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System and method for detecting obstacles for vehicles

  • US 7,876,645 B2
  • Filed: 07/28/2006
  • Issued: 01/25/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for detecting obstacles for vehicles, comprising:

  • at least one sensor (1), fastened on a motor vehicle (2), able to transmit a detection signal and to receive a corresponding echo signal reflected off at least one obstacle; and

    means associated with said at least one sensor (1) of parametric evaluation of said received echo signal;

    wherein said means of parametric evaluation in turn comprising;

    comparison means for comparing in a determined time window at least two successive echo signals received by the sensor (1) so as to determine a reference echo signal able to define the position with respect to said at least one sensor (1) of at least one fixed obstacle (5) constituted by an integral part of the motor vehicle (2), andverification means for verifying the difference between said reference echo signal and the successive echo signals received by said sensor (1) and for making a comparison between said difference and at least one predefined threshold value,wherein in the event of position of one first obstacle, with respect to said at least one sensor (1), being constant in time within said determined time window, and, at the same time, in the event of position of one second obstacle, always with respect to said at least one sensor (1), being variable in time within said time window, said comparing means are able to determine said reference echo signal according to the position of said one first obstacle, andwherein said verification means are suitable for generating a control signal of at least one user device connected downstream of said sensor (1), when said difference is greater than said threshold value,whereby, in case of no obstacle entering into the detection area (4) of the sensor (1), said successive echo signals, received by the sensor (1), are consistent with said reference echo signal, and, in case of an effective obstacle, not constituted by any integral part of the vehicle, inside the detection area (4), said successive echo signals change over time and are compared with said echo reference signal, corresponding to said fixed obstacle, integral part of the motor vehicle, for verifying the difference between them and said echo reference signal and thereby generating said control signal, when said difference is greater than said threshold value.

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