Apparatus for detecting an object located ahead of a vehicle using plural cameras with different fields of view
US5892855A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 27, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 6, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 27, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60T2201/089
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An onboard forward monitoring system is disclosed in which three television cameras, each supported by a steering mechanism, take picture of a road surface located forward of a vehicle at near distance, a medium distance and a far distance zone to detect white lines which partition a lane on the road surface, thus detecting a vehicle running ahead on the lane which is defined by the white lines. To enable a reliable detection and tracking of the vehicle running ahead in any zone of the road surface even when the road is curved, the individual television cameras are steered so that a vehicle running ahead is positioned at the center of the screen whenever such vehicle is present and so that a center across the width of the lane is positioned at the center of screen when a vehicle running ahead is not detected.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.