Patent ID: 7545484

Claim:
A method for detecting a projected distance between a distance measuring device and an obstacle, the obstacle having a maximum height which is smaller than a height (h s ) of the distance measuring device, the obstacle also having a predetermined nearest point (P) on a surface thereof having a shortest projected distance (d) from the distance measuring device of all points of the obstacle, the method comprising the steps of: a) storing a projected limit distance (d Gr ) between the nearest point (P) of the obstacle and the distance measuring device at a limit time at which the nearest point (P) of the obstacle moves out of a detecting range of the distance measuring device, as the distance measuring device and the obstacle approach each other; and b) evaluating the limit distance (d Gr ) and additional information concerning a relative motion between the distance measuring device and the obstacle to determine projected distances (d) between the nearest point (P) of the obstacle and the distance measuring device as long as the nearest point (P) is outside of the detecting range of the distance measuring device.