Vehicle-velocity calculating apparatus

• US 6,220,085 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1997
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Kihara, Takaei
• Primary Examiner(s): DOMBROSKE, GEORGE M
• Application Number:
  US08/908,447
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 731/16, 731/172, 731/173, 731/181, 701/101, 701/102, 701/110, 701/1, 701/22, 701/31
• US Class Current: 73/117.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/48 by measuring frequency of generated current or voltage in general G01R23/00

Abstract

A vehicle-velocity calculating apparatus which is easy to mount on a vehicle and is free from the influence of the gravitational acceleration includes an input terminal end connectable to a cigarette lighter outlet provided in a vehicle. Connected to the input terminal end is the input terminal of a noise filter. A counter is coupled at its input terminal to the output terminal of the noise filter. Connected to the output terminal of the counter is the input terminal of a velocity calculating circuit. The velocity calculating circuit calculates, in accordance with an output signal from the counter, the operating velocity of a vehicle, which is proportional to the frequency of a pulsating component generated in the vehicle'"'"'s generator. The output terminal of the velocity calculating circuit is connected to an output terminal end. The vehicle operating velocity is thus obtained from the output terminal end.

Claims

1. A vehicle-velocity calculating apparatus, comprising:

first means connectable to an output of a power line of a vehicle for obtaining a signal corresponding to a frequency or period of a pulsating component generated in said vehicle'"'"'s generator which appears at said output, said first means including a counter; and

second means for obtaining from an output signal of said first means a signal corresponding to an operating velocity of said vehicle, said second means including a differentiating circuit for differentiating an output signal from said counter with respect to time.

2. A vehicle-velocity calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first means includes a noise filter coupled to said output of said power line and said counter is coupled to an output of said noise filter.

3. A vehicle-velocity calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second means includes;

a calculating circuit for obtaining a signal corresponding to a provisionally determined acceleration in accordance with an output signal from said differentiating circuit.

4. A vehicle-velocity calculating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second means further includes:

an acceleration sensor for obtaining a correction signal to correct the signal corresponding to the provisionally determined acceleration obtained by said calculating circuit; and

a correction circuit for correcting, based on said connection signal, the signal corresponding to the provisionally determined acceleration obtained by said calculating circuit.

5. A vehicle-velocity calculating circuit according to claim 4, wherein said second means further includes:

an integrating circuit for integrating with respect to time the signal corresponding to the acceleration corrected by said correction circuit, thereby obtaining a signal corresponding to the operating velocity.

6. A vehicle-velocity calculating apparatus comprising:

a noise filter connectable to an output of a power line of a vehicle;

a counter connected to said noise filter for obtaining a signal corresponding to a frequency or a period of a pulsating component generated in said vehicle'"'"'s generator which appears at said output;

a differentiating circuit for differentiating an output signal from said counter with respect to time;

a calculating circuit for obtaining a signal corresponding to a provisionally determined acceleration of said vehicle in accordance with an output signal from said differentiating circuit;

an acceleration sensor for obtaining a correction signal to correct the signal corresponding to the provisionally determined acceleration obtained by said calculating circuit;

a correction circuit for correcting, based on said correction signal, the signal corresponding to the provisionally determined acceleration obtained by said calculating circuit; and

an integrating circuit for integrating with respect to time the signal corresponding to the acceleration corrected by said correction circuit, thereby obtaining a signal corresponding to an operating velocity of said vehicle.