Obstacle warning system for a vehicle
First Claim
1. An obstacle warning system for a vehicle, comprising:
- distance measuring system for emitting a reflectable signal at a given angular range in a width-wise direction of the vehicle in a scanning manner and for detecting a distance between the vehicle and a movable obstacle in correspondence with a scan angle based on a reflection of the reflectable signal from the obstacle;
relative position calculating means for calculating a relative position of the movable obstacle with respect to the vehicle based on the distance detected by the distance measuring means and a corresponding scan angle;
radius calculating means for calculating a radius of an estimated relative curved path of the vehicle with respect to the movable obstacle based on relative positions of at least two points of the movable obstacle which are calculated by the relative position calculating means;
warning area setting means for setting a given warning area based on the width of the vehicle and the radius calculated by the radius calculating means; and
first warning means for executing a first warning process responsive to the movable obstacle remaining in the warning area for a predetermined period of time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An obstacle warning system for a vehicle includes a distance measuring device for emitting a transmission wave or laser light in a given angular range in a direction of a width of the vehicle in a scanning manner, and for detecting a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle in correspondence with a scan angle on the basis of a reflected wave or reflected light from the obstacle. A relative position calculating device calculates a relative position of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle on the basis of the distance detected by the distance measuring device and a corresponding scan angle. A radius calculating device calculates a radius of an estimated relative curved path of the vehicle with respect to the obstacle on the basis of relative positions of at least two points of the obstacle which are calculated by the relative position calculating device. A warning area setting device sets a given warning area on the basis of the width of the vehicle and the radius calculated by the radius calculating device. A warning device executes a given warning process if the obstacle remains in the warning area for a given period of time.
338 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An obstacle warning system for a vehicle, comprising:
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distance measuring system for emitting a reflectable signal at a given angular range in a width-wise direction of the vehicle in a scanning manner and for detecting a distance between the vehicle and a movable obstacle in correspondence with a scan angle based on a reflection of the reflectable signal from the obstacle; relative position calculating means for calculating a relative position of the movable obstacle with respect to the vehicle based on the distance detected by the distance measuring means and a corresponding scan angle; radius calculating means for calculating a radius of an estimated relative curved path of the vehicle with respect to the movable obstacle based on relative positions of at least two points of the movable obstacle which are calculated by the relative position calculating means; warning area setting means for setting a given warning area based on the width of the vehicle and the radius calculated by the radius calculating means; and first warning means for executing a first warning process responsive to the movable obstacle remaining in the warning area for a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A warning system for a vehicle, comprising:
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first means for periodically detecting a position of a movable obstacle relative to the vehicle; second means for estimating a trajectory of the vehicle relative to the movable obstacle in response to the position of the obstacle periodically detected by the first means; third means for calculating a radius of a curvature of the trajectory estimated by the second means; fourth means for setting a warning area in response to the radius calculated by the third means; fifth means for detecting whether the position of the movable obstacle periodically detected by the first means remains in the warning area set by the fourth means during a predetermined period of time; sixth means for generating an alarm responsive to the fifth means determining that the position of the movable obstacle has remained in the warning area for the predetermined period of time; and seventh means for inhibiting generation of an alarm responsive to the fifth means determining that the position of the obstacle has not remained in the warning area for the predetermined period of time.
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9. An obstacle warning system for a vehicle, comprising:
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a distance measuring system emitting a reflectable signal of a given angular range in a width-wise direction of the vehicle in a scanning manner and detecting a distance between the vehicle and a movable obstacle in correspondence with a scan angle based on a reflection of the reflectable signal from the obstacle; a relative position calculating unit calculating a relative position of the movable obstacle with respect to the vehicle based on the distance detected by the distance measuring system and a corresponding scan angle; radius calculating unit calculating a radius of an estimated relative curved path of the vehicle with respect to the movable obstacle based on relative positions of at least two points of the movable obstacle calculated by the relative position calculating unit; warning area setting unit setting a given warning area based on the width of the vehicle and the radius calculated by the radius calculating unit; and warning system executing a given warning process responsive to the movable obstacle remaining in the warning area for a predetermined period of time.
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Specification