GB2406989A - Proximity sensor - Google Patents

Proximity sensor Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2406989A
GB2406989A GB0323749A GB0323749A GB2406989A GB 2406989 A GB2406989 A GB 2406989A GB 0323749 A GB0323749 A GB 0323749A GB 0323749 A GB0323749 A GB 0323749A GB 2406989 A GB2406989 A GB 2406989A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
vehicle
signal
proximity
another object
monitoring
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0323749A
Other versions
GB0323749D0 (en
Inventor
Mike Bundy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB0323749A priority Critical patent/GB2406989A/en
Publication of GB0323749D0 publication Critical patent/GB0323749D0/en
Publication of GB2406989A publication Critical patent/GB2406989A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
    • G08G1/16—Anti-collision systems
    • G08G1/161—Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
    • G08G1/163—Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication involving continuous checking
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
    • B60Q1/50—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
    • B60Q1/503—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
    • B60Q1/50—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
    • B60Q1/525—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
    • B60Q1/535—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q5/00—Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
    • B60Q5/005—Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices automatically actuated
    • B60Q5/006—Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices automatically actuated indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/88—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications
    • G01S13/93—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes
    • G01S13/931—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
    • G01S2013/9325—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons

Abstract

A system is disclosed for monitoring the distance between a first and second vehicle 2,3. The monitoring system 1 is provided on the first vehicle 2 and a signal is generated to warn the second vehicle 3 of its proximity to the first vehicle 2 when a predetermined distance X between the vehicles 2,3 is detected. The monitoring means 1 may comprise an infrared means, an ultrasonic means, a pressure sensitive means, a barometric means, a turbulence detection means or a Doppler shift detection means. The signal generated to warn the second vehicle 3 of its proximity to the first vehicle 2 may be a visual warning means such as an illuminated sign 4 which can be read by the driver of the second vehicle 3. Alternatively the signal may activate a visual and/or audible warning means within the second vehicle.

Description

PROXIMITY SENSOR
The invention relates to a system for monitoring proximity.
Vehicular traffic is increasing on road systems, which generally are not improved or expanded enough to deal with the increasing volume, hence the density of traffic increases. This can lead to accidents, particularly when a following vehicle runs into the rear of the one in front. While brake lights are common they are applied by a driver, and hence can be applied too late to avoid an accident, being reliant on human intervention.
It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.
According to the invention there is provided a system for monitoring proximity, comprising a means of one object adapted automatically to detect proximity of another object and provide a signal; whereby to warn the another object of the proximity thereof to the one object when a set or variable distance between them is detected.
The means may comprise An ultra-sonic means, or a pressure sensitive means, which may itself comprise a barometric means such as a means which detects increase in air pressure as the another object approaches the one object.
Alternatively, the means may comprise a turbulence detector means, an audio detector means or a Doppler-shift detector means.
Also, it will be understood that the means may comprises a combination of one or more of all the aforesaid means, one or all of which may be applied to provide a visual and, or audible signal to the another object, for example, an illuminatable indicia. The objects may be vehicles.
An embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows schematically a perspective view of a system according to the invention.
Referring to the drawing, there is shown a system for monitoring proximity, comprising means 1 of one object, in this case a lead vehicle 2, adapted automatically to detect proximity of another object, in this case a following vehicle 3, and to provide a signal whereby to warn the vehicle 3 of its proximity to the vehicle 2 when a set or variable distance 'x' between them is detected.
The distance 'x' is pre-determined as a safe distance. The means 1 comprises a detector such as an infra-red detector set to send out an infra-red signal and to respond to a returned signal reflected back from the vehicle 3 and hence then to activate the signal 4, which can be an illuminated sign saying for example YOU ARE TOO CLOSE!" which can be read by the driver of the vehicle 3. Alternatively, the means 1 could activate a signal within vehicle 3 that could be a visual and or audible signal to the driver of the vehicle 3.
In all the embodiments the following vehicle is automatically warned when the pre- determined safe distance 'x' is reached.

