Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Return signal controls external device – Radar mounted on and controls land vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-26
2001-12-04
Gregory, Bernarr E. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Return signal controls external device
Radar mounted on and controls land vehicle
C342S027000, C342S052000, C342S055000, C342S059000, C342S061000, C342S070000, C342S118000, C342S134000, C342S139000, C342S142000, C342S146000, C342S147000, C342S195000, C367S087000, C367S095000, C367S099000, C367S107000, C367S113000, C367S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06326915
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radar device for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a radar device having a camera and multiple wave sensors for use in backing up a vehicle to display the image of an obstacle behind and detect the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, thereby achieving safety assistance in backing up the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
With ever-increasing quantities of vehicles in the world, it is becoming more and more difficult to park a vehicle. Generally, a parking space is not easy to find, and even if there is one, it is usually too small to conveniently park a vehicle. As a result, a driver must be very careful in parking a vehicle to avoid a collision. Therefore, in order to assist a driver in parking a vehicle, there is provided a known radar device for use in backing up the vehicle. Such a radar device utilizes ultrasound waves to detect an obstacle behind the vehicle and, when the rear portion of the vehicle approaches too closely to an obstacle, it generates a warning buzz to notify the driver of such, so as to avoid a possible collision.
The use of this known radar device to assist a driver in driving a vehicle is not satisfactory because there is only a buzz generated when the vehicle is very close to an obstacle. From such a buzz, the driver can not be aware of the direction of the obstacle and the actual distance between the vehicle and the obstacle.
Furthermore, some large vehicles, such as touring buses, are provided with cameras on the rear portions thereof to enable observation of areas behind the vehicles and thus display the images to, and so assist, the drivers. The use of cameras seems helpful to a driver in backing up and parking a vehicle because the driver can actually see the circumstance behind the vehicle. However, in practical application, it is found that, generally, a camera can only take an image with a 110 degree field of view, such that there are some blind spots that can not be caught by the camera and thus the driver will not be aware of an obstacle in the blind spot area.
Accordingly, the use of the conventional radar device and camera for backing up a vehicle is not satisfactory, and thus, there is a need to have a novel device that can mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a radar device with a multiplexed display function for use in backing up a vehicle to achieve safety assistance by displaying an image of an obstacle behind the vehicle and further detecting and displaying the direction of the obstacle and the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle.
To achieve the above object, the radar device in accordance with the present invention has a camera installed in a rear portion of the vehicle, and at least two wave sensors adjacent to the camera for detecting an obstacle behind the vehicle. An image processing module is connected to the camera for processing image signals therefrom. A display monitor is connected to an output of the image processing module for displaying the image captured by the camera. The display monitor is driven by the image processing module to display the direction of the obstacle relative to the vehicle and the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle. A master controller is connected to the at least two wave sensors for determining a communication code representing the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle. The communication code is sent to the image processing module for displaying corresponding direction patterns and distance values on the display monitor with the captured image.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5314037 (1994-05-01), Shaw et al.
patent: 5479173 (1995-12-01), Yoshioka et al.
Chen Sen-Jung
Chen Shin-Chung
Gregory Bernarr E.
Jackson Walker L.L.P.
Tung Thih Enterprise Co., Ltd.
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