System for preventing collision of vehicles

• US 4,104,632 A
• Filed: 11/09/1976
• Issued: 08/01/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Endo, Hiroshi, Fujiki, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tubbesing, T.H.
• Application Number:
  US05/740,215
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 343/7 VM
• US Class Current: 342/71
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction

Abstract

A system for preventing collision wherein a radar system is mounted on a vehicle for generating a relative speed signal and a relative distance signal. There are provided a brake signal generating logical circuit responsive to the relative speed signal and the relative distance signal for actuating a brake actuator, first and second comparators for comparing the relative speed signal and the relative distance signal respectively with reference signals, and an information processing signal responsive to the outputs from the first and second comparators for actuating the brake actuator. There is also provided a braking signal releasing circuit for disenabling the brake actuator after the vehicle has stopped.

Claims

1. An anti-crash system for a vehicle comprising:

a brake actuator of said vehicle;

a radar system mounted on said vehicle for generating a relative speed signal representative of a relative speed between said vehicle and an obstacle in front of said vehicle and a relative distance signal representative of a relative distance between said vehicle and said obstacle;

a brake signal-generating logic circuit connected to said radar system for producing a brake signal in response to said relative speed and relative distance signals;

means for comparing said relative speed signal with a first predetermined reference value and for producing a higher speed signal when said relative speed signal exceeds said first reference value;

means for comparing said relative distance signal with a second predetermined reference value and for producing a blind zone signal when said relative distance signal is lower than said second reference value;

means connected for receiving said blind zone signal and said higher speed signal and for generating a first holding signal when receiving both said blind zone signal and said higher speed signal;

means connected for receiving said braking signal and said blind zone signal and for generating a second holding signal when receiving both said braking signal and said blind zone signal;

means for generating a brake holding signal in response to either one of said first and second holding signals; and

means for driving said brake actuator in response to either one of said braking signal or said brake holding signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for generating a brake releasing signal for application to said means for generating said brake holding signal when said vehicle substantially stops.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for generating said first holding signal comprises AND gate means having the input terminals thereof connected to said means for generating said higher speed signal and said means for generating said blind zone signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for generating said second holding signal comprises AND gate means having the input terminals thereof connected to said means for generating said blind zone signal and said brake signal-generating logic circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for generating said brake holding signal comprises:

first OR gate means having input terminals thereof connected to said means for generating said first and second holding signals; and

flip-flop circuit means having the set terminal thereof connected to the output terminal of said first OR gate means and the reset terminal thereof connected to said means for generating said brake releasing signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said means for driving said brake actuator comprises:

a second OR gate having the input terminals thereof connected to the output of said brake signal generating logic circuit and an output terminal of said flip-flop circuit means; and

drive circuit means having an input terminal thereof connected to said second OR gate means, for driving said brake actuator in response to said brake releasing signal from said second OR gate means.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said means for generating said brake releasing signal comprises:

a vehicle speed detector for producing a pulse train the period of which represents the vehicle speed;

a mono-stable multivibrator triggered by said pulse train for producing a logic signal as long as it is triggered by said pulse train; and

an inverter connected to said mono-stable multivibrator, for producing an opposite logic signal to the input logic signal applied thereto from said mono-stable multivibrator so as to reset said flip-flop circuit means.