System for improving the visibility in vehicles

US6552342B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Daimlerchrysler AG · US

Inventors

• Michael Holz · Senden, DE
• Edgar Weidel · Senden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 18, 2001
• Grant date: Apr 22, 2003
• Expiry date: Jan 18, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S7/4972
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for improving the visibility in vehicles, including the following: an illumination optical system (2) for continuous radiation of infrared pulsed light; an associated receiver optical system (3) for receiving reflected components of the radiated light; a display (4) for representing information obtained by the receiver optical system (3), and a device (5, 6) for determining the presence of glare in the receiver optical system (3) from a foreign vehicle illumination optical system and for changing the keying interval or duty cycle of the infrared pulsed light of the illumination optical system (2) driven with fixed keying interval in dependence upon the vehicle direction of travel in such a manner that the glare is eliminated. Therein the illumination optical system is driven is driven with a fixed keying interval depending upon the vehicle direction of travel or, in certain cases, the direction of illumination. In an alternative embodiment, the illumination optical system (2) is operated at a wavelength which depends upon the vehicle direction of travel or, in certain cases, the direction of illumination.