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Inter-vehicle distance detecting device

  • US 5,321,488 A
  • Filed: 02/05/1993
  • Issued: 06/14/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An inter-vehicle distance detecting device comprising:

  • a pair of image sensors on which an image of an object in front of a driving car is formed by a pair of optical systems;

    an image display means for displaying a first image information taken by one of the pair of image sensors;

    a window setting means for setting a plurality of windows partitioning a region of the image on the first image information;

    a distance detecting means for calculating respective distances from the driving car to the object surrounded by the respective windows by comparing a second image information in the respective windows set by the window setting means with a third image information taken by the other of the pair of image sensors corresponding to the second image information and by detecting a shift between the second image information and the third image information;

    a determining means for determining the object for measurement based on the distances to the respective windows provided by the distance detecting means;

    a gate setting means for setting a gate partitioning the region such that the gate approximately surrounds the object for measurement based on the distances corresponding to the object for measurement;

    a symmetry determining means for determining symmetry of a fourth image information surrounded by the gate and selected from the first image information and for obtaining a position of a symmetry line; and

    a predicting means for predicting the presence of a preceding car in front of the driving car by determining a first stability of a movement of the symmetry line provided by the symmetry determining means in the horizontal direction and by determining a second stability of the distances provided by a calculation result of the distance determining means over time.

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