Phillip M Gallagher

US Patent:

54537401, Sep 26, 1995

Filed:

Mar 23, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/216343

Inventors:

Phillip M. Gallagher - Magalia CA
James N. Hess - Paradise CA

International Classification:

G08G 116

US Classification:

340903

Abstract:

A vehicle collision prevention system for preventing a source vehicle from colliding with an obstruent object comprising detection circuitry adapted for detecting and providing an indication of an impending collision with an obstruent object, the detection circuitry further comprising transmission circuitry adapted to transmit a preselected reference signal with a known frequency; reception circuitry adapted to receive a modulated reference signal reflected from an obstruent object; compensation circuitry adapted to receive environmental inputs external to the source vehicle and provide a measure of source vehicle velocity; processor circuitry coupled to the transmission circuitry, reception circuitry, and compensation circuitry, the processor circuitry adapted to control and monitor the transmission and reception of a reference signal, calculate its propagation time to and from an obstruent object, and determine its reflected strength, determine the approximate propagation velocity of the reference signal and obstruent object with respect to the environmental inputs, determine the frequency of the reflected reference signal based upon the Doppler effect, and determine the approximate distance to the obstruent object based upon the reflected reference signal frequency, signal strength and propagation velocity and generate a distance signal indication; indication circuitry coupled to the detection circuitry and adapted for providing an indication of the distance to the obstruent object based on distance signal indications; and a energizing mechanism for energizing the detection circuitry and indication circuitry.