Automotive drive assistance system and method

• US 7,014,003 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2004
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Polak, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/839,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20040200650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/169, 180/271, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 280/735, 343/711, 343/713, 701/93, 701/95
• US Class Current: 180/169
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/18 Safety devices; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/424 Stacked beam radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• 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 19/062 for focusing

Abstract

An automotive drive assistance system (100, 200) includes a substrate (215, 221) having a radius of curvature (227, 229), wherein the radius of curvature corresponds to a field of view (226, 228). At least two radiation elements (219, 225) coupled to the substrate, where the at least two radiation elements are coupled to directionally transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation (140, 240) over the field of view. A lens (217, 223) is coupled to focus the electromagnetic radiation transmitted and received from the at least two radiation elements.

Claims

1. In an automobile, a method of detecting an object, comprising:

providing a substrate having a radius of curvature, wherein the radius of curvature corresponds to a field of view;

at least two radiation elements coupled to the substrate emitting electromagnetic radiation directionally over the field of view, wherein each of the at least two radiation elements corresponds to substantially 1 degree of the field of view;

a lens focusing the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the at least two radiation elements over the field of view;

the electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object;

the lens focusing the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the object back to the at least two radiation elements; and

computing a positional element of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the positional element of the object comprises at least one of position data, speed data and directional data relative to the automobile.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a user of the automobile of the positional element of the object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising based on the positional element of the object, the automobile altering at least one of direction and velocity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens is multi-lobed so as to create a desired radiation pattern for transmitting and receiving the electromagnetic radiation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lens comprises a plurality of lenses, wherein each of the plurality of lenses corresponds to each of the at least two radiation elements.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is optical electromagnetic radiation.

8. A method of adaptive cruise control in an automobile, comprising:

providing a substrate having a radius of curvature, wherein the radius of curvature corresponds to a field of view;

at least two radiation elements coupled to the substrate emitting electromagnetic radiation directionally over the field of view, wherein each of the at least two radiation elements corresponds to substantially 1 degree of the field of view;

a lens focusing the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the at least two radiation elements over the field of view;

the electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object;

the lens focusing the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the object back to the at least two radiation elements; and

computing a positional element of the object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the positional element of the object comprises at least one of position data, speed data and directional data relative to the automobile.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising notifying a user of the automobile of the positional element of the object.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising based on the positional element of the object, the automobile altering at least one of direction and velocity.

12. A method of collision avoidance in an automobile, comprising:

providing a substrate having a radius of curvature, wherein the radius of curvature corresponds to a field of view;

at least two radiation elements coupled to the substrate emitting electromagnetic radiation directionally over the field of view, wherein each of the at least two radiation elements corresponds to substantially 1 degree of the field of view;

a lens focusing the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the at least two radiation elements over the field of view;

the electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object;

the lens focusing the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the object back to the at least two radiation elements, wherein the lens is multi-lobed so as to create a desired radiation pattern for transmitting and receiving the electromagnetic radiation; and

computing a positional element of the object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the positional element of the object comprises at least one of position data, speed data and directional data relative to the automobile.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising notifying a user of the automobile of the positional element of the object.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising based on the positional element of the object, the automobile altering at least one of direction and velocity.