Vehicle obstacle detecting system
First Claim
1. An obstacle detecting system for a vehicle, comprising:
- first obstacle detecting means for emitting an electromagnetic wave towards a course of travel of the vehicle and for receiving an energy reflected from an obstacle present ahead on the course of travel of the vehicle to output a first signal indicative of a first positional relationship of the obstacle and the vehicle;
second obstacle detecting means for emitting an electromagnetic wave of a wavelength larger than a wavelength of the electromagnetic wave emitted by the first obstacle detecting means towards the course of travel of the vehicle and for receiving an energy reflected from an obstacle present ahead on the course of travel of the vehicle to output a second signal indicative of a second positional relationship of the obstacle and the vehicle;
determining means for determining a reduction in the detection range of the first obstacle detecting means; and
obstacle recognizing means for recognizing the obstacle with which the vehicle should avoid a contact based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal when the reduction in detection range of the first obstacle detecting means is not determined, while recognizing the obstacle based on the second signal when the reduction in detection range of the first obstacle detecting means is determined.
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Abstract
A vehicle obstacle detecting system having a combination of different kinds of detectors, such as a laser radar and a millimeter-waver radar, to detect an obstacle present ahead of the course of vehicle travel. The system determines whether the detection output of the laser radar is similar to that of the millimeter-wave radar. When the result is positive, obstacle avoidance control is conducted based on the output of either the laser radar or the millimeter-wave radar. When the result is negative, it is determined that the laser radar (the detector normally of superior performance) is degraded and, based on the output of the millimeter-radar, obstacle avoidance control is conducted. With this, the outputs of the different kinds of detectors are fused and unified optimally, enabling effective obstacle avoidance control.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An obstacle detecting system for a vehicle, comprising:
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first obstacle detecting means for emitting an electromagnetic wave towards a course of travel of the vehicle and for receiving an energy reflected from an obstacle present ahead on the course of travel of the vehicle to output a first signal indicative of a first positional relationship of the obstacle and the vehicle; second obstacle detecting means for emitting an electromagnetic wave of a wavelength larger than a wavelength of the electromagnetic wave emitted by the first obstacle detecting means towards the course of travel of the vehicle and for receiving an energy reflected from an obstacle present ahead on the course of travel of the vehicle to output a second signal indicative of a second positional relationship of the obstacle and the vehicle; determining means for determining a reduction in the detection range of the first obstacle detecting means; and obstacle recognizing means for recognizing the obstacle with which the vehicle should avoid a contact based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal when the reduction in detection range of the first obstacle detecting means is not determined, while recognizing the obstacle based on the second signal when the reduction in detection range of the first obstacle detecting means is determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification