Vehicle-purpose object sensing apparatus

• US 20060221228A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Hayato
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/364
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/4975 of sensor obstruction by, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating, e.g. by reflection measurement on front-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

In an object sensing member M1, while electromagnetic waves are transmitted from transmission members 1 and 2 to a predetermined region, based upon a result of receiving electromagnetic waves reflected from an object by reception members 3 and 4, a distance detecting member 5 detects at least a distance of the object. An abnormal condition judging member M2 judges that the object sensing member M1 is under abnormal condition, if a difference between a maximum value of reception levels of the electromagnetic waves received by the reception members 3 and 4, and a minimum value of these reception levels for a predetermined time measured by a time measuring member M3 is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. As a result, the abnormal condition judging member M2 can surely judge the abnormal condition even, if the vehicle is driven on a desert road where objects to be sensed are occasionally present.

Claims

1. A vehicle-purpose object sensing apparatus comprising:

an object sensing member (M1) in which electromagnetic waves are transmitted from transmission members (1, 2) to a predetermined region, and a distance detecting member (5) detects at least a distance of an object based upon a result of receiving electromagnetic waves reflected from the object by reception members (3, 4); and

an abnormal condition judging member (M2) for judging an abnormal condition of the object sensing member (M1) based upon a reception level of the electromagnetic waves received by the reception members (3, 4), wherein

the abnormal condition judging member (M2) judges as to whether or not the object sensing member (M1) is under abnormal condition based upon a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the reception levels of the electromagnetic waves received by the reception members (3, 4).

2. The vehicle-purpose object sensing apparatus according to the claim 1, wherein

the abnormal condition judging member (M2) judges that the object sensing member (M1) is under abnormal condition, if the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the reception levels is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

3. The vehicle-purpose object sensing apparatus according to the claim 1, further comprising:

a time measuring member (M3) capable of measuring time, wherein

the abnormal condition judging member (M2) judges that the object sensing member (M1) is under abnormal condition based upon the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the reception levels within a predetermined time measured by the time measuring member (M3).

4. The vehicle-purpose object sensing apparatus according to the claim 1, further comprising:

a drive distance detecting member (M4) for detecting a drive distance of the own vehicle, wherein

the abnormal condition judging member (M2) judges that the object sensing member (M1) is under abnormal condition based upon the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the reception levels within a predetermined drive distance detected by the drive distance detecting member (M4).

5. The vehicle-purpose object sensing apparatus according to the claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detecting member (MS) for detecting a vehicle of the own vehicle, wherein

the abnormal condition judging member (M2) judges that the object sensing member (M1) is under abnormal condition, if the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting member (M5) is larger than or equal to a predetermined value.