Vehicle pre-impact sensing system having signal modulation
First Claim
1. A vehicle pre-impact sensing system comprising:
- an array of infrared light emitters mounted on a vehicle and configured to emit infrared light into multiple transmit zones spaced from the vehicle;
an array of infrared light detectors mounted on the vehicle, wherein each detector is configured to detect infrared light intensity of infrared light received, and output a reflected signal indicative of the infrared light intensity reflected from an object located in one or more multiple receive zones proximate to the transmit zones, wherein the reflected signals are indicative of the object being in certain one or more receive zones; and
a processor for processing the reflected signals and determining range, location, speed and direction of the object, wherein the processor is configured to selectively turn each of the infrared light emitters on and off in multiple combinations, determine a difference in the reflected signals for each receive zone with the infrared light emitters turned on and turned off, determine, based on those differences, whether the object is expected to impact the vehicle as a function of the determined range, location, speed and direction of the object, and generate an output indicative of a sensed pre-impact event.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle pre-impact sensing system is provided that includes an array of energy signal transmitters mounted on a vehicle for transmitting signals within multiple transmit zones spaced from the vehicle and an array of receiver elements mounted on the vehicle for receiving signals reflected from an object located in one or more multiple receive zones indicative of the object being in certain one or more zones. A processor processes the received reflected signals and determines range, location, speed and direction of the object, determines whether the object is expected to impact the vehicle as a function of the determined range, location, speed and direction of the object, and generates an output signal indicative of a pre-impact event. The system may detect one or more features of a target object, such as a front end of a vehicle. Additionally, the system may modulate the transmit beams. Further, the system may perform a terrain normalization to remove stationary items.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A vehicle pre-impact sensing system comprising:
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an array of infrared light emitters mounted on a vehicle and configured to emit infrared light into multiple transmit zones spaced from the vehicle; an array of infrared light detectors mounted on the vehicle, wherein each detector is configured to detect infrared light intensity of infrared light received, and output a reflected signal indicative of the infrared light intensity reflected from an object located in one or more multiple receive zones proximate to the transmit zones, wherein the reflected signals are indicative of the object being in certain one or more receive zones; and a processor for processing the reflected signals and determining range, location, speed and direction of the object, wherein the processor is configured to selectively turn each of the infrared light emitters on and off in multiple combinations, determine a difference in the reflected signals for each receive zone with the infrared light emitters turned on and turned off, determine, based on those differences, whether the object is expected to impact the vehicle as a function of the determined range, location, speed and direction of the object, and generate an output indicative of a sensed pre-impact event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of detecting an expected impact of an object with a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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emitting infrared light with an array of infrared light emitters into multiple transmit zones incrementally spaced from the vehicle, wherein infrared light is emitted into one or more zones at a time by various combinations of light from the array of infrared light emitters; detecting infrared light with an array of infrared light detectors, said infrared light reflected from an object located in the one or more multiple receive zones indicative of the object being in certain one or more received zones; outputting by the infrared light detectors reflected signals indicative of an intensity of the infrared light reflected by the object; processing the reflected signals; determining a difference in the reflected signals for each zone with the transmitters turned on and off; determining, based on the differences, whether the object is expected to impact the vehicle as a function of the determined range, location, speed and direction of the object; and generating an output indicative of the sensed pre-impact event. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification