Patent ID: 7000721

Claim:
An optical object detection apparatus for a vehicle comprising: an apparatus body installed in the vehicle, said apparatus body having disposed therein an optical device working to produce a light wave and process a return of the light wave from an object present around the vehicle to produce a signal indicative thereof; an optical mechanism installed within said apparatus body, said optical mechanism working to direct the light wave to a first object detectable zone defined ahead of the vehicle; a first optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body, said first optical unit working to direct the light wave transmitted from said apparatus body to a second object detectable zone defined round the vehicle other than the first object detectable zone and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object present within the second object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body; and second optical unit installed in the vehicle in optical connection with said apparatus body, said second optical unit working to direct the light wave produced in said apparatus body to a third object detectable zone defined around the vehicle other than the first and second object detectable zones and to transmit a return of the light wave from an object within the third object detectable zone to the optical device in said apparatus body, and wherein the number of the optical units operable is decreased as a speed of the vehicle increases.