Obstacle sensing apparatus for vehicles
First Claim
1. An obstacle sensing apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a radar unit for transmitting radar waves ahead of the vehicle and sensing obstacles present ahead of the vehicle by receiving reflected radar waves from said obstacles, comprising:
- (a) steering angle sensing means for sensing steering angle of the vehicle;
(b) yaw rate sensing means for sensing yaw rate produced by the vehicle;
(c) first traveling-path predicting means for predicting a first traveling path of the vehicle based upon the steering angle sensed by said steering angle sensing means;
(d) second traveling-path predicting means for predicting a second traveling path of the vehicle based upon the yaw rate sensed by said yaw rate sensing means; and
(e) selecting means for selecting one of the first and second traveling paths, which have been predicted by said first and second traveling-path predicting means, in dependence upon the operating state of the vehicle and wherein the sensing of the obstacles is carried out within a limited region along the selected traveling path.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An obstacle sensing apparatus for vehicles is provided in which detection of obstacles is performed efficiently by predicting the traveling path of the vehicle appropriately when detection of obstacles by a radar unit is limited to a region along the traveling path. The apparatus is provided with a radar unit for transmitting radar waves ahead of the vehicle and sensing obstacles present ahead of the vehicle, a steering angle sensor for sensing the steering angle of the vehicle, and a yaw rate sensor for sensing the yaw rate produced by the vehicle. First traveling-path predicting device predicts a traveling path of the vehicle based upon the steering angle, and second traveling-path predicting device predicts a traveling path of the vehicle based upon the yaw rate. One of these traveling paths is selected in dependence upon the operating state of the vehicle and detection of articles by the radar unit is carried out within a limited region along the traveling path selected.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. An obstacle sensing apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a radar unit for transmitting radar waves ahead of the vehicle and sensing obstacles present ahead of the vehicle by receiving reflected radar waves from said obstacles, comprising:
-
(a) steering angle sensing means for sensing steering angle of the vehicle; (b) yaw rate sensing means for sensing yaw rate produced by the vehicle; (c) first traveling-path predicting means for predicting a first traveling path of the vehicle based upon the steering angle sensed by said steering angle sensing means; (d) second traveling-path predicting means for predicting a second traveling path of the vehicle based upon the yaw rate sensed by said yaw rate sensing means; and (e) selecting means for selecting one of the first and second traveling paths, which have been predicted by said first and second traveling-path predicting means, in dependence upon the operating state of the vehicle and wherein the sensing of the obstacles is carried out within a limited region along the selected traveling path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An obstacle sensing apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a radar unit for transmitting radar waves ahead of the vehicle and sensing obstacles present ahead of the vehicle by receiving reflected radar waves from said obstacles, comprising:
-
(a) steering angle sensing means for sensing steering angle and amount of change in the steering angle of the vehicle; (b) first traveling-path predicting means for predicting a first traveling path of the vehicle based upon the steering angle sensed by said steering angle sensing means; (c) second traveling-path predicting means for predicting a second traveling path of the vehicle which is directly ahead of the vehicle, based upon the amount of change in the steering angle sensed by said steering angle sensing means; and (d) selecting means for selecting one of the first and second traveling paths, which have been predicted by said first and second traveling-path predicting means, in dependence upon an operating state of the vehicles and wherein the sensing of the obstacles is carried out within a limited region along the selected traveling path. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification