Method and device for detecting relative speed by using supersonic wave

Claim 2

In a method for increasing the safety with which a vehicle is operated, the steps of transmitting forwardly from the vehicle a signal of relatively high frequency and a convergence small enough to maintain the latter signal in the path of travel of the vehicle, simultaneously transmitting forwardly from the vehicle a second signal of a lower frequency and lesser convergence with the latter signal having a spread sufficient to extend into areas beside the path of travel of the vehicle, receiving a reflected echo of the high frequency signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is engaged by the high frequency signal, receiving an echo of said second signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is detected by the second signal in an area beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, automatically actuating a warning alarm in response to receiving the echo of the second signal, and automatically controlling the signal-transmitting vehicle in a manner protecting the latter and the occupants thereof in response to receiving an echo of the high-frequency signal.

Claim 3

In a method for increasing the safety with which a vehicle is operated, the steps of transmitting forwardly from the vehicle a signal of relatively high frequency and a convergence small enough to maintain the latter signal in the path of travel of the vehicle, simultaneously transmitting forwardly from the vehicle a second signal of a lower frequency and lesser convergence with the latter signal having a spread sufficient to extend into areas beside the path of travel of the vehicle, receiving a reflected echo of the high frequency signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is engaged by the high frequency signal, receiving an echo of said second signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is detected by the second signal in an area beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, automatically actuating a warning alarm in response to receiving the echo of the second signal, and automatically controlling the signal-transmitting vehicle in a manner protecting the latter and the occupants thereof in response to receiving an echo of the high-frequency signal.

Claim 4

In a method for increasing the safety with which a vehicle is operated, the steps of transmitting forwardly from the vehicle a signal of relatively high frequency and a convergence small enough to maintain the latter signal in the path of travel of the vehicle, simultaneously transmitting forwardly from the vehicle a second signal of a lower frequency and lesser convergence with the latter signal having a spread sufficient to extend into areas beside the path of travel of the vehicle, receiving a reflected echo of the high frequency signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is engaged by the high frequency signal, receiving an echo of said second signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is detected by the second signal in an area beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, automatically actuating a warning alarm in response to receiving the echo of the second signal, and automatically controlling the signal-transmitting vehicle in a manner protecting the latter and the occupants thereof in response to receiving an echo of the high-frequency signal.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for increasing the safety with which a vehicle is operated, a signal-transmitting vehicle, transmitting transducer means situated at the front of the latter vehicle for transmitting forwardly thereof in the path of travel of said vehicle a high-frequency signal of a convergence small enough to maintain the latter signal in the path along which the signal-transmitting vehicle travels, second transmitting transducer means carried by said signal-transmitting vehicle at the front thereof for transmitting forwardly from the latter vehicle a second signal of a lower frequency and lesser convergence which spreads to an extent sufficient to extend into areas beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, high-frequency receiving transducer means carried by said signal-transmitting vehicle at the front thereof for receiving the reflected echo of the high-frequency signal when aN object such as an oncoming vehicle is situated directly in the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, second receiving transducer means for receiving a reflected echo of said second signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is situated in an area beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle to engage and reflect the second signal, alarm means operatively connected to said second receiving transducer means for responding automatically to receiving an echo of said second signal to create an alarm which warns the operator of the signal-transmitting vehicle of the presence of an oncoming object in an area beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, and automatic control means operatively connected with said high-frequency receiving transducer means for responding to reflection of said high-frequency signal to automatically control the signal-transmitting vehicle in a manner which will protect the signal-transmitting vehicle and the occupants thereof.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for increasing the safety with which a vehicle is operated, a signal-transmitting vehicle, transmitting transducer means situated at the front of the latter vehicle for transmitting forwardly thereof in the path of travel of said vehicle a high-frequency signal of a convergence small enough to maintain the latter signal in the path along which the signal-transmitting vehicle travels, second transmitting transducer means carried by said signal-transmitting vehicle at the front thereof for transmitting forwardly from the latter vehicle a second signal of a lower frequency and lesser convergence which spreads to an extent sufficient to extend into areas beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, high-frequency receiving transducer means carried by said signal-transmitting vehicle at the front thereof for receiving the reflected echo of the high-frequency signal when aN object such as an oncoming vehicle is situated directly in the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, second receiving transducer means for receiving a reflected echo of said second signal when an object such as an oncoming vehicle is situated in an area beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle to engage and reflect the second signal, alarm means operatively connected to said second receiving transducer means for responding automatically to receiving an echo of said second signal to create an alarm which warns the operator of the signal-transmitting vehicle of the presence of an oncoming object in an area beside the path of travel of the signal-transmitting vehicle, and automatic control means operatively connected with said high-frequency receiving transducer means for responding to reflection of said high-frequency signal to automatically control the signal-transmitting vehicle in a manner which will protect the signal-transmitting vehicle and the occupants thereof.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 2 and wherein said high-frequency transmitting transducer means and said second transmitting transducer means are both supersonic oscillators.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 3 and wherein said high-frequency receiving transducer means and said second receiving transducer means are both in the form of piezoelectric vibration elements for respectively responding to reflected sound waves of a given frequency.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 4 and wherein said control means is a brake-operating means for responding to said high-frequency receiving transducer means for automatically actuating the brakes of the vehicle.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 2 and wherein said high-frequency transmitting transducer means includes a pair of signal-transmitting oscillators situated at the front of the signal-transmitting vehicle but respectively adjacent opposite sides thereof, said second transmitting transducer means being situated between the latter pair of oscillators.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 6 and wherein a means is operatively connected with said pair of oscillators for automatically springing the latter angularly into the path of travel of said signal-transmitting vehicle when the latter executes a turn.