Vehicle control system having obstacle detector
US6169478A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 25, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 2, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 25, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG08G1/16
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A vehicle control system having a laser radar for detecting an obstacle present ahead on a course of travel of the vehicle; and control device for operating a brake or an alarm based on an output of the laser radar when a distance from the vehicle to the obstacle is less than a first predetermined value or is less than a third predetermined value. In the system, a millimeter-wave radar, which is inferior to the laser radar in position detection accuracy, but is superior in weather-proof operation, is provided. When the laser radar is inoperative, the control device operates the brake or alarm based on the output of the millimeter-wave radar when the distance is less than a second predetermined value (less than the first predetermined value) or is less than a forth predetermined value (greater than the third predetermined value), thereby expediting the alarm initiation to alert the vehicle driver at an appropriate time, while ensuring the proper brake initiation, so as not to cause the vehicle driver to experience annoyance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.