Blind spot detector

SWEDEN (12) PATENT (13) C2 (ni 520 360 (19) SE ₍₅₁₎

International class ⁷

G08G 1/16, G01S 17/93, 13/93

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PATENT AND REGISTRATION (45) (41) (22) (24) (62) (86) (86) (83)

Patent filed Application widely available The patent application was submitted on expiration date

National application number International filing date Filing date for European patent application Deposit of microorganism

2003-07-01

2001-06-16

1999-12-15

1999-12-15 (21) Patent Application Number 990459I-6

Application received as:

Swedish patent application completed international patent application with number □ converted European patent application with number (30) Problems information (73) (72) (74) (54) (56) (57)

PATENT OWNER Göran Sjönell, Askrikevägen 11 181 46 Lidingö SE INVENTOR Göran Sjönell, Lidingö SE

OMBUD Zacco Sweden AB (publ)

NAME Warning device for vehicles

CALLED PUBLICATIONS:

GB A 2 283 874 (G01S 13/93), WO A 9 013 103 (G08G 1/00), JP A 9 132 094 (B60R 21/00)

SUMMARY:

A guarding device to be applied to a vehicle, to signal with a driver's attention when a second vehicle (2) or object is in a fully or partially critical position for the driver. The device comprises two spacers (5, 6) spaced apart from each other, one outside and one, respectively. source arranged convex lens (8) and a position-sensitive radiation detector (7) arranged between the sources (5, 6). The device responds with different levels of warning signals to sensing, direction indicator (58), wheel steering (60), speed (62), etc. in combination.

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The numbers in brackets indicate international identification code, INID code. Letters in clamps indicate international document code.

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Summary

Vaming device to be applied to vehicles, to signal by signal to a driver's attention when a second vehicle (2) or object is in a fully or partially critical position for the driver. The device comprises two spacers (5, 6) spaced apart from each other, one outside and one, respectively. source arranged convex lens (8) with a position sensitive radiation detector (7) arranged between the sources (5, 6). The device responds with different levels of warning signals to sensing, direction indicator (58), wheel steering (60), speed (62), etc. in combination.

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Technical area

The present invention relates to the guarding device to be applied to a vehicle, to signal with a driver's attention when an object is in a position wholly or partly critical to the driver.

The prior art

For example, when a second vehicle is in a position obliquely behind its own vehicle, usually in a diagonally oblique position behind its own vehicle in relation to the position of the driver's seat, it may be difficult to perceive the other vehicle in the rearview mirror, even if it is set correctly. It becomes even more difficult if the mirror is just something wrong. In addition, the vehicle's design usually prevents the side view of the eye from perceiving the other vehicle when the driver looks in the rear view mirror. An additional factor that makes it difficult to detect the other vehicle in this position is the stress that the driver is exposed to when driving in intensive traffic with demands for repeated file changes, which is especially the case in metropolitan traffic.

The Swedish patent application 9700276-0 of the same applicant as the present invention discloses a flanging device to be applied to vehicles in order to signal with a driver's attention when an object is in a critical position for the driver. The device comprises two spaced apart sources of laser radiation, one outside and one respectively. a source arranged convex lens and a position sensitive radiation detector arranged between the sources, outside of which is also provided a convex lens. The sources and detector are included in an integrated circuit with the sources modulated to ignite with phase shift and the jets from the sources are set to cut each other at a predetermined distance from the device.

Various more or less sophisticated devices are available to warn the driver of other vehicles, located within said angle of death, ie. obliquely behind one's own vehicle.

Among other things, US 3,732,536, US 3,568,144, GB 22,665,744 and WO 95/25322 relate to vehicle detection devices for detecting the presence of a vehicle located within said dead angle, i.e. obliquely behind the vehicle with said device, using passive ultrasonic receiving or heat sensing (IR) arrangement. The components included in the arrangements are often arranged at separate locations on the vehicles. Against the background of ambient background noise radiation, this type of apparatus is almost impossible to make reliable as a heating device of the intended kind.

DE-2455733 discloses a device for measuring a relative distance to an object which senses a distance to the object regardless of whether the object is near or far from the device.

There are also known devices which are equipped with active paging means, for detecting another vehicle, obliquely behind one's own. These active means are thus transmitters

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520 360 of some kind of pulses as well as receivers for receiving echoes, which are obtained if the pulses hit an object in its path. Examples of such devices are shown in DE-21 43 406, and EP 0 370 965 A2 which devices use Doppler radar. Due to the complexity of these known devices and the associated, relatively high costs, combined with a high risk of operational interruptions, these known heating devices have found no market. There is a high risk of receiving false echoes.

Summary of the Invention described

The present invention, as designed in accordance with the characterizing parts of the claims, involves a flaring device which makes the driver aware of the critical position of another vehicle or object relative to the driver's vehicle, without disturbing the positioning of the background noise or sunlight - backlight - at the same time as the device is functional safe. and easy to keep clean.

A guard device according to the present invention is very likely to save many lives and prevent or prevent traffic damage. Problems with the so-called death angle is a phenomenon that drivers are exposed to daily.

Hereby, the present invention provides a guarding device to be applied to a vehicle, to signal with a driver's attention when an object is in a position wholly or partly critical to the driver. The device comprises at least one source of electromagnetic radiation or ultrasound and an arranged position-sensitive radiation or sound detector.

The source and detector are included in an electronic circuit, the detector detecting when an object is in a critical position for the driver. An output in the circuit for a first guard signal status is activated, whereby a first level warning signal is issued.

The electronic circuit of the vaing device comprises at least one of the following sensor means with associated output for activating the vaing signal status:

sensor means for sensing input signal on / off from the vehicle direction indicator; output in the circuit for activating a swing signal status when the direction indicator's input signal is on;

sensor means sensing the angle of impact of one of the wheels of the vehicle;

output in the circuit for activating a swing signal status when a warning signal is issued for the angle strike;

means of sensing the speed of the vehicle;

velocity threshold sensing means, with predetermined velocity thresholds indicating flutter signal status in combination with input signals from sensor means in the direction of movement of the vehicle, depending on the sensing of the sensor means.

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In one embodiment of the invention, a further level of vault signal status is provided with the sensor direction of the direction indicator.

Another embodiment indicates that a further level of vault signal status is provided by the angle trigger sensor.

Yet another embodiment indicates that a further level of flutter signal status is achieved with sensor means and speed sensing depending on the threshold.

Speed ​​detection is deactivated when a predetermined lowest speed is lowered in one embodiment of the invention.

Angle detection is deactivated if a predetermined highest wheel angle is sensed in a further embodiment of the invention.

If the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined upper speed, according to yet another embodiment, an additional level of file change or overtaking is sensed by sensing from the driving direction sensor and / or angle impact sensor.

Again, an embodiment of the invention states that an additional level is activated if the angle sensing is greater than a predetermined angle when the velocity is greater than a lowest predetermined velocity.

If the vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined upper speed, an additional level is activated when the sensing means of the direction indicator detects input signal, in one embodiment of the invention. An additional level is activated in one embodiment when the sensor means detects angular impact.

In a preferred embodiment of the device, it is included in a rear view mirror for a vehicle. The rearview mirror comprises a battery for operating the device in yet another embodiment of the invention.

The detector is in one embodiment arranged on the rear of a vehicle. The detector is arranged in a rear view mirror and a further detector is arranged on the rear of a vehicle according to one embodiment, where the detectors cooperate to detect received reflected signals.

Yet another embodiment comprises at least one detector disposed on a side portion of a vehicle for detecting reflected signals.

The vehicle is a truck or the like in an embodiment with side or rear part detectors.

Brief description of drawing

Further, the invention is described in the present specification with reference to the appended drawing figures for a better understanding of its embodiments, wherein;

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Fig. 1 schematically shows two vehicles, the conductive vehicle being provided with a guard device mounted at a rearview mirror according to the prior art;

Fig. 2 shows on a larger scale and very schematically the wetting device according to the prior art;

Figures 3 and 4 show examples of two different possibilities of applying the prior art vaporizer to an exterior rear view mirror of a vehicle; and

Fig. 5 shows schematically in block diagram form a flanging device according to the present invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Figures 1-4 below deal with the state of the art as known from the published Swedish patent application with application number 9700276-0 by the same applicant as the present invention.

In Fig. 1, 1 and 2 denote a first and second, respectively. second vehicle, the second vehicle 2 being obliquely behind to the left of the first vehicle 1. This location of the second vehicle 2 is critical for the driver of the vehicle 1, because it has great difficulty in detecting the second vehicle 2 in the vehicle. the rear view mirrors of the car, as indicated in the preamble of the patent specification. The exterior rear-view mirrors of the vehicle 1 are indicated by 3. The winging device according to the invention is shown in more detail in FIG. 2, which shows very schematically the principle of the invention. It is to be understood that the scale as well as the geometry of Fig. 2 is distorted compared to Fig. 1, to more clearly illustrate the principle. Reference numeral 4 denotes a housing or housing in which two electromagnetic radiation sources 5, 6 are spaced apart. Between the sources 5 and 6, a position-sensitive radiation detector 7 is arranged, ie. a detector which detects the position of an incident beam, as will be described later. The sources of electromagnetic radiation 5, 6 and the position-sensitive radiation detector 7 are included in an integrated circuit with the sources modulated to ignite with phase shift, ie. they are alternately activated. Laser sources - laser diodes are used as a source. Such sources as well as position-sensitive radiation detectors are well known per se, as are the interconnection of such components, as indicated herein, only a circuit of course for those skilled in the art. Outside or resp. at source 5 and 6 as well as the radiation detector 7, a convex lens 8 may be provided.

The source 5 for electromagnetic radiation emits a beam or a beam 9 and the source 6 for electromagnetic radiation also emits a beam or a beam 10. Thus, in order to get the picture clear, only one beam 9 or 10 at a time is lit. . The frequency with which the light sources are modulated to light up may be suggested to be 100 Hz. In Fig. 2, the dashed lines 11 are to indicate the center lines of the beams 9 and 10. The one in Fig. 1 and

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520 The dashed line 12 shown in 360 indicates, for purposes of explanation and simplification, the plane of the right side of the vehicle 2 facing the first vehicle 1, which side of the example is assumed to be the one that will reflect the beams 9 and 10, to be described later. As may be best illustrated in Fig. 1, the second vehicle 2 will move through or intersect the beams 9 and 10, in the illustrated example with the angle a, which in practice may be between approx. 15-25 °.

When the reflective portion of the vehicle 2 enters the beam 9 from the left in Fig. 2, ie. falling into the area marked with B, reflected beams to the position sensitive radiation detector 7 will be recorded as reflection from only the beam 10. The detector is so modulated that no signal is thereby emitted. When the second vehicle 2, with its reflective part, enters the area where the beams 9 and 10 intersect, which area in FIG. 1 and 2 is estimated, the reflected rays in the radiation detector will be detected originating from both sources 5 and 6, and therefore a signal is emitted, processed and converted to, for example, a driver flashing lamp visible to the driver.

Assume that if the second vehicle 2 with its reflective portion is at the point a in Fig. 2, the reflected beam will take the dashed marked path 13 and be detected by the position sensitive beam detector at point a '. If the second vehicle 2 continues forward with respect to the first vehicle 1 and the reflective portion thereof 2 falls at the point b, the reflected radiation 14 will be detected on the detector 7 at the point b ', whereby the detector 7 during the movement of the beam a' - b 'emits a signal which is converted into, for example, a flashing lamp visible to the driver.

Thus, with the movement of the second vehicle 2 from point a to point b, the reflected beam on the position-sensitive radiation detector 7 has moved from point a 'to point b'. The positions of the reflected radiation detected during the radiation from a 'to b' by the detector are converted into signals into a position indicating board or table, clearly visible to the driver, on which the board receives information on the presence of the other vehicle by means of lamps, symbols or the like. in relation to one's own. Of course, the positions of the reflected beams between a 'and b' can be detected and signal processed such that only one, for example, lamp indicates that a vehicle is in the dead angle range.

Because alternately two rays reflected from an object to the detector are required for it to emit correct signals, only the range indicated in Figures 1 and 2 will constitute the detection range. By varying the angles of the beams and their mutual angle of view, the extent of the estimated area can be determined so that maximum efficiency is achieved with the device. It comes through its design

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520 Thus, all background noise, background noise to be effectively minimized or eliminated, since the effective detection zone of the device is limited in space.

Figures 3 and 4 show examples of two different installations of the device at an external rear view mirror of a vehicle. In Fig. 3, the device 4 is shown on top of the mirror and in Fig. 4 the device 4 is shown vertically, on the side of the mirror. The device according to the invention can be manufactured as an additive to existing rear view mirrors or of course integrated into them in new production. The lamp or lamps which, by flashing, should alert the driver to the fact that a vehicle is obliquely behind his own vehicle, may be arranged (-e) on the rear-view mirror in connection with the present heating device or be located inside the vehicle. Most likely, the first case would be when the driver is still looking in the rear view mirror. Acoustic signals are also applicable.

