Apparatus for determining the distance of a vehicle from a roadway side marking

US5890083A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Daimler-Benz AG · DE

Inventors

• Uwe Franke · Uhingen, DE
• Stefan Hahn · Ulm, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 7, 1996
• Grant date: Mar 30, 1999
• Expiry date: Mar 7, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S11/12
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for determining the distance of a vehicle from a roadway side marking. An arrangement of light sensitive sensor elements is fitted to the vehicle for optically scanning a portion of the roadway located in front of the vehicle. An evaluation unit, connected downstream of the sensor element arrangement, is also provided. Only one or a few sensor element lines are used as the sensor element arrangement. Each line scans a narrow strip of the roadway which runs in front of the vehicle, not parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis, and extends laterally as far as the roadway side marking. The evaluation unit reads each sensor element line sequentially and processes the received signals to determine the lateral distance of the vehicle from the roadway marking. The relatively small quantity of data which accumulates permits the processing of the data digitally in real time by a conventional microprocessor. The apparatus is used as sleep warning system or lane guard for motor vehicles.