Systems and method for estimating and monitoring occupant injury level in real time in vehicle crashes

An airbag system for a vehicle comprising:

• at least one airbag;
• and
• a crash monitoring system comprising:
• an occupant monitoring system configured for providing a mass value corresponding to a mass of the head of an occupant of the vehicle;
• an airbag pressure sensor configured for providing a pressure value corresponding to a gas pressure within the airbag of the vehicle;
• an airbag contact sensor configured for providing a contact area value corresponding to a contact area at which the head of the occupant of the vehicle contacts the airbag of the vehicle;
• and
• a processing unit connected to the occupant monitoring system, the airbag pressure sensor and the airbag contact sensor and configured for providing an acceleration value corresponding to an acceleration of the head of the occupant of the vehicle based on the mass value, the pressure value and the contact area value,
• wherein the occupant monitoring system of the crash monitoring system is configured for providing a mass value corresponding to a mass of the head of an occupant of the vehicle,
• wherein the airbag pressure sensor of the crash monitoring system is configured for providing a pressure value corresponding to a gas pressure within the at least one airbag,
• wherein the airbag contact sensor of the crash monitoring system is configured for providing a contact area value corresponding to a contact area at which the head of an occupant of the vehicle contacts the at least one airbag, and
• wherein the processing unit is connected to the occupant monitoring system, the airbag pressure sensor and the airbag contact sensor of the crash monitoring system and is configured for providing an acceleration value corresponding to an acceleration of the head of the occupant of the vehicle based on a mass value provided by the occupant monitoring system, the pressure value provided by the airbag pressure sensor, and the contact area value provided by the airbag contact sensor, wherein the acceleration value is used to control one or more parameters of the at least one airbag.

A method of providing an acceleration value corresponding to an acceleration of the head of an occupant of a vehicle in a crash situation, the method comprising:

• providing, by an occupant monitoring system, a mass value corresponding to a mass of the head of the occupant of the vehicle;
• providing, by an airbag pressure sensor, a pressure value corresponding to a gas pressure within at least one airbag of the vehicle;
• providing, by an airbag contact sensor, a contact area value corresponding to a contact area at which the head of the occupant of the vehicle contacts the at least one airbag of the vehicle;
• and
• generating, by a processing unit, the acceleration value based on the mass value, the pressure value and the contact area value, wherein the acceleration value is used to control one or more parameters of the at least one airbag.