Patent · US Expired

Obstacle sensing apparatus for vehicles

US5467283A · kind A · utility

77Cited by
5References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 19, 1993
Grant dateNov 14, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 19, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG08G1/16
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An obstacle sensing apparatus for vehicles is provided in which detection of obstacles is performed efficiently by predicting the traveling path of the vehicle appropriately when detection of obstacles by a radar unit is limited to a region along the traveling path. The apparatus is provided with a radar unit for transmitting radar waves ahead of the vehicle and sensing obstacles present ahead of the vehicle, a steering angle sensor for sensing the steering angle of the vehicle, and a yaw rate sensor for sensing the yaw rate produced by the vehicle. First traveling-path predicting device predicts a traveling path of the vehicle based upon the steering angle, and second traveling-path predicting device predicts a traveling path of the vehicle based upon the yaw rate. One of these traveling paths is selected in dependence upon the operating state of the vehicle and detection of articles by the radar unit is carried out within a limited region along the traveling path selected.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.