Detecting apparatus of vehicle speed

• US 6,445,338 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohkubo, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/948,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 367/89, 367/90, 367/91, 342/70, 342/104, 180/167, 180/169
• US Class Current: 342/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/60 wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track G01S13/64 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

A detecting apparatus of vehicle speed including detecting means for emitting an electromagnetic wave or an ultrasonic wave to a road surface and detecting traveling speed of a vehicle from the Doppler effect produced in a reflected wave thereof, a transmitting circuit for sending information about the traveling speed detected by the detecting means by radio, a power generation mechanism for generating power by vibration produced in the vehicle, and a charging circuit for charging a charging type battery by an output voltage of the power generation mechanism.

Claims

1. A detecting apparatus of vehicle speed comprising:

detecting means for emitting an electromagnetic wave or an ultrasonic wave to a road surface and detecting traveling speed of a vehicle from the Doppler effect produced in a reflected wave thereof;

a transmitting circuit for sending information about the traveling speed detected by the detecting means by radio;

a power generation mechanism for generating power by vibration produced in said vehicle; and

a charging circuit for charging a charging type battery by an output voltage of the power generation mechanism.

2. The detecting apparatus of vehicle speed according to claim 1, wherein voltage of said charging type battery is supplied to said detecting means and said transmitting circuit as operating voltage thereof.

3. The detecting apparatus of vehicle speed according to claim 2, further comprising:

a switching circuit; and

a detecting circuit for detecting a magnitude of the output voltage of said power generation mechanism, wherein said switching circuit is connected in series with the charging type battery and a voltage line between said detecting means and said transmitting circuit,

an output of said detecting circuit is supplied to said switching circuit as a control signal thereof, and

when the magnitude of the output voltage of said power generation mechanism is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, said switching circuit is turned off.

4. The detecting apparatus of vehicle speed according to claim 3, wherein a hysteresis characteristic is provided to on/off of said switching circuit.