Obstacle proximity warning device for vehicles

• US 6,114,950 A
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Specam Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Specam Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: von Styp-Rakowski, Norman, Schaible, Uwe D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/303,677
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/506, 340/901, 340/903, 340/933, 180/167, 180/169, 367/909
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 in the bumper area radar in bumper area G01S2013/93275; bumper with obstacle sensor of electric or electronic type B60R19/483
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features

Abstract

An obstacle proximity warning device for vehicles having an ultrasonic transceiver, for sending an ultrasonic signal and receiving the ultrasound reflected by an obstacle, a receiver signal process means connected to the ultrasonic transceiver, to generate trigger signals upon a threshold level signal being received from the ultrasonic transceiver, an alarm means responsive to the trigger signals, a housing in which the ultrasonic transceiver is mounted and a mounting bracket for fixedly mounting the housing to the vehicle. The mounting bracket has a resilient coating adapted to substantially absorb ultrasonic vibrations generated by the ultrasonic transceiver, to prevent the radiation of ultrasonic vibrations from other elements of the vehicle or the mounting bracket.

Claims

1. An obstacle proximity warning device for vehicles, comprising:

an ultrasonic transceiver to send an ultrasonic signal and to receive the ultrasound reflected by an obstacle;

a receiver signal process means pre-amplifier connected to said ultrasonic transceiver;

an amplifier connected to said pre-amplifier;

a threshold detector connected to said amplifier, said threshold detector being arranged to generate trigger signals upon a threshold level signal echo being received from said ultrasonic transceiver;

an alarm means responsive to said trigger signals;

a housing in which said ultrasonic transceiver is mounted;

a mounting bracket for fixedly mounting said housing to the vehicle;

where said mounting bracket has a resilient coating adapted to substantially absorb ultrasonic vibrations generated by said ultrasonic transceiver, and where said alarm means comprises a control means for processing said trigger signal from said threshold detector, to permit different types of alarm indications for different trigger signals, said control means comprising a microprocessor with associated circuits, said microprocessor running a predictive window filtering scheme program using two previous said echoes detected with said transceiver to verify that a latest received echo falls in a window of time that corresponds to a rate of change in said previous two echoes, and if said latest echo is valid, then said predictive window is shifted to reflect a new object position.

2. An obstacle proximity warning device according to claim 1, where said pre-amplifier is mounted in said housing together with said ultrasonic transceiver.

3. An obstacle proximity warning device according to claim 1, where said alarm means comprises a control means for processing said trigger signal from said threshold detector, to permit different types of alarm indications for different trigger signals.

4. An obstacle proximity warning device for vehicles, comprising:

a plurality of ultrasonic transceivers to send an ultrasonic signal and to receive the ultrasound reflected by an obstacle;

a plurality of receiver signal process means pre-amplifiers, one pre-amplifier being connected to one of said ultrasonic transceivers;

a plurality of amplifiers connected to said pre-amplifiers;

a plurality of threshold detectors connected to said amplifiers, said threshold detectors being arranged to generate trigger signals upon a threshold level signal being received from said ultrasonic transceivers;

a common alarm means connected to each one of said plurality of threshold detectors, said alarm means being responsive to said trigger signals;

a plurality of housings for mounting one of said each at least one ultrasonic transceiver in each of said housings;

a plurality of mounting brackets for fixedly mounting each one of said housings to a vehicle;

where said plurality of mounting brackets have a resilient coating adapted to substantially absorb ultrasonic vibrations generated by said ultrasonic transceivers, and where said alarm means comprises a control means for processing said trigger signal from said threshold detector, to permit different types of alarm indications for different trigger signals, said control means comprising a microprocessor with associated circuits, said microprocessor running a predictive window filtering scheme program using two previous said echoes detected with said transceiver to verify that a latest received echo falls in a window of time that corresponds to a rate of change in said previous two echoes, and if said latest echo is valid, then said predictive window is shifted to reflect a new object position.

5. An obstacle proximity warning device according to claim 4, where one of said plurality of pre-amplifiers is mounted in each of said housings together with said ultrasonic transceiver.

6. An obstacle proximity warning device according to claim 4, where said alarm means comprises a control means for processing said trigger signal from said plurality of threshold detectors, to permit different types of alarm indications for different trigger signals.

7. An obstacle proximity warning device according to claim 4, where said device further comprises a multiplexing means connected to said alarm means and to which each one of the plurality of ultrasonic transceivers is connected, said multiplexing means being configured to cycle through the connections of the plurality of ultrasonic transceivers so that only one of said plurality of ultrasonic transceivers is connected to said alarm means at one time.