Personal object detector
US5724313A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 25, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 25, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S367/91
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A personal object or obstacle detector apparatus comprises a continuous transmission frequency modulation (CTFM) ranging system and an audio output device. The CTFM ranging system transmits a frequency-swept pressure wave, receives a reflected frequency-swept pressure wave from at least one object, and forms an audio signal based upon a frequency difference between the frequency-swept pressure wave and the reflected frequency-swept pressure wave the audio signal having an amplitude dependent upon size of the object. The audio output device produces an acoustic pressure wave in dependence upon the audio signal. In a preferred embodiment, the acoustic pressure wave contains separate tones for each of the objects detected, wherein each tone has a pitch dependent upon the distance from the CTFM ranging system to the corresponding object. Another embodiment utilizes a pair of CTFM ranging systems to produce a stereo auditory map of objects and obstacles.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.