Optical object detection apparatus designed to monitor front and lateral zones of vehicle

• US 20020157887A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Matsui, Takeshi, Sugawara, Ryoichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,000,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/169
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/823 Obstacle sensing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/21 Laser
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

An optical detection device for vehicles such as a laser radar is provided. The device consists of frontal and lateral object detection optical systems to monitor a font and a lateral zone around the vehicle, respectively. The frontal and lateral object detection optical systems share several component parts and a signal processing circuit installed in a device body, thereby resulting in a simplified structure of the device and allowing the size of the device to be decreased.

Claims

1. An optical object detection apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

an apparatus body installed in the vehicle, said apparatus body having disposed therein an optical device working to produce a light wave and process a return of the light wave from an object present around the vehicle to produce a signal indicative thereof;

an optical mechanism installed within said apparatus body, said optical mechanism working to direct the light wave to a first object detectable zone defined ahead of the vehicle; and

an optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body, said optical unit working to direct the light wave transmitted from said apparatus body to a second object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first object detectable zone and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object present within the second object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body.

2. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical device installed in said apparatus body processes the return of the light wave from the first object detectable zone in a given first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object and also process the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone in a given second operation time following the first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object.

3. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said optical mechanism works as a scanner to sweep the light wave across a given scanning angle, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a first angular range defined across a central portion of the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to the first object detectable zone, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a second angular range defined outside the first angular range within the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to the second object detectable zone.

4. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said optical mechanism includes a scanner mirror which swings over the given scanning angle, an angle of swing of the scanner mirror being controlled to switch between a first scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the first object detectable zone and a second scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the second object detectable zone.

5. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the angle of swing of the scanner mirror is controlled as a function of a speed of the vehicle.

6. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second operation time in which the optical device processes process the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.

7. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an optical unit which is installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body and works to direct the light wave produced in said apparatus body to a third object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first and second object detectable zones and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object within the third object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body, and wherein the number of the optical units operable is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.

8. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical device includes a light wave emitting circuit emitting the light wave, a light wave sensitive circuit sensitive to the return of the light wave to produce the signal, and a light wave processing circuit process the signal from the light wave sensitive circuit to detect the object, and wherein said optical unit includes a light emitting optical system and a light receiving optical system which are connected to the light wave emitting circuit, the light wave sensitive circuit, and the light wave processing circuit.

9. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes a portion of a casing of said optical body.

10. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member extending through a casing of said apparatus body.

11. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus body includes a casing which has a light wave transmissible wall, wherein said optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member joined to the light wave transmissible wall.

12. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical unit is installed in one of a blinker, a reflector, a tail lamp, and a sideview mirror.