Optical radar apparatus for vehicle
First Claim
1. A vehicular optical radar apparatus comprising:
- optical radiation means for scanning and radiating light;
light receiving means for receiving light which is radiated by said optical radiation means and is then reflected by an object;
received-light intensity detection means for detecting an intensity of the reflected light;
obstacle identifying means for identifying said object based on a distribution pattern of the received-light intensity detected by said intensity detection means, the distribution pattern being obtained with respect to the direction of scanning performed by said optical radiation means;
distance calculation means for calculating a distance to said object, based on a propagation lag duration from the time when the light is radiated by said optical radiation means to the time when the reflected light is received by said light receiving means; and
object-width calculation means for calculating a width of said object based on a scanning angle of said optical radiation means and the distance calculated by said distance calculation means;
wherein said obstacle identifying means identifies said object based on the distance calculated by said distance calculation means, the distribution pattern of the received-light intensity with respect to the scanning direction, and the width of said object.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular optical radar apparatus can identify various types of obstacles as well as a preceding vehicle, thereby ensuring a reliable identification of the preceding vehicle running in the same lane as with a subject vehicle on which the apparatus is installed. A scanner scans light emitted from a light emitting device and radiates it. A light receiving device receives the light which is radiated by the scanner and is then reflected by an object. A received-light intensity detection device detects an intensity of the reflected light received by the light receiving device. An obstacle identifying device identifies the object according to the distribution pattern of the received-light intensity detected by the intensity detection device, such a pattern being obtained with respect to the direction of scanning performed by the scanner.
-
Citations
7 Claims
-
1. A vehicular optical radar apparatus comprising:
-
optical radiation means for scanning and radiating light; light receiving means for receiving light which is radiated by said optical radiation means and is then reflected by an object; received-light intensity detection means for detecting an intensity of the reflected light; obstacle identifying means for identifying said object based on a distribution pattern of the received-light intensity detected by said intensity detection means, the distribution pattern being obtained with respect to the direction of scanning performed by said optical radiation means; distance calculation means for calculating a distance to said object, based on a propagation lag duration from the time when the light is radiated by said optical radiation means to the time when the reflected light is received by said light receiving means; and object-width calculation means for calculating a width of said object based on a scanning angle of said optical radiation means and the distance calculated by said distance calculation means; wherein said obstacle identifying means identifies said object based on the distance calculated by said distance calculation means, the distribution pattern of the received-light intensity with respect to the scanning direction, and the width of said object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
Specification