Laser radar for a vehicle lateral guidance system
First Claim
1. In a vehicle guidance system for guiding a vehicle traveling on a non-fixed path comprising an apparatus for continuously generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation for scanning a stationary reflecting surface and an apparatus for receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from said stationary reflecting surface, a method for detecting the shape of the vehicle path by measuring distance and incident angle between the vehicle and the stationary reflecting surface comprising the steps of:
- continuously generating at said vehicle a beam of electromagnetic radiation of predetermined dimensions;
modulating at least one pulse on said beam to produce a pulse modulated beam;
transmitting said pulse modulated beam from said vehicle towards at least one stationary reflecting surface;
receiving a reflected pulse modulated bean from said at least one stationary reflection surface;
focusing said reflected pulse modulated beam onto a detector array;
measuring the position of reflected pulse modulated beam on said detector array;
measuring a propagation delay between said pulse modulated beam and said reflected pulse modulated beam;
calculating the distance between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of said measured propagation delay; and
calculating the incident angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of the position of said reflected pulse modulated beam on said detector array,wherein the shape of the vehicle path is detected from the distance and angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface and said vehicle is guided to follow said detected path.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laser radar apparatus for producing a pulse modulated transmitted light beam and receiving reflected light beams from road mounted retroreflectors. In the preferred embodiment, a floodlight beam illuminates a portion of a roadway from 20 to 150 in front of a vehicle. Reflected beams from retroreflectors mounted in the roadway are received by the radar unit which calculates distance D and angle θ between the laser radar apparatus and each retroreflector. Distance D is calculated by measuring the propagation delay of the pulse modulated light beam. Angle θ data is indicated by measuring where on a receiver photodiode array the light beam is incident.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. In a vehicle guidance system for guiding a vehicle traveling on a non-fixed path comprising an apparatus for continuously generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation for scanning a stationary reflecting surface and an apparatus for receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from said stationary reflecting surface, a method for detecting the shape of the vehicle path by measuring distance and incident angle between the vehicle and the stationary reflecting surface comprising the steps of:
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continuously generating at said vehicle a beam of electromagnetic radiation of predetermined dimensions; modulating at least one pulse on said beam to produce a pulse modulated beam; transmitting said pulse modulated beam from said vehicle towards at least one stationary reflecting surface; receiving a reflected pulse modulated bean from said at least one stationary reflection surface; focusing said reflected pulse modulated beam onto a detector array; measuring the position of reflected pulse modulated beam on said detector array; measuring a propagation delay between said pulse modulated beam and said reflected pulse modulated beam; calculating the distance between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of said measured propagation delay; and calculating the incident angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of the position of said reflected pulse modulated beam on said detector array, wherein the shape of the vehicle path is detected from the distance and angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface and said vehicle is guided to follow said detected path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a vehicle guidance system for a vehicle traveling on a non-fixed path comprising an apparatus for continuously generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation for scanning a stationary reflecting surface and an apparatus for receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from said stationary reflecting surface, an apparatus for detecting the shape of the vehicle path by measuring distance and incident angle between a vehicle and a stationary reflecting surface comprising:
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vehicle mounted generating means for continuously generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation of predetermined dimensions; modulator means for modulating at least one pulse on said beam to produce a pulse modulated beam; transmission means for transmitting said pulse modulated beam toward at least one stationary reflecting surface; vehicle mounted receiving means for receiving a reflected pulse modulated beam from at least one stationary reflecting surface; focusing means for focusing said reflected pulse modulated beam onto a detector array; vehicle mounted detector means for measuring the position of reflected pulse modulated beam on said detector array and measuring a propagation delay between said pulse modulated bean and said reflected pulse modulated beam; first calculating means for calculating said distance between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of said measured propagation delay; and second calculating means for calculating said incident angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of the position of said reflected pulse modulated beam on said detector array, wherein the shape of the vehicle path is detected from the distance and angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface and said vehicle is guided to follow said detected path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a vehicle guidance system for guiding a vehicle traveling on a non-fixed path comprising an apparatus for continuously generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation for scanning a stationary reflecting surface and an apparatus for receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from said stationary reflecting surface, a method for detecting the shape of the vehicle path by measuring distance and incident angle between the vehicle and the stationary reflecting surface comprising the steps of:
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continuously generating at said vehicle a fan shaped beam of electromagnetic radiation of predetermined dimensions; modulating said beam to produce a modulated fan shaped beam; scanning said modulated fan shaped beam through a predetermined arc towards at least one stationary reflecting surface; receiving a reflected modulated beam from said at least one stationary reflecting surface; measuring an angle of said fan beam within said predetermined arc; measuring a phase difference said modulated fan shaped beam and said reflected modulated beam; and calculating the distance between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of said measured phase difference; and calculating the incident angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a portion of said angle of said fan beam within said predetermined arc, wherein the shape of the vehicle path is detected from the distance and angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface and said vehicle is guided to follow said detected path. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. In a vehicle guidance system for a vehicle traveling on a non-fixed path comprising an apparatus for continuously generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation for scanning a stationary reflecting surface and an apparatus for receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation from said stationary reflecting surface, an apparatus for detecting the shape of the vehicle path by measuring distance and incident angle between a vehicle and a stationary reflecting surface comprising:
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vehicle mounted generating means for continuously generating a fan shaped beam of electromagnetic radiation of predetermined dimension; modulator means for modulating said fan shaped beam to produce a modulated fan shaped beam; scanning means for scanning said modulated fan shaped beam through a predetermined arc towards at least one stationary reflecting surface; vehicle mounted means for receiving a reflected modulated beam from said at least one stationary reflecting surface; vehicle mounted detector means for measuring a phase difference between said modulated fan shaped beam and said reflected modulated beam; and vehicle mounted measuring means for measuring an angle of said fan beam within said predetermined arc, first calculating means for calculating said distance between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of said measured phase difference; and second calculating means for calculating said incident angle between said vehicle and said at least one stationary reflecting surface as a proportion of said angle of said fan beam within said predetermined arc, wherein the shape of the vehicle path is detected from the distance and angle between said vehicle and said sat least one stationary reflecting surface and said vehicle is guided to follow said detected path. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification