Automobile with anti-collision function and anti-collision method

• US 9,121,946 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2014
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: FU Tai Hua Industry Company Limited, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Pan, An-An
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/256,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 500 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

An automobile includes a main body, and an infrared detecting unit on the front portion of the main body. The infrared detecting unit includes an infrared emitter connected to a motor, and an infrared receiver. An anti-collision method includes controlling the motor to rotate to rotate the infrared emitter. Controlling the rotating infrared emitter at each rotated position to emit infrared lights with an effective projection range L which form an illuminating trajectory spaced from the front portion by a distance S. Calculating a height of a protruding portion on the road surface according to the effective projection range L, the distance S, and the distance between the infrared detecting unit and the road surface H, if the infrared receiver receives the reflected infrared lights reflected by the protruding portion. Actions are preformed to protect the automobile if the calculated height is greater than a preset value.

Claims

1. An automobile comprising:

a main body comprising a front portion;

an infrared detecting unit arranged on the front portion, a distance of the infrared detecting unit with respect to a road surface being defined as H, the infrared detecting unit comprising an infrared emitter connected to a motor and an infrared receiver;

a storage unit storing a plurality of modules; and

a processor to execute the plurality of modules,

wherein the plurality of modules comprises;

a driving control module to control the motor to rotate, and rotated the infrared emitter;

an emitting control module to control the rotating infrared emitter at each rotated position to emit infrared lights with an effective projection range L, and the emitted infrared lights forming an illuminating trajectory spaced from the front portion by a preset distance S;

a monitoring module to detect whether the infrared receiver receives any infrared lights reflected by a protruding portion on the road surface;

a calculating module to calculate a height h of the protruding portion according to the effective projection range L, the preset distance S, and the distance H, if the monitoring module detects that the infrared receiver receives the reflected infrared lights, wherein L is the effective projection range of the emitted infrared lights, S is the preset distance between the illuminating trajectory and the front portion, and H is the distance of the infrared detecting unit with respect to the road surface;

a comparing module to compare the calculated height h with a preset value; and

a protecting module to take certain actions to protect the automobile if the calculated height h is greater than the preset value.

2. The automobile of claim 1, wherein the calculating module is configured to calculate the height h of the protruding portion which is described as a function h (H, L, S):

h=H−

√

{square root over (L²−

S²)}.

3. The automobile of claim 1, wherein the preset value is a height of a lower portion of the main body with respect to the road surface, the control module is configured to take actions to protect the automobile if the calculated height h is greater than the height of the lower portion.

4. The automobile of claim 1, wherein the certain actions comprise generating an audio signal to alert the driver.

5. The automobile of claim 1, wherein the certain actions comprise activating a brake system of the automobile.

6. An anti-collision method applied in a automobile, the automobile comprising a main body and an infrared detecting unit, the main body comprising a front portion, the infrared detecting unit arranged on the front portion, a distance of the infrared detecting unit with respect to a road surface being defined as H, the infrared detecting unit comprising an infrared emitter connected to a motor and an infrared receiver, the method comprising:

controlling the motor to rotate, and rotating the infrared emitter;

controlling the rotating infrared emitter at each rotated position to emit infrared lights with an effective projection range L, and the emitted infrared lights forming an illuminating trajectory spaced from the front portion by a preset distance S;

detecting whether the infrared receiver receives any infrared lights reflected by a protruding portion on the road surface;

calculating a height h of the protruding portion according to the effective projection range L, the preset distance S, and the distance H, if the monitoring module detects that the infrared receiver receives the reflected infrared lights, wherein L is the effective projection range of the emitted infrared lights, S is the preset distance between the illuminating trajectory and the front portion, and H is the distance of the infrared detecting unit with respect to the road surface;

comparing the calculated height h with a preset value; and

taking certain actions to protect the automobile if the calculated height h is greater than the preset value.