US6810330B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for and method of detecting object on road
Assignee: Nidec Mobility Corp
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Filing: 2002-07-15
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Granted: 2004-10-26
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Expires: 2022-07-15
Abstract
Abstract A detector set on a motor vehicle emits a beam of light forward and receives a beam reflected from an object and determines the distance to the object. Displacement in the direction of emission of the beam is detected and corrected by recognizing the received beam as having been reflected by an overhead beam reflector of a known height of a part of the road surface and by measuring the distance to the point where the reflection has taken place. The slope of the beam-reflecting road surface may be used to determine the displacement of the direction of beam emission. The speedometer of the motor vehicle may be checked to determine whether it is running at a constant speed such that only measurements taken while the vehicle is running smoothly can be used for the calculation.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshio Matsuura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:22
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/88; G01S17/93; G01S17/931; G01S7/00; G01S7/48; G01S7/4802; G01S17/02; G01S17/06; G01S17/42; G01S7/497; G01S7/4972; G06; G06V; G06V20/00; G06V20/50; G06V20/56; G06V20/58; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/16; G08G1/166; B; B60; B60W; B60W2552/00; B60W2552/15; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S367/00; Y10S367/909
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A detector for an object on a road surface, said detector comprising: beam emitting means for emitting a beam; beam receiving means for receiving reflected beam of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means by an object; distance measuring means for measuring a distance to said object from said reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; recognizing means for recognizing an overhead beam reflector with a known height based on the reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; distance identifying means for identifying a distance to said overhead beam reflector immediately before said overhead beam reflector becomes unrecognizable by said recognizing means; and displacement detecting means for detecting a directional displacement of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means based on the distance to said overhead beam reflector identified by said distance identified means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A detector for an object on a road surface, said detector comprising: beam emitting means for emitting a beam; beam receiving means for receiving reflected beam of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means by an object; distance measuring means for measuring a distance to said object from said reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; recognizing means for recognizing an overhead beam reflector with a known height based on the reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; distance identifying means for identifying a distance to said overhead beam reflector immediately before said overhead beam reflector becomes unrecognizable by said recognizing means; and displacement detecting means for detecting a directional displacement of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means based on the distance to said overhead beam reflector identified by said distance identified means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The detector of claim 1 further comprising correcting means for correcting said directional displacement detected by said displacement detecting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The detector of claim 1 further comprising: displacement judging means for judging whether or not said directional displacement detected by said displacement detecting means is within a specified range; and warning means for outputting a warning signal when said displacement judging means judges that said directional displacement detected by said displacement detecting means is not within said specified range.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
The detector of claim 1 wherein said detector is installed on a motor vehicle, said detector further comprising: speed detecting means for detecting a running speed of said motor vehicle; and speed judging means for judging whether or not said motor vehicle is traveling at a stable rate on the basis of outputs from said speed detecting means; wherein said displacement detecting means detects said directional displacement when said speed judging means judges that said motor vehicle is running at a stable rate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The detector of claim 2 wherein said correcting means adjusts the direction of emission from said beam emitting means by continuously change the angle of said emission in a vertical direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The detector of claim 2 wherein said correcting means corrects said directional displacement by selecting one of a plurality of preselected angles in a vertical direction closest to a standard angle and causing said emission at said selected angle.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of detecting an object on a road surface, said method comprising the steps of: emitting a beam; receiving a reflected beam of the emitted beam, reflected by an object; measuring a distance to said object based on said reflected beam; recognizing an overhead beam reflector with a known height based on the received reflected beam; identifying a distance to said overhead beam reflector immediately before said overhead beam reflector becomes unrecognizable; and detecting a directional displacement of the emitted beam based on the distance to said overhead beam identified.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of detecting an object on a road surface, said method comprising the steps of: emitting a beam; receiving a reflected beam of the emitted beam, reflected by an object; measuring a distance to said object based on said reflected beam; recognizing an overhead beam reflector with a known height based on the received reflected beam; identifying a distance to said overhead beam reflector immediately before said overhead beam reflector becomes unrecognizable; and detecting a directional displacement of the emitted beam based on the distance to said overhead beam identified.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of correcting said directional displacement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
136 words
A detector for an object on a road surface, said detector comprising: beam emitting means for emitting a beam; beam receiving means for receiving reflected beam of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means by an object; distance measuring means for measuring a distance to said object from said reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; judging means for judging whether or not said object which reflected the emitted beam received by said receiving means was said road surface; distance identifying means for identifying a distance to said road surface if said judging means judges that said object was said road surface; and displacement detecting means for detecting a directional displacement of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means based on the distance to said road surface identified by said distance identified means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
