Method and apparatus for identifying and measuring the distance between vehicles
First Claim
1. A method of measuring the distance between vehicles comprising the steps of;
- emitting light from first and second light positions spaced apart a predetermined light distance (L) on a first vehicle,passing the emitted light through a lens mourned on a second vehicle and having a focal length (f) to present an image having a length (I) of the predetermined light distance (L) at the focal length (f) from the lens,sensing the length of the image (I) at the focal length,producing a signal representing the length of the image (I),storing a scale on the second vehicle which is proportional to the predetermined light distance (L),comparing the length of the image (I) with the scale to produce a signal representing the distance (D) between the vehicles,characterized by establishing the predetermined light distance (L) as a constant and fixed length from vehicle to vehicle by using the standard license plate holder on the first vehicle.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of measuring the distance between vehicles comprising the steps of; emitting light (14) from a first vehicle to define first and second light positions spaced apart a predetermined light distance (L), passing the emitted light through a lens (20) mounted on a second vehicle and having a focal length (f) to present an image (I) of the predetermined light distance (L) at the focal length (f) from the lens, sensing (22) the image (I) at the focal length, producing a signal representing the length of the image (I), storing a scale (28) on the second vehicle which is proportional to the predetermined light distance (L), comparing (26) the length of the image (I) with the scale to produce a signal representing the distance (D) between the vehicles. The method and apparatus is characterized by establishing the predetermined light distance (L) as a constant and fixed length from vehicle to vehicle by using the standard license plate or license plate holder on the first vehicle.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of measuring the distance between vehicles comprising the steps of;
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emitting light from first and second light positions spaced apart a predetermined light distance (L) on a first vehicle, passing the emitted light through a lens mourned on a second vehicle and having a focal length (f) to present an image having a length (I) of the predetermined light distance (L) at the focal length (f) from the lens, sensing the length of the image (I) at the focal length, producing a signal representing the length of the image (I), storing a scale on the second vehicle which is proportional to the predetermined light distance (L), comparing the length of the image (I) with the scale to produce a signal representing the distance (D) between the vehicles, characterized by establishing the predetermined light distance (L) as a constant and fixed length from vehicle to vehicle by using the standard license plate holder on the first vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for measuring the distance between first and second vehicles comprising;
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light emitting means for emitting light at first and second light positions spaced apart a predetermined light distance (L) from the first vehicle, a single lens mounted on the second vehicle and having a focal length (f) for passing the emitted light therethrough to present an image (I) of the predetermined light distance (L) at the focal length (f) from the lens, sensing means for sensing the image (I) at the focal length of the single lens, signal producing means for producing a signal representing the length of the image (I), processing means on the second vehicle for storing a scale on the second vehicle which is proportional to the predetermined light distance (L) and for comparing the length of the image (I) with the scale to produce a signal representing the distance (D) between the vehicles, characterized by including the standard license plate holder on the first vehicle for establishing the predetermined light distance (L) as a constant and fixed length from vehicle to vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification