Patent US6067110A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6067110A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Object recognizing device
Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-07-03
•
Granted: 2000-05-23
•
Expires: 2016-07-03
Abstract
Abstract An object recognizing device for recognizing an object by transmitting laser light from a laser light source and receiving reflected light from the object by a light sensor, wherein the laser light source and the light sensor are disposed at a relative vertical distance of not less than 20 cm therebetween with a divergence angle θ 1 of the laser radiation emitted from the laser light source being set at a value of not more than 5 mrad and being smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the laser light and an optical axis of the reflected light entering into the light sensor, and which is, therefore, capable of effectively recognizing any object even in an atmosphere containing aerosol, e.g., fog or haze.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenichi Nonaka
- 👤 Yoshimitsu Saitou
- 👤 Masaaki Abe
- 👤 Seiichi Yokoyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:39
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/18; B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/50; B60Q1/52; B60Q9/00; B60Q9/002; B60Q9/004; B60Q9/005; B60Q9/006; G; G01; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/88; G01S17/89; G01S17/93; G01S17/931
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object by transmitting laser light from a laser light source and receiving reflected light from the object by a light sensor, wherein the laser light source and the light sensor are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of the laser light emitted from the laser light source is not more than 5 mrad and smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the laser light and an optical axis of the reflected light entering into the light sensor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object by transmitting laser light from a laser light source and receiving reflected light from the object by a light sensor, wherein the laser light source and the light sensor are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of the laser light emitted from the laser light source is not more than 5 mrad and smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the laser light and an optical axis of the reflected light entering into the light sensor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
98 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object by transmitting illuminating light from an illumination light source and receiving reflected light from the object by a light sensor, wherein the illuminating light source and the light sensor are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad illuminating light emitted from the illumination light source and a divergence angle θ 2 of reflected light entering into the light sensor are smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the illuminating light and an optical axis of the reflected light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
98 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object by transmitting illuminating light from an illumination light source and receiving reflected light from the object by a light sensor, wherein the illuminating light source and the light sensor are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad illuminating light emitted from the illumination light source and a divergence angle θ 2 of reflected light entering into the light sensor are smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the illuminating light and an optical axis of the reflected light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object by transmitting illuminating light from an illumination light source and receiving reflected light from the object by a light sensor, wherein the illumination light source and the light sensor are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad illuminating light emitted from the illuminating light source is smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the illuminating light and an optical axis of the reflected light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
84 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object by transmitting illuminating light from an illumination light source and receiving reflected light from the object by a light sensor, wherein the illumination light source and the light sensor are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad illuminating light emitted from the illuminating light source is smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the illuminating light and an optical axis of the reflected light.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object from a picked-up image of an area illuminated by an illuminating light source, including a first camera for taking an image of an area illuminated by the illumination light source, a second camera for taking an image in the same direction as the first camera but in a different sensitive range of wavelengths, and an image synthesizing means for synthesizing the two images taken by the first camera and the second camera respectively, and wherein the illumination light source and the first camera are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad illuminating light emitted from the illuminating light source and a single-pixel viewing angle θ 2 of the first camera are smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the illuminating light and an optical axis of the reflected light from the illuminated object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object from a picked-up image of an area illuminated by an illuminating light source, including a first camera for taking an image of an area illuminated by the illumination light source, a second camera for taking an image in the same direction as the first camera but in a different sensitive range of wavelengths, and an image synthesizing means for synthesizing the two images taken by the first camera and the second camera respectively, and wherein the illumination light source and the first camera are so relatively arranged that a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad illuminating light emitted from the illuminating light source and a single-pixel viewing angle θ 2 of the first camera are smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the illuminating light and an optical axis of the reflected light from the illuminated object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
An object recognizing device as defined in claim 4, characterized in that the first camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of visible light or near infrared radiation and the second camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of infrared radiation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
An object recognizing device as defined in claim 5, characterized in that the second camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of infrared radiation of near 10 microns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
98 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object comprising, a light source for transmitting light toward the object, and a light sensor for receiving reflected light from the object, said light source having a divergence angle, θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad and said light source and said light sensor being relatively positioned so that said divergence angle θ 1 of the light transmitted from the light source is smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the transmitted light and an optical axis of the reflected light entering into the light sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
98 words
An object recognizing device for recognizing an object comprising, a light source for transmitting light toward the object, and a light sensor for receiving reflected light from the object, said light source having a divergence angle, θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad and said light source and said light sensor being relatively positioned so that said divergence angle θ 1 of the light transmitted from the light source is smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the transmitted light and an optical axis of the reflected light entering into the light sensor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
An object recognizing device as defined in claim 7, wherein the light source and the light sensor are disposed at a relative vertical distance of not less than 20 cm therebetween.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
An object recognizing device according to claim 7, wherein said light sensor has a divergence angle θ 2 of reflected light entering into the light sensor, and said divergence angle θ 2 of said light sensor is smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the transmitted light and an optical axis of the reflected light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
157 words
An object recognizing device according to claim 7, wherein said light source is an illuminating light source, said light sensor includes a first camera having a single-pixel viewing angle for taking an image of an area illuminated by the illumination light source, a second camera is provided for taking an image in the same direction as the first camera but in a different sensitive range of wavelengths than said first camera, and an image synthesizing means for synthesizing the two images taken by said first and second cameras, respectively, and wherein the illumination light source and the first camera are relatively positioned so that a divergence angle θ 1 of the illuminating light emitted from the illuminating light source and the single-pixel viewing angle θ 2 of said first camera is smaller than an angle α formed between an optical axis of the illuminating light and an optical axis of the reflected light from the illuminated object.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An object recognizing device as defined in claim 10, characterized in that said first camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of visible light and the second camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of infrared radiation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
An object recognizing device as defined in claim 11, characterized in that the second camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of infrared radiation of near 10 microns.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
169 words
An object recognizing device for a vehicle for recognizing an object in front of the vehicle when the air includes significant aerosol particles, comprising, a light source mounted on the vehicle for transmitting light forwardly toward the object, a light sensor mounted on the vehicle and pointed forwardly for receiving reflected light from the object, said light source emitting a light beam having a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad, and said light source and said light sensor being relatively positioned on the vehicle at a spacing so that said divergence angle of the light transmitted from the light source is smaller than the angle α formed between an optical axis of the transmitted light and an optical axis of the reflected light entering into the light sensor for minimizing the volume of air and the aerosol particles illuminated by the transmitted light and reflected light and thereby minimizing light scattering for enhancing the reception by the light sensor of reflected light from the object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
169 words
An object recognizing device for a vehicle for recognizing an object in front of the vehicle when the air includes significant aerosol particles, comprising, a light source mounted on the vehicle for transmitting light forwardly toward the object, a light sensor mounted on the vehicle and pointed forwardly for receiving reflected light from the object, said light source emitting a light beam having a divergence angle θ 1 of not more than 5 mrad, and said light source and said light sensor being relatively positioned on the vehicle at a spacing so that said divergence angle of the light transmitted from the light source is smaller than the angle α formed between an optical axis of the transmitted light and an optical axis of the reflected light entering into the light sensor for minimizing the volume of air and the aerosol particles illuminated by the transmitted light and reflected light and thereby minimizing light scattering for enhancing the reception by the light sensor of reflected light from the object.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
An object recognizing device as defined in claim 13, wherein the light source and the light sensor are disposed at a relative vertical distance of not less than 20 cm therebetween.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
An object recognizing device according to claim 13, wherein said light sensor has a divergence angle of reflected light entering into the light sensor, and said divergence angle of said light sensor is smaller than an angle formed between an optical axis of the transmitted light and an optical axis of the reflected light.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
89 words
An object recognizing device according to claim 13, wherein said light source is an illuminating light source, said light sensor includes a first camera having a single-pixel viewing angle for taking an image of an area illuminated by the illumination light source, a second camera is provided for taking an image in the same direction as the first camera but in a different sensitive range of wavelengths than said first camera, and an image synthesizing means for synthesizing the two images taken by said first and second cameras, respectively.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
An object recognizing device as defined in claim 16, characterized in that said first camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of visible light and the second camera is sensitive to a wavelength band of infrared radiation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3243806A
Cited
US3949362A
Cited
US4143400A
Cited
US4383238A
Cited
US4447800A
Cited
US4552456A
Cited
US4632543A
Cited
US4786164A
Cited
US5040116A
Cited
US4967270A
Cited
US5214408A
Cited
US5304980A
Cited
US5293162A
Cited
JPH06215300A
Cited
US5529138A
Cited
US5515042A
Cited
US5646614A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-23 | 2003-11-22 | 2004-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-23 | 2007-11-22 | 2008-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-23 | 2011-11-22 | 2012-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |