Obstacle detection apparatus for vehicles
First Claim
1. An obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising:
- a light emitting means;
a light projecting means for projecting a light generated in said light emitting means in a predetermined direction via a light emitting path;
a light introducing means for introducing the light reflected by an obstacle via a light receiving path that is different from said light emitting path over an entire length of said light emitting path and said light receiving path within said obstacle detecting apparatus;
a light receiving means for detecting the light introduced by said light introducing means;
a driving means for rotatably supporting said light projecting means and at least a portion of said light introducing means, and for driving said light projecting means and said at least a portion of said light introducing means in a circumferential direction; and
a calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time the light is emitted by said light emitting means until a time the light is received by said light receiving means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An obstacle detecting apparatus including a light projecting assembly for projecting the laser light generated in a laser light emitting element through a light emitting path, a light introducing assembly for introducing the laser light reflected by an obstacle into a light receiving element through a light receiving path, and a driving motor for driving the light emitting assembly and at least a portion of the light introducing assembly. The light path in the light projecting assembly is different from the light introducing path, and a distance to the obstacle is obtained based on a propagating delay time from emitting the laser light by the laser light emitting element until receiving the laser light by the laser light receiving element. Also included is a direction detecting device for detecting a direction in which the laser light is projected, a light emission level detecting device for detecting a strength of the laser light, a stain detecting device for detecting stains on the housing, and a cleansing device for sweeping the surface of the housing.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising:
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a light emitting means; a light projecting means for projecting a light generated in said light emitting means in a predetermined direction via a light emitting path; a light introducing means for introducing the light reflected by an obstacle via a light receiving path that is different from said light emitting path over an entire length of said light emitting path and said light receiving path within said obstacle detecting apparatus; a light receiving means for detecting the light introduced by said light introducing means; a driving means for rotatably supporting said light projecting means and at least a portion of said light introducing means, and for driving said light projecting means and said at least a portion of said light introducing means in a circumferential direction; and a calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time the light is emitted by said light emitting means until a time the light is received by said light receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An obstacle detecting apparatus comprising:
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a housing; a first substrate disposed at a light projecting end of said housing; a laser light emitting element disposed on said first substrate; a light projecting assembly for projecting outwardly the laser light generated by said laser light emitting element through a predetermined light emitting path; a light introducing assembly for introducing the laser light reflected by an obstacle into said housing through a light receiving path that is different from said light emitting path over an entire length of said light receiving path and said light emitting path within said housing; a second substrate disposed so as to face said first substrate at a light receiving end of said housing; a laser light receiving element disposed on said second substrate for receiving said introduced laser light; a motor for driving circumferentially said light emitting assembly and at least a portion of said light introducing assembly; a counter for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time the laser light is emitted by said laser light emitting element until a time the light is received by said laser light receiving element; and a supporting member for supporting said first and second substrates and said motor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising:
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a housing; a partition disposed in said housing; light emitting means disposed on a first side of said partition inside said housing; a first mirror disposed on said first side of said partition inside said housing for reflecting a light generated by said light emitting means through a first portion of said housing and toward an obstacle to be detected; light receiving means disposed on a second side of said partition inside said housing opposite said first side for detecting the light reflected from the obstacle; a second mirror disposed on said second side of said partition inside said housing for reflecting the light reflected by the obstacle through a second portion of said housing and toward said light receiving means; driving means for rotatably driving said first and second mirrors; and calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time when the light is emitted by said light emitting means and a time the light is received by said light receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. An obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising:
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a housing; light emitting means disposed in said housing; a first mirror disposed in said housing for reflecting a light generated by said light emitting means through a first portion of said housing and toward an obstacle to be detected; light receiving means disposed in said housing for detecting the light reflected from the obstacle; a second mirror disposed in said housing for reflecting the light reflected by the obstacle through a second portion of said housing and toward said light receiving means, wherein said first and second mirrors are different, and wherein said first and second portions of said housing are also different; driving means for rotatably driving said first and second mirrors; and calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time when the light is emitted by said light emitting means until a time the light is received by said light receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification