Patent ID: 8164508

Claim:
A proximity sensor ( 1 ) for a parking area designed to detect the presence of an obstacle constituted by a vehicle parked in the parking area, comprising: a radar ( 5 ) provided with a transmitting section ( 3 ) designed to send electromagnetic pulses (Ir) towards the obstacle ( 4 ), and a receiving section ( 5 ) designed to receive the pulses reflected by the obstacle ( 4 ); and processing means ( 22 ) for processing the signal generated by the receiving section ( 5 ), calibration means ( 110 , 120 ), designed to acquire and store a series of samples (A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , . . . , An) of pulses detected by the receiving section ( 5 ) in response to the electromagnetic pulses generated by the transmitting radar ( 3 ) in a condition of certain absence of obstacle ( 4 ); measuring means ( 130 ), designed to acquire and store a series of samples (Ar 1 , Ar 2 , Ar 3 , . . . , Arn) of pulses detected by the receiving section ( 5 ) in response to the electromagnetic pulses generated by the transmitting section ( 3 ) in a condition of detection of an obstacle ( 4 ); and comparison means ( 230 ), designed to compare the samples detected in the condition of certain absence of obstacles ( 4 ) with the ones detected in the condition of detection of an obstacle ( 4 ) for determining the presence/absence of the obstacle ( 4 ).