Patent ID: 6018308
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
An obstacle recognition system for vehicles comprising:a radar unit that transmits radar signals over a given obstacle detectable zone ranging a preselected width-wise and a vertical angle of a system vehicle equipped with this system, said radar unit receiving a signal produced by reflection of at least one of the transmitted radar signals from an obstacle present in the given obstacle detectable zone to determine a distance to the obstacle and a horizontal and a vertical angle of the obstacle from a preselected reference direction; andvehicle determining means for determining whether the obstacle tracked by said radar unit is a vehicle or another object, said vehicle determining means includingheight determining means for determining a height of a given portion of the obstacle based on the distance and the horizontal and vertical angles determined by said radar unit, andnon-vehicle determining means for determining the obstacle as an object other than the vehicle when the height of the given portion of the obstacle determined by said height determining means falls within a given height range at least one time within a predetermined period of time.