OBSTACLE DETECTING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

• US 20090224959A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: MATSUKAWA, Norifumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/73
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

An obstacle detecting system for a vehicle detects an obstacle by transmitting a transmitting wave and receiving a receiving wave, which is a reflection of the transmitting wave by the obstacle. The system calculates a S distance to the obstacle. The system varies directivity of the transmitting wave in accordance with the calculated distance The directivity is lowered when the calculated distance is less than a predetermined reference distance, than when the calculated distance is greater than the predetermined reference distance.

Claims

1. An obstacle detecting system for a vehicle comprising:

an obstacle detecting section configured to detect an obstacle by transmitting a transmitting wave and receiving a receiving wave, which is a reflection of the transmitting wave by the obstacle;

a distance calculating section configured to calculate a distance to the obstacle; and

a directivity control section configured to lower a directivity of the transmitting wave to a lower value, when the distance calculated by the distance calculating section is less than a predetermined reference distance than when the distance is greater than the predetermined reference distance.

2. The obstacle detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the directivity control section is configured to lower a frequency of the transmitting wave for lowering the directivity of the transmitting wave.

3. The obstacle detecting system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm section configured to issue an alarm, when the distance calculated by the distance calculating section is less than the predetermined reference distance.

4. The obstacle detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the distance calculating section is configured to calculate the distance based on a time interval from transmission of the transmitting wave to reception of the receiving wave by the obstacle detecting section.

5. The obstacle detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle detecting section is attached to any one of a front part, a side part and a rear part of the vehicle.