Device for detecting a moving object

• US 9,310,484 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Lee, Wei-Chia
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US12/227,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,211 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 in the bumper area radar in bumper area G01S2013/93275; bumper with obstacle sensor of electric or electronic type B60R19/483
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52001 Auxiliary means for detecting or identifying sonar signals or the like, e.g. sonar jamming signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/527 Extracting wanted echo signals Doppler systems G01S15/50

Abstract

A device having at least one ultrasonic sensor for detecting a moving object, in particular, an approaching vehicle. To this end, the device is equipped with a control unit for determining the distance and/or the relative speed of the object. To prevent misinterpretations in the acquisition of measured values, relevant environmental conditions are simultaneously detected by an additional ultrasonic sensor and, as a correction value, provide the basis for the signal generation.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one first ultrasonic sensor to detect a moving object;

a control unit adapted to determine, on the one hand, at least one of a distance and a relative speed of the moving object as a measured value, and, on the other hand, environmental conditions relevant with regard to acquiring the measured value, wherein the environmental conditions include at least one of visibility conditions, road conditions, temperature information, and rain information;

an output unit adapted to release a signal as needed based on the measured value; and

at least one additional ultrasonic sensor adapted to substantially simultaneously determine the environmental conditions while the first ultrasonic sensor determines the at least one of the distance and the relative speed of the moving object.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the device and the additional ultrasonic sensor is embodied as one of an integral component of a motor vehicle or of an element of the motor vehicle.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the additional ultrasonic sensor is embodied as a component of an existing ultrasonic measuring device, the existing ultrasonic measuring device being an electronic parking assistance.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein a threshold value for releasing the signal based on the detected environmental conditions is able to be automatically adjusted by the control unit.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

an input unit for manually changing the threshold value set by the control unit.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein predetermined sensor parameters of the first ultrasonic sensor are able to be selected from a memory unit of the control unit based on the detected environmental conditions.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein a sensitivity of the first ultrasonic sensor is adjustable based on the detected environmental conditions.

8. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the first ultrasonic sensor has a detecting range that extends at least one of laterally, and behind the motor vehicle.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an arrangement adapted to generate at least one of an optical and acoustic warning signal.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is designed to detect a moving object.