Patent ID: 7932838

Claim:
A system for monitoring a volume of space surrounding a vehicle having a plurality of extremity portions, the system comprising: a plurality of sensors, each said sensor being disposed at a respective corresponding one of the vehicle extremity portions, each said sensor configured to generate an image of a monitored area covering a predetermined distance from the extremity portion at which the sensor is disposed; and at least one processing device configured to determine, from an image generated by a first sensor of the plurality, a characteristic of an object within the monitored area covering the predetermined distance from the extremity portion at which the first sensor is disposed, the processing device being further configured to generate a signal in response to determining the object characteristic, wherein each sensor comprises: an image capture apparatus positioned to capture images of the monitored area; and an illumination apparatus placed to illuminate the monitored area with two or more wavelengths, wherein the illumination apparatus is adapted to project at least one different or offset pattern on the monitored area for each of the two or more wavelengths, wherein the volume of space monitored includes a volume corresponding to the space defined between the illumination apparatus and the monitored area, and wherein the volume of space monitored includes a volume corresponding to the space defined between the monitored area and the image capture apparatus.