Vehicle-ground surface measurement system
US5621413A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 15, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S13/325
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A measurement device (103) and method determines various metrics between a vehicle (101) and a ground surface (105) using a transmitter-antenna (109) for emitting energy including a portion directed down toward the ground surface. A receiving antenna (115), has a portion oriented facing toward the transmitter-antenna for receiving a portion of the emitting energy along a direct path (117), and a portion oriented facing downwardly toward the ground surface for receiving a portion of the emitting energy reflected from the ground surface along a reflected path (113). A decoder provides separate indications of forward (121) and sideward (123) velocity relative to motion of the vehicle along the ground surface. Furthermore, the decoder comprises means for determining vehicle height (125) dependent on a measured difference in path length, vehicle level (127), or front to rear tilt angle, dependent on polarization elliptical ratio changes, and road surface conditions (129) dependent on amplitude and phase changes that occur versus time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.