Obstacle detecting radar apparatus for a motor vehicle or the like

• US 4,151,526 A
• Filed: 06/09/1977
• Issued: 04/24/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hinachi, Matatoyo, Miki, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tubbesing, T. H.
• Application Number:
  US05/805,143
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 343/7 VM, 180/98, 333/84 L
• US Class Current: 342/59
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9329 cooperating with reflectors or transponders

Abstract

A vehicle mounted obstacle detecting radar is disclosed. An electromagnetic wave radiated from the radar apparatus is received by a first antenna mounted on the ground and passed through a transmission line to a second antenna mounted on the ground and radiated thereby to a monitor area. A response electromagnetic wave from an obstacle within the monitor area is received by the second antenna and passed through the transmission line to the first antenna and received by the radar apparatus. When the transmission channel is arranged along a curved road, an obstacle in the curved road can be detected.

Claims

1. An obstacle detecting system for motor vehicles comprising:

first antenna means, located on a vehicle running road, for receiving and radiating an electromagnetic wave;

second antenna means, located on said vehicle running road and spaced apart from said first antenna means, for receiving and radiating said electromagnetic wave;

transmission line means, provided to connect said first and second antenna means and disposed having at least a portion thereof embedded in said vehicle running road for transmitting said electromagnetic wave therethrough;

a reflector, coupled to said transmission line means at a predetermined distance spaced from said first antenna means, for reflecting some part of said electromagnetic wave transmitted from said first antenna means to said second antenna means;

radar circuit means, carried by the motor vehicle, for radiating said electromagnetic wave which is received by said first antenna means and radiated by said second antenna means into a space and receiving said electromagnetic wave which is reflected by an obstacle in said space, received by said second antenna means and radiated by said first antenna means, whereby said radar circuit means detect said obstacle upon receipt of said electromagnetic wave reflected by said obstacle; and

time measuring means, connected to said radar circuit means, for measuring the time interval between the radiation of said electromagnetic wave from said radar circuit means and the receipt of said electromagnetic wave reflected by said reflector.

2. An obstacle detecting system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission line means includes:

a wave guide tube having one end connected to said first antenna means and the other end connected to said second antenna means.

3. An obstacle detecting system according to claim 1, wherein said radar circuit means comprises:

timing pulse generator circuit means for generating clock pulse signal;

radio frequency pulse wave generator circuit means connected to said timing pulse generator circuit means, for generating pulse wave in response to the generation of said clock pulse signal;

circulator means connected to said radio frequency pulse wave generator circuit means, for radiating said pulse wave into said space;

local oscillator circuit means for generating a high frequency wave;

mixer circuit means connected to both said circulator means and said local oscillator circuit means, for mixing a received reply pulse wave with said high frequency wave;

amplifier and detector circuit means connected to said mixer means, for amplifying and detecting said reply pulse wave to produce a reply pulse signal;

signal shaper circuit means connected to said amplifier and detector circuit means, for shaping said reply pulse signal; and

And circuit means having two inputs, one of which is connected to said signal shaper circuit means and the other is connected to said timing pulse generator circuit means, for passing said reply pulse signal from said signal shaper circuit means in accordance with a control signal generated by said timing pulse generator circuit means.

4. An obstacle detecting system for motor vehicles comprising:

radar circuit means having a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna;

a first reception antenna for receiving the electromagnetic wave transmitted from said transmitting antenna;

a first circulator to direct the electromagnetic wave received by said first reception antenna;

a first transmission line for propagating the electromagnetic wave directed by said first circulator;

a first transmission/reception antenna for radiating to an obstacle the electromagnetic wave propagated through said first transmission line;

a second transmission/reception antenna for receiving the reflected wave from the obstacle;

a second transmission line for propagating the reflected wave received by said second transmission/reception antenna;

a second circulator to direct the reflected wave propagaged through said second transmission line;

a first transmission antenna for transmitting the reflected wave directed by said second circulator to the receiving antenna of said radar circuit means;

a second reception antenna coupled to said second circulator for receiving the electromagnetic wave from the transmitting antenna of said radar circuit means; and

a second transmission antenna coupled to said first circulator for transmitting the reflected wave to the receiving antenna of said radar circuit means.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said first transmission and first reception antennas and said second transmission and second reception antennas are disposed such that said first and second obstacle monitor areas are disposed along respective alternate travel paths.

6. An obstacle detecting system for motor vehicles comprising:

first radar circuit means having a first transmitting antenna and a first receiving antenna;

a first reception/transmission antenna disposed for receiving the electromagnetic wave from said first transmitting antenna;

a first transmission line to propagate the electromagnetic wave received by said first reception antenna;

a first circulator coupled to said first transmission line;

a first transmission antenna coupled to said first circulator for radiating the electromagnetic wave directed by said first circulator to a first obstacle monitor area;

a first reception antenna for receiving the reflected wave from said first obstacle monitor area;

a second circulator to direct the reflected wave received by said first reception antenna;

a second transmission line coupled to said second circulator to propagate the reflected wave directed by said second circulator;

a second transmission/reception antenna for transmitting the reflected wave propagated through said second transmission line to the first receiving antenna of said first radar circuit means;

second radar circuit means having a second transmitting antenna and a second receiving antenna, said second transmitting antenna being disposed to transmit an electromagnetic wave to said second transmission/reception antenna, the electromagnetic wave received being propagated through said second transmission line to said second circulator;

a second transmission antenna, coupled to said second circulator for radiating to a second obstacle monitor area the electromagnetic wave from said second radar circuit means; and

a second reception antenna, coupled to said first circulator for receiving the reflected wave from said second obstacle monitor area, the reflected wave received being directed by said first circulator and propagated through said first transmission line and in turn transmitted by said first reception/transmission antenna to the second receiving antenna of said second radar circuit means.