Sensor arrangement and method for regulating the distance of motor vehicles

• US 7,295,147 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Braeuchle, Goetz, Boecker, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US10/527,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20060092073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 342/107, 342/117, 342/118, 342/126, 342/128, 342/129, 342/134, 342145-147, 180/167, 180/169, 340435-437, 340901-905, 700/300, 700/301, 700/45
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area

Abstract

A sensor system on motor vehicles for locating objects in front of the vehicle, wherein at least two sensors, each having a locating depth of at least 50 m, are arranged in such a way on both sides of longitudinal center axis of the vehicle that their locating angular ranges together cover the entire vehicle width as of a first distance d1, and overlap each other as of a second distance d2.

Claims

1. A sensor system on a motor vehicle and for locating an object in front of the motor vehicle, comprising:

at least two sensors, each having a locating depth of at least 50 m, wherein;

the at least two sensors are arranged in such a way on both sides of a longitudinal center axis of the motor vehicle that locating angular ranges of the at least two sensors together cover an entire vehicle width as of a first distance, and overlap each other as of a second distance.

2. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first distance is less than 5 m.

3. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first distance is approximately 3 m.

4. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second distance is less than 10 m.

5. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second distance is approximately 5 m.

6. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein optical axes of the at least two sensors run parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the motor vehicle.

7. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least two sensors have angular resolution.

8. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the locating angular range of each of the at least two sensors to each side of its optical axis is less than 10.

9. In a system including at least two sensors arranged in such a way on both sides of a longitudinal center axis of a motor vehicle that below a distance, their locating angular ranges form a blind spot between themselves, a method for distance control in the motor vehicle, comprising:

when an object that is detected by only one of the at least two sensors leaves the locating angular range of the one of the at least two sensors, determining whether the object has left the corresponding locating angular range and gone into the blind spot; and

if the object is determined to have gone into the blind spot, decelerating the motor vehicle until one of the object appears again and the motor vehicle is brought to a standstill.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the determining step is performed made on the basis of locating angle data of the at least two sensors.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising:

for an object that is in the locating angular range of one of the at least two sensors, checking, on the basis of locating angle data of the one of the at least two sensors in whose locating angular range the object is present, whether the object is in the locating angular range of another one of the at least two sensors; and

if the object is in the locating angular range of the other one of the at least two sensors but is not located by the other one of the at least two sensors, outputting a fault report.