Vehicle safety and protection system

• US 3,898,652 A
• Filed: 12/26/1973
• Issued: 08/05/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George E. Rashid
• Original Assignee: George E. Rashid
• Inventors: Rashid, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tubbesing, T. H.
• Application Number:
  US05/427,653
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 343/6R,7ED 180/98
• US Class Current: 342/59
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle safety system for detecting the presence of objects in the vicinity of the vehicle and for producing an indication upon the detection of the objects. The system comprises a front sensor and rear sensor each of which includes a Doppler radar and side sensors which include proximity radars. The system also includes a vehicle velocity sensor which senses the velocity of the vehicle and produces an output indicative thereof. A signal processing unit receives the outputs of the front and rear sensors and the vehicle velocity sensor and produces an output which is indicative of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s capability of stopping prior to colliding with an object detected in front of the vehicle, and also produces an output indicative of the range and closing speed of an object detected to the rear of the vehicle. An indicator is coupled to the signal processing unit and produces a signal indicative of the signal processor output, and signals indicative of the location of an object alongside the vehicle. The output of the processing unit may also be applied to the vehicle brake and accelerator controls for slowing down the vehicle if the operator does not respond properly to a warning signal generated by the indicator.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety system for detecting the presence of objects in the vicinity of said vehicle and for producing an indication upon the detection of said objects, said system comprising:

a. front sensor means for detecting objects in front of said vehicle;

b. rear sensor means for detecting objects to the rear of said vehicle;

c. side sensor means for detecting objects along-side of said vehicle;

d. vehicle velocity sensor means for sensing the velocity of said vehicle and for producing an output indicative of said vehicle velocity;

e. signal processing means for receiving the output of said front sensor means, said rear sensor means, and said vehicle velocity sensor means and for producing a first output indicative of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s capability of stopping prior to colliding with an object detected in front of said vehicle, and for producing a second output indicative of the presence of an object to the rear of said vehicle; and

f. indicator means, coupled to said signal processing means, for receiving said first and second outputs, and coupled to said side sensor means for receiving the output therefrom, said indicator means producing indications indicative of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s capability of stopping prior to colliding with a detected object in front of said vehicle, indicative of the detection of an object to the rear of said vehicle and indicative of the detection of an object alongside of said vehicle, g. speed control means coupled to said signal processing means for producing a signal for slowing down said vehicle when the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s capability of stopping, prior to colliding with an object detected in front of said vehicle, reaches a predetermined point, wherein said signal processing means comprises;

a. radar means coupled to said front sensor means and/or said rear sensor means for producing a range output indicative of the range of an object detected by said front sensor means and/or said rear sensor means and for producing a closing speed output indicative of the closing speed of an object detected by said front sensor means and/or said rear sensor means;

b. vehicle velocity computer means coupled to said vehicle velocity sensor means for computing said vehicle velocity and for producing a velocity output;

c. control computer means coupled to said radar means and said velocity computer means for computing said first output; and

d. wherein the range output and closing speed output associated with said rear sensor means comprises said second output, and wherein said control computer means comprises;

a. a first computing means for computing a first factor;

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a. said first, second and third computing means each comprise an operational amplifier:

and b. said fifth computing means comprises summing means.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control computer means includes means for varying Ga, Gb and Gc in accordance with road and weather conditions.

4. A vehicle safety system for detecting the presence of objects in the vicinity of said vehicle and for producing an indication upon the detection of said objects, said system comprising:

a. front sensor means for detecting objects in front of said vehicle;

b. vehicle velocity sensor means for sensing the velocity of said vehicle and for producing an output indicative of said vehicle velocity;

c. signal processing means for receiving the output of said front sensor means, and said vehicle velocity sensor means and for producing a first output indicative of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s capability of stopping prior to colliding with an object detected in front of said vehicle;

d. indicator means coupled to said signal processing means for receiving said first output, said indicator means producing indications indicative of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s capability of stopping prior to colliding with a detected object in front of said vehicle;

e. speed control means coupled to said signal processing means for producing a signal for slowing down said vehicle when the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s capability of stopping, prior to colliding with an object detected in front of said vehicle, reaches a predetermined point, wherein said signal processing means comprises;

a. radar means coupled to said front sensor means for producing a range output indicative of the range of an object detected by said front sensor means and for producing a closing speed output indicative of closing speed of an object detected by said front sensor means;

b. vehicle velocity computer means coupled to said vehicle velocity sensor means for computing said vehicle velocity and for producing a velocity output;

c. control computer means coupled to said radar means and said velocity computer means for computing said first output; and

wherein said control computer means comprises;

a. a first computing means for computing a first factor;

5. The system as set forth in claim 4 including a manually operated switch coupled to said control computer for varying said gain factors Ga, Gb, and Gc.