Patent ID: 6215438
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: B60W,G01S

Abstract:
A radar system for installation on a vehicle or other mobile machine and for detecting objects in differing fields of view of the system, the system comprising transceiver means for transmitting a radar signal and receiving the signal after the latter has been reflected from the reflecting surface of an object to be detected; sampling means for sampling the output of the transceiver means during a sampling period, which is delayed with respect to a respective portion of the transmitted signal by a time delay corresponding to the time taken for that portion to travel to the reflecting surface when the latter is at a notional range shell, and then back to the receiving means, so that a reflected signal received during that period is indicative of the presence of a reflecting surface at the range shell, a respective field of view of the system being constituted by said range shell so that only reflecting surfaces on the range shell are detected; control means for controlling the position of the field of view of the system and sensor means which is connected to the control means and is operable to detect at least one property of the operation of the vehicle, wherein the control means in use determines a required position of the field of view and sets the field of view of the system accordingly, in dependence on the output of the sensor means.