Vehicle approach sensing apparatus
First Claim
1. A vehicle approach sensing apparatus installed in a first of two vehicles for detecting a condition wherein one vehicle is getting closer to another vehicle at an approach speed higher than a predetermined speed threshold, comprising:
- ultrasonic transmission-reception means disposed in the one vehicle and which can be selectably started and stopped, for transmitting ultrasonic waves to the another vehicle in response to a drive signal fed thereto, and for then receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the another vehicle, and generating a reception signal which is varied in proportion with a strength of the received ultrasonic waves;
running speed detection means for detecting a running speed of the one vehicle and for starting said transmissionreception means when the detected running speed is decreased across a first threshold value and for stopping said transmission-reception means when said running speed detection means is increased across a second threshold value;
approach speed detection means for detecting an approach speed between the one and the another vehicles from the reception signal and for producing an alarm signal and simultaneously stopping said ultrasonic transmission-reception means when the detected approach speed is higher than the predetermined speed threshold; and
approach distance detection means for detecting an approach distance between the one and the another vehicles from the reception signal and stopping said ultrasonic transmissionreception means when the detected approach distance is shorter than a predetermined value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus capable of sensing sudden approach of a succeeding vehicle and emitting an alarm, while being free from malfunction that may otherwise be caused by the noise from the succeeding vehicle which has approached at a normal speed and stopped in the proximity. The sensing apparatus includes a transmitter disposed in a rear bumper of a vehicle for transmitting ultrasonic waves toward a succeeding vehicle; a receiver disposed in the rear bumper for receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the succeeding vehicle; a circuit for detecting the approach speed of the succeeding vehicle from the difference between the frequencies of the reflected waves and the transmitted waves, and generating an alarm signal when the detected approach speed has exceeded a predetermined value; a circuit for detecting the approach distance of the succeeding vehicle at a normal speed from the signal strength of the reflected ultrasonic waves, and interrupting the action of the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver when the detected distance has become shorter than a predetermined value; and an alarm activated in response to the alarm signal and giving a warning of danger to drivers of both the apparatus-installed vehicle and the succeeding one.
30 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A vehicle approach sensing apparatus installed in a first of two vehicles for detecting a condition wherein one vehicle is getting closer to another vehicle at an approach speed higher than a predetermined speed threshold, comprising:
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ultrasonic transmission-reception means disposed in the one vehicle and which can be selectably started and stopped, for transmitting ultrasonic waves to the another vehicle in response to a drive signal fed thereto, and for then receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the another vehicle, and generating a reception signal which is varied in proportion with a strength of the received ultrasonic waves; running speed detection means for detecting a running speed of the one vehicle and for starting said transmissionreception means when the detected running speed is decreased across a first threshold value and for stopping said transmission-reception means when said running speed detection means is increased across a second threshold value; approach speed detection means for detecting an approach speed between the one and the another vehicles from the reception signal and for producing an alarm signal and simultaneously stopping said ultrasonic transmission-reception means when the detected approach speed is higher than the predetermined speed threshold; and approach distance detection means for detecting an approach distance between the one and the another vehicles from the reception signal and stopping said ultrasonic transmissionreception means when the detected approach distance is shorter than a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for sensing the approach of one vehicle to another vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a running speed of a first vehicle; transmitting ultrasonic waves from the first vehicle toward a second vehicle when said detected running speed detected by said detecting step is within a predetermined range of values; receiving ultrasonic waves reflected from the second vehicle; detecting an approach speed between the first and second vehicles from said ultrasonic waves received in said receiving step; detecting an approach distance between the first and second vehicles from said ultrasonic waves received in said receiving step; causing an alarm when said approach speed is not less than a first predetermined value; and stopping said receiving step when at least one of;
(a) said approach distance detected by said distance detecting step becomes not more than a second predetermined value, (b) said approach speed becomes not less than a third predetermined value, and (c) said running speed of said first vehicle is increased across a fourth predetermined value, thereby temporarily interrupting the sensing action when the second vehicle is sufficiently close to the first vehicle to cause a probability of interferring with ultrasound transmission and reception.
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9. A vehicle approach sensing apparatus comprising:
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ultrasonic transmission-reception means disposed in a rear portion of a vehicle, for operating in response to a drive signal fed thereto by transmitting ultrasonic waves to a succeeding vehicle, then receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the succeeding vehicle, and generating a reception signal which is varied in proportion with a strength of the received ultrasonic waves; running speed detection means for detecting a running speed and for starting said transmission-reception means when the detected running speed is decreased across a first predetermined value and for stopping said transmission-reception means when said detected running speed is increased across a second predetermined value; approach speed detection means for determining an approach speed of the succeeding vehicle from the reception signal and producing an alarm signal when the detected approach speed is higher than a predetermined approach speed; approach distance detection means for detecting an approach distance to the succeeding vehicle from the reception signal, and for interrupting an operating of said ultrasonic transmission-reception means when the detected approach distance is shorter than a predetermined approach distance; alarm means for issuing an alarm based on the alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification