Collision diagnosis for a traffic event
A collision diagnosis ( 12 ) is generated for a traffic event involving a vehicle, by receiving an output from a self-capacitance sensor ( 6 ) having a single electrode comprising at least part of the bodywork of the vehicle ( 3 ) and comparing the received output with at least one threshold ( 8 ) to generate provisional collision detection data ( 9 ). The provisional collision detection data ( 9 ) is correlated with further data ( 11 ) relating to the traffic event to produce correlation data and the collision diagnosis ( 12 ) is generated on the basis of the correlation data.
1. A method of generating a collision diagnosis for a traffic event involving a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving an output from a single electrode self-capacitance sensor which is arranged to use the vehicle's bodywork as the single electrode of the self-capacitance sensor, wherein the single electrode self-capacitance sensor detects a self-capacitance of the vehicle's bodywork;
comparing the received output with at least one threshold to generate provisional collision detection data;
correlating the provisional collision detection data with further data relating to the traffic event to produce correlation data; and
generating the collision diagnosis on the basis of the correlation data.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the further data relating to the traffic event comprises data from at least one other sensor on the vehicle.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one other sensor comprises a location sensor.
4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one other sensor comprises an acceleration sensor.
5. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one other sensor comprises a rotation sensor.
6. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one other sensor comprises a vibration sensor.
7. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a microphone.
8. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one other sensor comprises a vehicle status sensor.
9. A method according to claim 2 , wherein generating the collision diagnosis comprises generating an alert signal.
10. A method according to claim 9 , comprising sending a message conveying the alert signal to a data network node external to the vehicle.
11. A method according to claim 1 , comprising holding the provisional collision detection data in memory, the provisional collision detection data comprising a time of receipt of the output from the self-capacitance sensor.
12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the further data relating to the traffic event comprises a time interval.
13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the collision diagnosis comprises an indication of whether a collision took place within the time interval.
14. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the provisional collision detection data comprises location data, the further data relating to the traffic event comprises a specified location, and wherein the collision diagnosis comprises an indication of whether a collision took place at the specified location.
15. Apparatus for generating a collision diagnosis for a traffic event involving a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a single electrode self-capacitance sensor which is configured to use the vehicle's bodywork as the single electrode of the self-capacitance sensor, wherein the single electrode self-capacitance sensor is configured to detect a self-capacitance of the vehicle's bodywork; and
one or more processors and associated memory configured to:
receive an output from the single electrode self-capacitance sensor;
compare the received output with at least one threshold to generate provisional collision detection data;
correlate the provisional collision detection data with further data relating to the traffic event to produce correlation data; and
generate the collision diagnosis on the basis of the correlation data.
16. Apparatus according to claim 15 , the single electrode self-capacitance sensor comprising an oscillator having a terminal for connection to the vehicle's bodywork at a point on the vehicle's metallic structure, whereby to use the vehicle's bodywork as the single electrode of the self-capacitance sensor.
17. A vehicle comprising apparatus according to claim 15 .