IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0045985
(2013-10-04)
|
등록번호 |
US-9507049
(2016-11-29)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Stecker, John Alyn
- Carlsten, Keith Donald
- Anderson, David Steven
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
26 |
초록
▼
An object detection method comprises transmitting a plurality of signals from a transmitter into a region; measuring a plurality of signals, each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of the transmitted signals, received by a sensor; determining whether each of the plurality of received
An object detection method comprises transmitting a plurality of signals from a transmitter into a region; measuring a plurality of signals, each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of the transmitted signals, received by a sensor; determining whether each of the plurality of received signals satisfies a condition (such as that a received signal is above a threshold level for indicating that an object is located in the region, or below a threshold level for indicating that an object is not located in the region); determining whether noise of at least a threshold amount is present; and determining whether an object is located within the region depending on whether at least a number of received signals meet the condition, the number being different when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present. For example, the required number of received signals that meet the condition when noise is present can be higher than when noise is absent. A device for detecting object according to the method is also disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
1. An object detection method, comprising: transmitting a plurality of signals from a transmitter into a region;measuring a plurality of signals, each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of the transmitted signals, received by a sensor;determining whether each of the plurality of rece
1. An object detection method, comprising: transmitting a plurality of signals from a transmitter into a region;measuring a plurality of signals, each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of the transmitted signals, received by a sensor;determining whether each of the plurality of received signals satisfies a condition;determining whether noise of at least a threshold amount is present; anddetermining whether an object is located within the region depending on whether at least a number of received signals meet the condition, the number being different when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present,wherein:the transmitting step comprises sequentially transmitting a plurality of optical pulses, during a respective plurality of repetition time intervals, into the region;the measuring step comprises measuring each of the plurality of received signals during a signal measurement time interval beginning at or after a starting time of the corresponding transmitted signal;the noise determination step comprises measuring noise during a noise measurement time interval in at least one of the repetition time intervals. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether an object is located within the region comprises determining that the transmitted signals are reflected into the sensor by an object located within the region, or a retro target, when the received signals exceed a first threshold level during at least a number of signal measurement time intervals, the number being a first number when noise is determined to be not present and the number being a second number greater than the first when noise is determined to be present. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the transmitted signals are reflected into the sensor comprises determining that the transmitted signals are reflected into the sensor when the received signals exceed the first threshold level during at least a number of consecutive signal measurement time intervals. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether an object is located within the region comprises determining that the transmitted signals are not reflected into the sensor by any object located within the region, or any retro target, when the received signals falls below a second threshold level during at least a number of signal measurement time intervals, the number being a first number when noise is determined to be not present and the number being a second number smaller than the first when noise is determined to be present. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the noise determination step comprises determining that noise of at least a threshold amount is present when a signal above a noise threshold level is detected in at least a selected number of noise measurement time intervals. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining that a signal above the noise threshold level is detected in a noise measurement time interval when a signal measured in the noise measurement time interval has a level that crosses the noise threshold level at least a selected number of times. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining whether an object is located within the region comprises determining that the transmitted signals are not reflected into the sensor when the received signals fall below a second threshold level during at least a number of signal measurement time intervals, the number being a first number when noise is determined to be not present and the number being a second number smaller than the first when noise is determined to be present. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise determination step comprises measuring noise during a noise measurement time interval in each of a plurality of the repetition time intervals. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the noise determination step comprises determining that noise of at least a threshold amount is present when a signal above a noise threshold level is detected in at least a selected number of noise measurement time intervals. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining that a signal above the noise threshold level is detected in a noise measurement time interval when a signal measured in the noise measurement time interval has a level that crosses the noise threshold level at least a selected number of times. 11. An object detection method, comprising: transmitting a plurality of signals, each during a respective one of a plurality of sequential repetition time intervals, from a transmitter into a region;positioning a sensor to receive signals resulting from interactions between the transmitted signals and an object located in the region or a retro target;measuring a plurality of signals received by the sensor during a respective plurality of signal measurement time intervals, each within a respective repetition time interval;determining whether each of the plurality of received signals satisfies a condition;measuring noise during a respective plurality of noise measurement time intervals, each within a respective repetition time interval and being different from any signal measurement time interval;determining whether the measured noise is present in at least a threshold amount; anddetermining whether an object is located within the region depending on whether the received signals satisfy the condition during at least a number of repetition time intervals, the number being different when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of measuring noise comprises measuring signals received by the sensor during the plurality of noise measurement time intervals. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein: the step of determining whether each of the plurality of received signals satisfies a condition comprises determining, after determining that the transmitted signals are not reflected into the sensor, whether each of the plurality of received signals is above a first threshold level during the signal measurement time interval; andthe step of determining whether an object is located within the region comprises determining that the transmitted signals are reflected into the sensor when the received signals during the respective signal measurement time intervals are above the first threshold level during at least a number of repetition time intervals, the number being higher when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein: the step of determining whether each of the plurality of received signals satisfies a condition comprises determining, after determining that the transmitted signals are reflected into the sensor, whether each of the plurality of received signals is below a second threshold level during the signal measurement time interval; andthe step of determining whether an object is located within the region comprises determining that the transmitted signals are not reflected into the sensor when the received signals during the respective signal measurement time intervals are below the second threshold level during at least a number of repetition time intervals, the number being smaller when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining that a signal above the noise threshold level is detected in a noise measurement time interval when a signal measured in the noise measurement time interval has a level that crosses the noise threshold level at least a selected number of times. 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining whether the measured noise is present in at least a threshold amount is present comprises determining that noise is present in at least a threshold amount is present when a signal above a noise threshold level is detected in at least a selected number of noise measurement time intervals. 17. An object detecting device, comprising: a signal transmitter adapted to transmit signals into a region;a signal sensor positioned and adapted to receive signals resulting from interactions between the transmitted signals and an object located in the region, or a retro target, and adapted to generate an output correlated to the received signals;a signal comparator adapted to compare the output of the signal sensor with a reference signal corresponding to a threshold level, and generate an output indicative of the relative levels between the output of the signal sensor and the reference signal;a noise detector; anda controller adapted to:operate the transmitter to transmit a plurality of signals, each during a respective one of a plurality of sequential repetition time intervals, into a region;operate the comparator to compare, during a respective plurality of signal measurement time intervals, each within a respective repetition time interval, a plurality of signals generated by the sensor with the reference signal;operate the noise detector to measure noise during a respective plurality of noise measurement time intervals, each within a respective repetition time interval and being different from any signal measurement time interval;determine whether the measured noise is present in at least a threshold amount is present; anddetermine:that the transmitted signals are reflected into the sensor when the output of the comparator indicates that the received signals are above the threshold level at least a number of repetition time intervals, the number being larger when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present, orthat the transmitted signals are not reflected into the sensor when the output of the comparator indicates that the received signals are below the threshold level at least a number of repetition time intervals, the number being smaller when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present. 18. The device of claim 17, wherein the noise detector comprise a noise comparator adapted to compare the output of the signal sensor with a reference signal corresponding to a threshold noise level, and generate an output indicative of the relative levels between the output of the signal sensor and the reference signal. 19. The device of claim 18, where in the threshold noise level is lower than the threshold level for determining that an object is present within the region.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.