Optical object detection apparatus designed to monitor front and lateral zones of vehicle

• US 7,000,721 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sugawara, Ryoichi, Matsui, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, BRIDGET D
• Application Number:
  US10/132,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20020157887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/271, 180/274, 342/54, 342/70, 256/4.01, 256/5.01, 256/5.15, 256/141.1
• US Class Current: 180/169
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/823 Obstacle sensing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/21 Laser
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

An optical detection device for vehicles such as a laser radar is provided. The device consists of frontal and lateral object detection optical systems to monitor a font and a lateral zone around the vehicle, respectively. The frontal and lateral object detection optical systems share several component parts and a signal processing circuit installed in a device body, thereby resulting in a simplified structure of the device and allowing the size of the device to be decreased.

Claims

1. An optical object detection apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

an apparatus body installed in the vehicle, said apparatus body having disposed therein an optical device working to produce a light wave and process a return of the light wave from an object present around the vehicle to produce a signal indicative thereof;

an optical mechanism installed within said apparatus body, said optical mechanism working to direct the light wave to a first object detectable zone defined ahead of the vehicle;

a first optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body, said first optical unit working to direct the light wave transmitted from said apparatus body to a second object detectable zone defined round the vehicle other than the first object detectable zone and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object present within the second object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body; and

second optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body, said second optical unit working to direct the light wave produced in said apparatus body to a third object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first and second object detectable zones and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object within the third object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body, and wherein the number of the optical units operable is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.

2. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical device installed in said apparatus body processes the return of the light wave from the first object detectable zone in a given first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object and also process the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone in a given second operation time following the first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object.

3. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical device includes a light wave emitting circuit emitting the light wave, a light wave sensitive circuit sensitive to the return of the light wave to produce the signal, and a light wave processing circuit which process the signal from the light wave sensitive circuit to detect the object, and wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second optical unit includes a light emitting optical system and a light receiving optical system which are connected to the light wave emitting circuit, the light wave sensitive circuit and the light wave processing circuit.

4. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes a portion of a casing of said optical body.

5. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member extending through a casing of said apparatus body.

6. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus body includes a casing which has a light wave transmissible wall, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member joined to the light wave transmissible wall.

7. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second optical unit is installed in one of a blinker, a reflector, a tail lamp, and a sideview mirror.

8. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said optical mechanism works as a scanner to sweep the light wave across a given scanning angle, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a first angular range defined across a central portion of the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to the first object detectable zone, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a second angular range defined outside to first angular range within the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to second object detectable zone.

9. An optical object detection apparatus us set forth in claim 2, wherein the second operation time in which the optical device processes the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.

10. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said optical mechanism includes a scanner mirror which swings over the given scanning angle, an angle of swing of the scanner mirror being controlled to switch between a first scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the first object detectable zone and a second scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the second object detectable zone.

11. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the angle of swing of the scanner mirror is controlled as a function of a speed of the vehicle.

12. An optical object detection apparatus for a vehicle comprising;

an apparatus body installed in the vehicle, said apparatus body having disposed therein an optical device working to produce a light wave and process a return of the light wave from an object present around the vehicle to produce a signal indicative thereof;

an optical mechanism installed within said apparatus body, said optical mechanism working to direct the light wave to a first object detectable zone defined ahead of the vehicle;

a first optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body for directing the light wave transmitted from said apparatus body to a second object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first object detectable zone and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object present within the second object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body; and

a second optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body for directing the light wave produced in said apparatus body to a third object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first and second object detectable zones and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object within the third object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body, and wherein one or more of the optical device, the first optical unit and the second optical unit is deactivated as vehicle speed increases.

13. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said optical device installed in said apparatus body processes the return of the light wave from the first object detectable zone in a given first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object and also process the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone in a given second operation time following the first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object.

14. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said optical device includes a light wave emitting circuit emitting the light wave, a light wave sensitive circuit sensitive to the return of the light wave to produce the signal, and a light wave processing circuit which process the signal from the light wave sensitive circuit to detect the object, and wherein said optical unit includes a light emitting optical system and a light receiving optical system which are connected to the light wave emitting circuit, the light wave sensitive circuit, and the light wave processing circuit.

15. An optical object detection apparatus as act forth in claim 12, wherein said optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes a portion of a casing of said optical body.

16. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member extending through a casing of said apparatus body.

17. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said apparatus body includes a casing which has a light wave transmissible wall, wherein said optical unit is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member joined to the light wave transmissible wall.

18. An optical abject detection apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said optical unit is installed in one of a blinker, a reflector, a tail lamp, and a sideview mirror.

19. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said optical mechanism works as a scanner to sweep the light wave across a given scanning angle, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a first angular range defined across a central portion of the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to the first object detectable zone, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a second angular range defined outside the first angular range within the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to the second object detectable zone.

20. An optical abject detection apparatus as sot forth in claim 13, wherein the second operation time in which the optical device processes process the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.

21. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said optical mechanism includes a scanner mirror which swing over to given scanning angle, an angle of swing of the scanner mirror being controlled to switch between a first scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the first object detectable zone and a second scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the second object detectable zone.

22. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein the angle of swing of the scanner mirror is controlled as a function of a speed of the vehicle.

23. An optical abject detection apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

an apparatus body installed in the vehicle, said apparatus body having disposed therein an optical device working to produce a light wave and process a return of the light wave from an object present around the vehicle to produce a signal indicative thereof;

an optical mechanism installed within said apparatus body, said optical mechanism working to direct the light wave to a first object detectable zone defined ahead of the vehicle;

a first optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body, said first optical unit working to direct the light wave transmitted from said apparatus body to a second object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first object detectable zone and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object present within the second object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body; and

second optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body said second optical unit working to direct the light wave produced in said apparatus body to a third object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first and second object detectable zones and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object within the third object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body,

wherein said optical mechanism includes a scanner mirror which swings over a given scanning angle with an angle of swing controlled as a function of vehicle speed, and

wherein the number of the optical units operable is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.

24. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said optical device installed in said apparatus body processes the return of the light wave from the first object detectable zone in a given first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object and also process the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone in a given second operation time following the first operation time to produce the signal indicative of detection of the object.

25. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said optical device includes a light wave emitting circuit emitting the light wave, a light wave sensitive circuit sensitive to the return of the light wave to produce the signal, and a light wave processing circuit which process the signal from the light wave sensitive circuit to detect the object, and wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second includes a light emitting optical system and a light receiving optical system which are connected to the light wave emitting circuit, the light wave sensitive circuit, and the light wave processing circuit.

26. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes a portion of a casing of said optical body.

27. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member extending through a casing of said apparatus body.

28. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said apparatus body includes a casing which has a light wave transmissible wall, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second is coupled with the optical device of said apparatus body through an optical connector unit, and wherein the optical connector unit includes an optical member joined to the light wave transmissible wall.

29. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein at least one of said first optical unit and said second is installed in one of a blinker, a reflector, a tail lamp, and a sideview mirror.

30. An optical abject detection apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein said optical mechanism works as a scanner to sweep the light wave across a given scanning angle, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a first angular range defined across a central portion of the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to the first object detectable zone, when said optical mechanism is sweeping the light wave in a second angular range defined outside the flint angular range within the scanning angle, the light wave being directed to the second object detectable zone.

31. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein the second operation time in which the optical device processes process the return of the light wave from the second object detectable zone is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.

32. An optical object detection apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein said optical mechanism includes a scanner mirror which swings over the given scanning angle, an angle of swing of the scanner mirror being controlled to switch between a first scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the first object detectable zone and a second scan mode in which the light wave is directed to the second object detectable zone.