Fig. 5 shows schematically in block diagram form a flanging device 50 according to the present invention. The device 50 consists of an electronic circuit 52 for controlling alarm levels; Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, according to the embodiment of Fig. 5. The alarm levels alert the driver of a vehicle for critical positions, eg objects such as another vehicle in the blind spot area, through a display 54 with flashing lights of different colors or frequency and / or with different beeps.

The flaring device is shown here in the form of several units for better clarity, but one embodiment of the invention comprises a rearview mirror 3 comprising the flaring device 50.1. An extension of the invention includes the mirror 3 also battery for driving the device 50 or connections for easily connecting a vehicle's power supply to the mirror. 3. In this way, older vehicles can also be supplemented with a winging device according to the present invention.

In one embodiment, the mirror includes the devices described above according to the prior art, for example, radiation or sound source, detector, etc. Reference numeral 8 in Fig. 5 shows, as mentioned, lenses for concentrating light from the underlying radiation source and lens for a receiving detector of reflected light.

The circuit 52 has a signal bus 56 or the like connected to the display 54 comprising a set number of alarm level outputs depending on the number of alarm or warning signal functions.

According to the present invention, various warning signals are issued depending on the inputs provided by sensors or sensor means for sensing direction indicator 58 on / off, wheel angle 60 (steering wheel stroke) and the measured speed 62 of a vehicle, which will be further described in greater detail.

Whenever a vehicle equipped with the warmer 50 through the detector 7 detects an object, for example a vehicle at the angle of death, a level 1 alarm according to the prior art is activated. For

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520 360 to further provide a safer movement of a vehicle with device 50, the present invention discloses the use of a combination of input signals to circuit 52 via sensor means 58, 60, 62. Hereby, a level 1 alarm is combined with input signals from direction indicator, wheel or steering wheel and the vehicle's speed according to predetermined parameters so that at least one additional alarm level, level 2, is activated and possibly more such as alarm level 3. In this way, a driver of the vehicle can be warned more effectively in that a further light and / or sound indication, so to speak, "wakes" the driver if, despite alarm level 1 warning, he tries to change file or start a detour.

Continuing, for exemplary purposes, a preferred embodiment follows one of many other possible ones.

As mentioned, alarm level 1 is always emitted when detecting an object in a critical or partially critical position for a driver. In addition, in the present embodiment, a warning signal for detecting direction indicators on, level 2 alarm, wheel strike measured at eg angle, level 3 alarm is given, and consideration of the vehicle's speed in relation to predetermined threshold values ​​depending on the traffic situation.

If the vehicle equipped with the warmer 50 has a speed below 60 km / h, an input from the sensor means 58, 60 means that alarm level 2 is activated and made visible to the driver via the display 54 possibly combined with a sound alarm. However, alarm level 2 is not issued if the wheel strike is greater than 30 °, here it is assumed that the vehicle turns right or left, for example a crossroads. The same happens if the vehicle speed falls below 15 km / h, for example, because it is not desirable to have an alarm at eg crawl run during rush hour.

Numerical examples of wheel speeds and angles are predetermined and can be changed for different traffic situations.

If the vehicle speed is detected as greater than 60 km / h, Level 2 alarms are activated when the direction indicator is sensed as on, and Level 3 alarm at wheel strike.

Naturally, other conditions for alarm activation than the above are possible for one of ordinary skill in the art, taking into account the stipulation of the appended claims.

The detector 7 is arranged in one embodiment on the rear of a vehicle. According to one embodiment, the detector is arranged in a rear view mirror and a further detector is arranged on the rear part of a vehicle, where the detectors cooperate to detect received reflected signals.

Yet another embodiment comprises at least one detector disposed on a side portion of a vehicle for detecting reflected signals.

Another embodiment indicates that at least one detector is provided on the side portion of a vehicle for detecting reflected signals.

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The vehicle is a truck, tractor or similar in an embodiment with side or rear part detectors.

The present invention has been described herein with specific embodiments and examples, but is not limited thereto for the sake of it, but it is the appended claims which specify additional embodiments for one of ordinary skill in the art.

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