Process for measuring the distance between a motor vehicle and an object

• US 5,987,395 A
• Filed: 06/17/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Donges, Edmund
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, CRAIG S
• Application Number:
  US08/877,473
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 342/118, 342/194, 342/189, 342/175, 342/195, 702/85, 702/94, 702/97, 702/142-144, 702/149, 702/155, 702/158, 702/159, 702/189-194, 702/199
• US Class Current: 702/158
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurement G01S13/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

In the case of a process for measuring the distance between a motor vehicle and an object, in the vehicle, in the case of a short distance of the object, the output signals of a first measuring device with a corresponding measuring range and, in the case of a longer distance of the object, the output signals of a second measuring device with a correspondingly longer measuring range are taken into account in a dominating manner. The measuring devices are constructed as analysis devices. The output signal of a single receiver for a single distance generator is supplied to the analysis devices as an input signal. The analysis devices analyze this input signal via an analysis process which is characteristic of the shorter or the longer distance range.

Claims

1. A process for measuring a distance between a motor vehicle and an object, the process comprising the steps of:

factoring into account in a dominating manner output signals from a first measuring device having a corresponding first measuring range for short distances to the object and a second measuring device having a corresponding second larger measuring range for longer distances to the object, wherein said first and second measuring devices are analysis devices; and

feeding a single sensor output signal of a single receiver for a single distance generator to said analysis devices as an input signal; and

analyzing said input signal via analysis processes in said analysis devices, one of said analysis devices using an analysis process characteristic of a short distance range and the other analysis device using an analysis process characteristic of a long distance range.

2. The measuring process according to claim 1, wherein said analysis process for the short distance range is a correlation process.

3. The measuring process according to claim 2, wherein the analysis process for the long distance range is a spectral analysis process.

4. The measuring process according to claim 1, wherein the analysis process for the long distance range is a spectral analysis process.

5. The measuring process according to claim 1, wherein said analysis process for the short distance range is a fast fourier transformation process.

6. A process for measuring a distance between a vehicle and an object, the process comprising the steps of:

operating a single distance sensor to scan an entire investigated area including a close and a remote range to provide a single input signal;

supplying said single input signal to two analysis devices; and

analyzing said single input signal in a first of said two analysis devices using an analysis process characteristic of a short distance range and, in a second of said two analysis devices using a different analysis process characteristic of a long distance range.

7. The measuring process according to claim 6, wherein said first analysis process is a correlation process.

8. The measuring process according to claim 7, wherein said second analysis process is a spectral analysis.

9. The measuring process according to claim 6, wherein said second analysis process is a spectral analysis.

10. The measuring process according to claim 6, wherein said first analysis process is a fast fourier transformation process.

11. An apparatus for determining a distance between a vehicle and an object, comprising:

a single distance sensor which scans an entire area to be investigated and provides a single distance signal output;

a processor which receives said single distance signal output as an input signal, said processor being programmed to perform different analysis processes for different measuring ranges to determine a distance to said object.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said different analysis processes comprise:

a correlation process device which receives the input signal for a short distance range; and

a spectral analysis device which receives the input signal for a long distance range.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said different analysis processes comprise:

a fast fourier transformation process device which receives the input signal for a short distance range; and

a spectral analysis device which receives the input signal for a long distance range.