Fast detecting obstacle method and parking sensor apparatus using the same

• US 7,557,692 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coligen Corp.
• Original Assignee: Shih-Hsiung Li
• Inventors: Li, Shih-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Toan N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/612,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20080143501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/903, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 701/96
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/878 wherein transceivers are operated, either sequentially or simultaneously, both in bi-static and in mono-static mode, e.g. cross-echo mode
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

A parking sensor apparatus has at least two ultrasonic sensors, and a method to decrease erroneous determinations of the parking sensor apparatus has a first detecting process and a second alternate process. In first detecting process, the two ultrasonic sensors are controlled to transmit and receive ultrasonic detecting signals. If a reflected ultrasonic signal is detected and an obstacle is determined to be existed according to the ultrasonic signal, the two ultrasonic sensors are controlled alternately in second alternate detecting process to further determine whether the obstacle is real or not. That is, the method and the parking sensor apparatus only requires two detecting cycles to determine the real obstacle, so the method and parking sensor apparatus have fast response whether any obstacle is close to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A parking sensor apparatus, comprising

a microprocessor builds a procedure of avoiding erroneous determinations and the procedure has a first detecting process and a second alternate detecting process;

at least two ultrasonic sensors respectively connected to output tem˜

inats of the microprocessor through an ultrasonic transducer and connected to input terminals of the microprocessor sequentially through an ultrasonic receiver and an analog to digital converter; and

an alarm device connected to outputs of the microprocessor and driven by the microprocessor;

wherein the first detecting process comprises steps of;

(a1) controlling simultaneously the at least two ultrasonic sensors to respectively transmit an ultrasonic detecting signal through the ultrasonic transducer;

(b1) recording a transmitting time of transmitting the ultrasonic detecting signal from the two ultrasonic sensors;

(c1) determining whether a reflected ultrasonic detecting signal is received, wherein if a determining result is positive, a transmitting duration of the reflected ultrasonic detecting signal is calculated according to the transmitting time, and then a distance between the ultrasonic sensor and an obstacle is further calculated according to the transmitting duration, but if the determining result is negative, return to the step (a1); and

(d1) determining whether the obstacle exists according to a calculating result of the step (c1), wherein if a determining result of this step is positive, the second alternate detecting process is executed, but if a determining result of this step is negative, return to the step (a1).

2. The parking sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor has a number counter.

3. The parking sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step (d1) further comprises:

a presenting number step to preset the number counter to have a counting number; and

a counting step for counting amounts of the positive determining results in the step (d1), wherein if the amounts is equal to the counting number, an alarm signal is produced, but if the amount is not equal to the counting number, the second alternate detecting process is executed.

4. The parking sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second alternate detecting process comprises steps of:

(a2) alternately controlling the at least two ultrasonic sensors to transmit the ultrasonic detecting signal and receive a reflected ultrasonic detecting signal, wherein at the same time, one of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to transmit ultrasonic detecting signal and records a transmitting time, and then another of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to receive the reflected ultrasonic detecting signal;

wherein when each ultrasonic sensor receives one reflected ultrasonic detecting signal at one time, at least two transmitting duration of the reflected ultrasonic detecting signals and at least two distances between the ultrasonic sensors and the obstacle will be calculated;

(b2) determining whether the two distances are close, wherein if determining result is positive, one obstacle exists and then drives the alarm device to alarm, but if the determining result is negative, the alarm device is not driven; and

(c2) returning to the first detecting process.

5. The parking sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second alternate detecting process comprises steps of:

(a2) alternately controlling the at least two ultrasonic sensors to transmit the ultrasonic detecting signal and receive a reflected ultrasonic detecting signal, wherein at the same time, one of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to transmit ultrasonic detecting signal and records a transmitting time, and then another of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to receive the reflected ultrasonic detecting signal;

wherein when each ultrasonic sensor receives one reflected ultrasonic detecting signal at one time, at least two transmitting duration of the reflected ultrasonic detecting signals and at least two distances between the ultrasonic sensors and the obstacle will be calculated;

(b2) determining whether the two distances are close, wherein if determining result is positive, one obstacle exists and then drives the alarm device to alarm, but if the determining result is negative, the alarm device is not driven; and

(c2) returning to the first detecting process.

6. The parking sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second alternate detecting process comprises steps of:

(a2) alternately controlling the at least two ultrasonic sensors to transmit the ultrasonic detecting signal and receive a reflected ultrasonic detecting signal, wherein at the same time, one of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to transmit ultrasonic detecting signal and records a transmitting time, and then another of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to receive the reflected ultrasonic detecting signal;

wherein when each ultrasonic sensor receives one reflected ultrasonic detecting signal at one time, at least two transmitting duration of the reflected ultrasonic detecting signals and at least two distances between the ultrasonic sensors and the obstacle will be calculated;

(b2) determining whether the two distances are close, wherein if determining result is positive, one obstacle exists and then drives the alarm device to alarm, but if the determining result is negative, the alarm device is not driven; and

(c3) returning to the first detecting process.

7. A method to decrease erroneous determinations of the parking sensor apparatus, which has at least two ultrasonic sensors, comprising:

a first detecting process comprising steps of;

(a1) simultaneously transmitting at least two ultrasonic detecting signals by the at least two ultrasonic sensors;

(b1) recording a transmitting time of transmitting the ultrasonic detecting signals;

(c1) determining whether a reflected ultrasonic detecting signal is received, wherein if a determining result is positive, a transmitting duration of the reflected ultrasonic detecting signal is calculated according to the transmitting time, and then a distance between the ultrasonic sensor and an obstacle is further calculated according to the transmitting duration, but if the determining result is negative, return to the step (a1); and

(d1) determining whether the obstacle exists according to a calculating result of the step (c1), wherein if a determining result of this step is positive, the second alternate detecting process is executed, but if a determining result of this step is negative, return to the step (a1);

a second alternate detecting process comprising steps of;

(a2) alternately controlling the at least two ultrasonic sensors to transmit the ultrasonic detecting signal and receive a reflected ultrasonic detecting signal, wherein at the same time, one of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to transmit ultrasonic detecting signal and records a transmitting time, and then another of the at least two ultrasonic sensor is controlled to receive the reflected ultrasonic detecting signal;

wherein when each ultrasonic sensor receives one reflected ultrasonic detecting signal at one time, at least two transmitting duration of the reflected ultrasonic detecting signals and at least two distances between the ultrasonic sensors and the obstacle will be calculated;

(b2) determining whether the two distances are close, wherein if determining result is positive, one obstacle exists and then drives the alarm device to alarm, but if the determining result is negative, the alarm device is not driven; and

(c3) returning to the first detecting process.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step (d1) further comprises:

a presenting number step to preset a counting number; and

a counting step for counting amounts of the positive determining results in the step (d1), wherein if the amounts is equal to the counting number, the alarm signal is produced, but if the amount is not equal to the counting number, return to step (a1).