Patent · US Expired

Obstacle sensing apparatus for vehicles

US5479173A · kind A · utility

127Cited by
6References
56Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 8, 1994
Grant dateDec 26, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 8, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S2013/93271
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An obstacle sensing apparatus for vehicles which enables efficient obstacle sensing and improves sensing precision. The apparatus comprises a section for predicting a deduced traveling-passage on which the vehicle will travel, based on a steering angle, a yaw rate and a velocity of the vehicle, a section having a CCD camera, for detecting a current traveling-passage on which the vehicle is currently moving, a scanning-type radar unit for sensing obstacles within a predetermined area, and a danger level judging section for judging danger levels of the sensed obstacles, based on the deduced traveling-passage and the current traveling-passage. The danger level judging section sets the danger level of the obstacle sensed within an area, where the deduced traveling-passage and the current traveling-passage overlap with each other, to the highest danger level; the obstacle sensed in an area within the current traveling-passage and without the deduced traveling-passage, to an intermediate danger level; the obstacle sensed in an area within the deduced traveling-passage and without the current traveling-passage, to a lower danger level; and the obstacle sensed in an area without the curren…

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