Device for detecting the presence of objects in a blind angle of a motor vehicle

• US 7,049,946 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Luna, Francesc Daura, Garcia, Lluís Martinez
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/478,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 340/903, 340/426, 340/436, 340/547, 340/435, 340/551, 280/735
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01306 monitoring vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A device for detecting the presence of objects in a vehicle'"'"'s blind spot. The invention relates to a device for detecting the presence of objects in a vehicle'"'"'s blind spot, where the objects contain at least one ferromagnetic material whereby they distort the earth'"'"'s magnetic field. The device is mounted on a vehicle that has at least one blind spot. The detection device can detect the object located in the blind spot because it is provided with a unit for detecting the distortion of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field caused by the object. Preferably it includes a logical circuit with neural nets for processing the signals received from the sensors.

Claims

1. A device for detecting the presence of objects in a blind spot of a vehicle, said objects containing at least a ferromagnetic material or being manufactured by at least one ferromagnetic material whereby they distort the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said device being of the type that is mounted on the vehicle, said vehicle having at least one blind spot, where said detection device can detect said object located in said blind spot, characterised in that it is provided with means for detecting said distortion of said earth'"'"'s magnetic field caused by said object.

2. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises:

[1] at least one magnetic field sensor, capable of producing electric signals in function of said magnetic field, [b] an electronic circuit which converts said electric signals into digitalised signals, [c] a logical circuit that analyses said digitalised signals in order to analyse the presence of said object in said blind spot, and which produces output signals that vary in function of the result of said analysis, and [d] indicator elements activated by said output signals.

3. The detection device according to claim 2, characterised in that said sensors are of the group made up of flux gate magnetometers (flux-gate sensor), Hall type sensors, magnetoinductive sensors and magnetoresistive sensors.

4. The detection device according to claim 2, characterised in that said sensors can detect at least two of the three spatial components in a magnetic field.

5. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a device for measuring the inclination angle of said vehicle with respect to a horizontal plane.

6. The detection device according to claim 2, characterised in that said sensors have a resolution level less than or equivalent to 0.01 Gauss.

7. The detection device according claim 2, characterised in that said sensors are current fed.

8. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it reads said magnetic field at least once every 100 ms.

9. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it can distinguish whether said object is another vehicle approaching or another object.

10. The detection device according to claim 2, characterised in that said logical circuit comprises neural nets.

11. The detection device according to claim 2, characterised in that it has an action radius of at least 4 meters, measured from each of said sensors.

12. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it is provided with a sensor housed within the outside rear view mirror assembly on said vehicle.

13. The detection device according to claim 12, characterised in that it is provided with a sensor in each of the outside rear view mirrors on said vehicle.

14. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it is provided with at least one sensor in the rear of said vehicle.

15. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it is provided with two sensors positioned in symmetrical arrangement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and in that it calculates the difference between the signals produced by each of said sensors.

16. The detection device according to claim 2, characterised in that it is provided with calibrated data whereby it is possible to subtract from the signal produced by each of said sensors the part corresponding to the distortion of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field caused by the vehicle itself.

17. The detection device according to claim 16, characterised in that it detects, in addition whether said vehicle has begun to indicate that an object is approaching.

18. The detection device according to claim 17, characterised in that said activated indicator elements includes at least one of the activated indicator elements from the group:

illuminating the indicator light, turning the steering wheel, and activating the door opening device.

19. The detection device according to claim 18, characterised in that said indicator light include light signals having at least two colours, with each colour indicating a different warning level.

20. The detection device according to claim 19, characterised in that said indicator light include an output element which provides a pictogram representation, where said output element is a LED matrix or a screen.

21. The detection device according to claim 1, where said vehicle is provided with doors equipped with a safety lock, characterised in that said device can act upon said lock.

22. The detection device according to claim 1, characterised in that it includes other means for detecting the presence of objects, in addition to said means for detecting said distortion of said earth'"'"'s magnetic field.