Patent ID: 7202776
Filing Date: 2007-04-10
Classification: B60N,B60W,G01S,G05D,G08G

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining information about objects in the environment outside of and around a vehicle, comprising: directing a laser beam from the vehicle into the environment; receiving from an object in the path of the laser beam a reflection of the laser beam at a location on the vehicle; forming at least one image from the received laser beam reflections; and analyzing the at least one image formed from the received laser beam reflections to obtain information about the object from which the laser beam is being reflected, the analyzing step comprising range gating the received laser beam reflections to limit analysis of the at least one image formed from the received laser beam reflections to only images formed from laser beam reflections received from an object within a defined range such that objects at distances within the range are isolated from surrounding objects.