Rearward vehicle obstruction detector using modulated light from the brake light elements
First Claim
1. A detection system for detecting obstructions to a vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of light emitting elements which also operate as stop signal lamps or tail lamps disposed in the rear of the vehicle, a modulator which causes the light emitting elements to emit modulated light, a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving the modulated light that is transmitted and reflected off an external obstruction, a detection circuit which determines the presence of obstructions and produces an output signal indicating that an obstruction is detected.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The detection system for obstruction to vehicle according to the invention comprises a plurality of light emitting elements disposed in the rear of a car, a modulation for emitting modulation lights from the light emitting elements, light receiving elements for receiving the reflected light that the modulation light comes in contact with an external obstruction to reflection, a detection circuit for detecting output signals of the light receiving elements, thus detecting the obstruction from an output of the detection circuit, and a rearward obstruction can be detected securely particularly when the car moves backward, a new light source for obstruction detecting is not particularly required, and thus no area must be prepared for installation.
59 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A detection system for detecting obstructions to a vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of light emitting elements which also operate as stop signal lamps or tail lamps disposed in the rear of the vehicle, a modulator which causes the light emitting elements to emit modulated light, a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving the modulated light that is transmitted and reflected off an external obstruction, a detection circuit which determines the presence of obstructions and produces an output signal indicating that an obstruction is detected.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5)
-
3. A detection system for detecting obstructions to a vehicle, provided with a plurality of light emitting elements disposed in the rear of the vehicle, a modulator which causes the light emitting elements to emit modulated light, a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving the reflected light that is transmitted once the modulated light comes into contact with an external obstruction, a detection circuit for detecting output signals transmitted by the light receiving elements, which is characterized in that an obstruction is detected from the output signal of the detection circuit, wherein the modulated causes the light emitting elements to emit a modulated light with a short light emitting duty cycle, compared to the length of time light is not emitted, during normal backward operation;
- and a long light emitting duty cycle, compared to the length of time light is not emitted, during the time of lightning of the stop signal lamp and tail lamp.
- 6. In a detection system for obstructions to a vehicle, operating on a phenomenon that reflected light is incident on light receiving elements when a detecting modulated light emitted from light emitting elements come in contact with an obstruction which reflects the modulated light, the improvement characterized in that said light emitting elements and light receiving elements are integrally located within a set of rear combination lamps, the light emitting elements are disposed at the bent corner portions of the rear combination lamps, while the light receiving elements are disposed on both end sides of the rear combination lamps.
- 9. A detection system for detecting obstructions to a vehicle, comprising an output driving circuit for emitting a modulated light of constant period from light emitting elements acting as the stop signal lamps or tail lamps provided in the rear of a car, light receiving elements for receiving the reflected light when the modulated light is reflected off an obstruction, tuning circuits for extracting signals of said constant period from outputs each of the light receiving elements, an arithmetic circuit for inputting the extracted signals of said constant period and computing a position of the obstruction from the level of the extracted signals.
Specification