Monitoring apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the vehicle and the one or more target objects, wherein the apparatus is arranged to store a value of a reference angle parameter indicative of a reference angle of misalignment of the at least one sensor;
- to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the vehicle by comparing a measured value of misalignment angle with the reference angle;
not to trigger the at least one action unit the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned when the apparatus commences monitoring of the environment and, thereafter, to allow triggering of the at least one action when the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned; and
not to permit triggering of the at least one action when it is determined that a difference between a single measured angle of misalignment and the reference angle is greater than a prescribed tolerance angle.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a host vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the host vehicle and the one or more target objects. The apparatus is arranged to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the host vehicle whereby, when the apparatus commences monitoring of the environment, the apparatus is arranged not to trigger the at least one action until the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned.
14 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the vehicle and the one or more target objects, wherein the apparatus is arranged to store a value of a reference angle parameter indicative of a reference angle of misalignment of the at least one sensor;
- to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the vehicle by comparing a measured value of misalignment angle with the reference angle;
not to trigger the at least one action unit the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned when the apparatus commences monitoring of the environment and, thereafter, to allow triggering of the at least one action when the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned; and
not to permit triggering of the at least one action when it is determined that a difference between a single measured angle of misalignment and the reference angle is greater than a prescribed tolerance angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the vehicle by comparing a measured value of misalignment angle with the reference angle;
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15. A vehicle comprising an apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to the vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the vehicle and the one or more target objects, wherein the apparatus is arranged to store a value of a reference angle parameter indicative of a reference angle of misalignment of the at least one sensor;
- to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the vehicle by comparing a measured value of misalignment angle with the reference angle;
not to trigger the at least one action until the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned when the apparatus commences monitoring of the environment and, thereafter, to allow triggering of the at least one action when the apparatus has determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned;
not to permit triggering of the at least one action when it is determined that a difference between a single measured angle of misalignment and the reference angle is greater than a prescribed tolerance angle, the apparatus comprising range determination means operable to determine the range of the target object from the host vehicle and the rate of change of the range, the range determination means comprising either a radar transmitter and a radar receiver or an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver, the apparatus being arranged to determine the range of the target object from the vehicle by means of a signal transmitted from the transmitted and received at the receiver following reflection by the target object.
- to determine whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the vehicle by comparing a measured value of misalignment angle with the reference angle;
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16. A method of monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the method comprising detecting a position of the one or more target objects with respect to the vehicle and triggering at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the vehicle and the one or more target objects;
- storing a value of a reference angle parameter indicative of a reference angle of misalignment of the at least one sensor;
commencing monitoring of the environment using the at least one sensor; and
determining whether the at least one sensor is correctly aligned with respect to the vehicle by comparing a measured value of misalignment angle with the reference angle and not triggering the at least one action until it has been determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned and therefore allowing triggering of the at least one action when it has been determined that the at least one sensor is correctly aligned; and
not permitting triggering of the at least one action when it is determined that a difference between a single measured angle of misalignment and the reference angle is greater than a prescribed tolerance angle.
- storing a value of a reference angle parameter indicative of a reference angle of misalignment of the at least one sensor;
Specification