System and method of providing scalable sensor systems based on stand alone sensor modules

• US 7,061,372 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Collision Avoidance Technologies Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Altia Technology (Altia Group)
• Inventors: Parisi, Michael A., Thiede, David, Gunderson, Richard A., Nelson, R. Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAI T
• Application Number:
  US10/622,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 340/904, 340/461, 340/424.04
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles

Abstract

A stand alone sensor module having built in intelligence that provides object detection for a both a vehicle and stationary applications. The system includes a processor connected to a sensor and a signal interface. The processor receives signals from the sensor and the signal interface and generates a status signal based on the signals received from the sensor and the signal interface. The processor drives the status signal to the signal interface.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance system, comprising:

a first stand alone sensor module comprising;

a first sensor;

a first signal interface;

a first processor connected to the first sensor and the first signal interface, wherein the first processor receives signals from the first sensor and the first signal interface and drives a first vehicle status signal to the first signal interface as a function of the signals received from the first sensor and the first signal interface;

a second stand alone sensor module connected to the first stand alone sensor module comprising;

a second sensor;

a second signal interface;

a second processor connected to the second sensor and the second signal interface, wherein the second processor receives signals from the second sensor and the second signal interface and drives a second vehicle status signal to the second signal interface as a function of the signals received from the second sensor and the second signal interface; and

a display module connected to the first signal interface and the second signal interface that receives the first and second vehicle status signals and displays vehicle status information representative of the first and second vehicle status signals.

2. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the display module is wirelessly connected to the first signal interface and the second signal interface.

3. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor each comprise an ultrasonic sensor and a radar sensor.

4. The collision avoidance system of claim 3, wherein the processor includes a means for coupling to at least one stand alone sensor module and at least one slave sensor.

5. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the display module displays hazard information.

6. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the display module includes a visual and an audio display module.

7. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the first signal interface and the second signal interface each include a vehicle condition input for receiving a signal representative of a vehicle condition.

8. The collision avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the first signal interface includes an output that receives the first vehicle status signal from the first processor and the second signal interface includes an output that receives the second vehicle status signal from the second processor.

9. The collision avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the first signal interface includes an output that receives the first vehicle status signal from the first processor and the second signal interface includes an output that receives the second vehicle status signal from the second processor.

10. The collision avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the first signal interface includes a first data bus for receiving a first signal representative of a vehicle condition and for driving a signal representative of the first vehicle status signal received from the first processor.

11. The collision avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the second signal interface includes a second data bus for receiving a second signal representative of a vehicle condition and for driving a second signal representative of the second vehicle status signal received from the second processor.

12. The collision avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the first and second signal interfaces each include a sensor input for receiving signals from a third sensor.

13. The collision avoidance system of claim 12, wherein the third sensor comprises a stand alone sensor module.

14. The collision avoidance system of claim 12 wherein the third sensor comprises a slave sensor.

15. The collision avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the first and second sensors each comprise an ultrasonic sensor and a radar sensor.

16. A collision avoidance system, comprising:

a first stand alone sensor module comprising;

a first sensor;

a first vehicle condition input;

a first signal interface;

a first processor connected to the first sensor, the first vehicle condition input and a first output, wherein the processor receives signals from the first sensor and the first vehicle condition input and drives a first vehicle status signal on the first output as a function of the signals received from the first sensor and the first vehicle condition input;

a second stand alone sensor module coupled to the first stand alone sensor module comprising;

a second sensor;

a second vehicle condition input;

a second signal interface;

a second processor connected to the second sensor, the second vehicle condition input and a second output, wherein the processor receives signals from the second sensor and the second vehicle condition input and drives a second vehicle status signal on the second output as a function of the signals received from the second sensor and the second vehicle condition input; and

a display module connected to the first output and the second output that receives the first and second vehicle status signals and displays vehicle status information representative of the first and second vehicle status signals;

a first slave sensor coupled to the first processor; and

a second slave sensor coupled to the second processor.

17. The collision avoidance system of claim 16, wherein the first slave sensor is wirelessly coupled to the first processor.

18. The collision avoidance system of claim 16, wherein the second slave sensor is wirelessly coupled to the second processor.

19. The collision avoidance system of claim 16, wherein the second stand alone sensor module is wirelessly coupled to the first stand alone sensor module.

20. The collision avoidance system of claim 16, wherein the first signal interface and the second signal interface each include a vehicle condition input for receiving a signal representative of a vehicle condition.

21. The collision avoidance system of claim 20, wherein the first signal interface includes an output that receives the first vehicle status signal from the first processor and the second signal interface includes an output that receives the second vehicle status signal from the second processor.

22. The collision avoidance system of claim 16, wherein the first signal interface includes an output that receives the first vehicle status signal from the first processor and the second signal interface includes an output that receives the second vehicle status signal from the second processor.

23. The collision avoidance system of claim 16, wherein the first signal interface includes a first data bus for receiving a first signal representative of a vehicle condition and for driving a signal representative of the first vehicle status signal received from the first processor.

24. The collision avoidance system of claim 23, wherein the second signal interface includes a second data bus for receiving a second signal representative of a vehicle condition and for driving a second signal representative of the second vehicle status signal received from the second processor.

25. The collision avoidance system of claim 23, wherein the first and second signal interfaces each include a sensor input for receiving signals from a slave sensor.

26. The collision avoidance system of claim 23, wherein the first and second sensors each comprise an ultrasonic sensor and a radar sensor.