Method and device for detecting objects, especially used as a parking assistance device in a motor vehicle

• US 6,690,616 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Schoft, Axel, Lissel, Ernst, Buettgenbach, Stephanus, Bahr, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/762,456
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 367/87, 367/99, 367/118, 367/129, 367/909, 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 340/932.2, 180/169
• US Class Current: 367/99
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 in the bumper area radar in bumper area G01S2013/93275; bumper with obstacle sensor of electric or electronic type B60R19/483
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/909 Collision avoidance

Abstract

A device for detecting objects, especially used as a parking assistance device in a motor vehicle, includes a plurality of distance sensors, at least one microcontroller configured to control the distance sensors and an output unit. The distance sensors emit a signal in accordance with an identifier that is modified over time by the microcontroller.

Claims

1. A method for detecting objects, comprising the steps of:

(a) emitting a transmitting signal having an identifier signal that is variable with time, a change of the identifier being predetermined in accordance with at least one of a function of a vehicle, a function of a sensor and a random function;

(b) receiving the transmitted signal;

(c) evaluating the received signal to determine whether only the identifier emitted in the emitting step (a) is received;

(d) determining a distance of a detected object from a measured echo time of the received signal when only the identifier emitted in the emitting step (a) is received; and

(e) interrupting the emitting step (a) for a period of time and repeating the steps (a) through (d) if it is evaluated in the evaluating step (c) that the identifier emitted in the emitting step (a) is not the only signal received.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the time period in accordance with a random function.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of modulating a carrier frequency to producing the identifier.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emitting step (a) includes the substep of emitting transmitting signals from a plurality of sensors individually on different carrier frequencies.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emitting step (a) includes the substep of emitting transmitting signals from a plurality of sensors in groups on different carrier frequencies.