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. 12, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 09, 2004
Yutaka Watanabe, Katano, JP;
Takashi Yoshida, Ikoma, JP;
Akira Ishida, Sakai, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An obstacle detection device includes: an obstacle detection section () for emitting beams having a predetermined divergence angle consecutively in a plurality of different directions, receiving a reflected wave from an obstacle for each direction, and detecting the obstacle existing within an emission angle range of the beam for the direction; a distance calculation section () for calculating a distance representative of an interspace between the obstacle and the vehicle for each direction based on a received signal of the reflected wave for the direction outputted from the obstacle detection section; an obstacle image creation section () for creating, as an obstacle image, a figure two-dimensionally developed in the emission angle range of the beam emitted in each direction while treating, as a basis for image creation, the distance calculated by the distance calculation section for the direction, and for creating and outputting image data for displaying the obstacle image; and a display section () for receiving the image data created by the obstacle image creation section and displaying an image showing a positional relationship between the obstacle and the vehicle.