The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 10, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 19, 1998
David L McClanahan, Greenfield, WI (US);
Birger Pahl, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Joseph C Zuercher, Brookfield, WI (US);
Eaton Corporation, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Abstract
A protection sensor for a lawn vehicle includes a substantially unidirectional antenna operatively coupled to a Doppler detection circuit. The Doppler detection circuit generates a radio frequency signal which is radiated by the antenna. When the radiated signal strikes an object, such as a person, animal or another moving lawn vehicle, within a predefined detection region of the sensor, the signal is reflected and received by the antenna. The Doppler detection circuit generates an output signal responsive to a difference in frequency between the radiated signal and the reflected signal, thereby indicating the presence of the moving object within the protection region of the sensor. The unidirectional antenna virtually eliminates false detections generated by the lawn vehicle, to which the sensor is mounted, or by the operator of the vehicle.