Measuring system and method for detecting object distance by transmitted media with different wave velocities

• US 6,680,688 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Viewmove Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Viewmove Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Yang, Chi-Ming, Chien, Hung-Chuan, Lee, Dong-Liang, Jiang, Shyh-Biau, Chang, Hsin-Ming, Huang, Chuan-Fu
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US10/339,347
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 340/945, 340/961, 340/425.5, 340/436, 340/435, 340/438, 340/439, 340/463, 340/682, 701/300, 701/301, 701/1, 701/36, 356/3, 356/4-1-, 356/6-22, 367/87-117, 367/118-130, 342/24, 342/27, 342/28, 342/41, 342/52-59, 342/70-72, 342/118-146, 342/175, 342/192, 342/193-197, 703/13, 735/84, 735/96, 735/97, 736/01
• US Class Current: 342/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/16 using difference in transit time between electrical and acoustic signals

Abstract

A measuring system and method of detecting an object distance by transmission media with different wave velocities are described. The measuring system has a computer, a primary detector and a secondary detector. The primary detector is connected to the computer through bus communication and the secondary detector connected to the primary one through two different transmission media. The primary detector is able to receive separately a first signal and a second signal emitted simultaneously from the secondary detector through the transmission media. Moreover, the first signal has light-speed and the second signal has sound-speed. To calculate the distance between the objects which the primary and the secondary detector are attached respectively. The delay time of second signal and the wave velocity of the supersonic media are multiplied.

Claims

1. A measuring system of detecting an object distance, wherein the measuring system uses a plurality of transmitted media used to transmit a first signal and a second signal, the measuring system comprising:

a computer for sending a detection command using a communication interface;

a primary detector having a first communication device coupled to the computer, a first processing device and a first sensor, wherein the first processing device is coupled to the first communication device and the first sensor, respectively, the primary detector transmits a signal-launching command responsive to the detection command of the computer resulting in the first sensor receiving the first signal and the second signal, and a velocity of the first signal is higher than that of the second signal to generate a time difference therebetween, the time difference being multiplied by the velocity of the second signal in the first processing device to obtain the object distance and displayed on the computer using the first communication device; and

a secondary detector coupled to the primary detector and having a second communication device, a second processing device and a second sensor, wherein the second processing device is coupled to the second sensor and the second communication device, respectively, and the second communication device commands the second processing device to transmit a synchronous command responsive to the signal-launching command of the primary detector so that the second sensor simultaneously emits the first signal and the second signal to the first sensor of the primary detector.

2. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device of the primary detector comprises:

a serial communication device to communicate with the computer using the communication interface;

a first controller coupled to the first processing device to initialize the first processing device and control the second signal within the first processing device; and

a memory coupled to the first processing device to store the time difference between the first signal and the second signal within the first processing device.

3. The measuring system of claim 2, wherein the first processing device of the primary detector comprises:

a first data converter coupled to the first controller to transform the signal-launching command of the primary detector;

a second data converter coupled to the first controller to transform the first signal within the first sensor; and

a counter coupled to the first sensor and the memory to compute the time difference between the first signal and the second signal in the first processing device.

4. The measuring system of claim 3, wherein the first sensor of the primary detector comprises:

a first wireless device coupled to the first data converter to transmit the signal-launching command to the secondary detector;

a first receiver coupled to the second data converter and the counter, respectively, to acquire the first signal of the secondary detector;

a second receiver coupled to the counter to acquire the second signal of the secondary detector; and

a master clock generator coupled to the first processing device to input a plurality of clock signals into the first processing device.

5. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor of the secondary detector comprises:

a second wireless device coupled to the second processing device to acquire the signal-launching command of the primary detector;

a first emitter coupled to the second processing device responsive to the signal-launching command of the primary detector to transmit the first signal to the primary detector;

a second emitter coupled to the second processing device to transmit the second signal of the secondary detector to the primary detector; and

a slave clock generator coupled to the second processing device to input a plurality of clock signals into the second processing device.

6. The measuring system of claim 5, wherein the second processing device of the secondary detector comprises:

a third data converter coupled to the second wireless device and the second communication device, respectively, to transform the signal-launching command;

a fourth data converter coupled to the second emitter and the second communication device, respectively, to transform the first signal;

a synchronized device coupled to the first emitter and the second communication device, respectively, to transmit simultaneously the first signal and the second signal to the primary detector; and

a frequency divider coupled to the slave clock generator and the second communication device, respectively, to decrease a frequency of the second signal for the second emitter.

7. The measuring system of claim 6, wherein the second communication device of the secondary detector comprises:

a second controller coupled to the third data converter and the fourth data converter to initialize the second processing device and control the first signal in the second processing device; and

a first starter coupled to the synchronized device to start transmission of the synchronous command to the first emitter from the synchronized device of the second processing device; and

a second starter coupled to the frequency divider to start transmission of the second signal from the frequency divider to the primary detector by the second emitter.

8. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the object distance comprises a transmission length of the second signal emitted from the secondary detector to the primary detector.

9. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the second signal comprises an ultrasonic wave.

10. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the first signal comprises a light-speed wave.

11. The measuring system of claim 10, wherein the light-speed wave is an infrared wave, a radio wave or a combination thereof.

12. A measuring system for detecting an object distance by a plurality of transmitted media used to emit a first signal and a second signal, wherein a computer sends a detection command using a communication interface, the measuring system comprising:

a primary detector having a first communication device coupled to the computer, a first processing device and a first sensor, wherein the first processing device is coupled to the first communication device and the first sensor, respectively, and the primary detector transmits a signal-launching command responsive to the detection command of the computer resulting in the first sensor receiving the first signal and the second signal and a velocity of the first signal being higher than that of the second signal to generate a time difference therebetween, the time difference being multiplied by a velocity of the second signal in the first processing device to obtain the object distance and displayed on the computer using the first communication device; and

a secondary detector coupled to the primary detector and having a second communication device, a second processing device and a second sensor, wherein the second processing device is coupled to the second communication device and the second sensor, respectively, and the second communication device starts transmission of a synchronous command responsive to the signal-launching command of the primary detector from the second processing device resulting in the second sensor simultaneously emitting the first signal and the second signal to the first sensor of the primary detector.

13. The measuring system of claim 12, wherein the object distance comprises a transmission length of the second signal emitted from the secondary detector to the primary detector.

14. The measuring system of claim 12, wherein the second signal comprises an ultrasonic wave.

15. The measuring system of claim 12, wherein the first signal comprises a light-speed wave.

16. The measuring system of claim 15, wherein the light-speed wave is one selected from the group consisting of an infrared wave, a radio wave and the combination.

17. A measuring method for detecting an object distance by a plurality of transmitted media including different wave velocities used to emit a light-speed wave and a sound-speed wave, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a detection command to a primary detector by a communication interface in a computer wherein the primary detector has a first communication device, a first processing device and a first sensor;

transmitting a signal-launching command to a secondary detector by the primary detector to respond to the detection command of the computer, wherein the secondary detector has a second communication device, a second processing device and a second sensor;

simultaneously emitting a light-speed wave and a sound-speed wave into the primary detector by the secondary detector to respond to the signal-launching command of the primary detector;

receiving the light-speed wave and the sound-speed wave from the secondary detector by a first sensor of the primary detector, respectively, wherein a velocity of the light-speed wave is higher than that of the sound-speed wave;

calculating a time difference between the light-speed wave and the sound-speed wave in the first sensor of the primary detector to obtain an object distance, wherein the time difference is multiplied by the velocity of the sound-speed wave; and

reading the object distance by using the first communication device of the primary detector via the communication interface for displaying on the computer.

18. The measuring method of claim 17, before the step of receiving the light-speed wave and the sound-speed wave, respectively, further comprising the steps of:

starting a synchronized device of the second communication device by the first starter to transmit the synchronous command to a first emitter of the second sensor; and

simultaneously transmitting the light-speed wave and the sound-speed wave from the synchronized device to the primary detector.

19. The measuring method of claim 17, after the step of calculating a time difference of the light-speed wave and the sound-speed wave, further acquiring the time difference between the light-speed wave and sound-speed wave, wherein the time difference is stored in a memory of the first communication device.

20. The measuring method of claim 17, wherein the object distance is equal to a transmission length of the sound-speed wave emitted from the secondary detector to the primary detector.