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:
Jun. 08, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 16, 2001
Mark E. Russell, Westford, MA (US);
Michael Joseph Delcheccolo, Westford, MA (US);
Walter Gordon Woodington, Littleton, MA (US);
H. Barteld Van Rees, Needham, MA (US);
John Michael Firda, Andover, MA (US);
Delbert Lippert, Cobden, CA;
Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US);
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, an adaptive cruise control system includes a radio frequency (RF) transmit receive (TR) sensor module (or more simply “sensor”) disposed such that a detection zone is deployed in front of a vehicle. The sensor includes a sensor antenna system which comprises a transmit antenna for emitting or transmitting an RF signal and a receive antenna for receiving portions of the transmitted RF signal which are intercepted by one or more objects within a field of view of the transmit antenna and reflected back toward the receive antenna. With this particular arrangement, a detection system that detects objects in a region about a front of a vehicle is provided. If the system determines that the vehicle is approaching an object or that an object is approaching the vehicle, then the sensor initiates steps that are carried out in accordance with a set of rules that control an accelerator of the vehicle. The accelerator is adjusted to maintain a safe trailing distance behind the detected object.