Motor vehicles – With means for controlling operation responsive to... – Radiation – force – or waves reflected from external object or...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-10
2001-01-30
Mar, Michael (Department: 3619)
Motor vehicles
With means for controlling operation responsive to...
Radiation, force, or waves reflected from external object or...
C342S070000, C701S096000, C340S903000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179080
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radar output control system including a control means for controlling the output from a radar device for detecting an object ahead of a vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a conventionally well-known auto-cruising system adapted to allow a vehicle to travel following a target vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, by detecting a relative distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle using a radar device having a laser beam. The speed of the vehicle is controlled, so that the relative distance is maintained at a predetermined value. Such an auto-cruising system is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 62-259111, which is designed, so that the eyes of a pedestrian or the like are prevented from being exposed to the laser beam by reducing the output from the radar device during stoppage of the vehicle or during traveling of the vehicle at a low speed.
In general, the vehicle speed is detected based on the rotational speed of a rotating member of the vehicle transmission, differential or the like. However, when the vehicle is mounted on a chassis dynamo device, and the driven wheels are rotated, there is a possibility that it may be misinterpreted that the vehicle is traveling, whereby the output from the radar device is permitted, because a higher vehicle speed is detected due to the rotation of the driven wheels, notwithstanding that the vehicle is actually stationary on the chassis dynamo device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished with the above circumstance in view, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a radar output control system, wherein the output from the radar device can be reliably prohibited when the vehicle is stopped or during traveling of the vehicle at low speeds.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a radar output control system comprising a control means for controlling the output of a radar device for detecting an object ahead of a vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle, wherein the control means controls the output from the radar device based on the driven wheel speed detected by a driven wheel speed detecting means and a follower wheel speed detected by a follower wheel speed detecting means.
With the above arrangement, the output from the radar device is controlled based on the driven wheel speed and the follower wheel speed. Therefore, it can be reliably determined whether the vehicle is actually traveling or is stopped, thereby properly controlling the output from the radar device.
When the driven wheel speed detected by the driven wheel speed detecting means is equal to or greater than a first reference value, and the follower wheel speed detected by the follower wheel speed detecting means is lower than a second reference value, the control means prohibits an output from the radar device.
With the above arrangement, for example, when the vehicle is mounted on a chassis dynamo device and the driven wheels are rotated, while the follower wheels are stopped, the output from the radar device can be reliably prohibited, because the follower wheel speed is lower than the second reference value, even if the driven wheel speed is equal to or greater than the first reference value.
The prohibition of the output of the radar device also includes a reduction in the output to a level at which the influence on a human's eyes is acceptable. The first and second reference values are set at 35 km/hr in the embodiment described below, but is not limited to 35 km/hr and may be any speed (e.g., 10 km/hr or more) at which the radar device provides substantially no influence on human eyes. Further, the first and second reference values are not necessarily equal to each other.
When the driven wheel speed detected by the driven wheel speed detecting means, is equal to or greater than the first reference value, and the follower wheel speed detected by the follower wheel speed detecting means is equal to or greater than the second reference value, the control means permits the output from the radar device.
With the above arrangement, only when the driven wheel speed is equal to or greater than the first reference value and the follower wheel speed is equal to or greater than the second reference value, thereby ensuring that the vehicle is reliably in a traveling state, the output from the radar device is permitted. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent an output from the radar device when the vehicle is stopped or is traveling at a low speed.
The permitting of the output from the radar device refers to the permitting of an output at a level at which there may be an influence on human eyes.
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Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Mar Michael
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