Device and method for detecting an object or a person in the passenger compartment of a vehicle

• US 7,022,970 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Arnold, Martin, Stierle, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Que T.
• Application Number:
  US10/239,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20030160154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/222.1, 250/559.4, 250/214.AL, 250/214.R, 250/205, 250/214.1, 280/735, 280/748, 180/272
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for detecting an object or a person is received. The receiving power is permanently detected. The laser light pulse is switched off when a threshold value that matches sufficient receiving power is obtained.

Claims

1. A device for detecting an object or person in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

a laser to emit laser light pulses;

an optical receiver or sensor to receive laser light pulses reflected off the object or the person; and

a detection unit connected to the laser, which detects the receiving power continuously and switches off the laser light pulse when a limit value corresponding to an adequate receiving power is reached.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is linked to two optical sensors, one of the optical sensors configured for remote detection and the other of the optical sensors configured for local detection,

each of the optical sensors is followed by at least one integration unit and a comparator stage is connected downstream of the integrators, wherein the comparator stage compares the sum of the output signals of the at least one integration unit with the limit value.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensors have at least one photodiode.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the integration unit has a device to compensate for ambient light.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the unit to compensate for ambient light has an integrator element, which integrates the output signal of a respective sensor minus a correction signal.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein the sensors have at least one photodiode.

9. The device according to claim 3, wherein the integration unit has a device to compensate for ambient light.

6. A method for detecting an object or a person in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

emitting at least one laser light pulse;

receiving the laser light pulse reflected off an object or a person; and

detecting a receiving power continuously and the laser light pulse is switched off when a limit value corresponding to an adequate receiving power is reached.

7. The method according to a claim 6, wherein there is provision for remote detection or local detection at a point of receipt of the laser light pulse, the received signals for remote detection and local detection respectively are integrated and a sum of the two respectively integrated received signals for remote detection and local detection is compared with a limit value.