 
 the determined physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the acceleration of the vehicle further comprises receiving multi-axis acceleration data from at least one accelerometer positioned on the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determining of the crash force information for the vehicle further comprises:
 analyzing and comparing:
 each of the multi-axis acceleration data; and 
 the change in velocity of the vehicle; 
   determining a crash force applied to the vehicle involved in the crash event; and   determining a direction of the crash force applied to the vehicle.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the physical-damage characteristics further comprises:
 obtaining vehicle-specific crash information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event; and   calculating an anticipated crush deformation of the vehicle based, at least in part, on at least one of:
 the determined crash force information for the vehicle; 
 the received acceleration of the vehicle; 
 the determined change in velocity of the vehicle; and 
 the determined vehicle information. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calculating of the estimated damage cost further comprises at least one of:
 determining a first cost associated with repairing damaged parts of the vehicle involved in the crash; and   determining a second cost associated with replacing the damaged parts of the vehicle involved in the crash.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 generating a bill of materials (BOM) based on the estimated damage cost to the vehicle, the BOM comprising:
 a list of the damaged parts of the vehicle; 
 the first cost associated with repairing the damaged parts; 
 the second cost associated with replacing the damaged parts; and 
 a total cost to at least one of repair and replace the damaged parts. 
 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 calculating a value of the vehicle prior to the crash event; 
 comparing the calculated value of the vehicle with the estimated damage cost to the vehicle; and 
 in response to the estimated damage cost exceeding a predetermined percentage of the calculated value of the vehicle, determining a probable total loss of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining if the crash event involving the vehicle exceeds at least one predetermined crash threshold based on the acceleration of the vehicle over the predetermined length of time. 
 
     
     
         9 . A method for instantaneously estimating injuries to an occupant of a vehicle involved in a crash event, the method comprising:
 automatically receiving an acceleration of the vehicle over a predetermined length of time in substantial real-time;   determining a change in velocity of the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle;   determining occupant information relating to the occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event;   determining pre-solved crash information for the vehicle based, at least in part, on at least one of:
 the acceleration of the vehicle; and 
 the change in velocity of the vehicle; 
   calculating estimated forces exerted on the occupant based, at least in part, on at least one of:
 the acceleration of the vehicle; 
 the change in velocity of the vehicle; 
 the determined occupant information relating to the occupant; and 
 the determined pre-solved crash information for the vehicle; and 
   calculating an injury probability for various body portions for the occupant of the vehicle based on the estimated forces exerted on the occupant.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the determining of the occupant information further comprises one of:
 obtaining occupant specific information for the occupant, or   obtaining predetermined, standardized occupant information based on at least one of the gender and the stature of the occupant.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the determining of the occupant information further comprises:
 determining if the occupant wore a seat belt during the crash event; and   determining the positioning of a seat in the vehicle utilized by the occupant.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 obtaining vehicle-specific crash information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event; 
 calculating an anticipated crush deformation of the vehicle based, at least in part, on:
 the received acceleration of the vehicle; 
 the change in velocity of the vehicle; and 
 determined crash force information for the vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the determining of the pre-solved crash information for the vehicle further comprises:
 obtaining the pre-solved crash information from a library of pre-solved crash information for a plurality of distinct vehicles.   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory for storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method for analyzing a crash event, the method comprising:
 receiving an acceleration of a vehicle over a predetermined length of time, the vehicle involved in the crash event; 
 determining a change in velocity of the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle; 
 determining vehicle information relating to the vehicle involved in the crash event; and 
 at least one of:
 estimating a damage cost for the vehicle involved in the crash event; and 
 estimating injuries to an occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the estimating of the damage cost for the vehicle involved in the crash event further comprises:
 determining crash force information for the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on the acceleration of the vehicle and the change in velocity of the vehicle;   determining physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle subsequent to the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of:
 the acceleration of the vehicle; 
 the change in velocity of the vehicle; and 
 the crash force information for the vehicle; and 
   calculating the estimated damage cost to the vehicle involved in the crash event based, at least in part, on at least one of:
 the determined crash force information for to the vehicle; and 
 the determined physical-damage characteristics of the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the estimating of the injuries to the occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event further comprises:
 determining occupant information relating to the occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash event;   calculating estimated forces exerted on the occupant based on at least one of:
 the detected acceleration of the vehicle; 
 the change in velocity of the vehicle; 
 the determined occupant information relating to the occupant; 
 the determined vehicle information; and 
 determined pre-solved crash information for the vehicle; and 
   calculating an injury probability for various body portions for the occupant of the vehicle based on the estimated forces exerted on the occupant.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising instruction for automatically providing an instantaneous notification to at least one user of a predetermined group of users in response to the crash event involving the vehicle; wherein
 the at least one user of the predetermined group of users is not the occupant of the vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the providing of the notification further comprises:
 providing a first notification to a first select group of the predetermined group of users in response to determining the crash event involving the vehicle exceeds a predetermined crash threshold based on the acceleration of the vehicle over the predetermined length of time; and   providing a second notification to a second select group of the predetermined group of users in response to determining the crash event involving the vehicle does not exceed the predetermined crash threshold based on the acceleration of the vehicle over the predetermined length of time.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first selected group and the second selected group one of:
 include at least one common user of the predetermined group of users, or   include distinct users of the predetermined group of users.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the provided notification comprises at least one of:
 a location of the crash event;   a time of the crash event;   a date of the crash event;   a severity of the crash based on the predetermined crash threshold;   a speed of the vehicle prior to the crash event;   brake usage information for the vehicle prior to the crash event;   a vehicle identification number (VIN); and   a license plate number.