Vehicle length sensors
First Claim
1. A vehicle length sensor for a vehicle having a length, the sensor comprising a mount for mounting the sensor on the vehicle and a detection circuit arranged to measure, in use, the length of the vehicle to which the sensor is mounted, wherein the length is the length of the entire vehicle, including any trailer, or at least the length from where the sensor is mounted on the vehicle, including any trailer, to a rear end or a front end thereof, wherein the sensor is arranged to detect any other vehicles which are, in use of the sensor, alongside the vehicle to which the sensor is mounted, wherein the sensor is arranged to determine the distance of the other vehicles alongside the vehicle from the vehicle in a direction parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein the sensor is arranged to provide an indication to a driver of the vehicle, in use, of whether there are any vehicles alongside the vehicle for a distance of the length of the vehicle, plus an optional safety margin.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle length sensor for a vehicle such as a variable length truck, the sensor being provided with a mount for mounting the sensor on a vehicle and being arranged with a detection circuit arranged to measure, in use, a length of a vehicle to which the sensor is mounted. Typically, the detection circuit comprises a transmitter circuit, which is arranged to transmit radiation along the length of the vehicle, and a receiver circuit that is arranged to receive radiation that was transmitted by the transmitter circuit and reflected from the vehicle, and in which the detection circuit is arranged to determine from the reflected radiation the length of the vehicle. The sensor may also act as a lane change assistant, comparing the range of other vehicles to the length of the vehicle to which it is mounted.
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Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A vehicle length sensor for a vehicle having a length, the sensor comprising a mount for mounting the sensor on the vehicle and a detection circuit arranged to measure, in use, the length of the vehicle to which the sensor is mounted, wherein the length is the length of the entire vehicle, including any trailer, or at least the length from where the sensor is mounted on the vehicle, including any trailer, to a rear end or a front end thereof, wherein the sensor is arranged to detect any other vehicles which are, in use of the sensor, alongside the vehicle to which the sensor is mounted, wherein the sensor is arranged to determine the distance of the other vehicles alongside the vehicle from the vehicle in a direction parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein the sensor is arranged to provide an indication to a driver of the vehicle, in use, of whether there are any vehicles alongside the vehicle for a distance of the length of the vehicle, plus an optional safety margin.
- 9. A vehicle provided with a vehicle length sensor, the vehicle having a length, the sensor comprising a mount mounting the sensor on the vehicle and a detection circuit arranged to measure, in use, the length of the vehicle, wherein the length is the length of the entire vehicle, including any trailer, or at least the length from where the sensor is mounted on the vehicle, including any trailer, to a rear end or a front end thereof, wherein the sensor is arranged to detect any other vehicles which are, in use of the sensor, alongside the vehicle to which the sensor is mounted, wherein the sensor is arranged to determine the distance of the other vehicles alongside the vehicle from the vehicle in a direction parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein the sensor is arranged to provide an indication to a driver of the vehicle, in use, of whether there are any vehicles alongside the vehicle for a distance of the length of the vehicle, plus an optional safety margin.
Specification