Patent ID: 7876204

Claim:
A method of detecting a thermal energy emitting object proximate to a host vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: directing thermal energy from a first coverage zone proximate to a host vehicle to a first infrared sensor; sensing temperature of the first coverage zone proximate to the vehicle with the first infrared sensor; directing thermal energy from a second coverage zone proximate to the host vehicle to a second infrared sensor; directing thermal energy from a third coverage zone proximate to the host vehicle to the second infrared sensor; sensing temperature of the second and third coverage zones with the second infrared sensor; and determining the presence of a thermal emitting object proximate to the vehicle based on coincidentally sensed temperatures of the first, second and third coverage zones, wherein the step of determining presence of a thermal emitting object comprises determining a temperature difference relative to a prior temperature within the first coverage zone and a temperature difference relative to a prior temperature within the second and third coverage zones, wherein an object is detected within a corresponding coverage zone when the temperature difference relative to a prior temperature for that zone exceeds a threshold.