System and method for determining the distance to an energy emitting object
US5249128A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 16, 1990 |
| Grant date | Sep 28, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 16, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60W2050/0052
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and system for range detection using a passive infrared sensing device (10) is disclosed. The method includes determining a region (35,38) on a moving object, such as an automobile (13, 36, 37), the region (35, 38) having a size characteristic of the object and emitting energy (14) characteristic of the object. The next step is to characterize the region by a plurality of feature points (31, 32, 33, 34) and sense the energy emitting from the feature points. The next step is to calculate the distance between the sensing device (10) and the moving object as a function of the feature points. The method has application in adaptive cruise control for automobiles (13, 36, 37). The method includes the use of perspective projection formulae to determine the distance between the sensing device (10) and the moving object 13, 36, 37). To smooth measurements to each other, one embodiment of the method includes the use of an Euler predictor to integrate measurements across measurement firmness.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.