Claims (15)

1. A system for monitoring proximity, comprising a means of one object adapted automatically to detect proximity of another object and provide a signal whereby to warn the another object of the proximity thereof to the one object when a pre-determined distance between them is detected.
2. A system according to claim 1, the means comprising an infra-red means.
3. A system according to claim1, the means comprising an ultra-sonic means.
4. A system according to claim 1, the means comprising a pressure sensitive means.
5. A system according to claim 4, the pressure sensitive means comprising a barometric means.
6. A system according to claim 1, the means comprising a turbulence detector means.
7. A system according to claim 1, the means comprising an audio-detector means.
8. A system according to claim 1, the means comprising a Doppler-shift detector means.
9. A system according to any of claims 2 to 8, the means comprising a combination of one or more of said means.
10. A system according to any preceding claim, the means being adapted to provide a visual signal to the another object.
11. A system according to claim 10, the visual signal comprising an illuminatable indicia.
12. A system according to any of claims 2 to 9, the means being adapted to provide a signal within the another object.
13. A system according to claim 12, the means being adapted to provide a combination of visual and audible indicia.
14. A system according to any preceding claim, the objects being vehicles.
15. A system for monitoring proximity, substantially as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB0323749A 2003-10-10 2003-10-10 Proximity sensor Withdrawn GB2406989A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0323749A GB2406989A (en) 2003-10-10 2003-10-10 Proximity sensor

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0323749A GB2406989A (en) 2003-10-10 2003-10-10 Proximity sensor

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0323749D0 GB0323749D0 (en) 2003-11-12
GB2406989A true GB2406989A (en) 2005-04-13

Family

ID=29433655

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0323749A Withdrawn GB2406989A (en) 2003-10-10 2003-10-10 Proximity sensor

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2406989A (en)

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2974304A (en) * 1960-01-15 1961-03-07 Lester H Nordlund Close-following vehicle warning system
DE3138377A1 (en) * 1981-09-26 1983-04-07 Hans-Hellmut Dipl.-Ing. 2061 Sülfeld Ernst Device for warning of inadequate distances between motor vehicles
WO1987002812A1 (en) * 1985-10-25 1987-05-07 Yianni Attikiouzel Warning system for rear end vehicle collisions
US5760708A (en) * 1989-11-21 1998-06-02 Seith; Nancy Signaling means
US5838228A (en) * 1997-09-18 1998-11-17 Clark; Dennis D. System for preventing rear end collisions
GB2328820A (en) * 1997-09-02 1999-03-03 Rabinder Singh Mandair Vehicular distance monitoring and warning device
US20030141966A1 (en) * 2002-01-29 2003-07-31 Ford Global Technologies, Inc. Rear collision warning system
US20030151502A1 (en) * 2002-02-12 2003-08-14 Bing Kam Automatic warning signal system for vehicles

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2974304A (en) * 1960-01-15 1961-03-07 Lester H Nordlund Close-following vehicle warning system
DE3138377A1 (en) * 1981-09-26 1983-04-07 Hans-Hellmut Dipl.-Ing. 2061 Sülfeld Ernst Device for warning of inadequate distances between motor vehicles
WO1987002812A1 (en) * 1985-10-25 1987-05-07 Yianni Attikiouzel Warning system for rear end vehicle collisions
US5760708A (en) * 1989-11-21 1998-06-02 Seith; Nancy Signaling means
GB2328820A (en) * 1997-09-02 1999-03-03 Rabinder Singh Mandair Vehicular distance monitoring and warning device
US5838228A (en) * 1997-09-18 1998-11-17 Clark; Dennis D. System for preventing rear end collisions
US20030141966A1 (en) * 2002-01-29 2003-07-31 Ford Global Technologies, Inc. Rear collision warning system
US20030151502A1 (en) * 2002-02-12 2003-08-14 Bing Kam Automatic warning signal system for vehicles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0323749D0 (en) 2003-11-12

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)