Method for vehicle data dependent range measurement from a vehicle

• US 6,226,226 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lill, Anton, Kiemes, Jochen, Mathes, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US09/297,562
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 367/98, 367/900, 367/909, 342/70, 342/205
• US Class Current: 367/98
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5273 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5276 using analogue techniques

Abstract

The invention concerns an ultrasound parking aid system which emits warning signals when an echo signal lying within an audibility window exceeds a given threshold value. Hitherto, an audibility window or the sensitivity of the system was adapted to fixed data of the vehicle and/or the roadway. According to the invention, the sensitivity, audibility window or even the emission response is adapted as a function of varying dynamic data of the vehicle or roadway.

Claims

1. A method for range measurement of obstacles from a vehicle with the aid of an echo method, in which a transmitted signal is reflected by a signal illuminated object to the vehicle in the form of an echo, and, in the vehicle, a warning signal is triggered during a timed listening window as a function of a threshold value of a receiver, characterized by the steps of:

making one of the time position and the duration of the transmitted signal and the progression of the threshold value in time during the listening window a function of spatial parameters of the vehicle, the spacial parameters describing at least one of the spacial dimensions, and the movement of the vehicle, and the state of the vehicle.

2. A range measurement device for range measurement of obstacles from a vehicle using an echo method in which a transmitted signal is reflected by a signal illuminated object to the vehicle in the form of an echo, the device comprising:

at least one electro-acoustical transducer for emitting an ultrasonic signal and subsequently receiving an ultrasonic signal reflected from the object, having a receiving stage for echo signals detected by the transducer and a control unit which sets the transmission period of the transducer, a subsequent settling time of the transducer, a listening window for reception of reflected echo signals and, a dead reception time until the next activation of the transducer, a threshold circuit provided in the receiving stage, the threshold circuit possessing a time-dependent threshold value during the duration of the listening window which causes a warning signal only if the receiving value exceeds a certain threshold value, at least one of the transmission period and the transmitting power of the transducer, and the duration and the position of the listening window, and the time-dependence of the threshold value is a function of the parameters relating to at least one of the dynamics of vehicle movement and the spatial parameters of the vehicle.

3. The measuring device of claim 2, characterized in that several transducers are provided and at least one of the position and the duration of the listening window and the transmission period and the transmitting power of the individual transducers is a function of one of the stopped position of the wheels and the angular change of the turning-angle of the steering wheels.

4. The measuring device of claim 3, characterized in that the threshold value of the threshold value circuit and the expansion value of the amplifier is a function of the travel time, in such a way that it is held as low or high as possible and, as a function of travel time, is raised or lowered only at locations at which the echo appears from objects that should not initiate a warning signal or are outside of a desired warning range.

5. The measuring device of claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the transmission duration and the transmitting power of the transducer and the duration and the position of the listening window is a function of the vehicle velocity of the measuring vehicle.