BASE BAND SHORT RANGE PRE-COLLISION SENSOR FOR ACTUATION OF VEHICLE SAFETY APPARATUS

• US 3,735,398 A
• Filed: 05/20/1971
• Issued: 05/22/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerald F. Ross
• Original Assignee: Gerald F. Ross
• Inventors: Ross, Gerald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Forlenza, Gerald M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Libman, George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/145,154
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 343/112CA,7ED 246/30,182B 180/98 280/15AB
• US Class Current: 342/21
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle safety apparatus includes a radio means for the detection of an impending collision immediately prior to contact of the vehicle with another object and for actuation of restraining or other safety devices for protecting occupants of the vehicle when the crash event actually occurs. Base-band radio pulse transmission and reception devices with first and second echo signal range gating channels provide distinctive output signals at first and second distances between the vehicle and the reflecting object which signals, when present simultaneously with an absolute forward vehicle speed signal of appropriate value, cause actuation of the protective devices.

Claims

1. Vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

transmitter means adapted to be carried by said vehicle for transmitting a first and a subsequent base-band signal toward a reflecting object, receiver means adapted to be carried by said vehicle and having transmission line means for receiving a first and a subsequent signal reflected by said object corresponding to said respective first and subsequent base-band signals, first circuit means responsive only to said first received signal and coupled to said transmission line means for producing a first output signal of substantially greater duration than said first transmitted signal, second circuit means responsive to said subsequent received signal and coupled to said transmission line means for producing a second output signal of substantially greater duration than said subsequent transmitted signal, sensor means for providing a third output signal representative of vehicle forward absolute speed above a predetermined finite value of said speed, third circuit means responsive to the simultaneous presence of said first, second, and third output signals for producing a fourth output signal, and safety means responsive to said fourth output signal.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said transmitter means includes means for transmitting, without distortion, a train of subnanosecond duration electromagnetic pulses each having a wide frequency range spectral line content, the energy in any selected one of said spectral lines being substantially below the ambient noise level.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said transmitter means comprises:

substantially non-dispersive transmission line transmitter antenna means for propagating and radiating a train of electromagnetic pulses in the TEM transmission line mode, and synchronizer signal generator means for exciting said non-dispersive transmission line means.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said receiver means comprises substantially non-dispersive transmission line receiver antenna means for receiving and propagating a reflected electromagnetic pulse train in the TEM transmission line mode.

5. Vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

transmitter means adapted to be carried by said vehicle for transmitting a first and a subsequent base-band signal toward a reflecting object, said transmitter means including;

substantially non-dispersive transmission line transmitter antenna means for propagating and radiating a train of electromagnetic pulses in the TEM transmission line mode, and synchronizer signal generator means for exciting said non-dispersive transmission line means, receiver means adapted to be carried by said vehicle and having transmission line means for receiving a first and a subsequent signal reflected by said object corresponding to said respective first and subsequent base-band signals, first circuit means responsive to said first received signal and coupled to said transmission line means for producing a first output signal of substantially greater duration than said first transmitted signal, said first circuit means including;

far-gate generator means responsive to said synchronizer signal generator means for producing a first gating signal, and far-gated detector means responsive to said first gating signal and to said first received signal for producing said first output signal, second circuit means resPonsive to said subsequent received signal and coupled to said transmission line means for producing a second output signal of substantially greater duration than said subsequent transmitted signal, sensor means for providing a third output signal representative of vehicle forward absolute speed above a predetermined finite value of said speed, third circuit means responsive to the simultaneous presence of said first, second, and third output signals for producing a fourth output signal, and safety means responsive to said fourth output signal.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said circuit second means comprises:

near-gate generator means responsive to said synchronizer signal generator means for producing a second gating signal, and near-gated detector means responsive to said second gating signal and to said subsequent received signal for producing said second output signal.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein:

said first and said second gating signals are initiated substantially at the same time by said synchronizer signal generator, and said first gating signal is of substantially greater duration than said second gating signal.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein inhibit means responsive to said first output signal is adapted to inhibit operation of said far-gated detector means by said far-gate generator means for a predetermined time following the initiation of said output signal.

9. Apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein said far-gated detector means comprises:

first transistor means having base, collector, and emitter means, first means responsive to said receiver transmission line means for supplying said first received signal to said base means of said first transistor means substantially without distortion thereof, first bias means connected to said collector means of said first transistor means for biasing said first transistor means near conduction, first means connected to said emitter means of said first transistor means for causing said first transistor means to conduct in the presence of said first received signal, and far-gated output means connected to said collector means of said first transistor means for supplying said far-gated output signal to said third circuit means.

10. Apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein said near-gated detector means comprises:

second transistor means having base, collector, and emitter means, second means responsive to said receiver transmission line means for supplying said subsequently received signal to said base means of said second transistor means substantially without distortion thereof, second bias means connected to said collector means of said second transistor means for biasing said second transistor means near conduction, second means connected to said emitter means of said second transistor means for causing said second transistor means to conduct in the presence of said subsequently received signal, and near-gated output means connected to said collector means of said second transistor means for supplying said near-gated output signal to said third circuit means.

11. Apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said first and said second bias means comprise:

field effect transistor means having source, drain, and gate electrode means, impedance means, and voltage source means, said voltage source means being connected to said drain electrode means, said source electrode means being connected through said impedance means to said collector means, and said gate electrode means being connected to said collector means.

12. Apparatus as described in claim 11 wherein said far-gate generator means and said near-gate generator means comprise:

synchronizer signal generator signal delay means, and circuit means responsive to said signal delay means for forming said gating pulse of longer duration than said transmitted signal.

13. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises:

means for deriving a substantial measure of the absolute forward speed of said vehicle, means for converting said measure into a substantially constant finite signal only above a predetermined value of said speed, and means for supplying said converted signal to said third circuit means.

14. Apparatus as described in claim 13 including means incorporated in said sensor means for affording warning of an impending collision event.

15. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said safety means comprises:

passenger protective means operative in response to said fourth output signal.

16. Apparatus as described in claim 15 wherein said safety means provides means responsive to said fourth output signal for restraining vehicle occupants from impacting interior parts of said vehicle.

17. Apparatus as described in claim 16 wherein said means for restraining vehicle occupants comprises an expandable occupant restraint means having a contracted state, container means for supplying gas, and means responsive to said fourth signal for causing gas flow from said container means to said expandable restraint means.

18. The combination of:

receiver means for receiving first and subsequent signals and adapted to be carried by a vehicle, first circuit means responsive to said receiver means only in the presence of a first received signal representing an object located in an extended range first zone with respect to said receiver means for producing a first output signal, second circuit means responsive to said receiver means in the presence of a subsequent received signal representing said object when located in a range zone less extended with respect to said receiver than said first zone for producing a second output signal, speed sensor means for producing a third output signal above a predetermined finite vehicle speed, and actuator means responsive to the simultaneous presence of said first, second, and third output signals.

19. Apparatus as described in claim 18 wherein said receiver means comprises substantially non-dispersive transmission line antenna means for receiving and propagating reflected pulse signals.

20. The combination of:

receiver means adapted to be carried by a vehicle, first circuit means responsive to said receiver means in the presence of a first received signal representing an object located in an extended range first zone with respect to said receiver means for producing a first output signal, inhibit means responsive to said first received signal adapted to inhibit operation of said first circuit means for a predetermined time following the initiation of said first output signal, second circuit means responsive to said receiver means in the presence of a subsequent received signal representing said object when located in a range zone less extended with respect to said receiver than said first zone for producing a second output signal, speed sensor means for producing a third output signal above a predetermined finite vehicle speed, and actuator means responsive to the simultaneous presence of said first, second, and third output signals.

21. Apparatus as described in claim 20 further including passenger protective means responsive to said actuator means.

22. Apparatus as described in claim 20 further including transmitter means comprising:

substantially non-dispersive transmission line transmitter antenna means for radiating electromagnetic pulses, and synchronizer signal generator means for exciting said non-dispersive antenna means.

23. Apparatus as described in claim 22 wherein said first and second circuit means for synchronously made responsive to received signals in response to said synchronizer signal generator means.