Patent ID: 8760962

Claim:
A method for adjusting a sensitivity of an ultrasonic sensor for detecting distances of objects from a vehicle, comprising: (a) adjusting a sensor sensitivity, which is selected so that a sonic lobe is transmitted by the ultrasonic sensor which has an intersection with ground; (b) carrying out a measurement using the ultrasonic sensor, objects in surroundings of the vehicle having a greater distance from the vehicle than a distance from the ultrasonic sensor to the intersection of the sonic lobe with the ground, so that the distance from the ultrasonic sensor to the intersection of the sonic lobe with the ground is detected as being a shortest distance from an object; and (c) adjusting the sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor as a function of the distance detected in step (b) between the ultrasonic sensor and the intersection of the sonic lobe with the ground, so that after the adjustment of the sensitivity, the sonic lobe, at its point that is closest to the ground, does not fall below a specified distance from the ground, wherein a height of installation of the ultrasonic sensor in the vehicle is determined, before the setting of the sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor, from the distance between the ultrasonic sensor and the intersection of the sonic lobe with the ground.