Device, and associated method, for determining distances between moving objects
First Claim
1. A device for determining a value that is representative of a separation distance that separates first and second moving objects, said device comprising:
- a range determiner positioned at a remote position remote from the first and second moving objects, said range determiner for determining a first range between the remote position and the first moving object wherein said first range is determined at a first time, and for determining a second range between the remote position and the second moving object wherein said second range is determined at a second time;
a speed determiner for determining values of speed of at least one of the first moving object and the second moving object; and
calculating circuitry operative responsive to the first range and the second range determined by said range determiner, the values of speed determined by said speed determiner, and an elapsed time interval between the first time and the second time at which the determinations of the first range and the second range are determined by said range determiner, said calculating circuitry for calculating values representative of the separation distance that separates the first and second moving objects.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device, and an associated method, for determining separation distances separating motor vehicles travelling along a roadway. A separation distance separating the motor vehicles is calculated responsive to targeting the vehicles with a laser range finder and determining the speeds of the vehicles. From this information, the separation distances separating the motor vehicles can be calculated. If the separation distance separating the motor vehicles is less than a minimum distance, then the calculated separation distance can be utilized by traffic enforcement officials to take appropriate enforcement actions.
38 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A device for determining a value that is representative of a separation distance that separates first and second moving objects, said device comprising:
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a range determiner positioned at a remote position remote from the first and second moving objects, said range determiner for determining a first range between the remote position and the first moving object wherein said first range is determined at a first time, and for determining a second range between the remote position and the second moving object wherein said second range is determined at a second time; a speed determiner for determining values of speed of at least one of the first moving object and the second moving object; and calculating circuitry operative responsive to the first range and the second range determined by said range determiner, the values of speed determined by said speed determiner, and an elapsed time interval between the first time and the second time at which the determinations of the first range and the second range are determined by said range determiner, said calculating circuitry for calculating values representative of the separation distance that separates the first and second moving objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A device for determining a value representative of a separation distance separating first and second moving objects, said device comprising:
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a laser range finder positioned at a remote position remote from the first and second moving objects, said laser range finder for determining a first range between the remote position and the first moving object and for determining a second range between the remote position and the second moving object; a speed determiner for determining values of speed of at least one of the first moving object and the second moving object; and calculating circuitry operative responsive to the first range and the second range calculated by said laser range finder, the speeds determined by said speed determiner, and an elapsed time between determinations of the first range and the second range determined by said laser range finder, said calculating circuitry for calculating values representative of the separation distance separating the first and second moving objects. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for determining a value representative of a separation distance separating first and second moving objects, said method comprising the steps of:
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determining a first range between a measuring position located remote from both the first and the second moving objects and the first moving object, said first range being determined at a first time; determining a second range between the measuring position and the second moving object, said second range being determined at a second time; determining values of speed of at least one of the first moving object and the second moving object; and calculating the value representative of the separation distance separating the first and second moving objects based upon said first range, said second range, a time interval that exists between said first time and said second time, and said values of speed of at least one of the first moving object and the second moving object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. In a laser range finder and speed detector for determining ranges between a measuring position and a least first and second moving objects and for determining speeds of the at least first and second moving objects, an improvement of a circuit for determining values representative of a separation distance separating the first and second moving objects, said circuit comprising:
separation distance calculating circuitry operative responsive to the ranges between the measuring position and the first and second moving objects, the speed of at least one of the first and second moving objects, and an elapsed time between times at which the ranges between the measuring position and the first and second moving objects, said separation distance calculating circuitry for calculating the values representative of the separation distance separating the first and second moving objects.
Specification