A detector for an object on a road surface, said detector comprising: beam emitting means for emitting a beam; beam receiving means for receiving reflected beam of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means by an object; distance measuring means for measuring a distance to said object from said reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; judging means for judging whether or not said object which reflected the emitted beam received by said receiving means was said road surface; distance identifying means for identifying a distance to said road surface if said judging means judges that said object was said road surface; and displacement detecting means for detecting a directional displacement of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means based on the distance to said road surface identified by said distance identified means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The detector of claim 9 further comprising correcting means for correcting said detected displacement based on the distance to said road surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The detector of claim 9 further comprising: displacement judging means for judging whether or not said directional displacement detected by said displacement detecting means is within a specified range; and warning means for outputting a warning signal when said displacement judging means judges that said directional displacement detected by said displacement detecting means is not within said specified range.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
The detector of claim 9 wherein said detector is installed on a motor vehicle, said detector further comprising: speed detecting means for detecting a running speed of said motor vehicle; and speed judging means for judging whether or not said motor vehicle is traveling at a stable rate on the basis of outputs from said speed detecting means; wherein said displacement detecting means detects said directional displacement when said speed judging means judges that said motor vehicle is running at a stable rate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The detector of claim 10 wherein said correcting means adjusts the direction of emission from said beam emitting means by continuously change the angle of said emission in a vertical direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The detector of claim 10 wherein said correcting means corrects said directional displacement by selecting one of a plurality of preselected angles in a vertical direction closest to a standard angle and causing said emission at said selected angle.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of detecting an object on a road surface, said method comprising the steps of: emitting a beam; receiving a reflected beam of the emitted beam, reflected by an object; measuring a distance to said object based on said reflected beam; judging whether or not said object which reflected the received beam was said road surface; identifying a distance to said road surface if it has been judged that said object was said road surface; and detecting a directional displacement of the emitted beam based on said identified distance to said road surface.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of detecting an object on a road surface, said method comprising the steps of: emitting a beam; receiving a reflected beam of the emitted beam, reflected by an object; measuring a distance to said object based on said reflected beam; judging whether or not said object which reflected the received beam was said road surface; identifying a distance to said road surface if it has been judged that said object was said road surface; and detecting a directional displacement of the emitted beam based on said identified distance to said road surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of correcting said directional displacement.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
139 words
A detector for an object on a road surface, said detector comprising: beam emitting means for emitting a beam; beam receiving means for receiving reflected beam of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means by an object; judging means for judging whether or not said object which reflected the emitted beam received by said receiving means was said road surface; distance measuring means for measuring a distance to said road surface based on said reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; slope calculating means for calculating a slope of said road surface based on said distance to said road surface measured by said distance measuring; and controlling means for controlling an angle of emission of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means based on the slope of said road surface calculated by said slope calculating means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
139 words
A detector for an object on a road surface, said detector comprising: beam emitting means for emitting a beam; beam receiving means for receiving reflected beam of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means by an object; judging means for judging whether or not said object which reflected the emitted beam received by said receiving means was said road surface; distance measuring means for measuring a distance to said road surface based on said reflected beam received by said beam receiving means; slope calculating means for calculating a slope of said road surface based on said distance to said road surface measured by said distance measuring; and controlling means for controlling an angle of emission of the beam emitted from said beam emitting means based on the slope of said road surface calculated by said slope calculating means.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of detecting an object on a road surface, said method comprising the steps of: emitting a beam; receiving a reflected beam of the emitted beam, reflected by an object; judging whether or not said object which reflected the received beam was said road surface; measuring a distance to said road surface based on said reflected beam; calculating a slope of said road surface based on said measured distance to said road surface measured; and controlling an angle of emission of the emitted beam based on said calculated slope of said road surface.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of detecting an object on a road surface, said method comprising the steps of: emitting a beam; receiving a reflected beam of the emitted beam, reflected by an object; judging whether or not said object which reflected the received beam was said road surface; measuring a distance to said road surface based on said reflected beam; calculating a slope of said road surface based on said measured distance to said road surface measured; and controlling an angle of emission of the emitted beam based on said calculated slope of said road surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-10-26 | 2008-04-26 | 2008-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-10-26 | 2012-04-26 | 2012-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-10-26 | 2016-04-26 | 2016-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |