Vehicle surroundings monitor with obstacle avoidance lighting
US6285778A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 6, 1995 |
| Grant date | Sep 4, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 6, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V20/58
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The vehicle surroundings monitor detects the sizes and positions of obstacles, ditches and humans as well as the depths of the ditches to provide the driver with sufficient information to secure safety during driving. The pattern light projector receives an incoming laser beam and projects a light spot matrix in the form of a regular grating onto the monitored area. The camera photographs the light spot pattern on the monitored area and sends image signals to the data processor which processes the image signals to detect the presence of any obstacle, ditch or human. Based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor, the path the car will take is predicted and a possible contact or collision of the car with the obstacle is detected beforehand. The buzzer, voice synthesizer and display device are used to alert the driver and indicate the presence of the obstacles, the possible contact with them and the location where the possible contact will occur.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.