Optical radar system for vehicles
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical radar system for a vehicle, comprising:
- (a) first means for transmitting a search beam toward possible objects in a road along which the equipped vehicle is travelling;
(b) second means for automatically repeatedly scanning the search beam in a scan having a variable central angle with respect to a central axis of said first means, said variable central angle depending on the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement so as to scan parallel to and across the road surface;
(c) third means for receiving a reflection of the search beam reflected by an object present on the road; and
(d) fourth means for determining the distance from the vehicle to the object on the basis of the timing relationship between the transmitted search beam and the received reflection.
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Abstract
An optical radar system for vehicles has a stationary receiver and a transmitter which scans the road surface ahead of the vehicle, the scan area being shifted in accordance with the direction of steering of the vehicle. The scan area is covered by periodically sweeping a narrow-beam pulse laser through the designated scan area and monitoring the return lag of pulses reflected by objects in the scan area. The scan area is centered over the longitudinal axis of the vehicle while the latter is moving straight ahead. The axis of the scan area is shifted in proportion to the orientation of the steering wheel of the vehicle.
93 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An optical radar system for a vehicle, comprising:
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(a) first means for transmitting a search beam toward possible objects in a road along which the equipped vehicle is travelling; (b) second means for automatically repeatedly scanning the search beam in a scan having a variable central angle with respect to a central axis of said first means, said variable central angle depending on the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement so as to scan parallel to and across the road surface; (c) third means for receiving a reflection of the search beam reflected by an object present on the road; and (d) fourth means for determining the distance from the vehicle to the object on the basis of the timing relationship between the transmitted search beam and the received reflection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An optical radar system for a vehicle, comprising:
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(a) first means for transmitting a search beam toward possible objects in a road along which the vehicle is travelling; (b) second means for automatically repeatedly scanning the search beam across the road surface, including means for sensing a steering angle of the vehicle and for producing a steering-angle signal indicative a steering angle of the vehicle, said second means being operable for calculating the orientation of the search beam relative to an optical axis of said first means on the basis of the steering-angle signal, and for repeatedly producing a deflection angle signal to pivot the search beam, the deflection angle signal being of a periodically changing triangular waveform; (c) third means for receiving the reflection of the search beam as reflected by an object; and (d) fourth means for determining the distance from the vehicle to the object on the basis of the timing relationship between the transmitted search beam and the received reflection. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of detecting and ranging objects in a road on which a vehicle travels, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting a search beam toward the objects; (b) automatically scanning the search beam repeatedly in a scan having a variable central angle with respect to a central axis of said first means, said variable central angle depending on the direction of the vehicle'"'"'s movement so as to scan across the road surface; (c) receiving a reflection of the search beam reflected by an object; and (d) determining the distance from the vehicle to the object on the basis of the timing relationship between the transmitted search beam and the received reflection. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification