Radar device with multiplexed display functions for use in backing up a vehicle

• US 6,326,915 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2000
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TUNG THIH Enterprise Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TUNG THIH Enterprise Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Shin-Chung, Chen, Sen-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/491,339
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 342/52, 342/55, 342/61, 342/70-72, 342/118, 342/175, 342/176, 342/179, 342/195, 342/127, 342/134, 342/139, 342/142, 342/145-147, 342/59, 342/27, 342/28, 180/167-169, 367/87, 367/93, 367/95, 367/99, 367/100, 367/107, 367/108, 367/113, 367/116
• US Class Current: 342/71
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9317 Driving backwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/06 Cathode-ray tube displays or other two dimensional or three-dimensional displays

Abstract

A radar device for use in backing up a vehicle is disclosed herein. A plurality of wave sensors is installed on a rear portion of a vehicle for detecting an obstacle therebehind. A master controller has a plurality of transceiver circuits and a microprocessor connected to the plurality of transceiver circuits. Each transceiver circuit corresponds to one of the plurality of wave sensors. The microprocessor activates the plurality of transceiver circuits to drive the plurality of wave sensors for transmitting and receiving ultrasound wave signals thereby determining the location of the obstacle. A location display device is connected to the master controller for receiving and decoding data related to the location of the obstacle thereby indicating the direction of the obstacle and displaying in numerical form the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle.

Claims

1. A radar device with multiplexed display functions for use in backing up a vehicle, comprising:

a camera (11) adapted to be installed in a rear portion of the vehicle;

at least two wave sensors (21,22) adapted to be installed in the rear portion of the vehicle and adjacent to the camera (11) for detecting an obstacle behind the vehicle;

an image processing module (10) connected to the camera (11) for processing image signals from the camera (11);

a display monitor (12) connected to an output of the image processing module (10) for displaying an image captured by the camera (11), and driven by the image processing module (10) to display a direction of the obstacle relative to the vehicle and the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle; and

a master controller (40) connected to the at least two wave sensors (21,22) for determining a communication code representing the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, wherein the communication code is sent to the image processing module (10) for displaying a corresponding direction pattern and a distance value on the display monitor (12) with the captured image.

2. The radar device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image processing module (10) comprising:

a microprocessor (30) having an input for connecting to the master controller (40);

a synchronous signal separator (31) having an input for connecting to the camera (11) to separate the image signal from the camera (11) into a vertical signal and a horizontal signal for being applied to the microprocessor (30); and

an image processor (32) having two inputs for connecting to the camera (11) and the microprocessor (30), respectively, and an output connected to the display monitor (12).

3. The radar device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the microprocessor (30) is further connected to a memory unit (33) that is stored with multiple direction patterns and distance values corresponding to various communication codes, respectively.

4. The radar device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the master controller (40) has an output for connecting to a buzzer.