Patent Document ID: 4872051
Application ID: 07103202
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A collision avoidance alarm system, for rigid mounting on a vehicle, comprising: (a) a sensor subsystem, producing electrical signals proportional to the intensity of visible light incident thereon; (b) lens means for directing visible light, from a wide field of view substantially centered about a direction of progression of said vehicle, onto said sensor subsystem; (c) means for correlatably identifying the electrical signals produced by said sensor subsystem with particular elements within the field of view of said lens system wherein the visible light sensed originates; (d) means for comparing the electrical signals resulting from spatially contiguous elements within the field of view, and for establishing an extent parameter, in terms of a measure within the field of view, of said resultant electrical signals having like characteristics and amplitudes; (e) means for computing a centroid, in terms of angle with respect to the center of the field of view, of the spatially contiguous elements on which said extent parameter is based; (f) means for sequentially, in time, comparing consecutive extent parameters and centroid angle; and (g) means for producing an audible signal when, and only when, the centroid angle is consecutively a constant and the extent parameter indicates an apparent growth.