Vehicle surroundings monitoring device

• US 6,335,680 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Katsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/795,079
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/903, 340/904, 340/942, 340/936, 340/346, 455/575, 455/90, 455/300, 455/301, 455/73, 343/841, 361/816
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/525 between emitting and receiving antennas

Abstract

A vehicle surroundings monitoring device capable of performing distance measurement as desired even in a short-distance range to provide unerring alarm information to a driver. The monitoring device for monitoring surroundings around a vehicle has a transmitting antenna provided in a door mirror assembly of the vehicle to radiate transmitted waves through a mirror surface of the door mirror, and a receiving antenna provided in the door mirror assembly to receive reflected waves from an object existing near the vehicle through the door mirror surface. The monitoring device also has a stray electric wave limiting member for reducing electric wave components straying from the transmitting antenna into the receiving antenna. The stray electric wave limiting member is formed as an electric wave absorbing member provided between opening surfaces of the door mirror corresponding respectively to the transmitting and receiving antennas, a metal plate provided between the transmitting and receiving antennas, an electric wave absorbing member provided between the transmitting and receiving antennas and the door mirror except in front of the opening surfaces of the door mirror corresponding to the antennas, or a matching layer provided between the antennas and the door mirror.

Claims

1. A vehicle surroundings monitoring device which monitors surroundings around a vehicle, said device comprising:

a transmitting antenna mounted in a door mirror assembly of the vehicle, said transmitting antenna for radiating transmitted waves through a mirror surface of a door mirror in the door mirror assembly;

a receiving antenna mounted in the door mirror assembly, said receiving antenna for receiving, through the mirror surface of the door mirror, reflected waves from an object existing near the vehicle; and

a stray electric wave limiting member for reducing electric wave components straying from said transmitting antenna into said receiving antenna.

2. A vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein said stray electric wave limiting member comprises an electric wave absorbing member provided between opening surfaces of the door mirror corresponding respectively to said transmitting antenna and said receiving antenna.

3. A vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein said stray electric wave limiting member comprises a metal plate provided between said transmitting antenna and said receiving antenna.

4. A vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein said stray electric wave limiting member comprises an electric wave absorbing member provided between said transmitting and receiving antennas and the door mirror except in front of the opening surfaces of the door mirror corresponding to said transmitting and receiving antennas.

5. A vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein said stray electric wave limiting member comprises a matching layer provided between said transmitting and receiving antennas and the door mirror.

6. A vehicle surroundings monitoring device which monitors surroundings around a vehicle, said device comprising:

a transmitting antenna mounted in a door mirror assembly of the vehicle, said transmitting antenna for radiating transmitted waves through a mirror surface of a door mirror in the door mirror assembly;

a receiving antenna mounted in the door mirror assembly, said receiving antenna for receiving, through the mirror surface of the door mirror, reflected waves from an object existing near the vehicle; and

a cushioning member provided between said transmitting and receiving antennas and the door mirror.