System and method of avoiding collisions

In a collision avoidance system having a plurality of sensors, including a first and a second sensor, a method of displaying a transverse location, comprising the steps of:

• placing the system proximate an object;
• transmitting a signal from the first sensor to said object;
• sensing a return from the object of the signal transmitted from the first sensor and generating a first return signal as a function of the sensed return of the signal transmitted from the first sensor;
• transmitting a signal from the second sensor to said object;
• sensing a return from the object of the signal transmitted from the second sensor and generating a second return signal as a function of the sensed return of the signal transmitted from the second sensor;
• calculating a transverse location as a function of the first and second return signals;
• and
• displaying an indication of the calculated transverse location.

For a vehicle having a collision avoidance system with a plurality of sensors, including a first and a second sensor, a method of calculating the distance from a rear-most portion of the vehicle to an object, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a signal from the first sensor to the object;
• sensing a return from the object of the signal transmitted from the first sensor and generating a first return signal as a function of the sensed return of the signal transmitted by the first sensor;
• transmitting a signal from the second sensor to said object;
• sensing a return from the object of the signal transmitted from the second sensor and generating a second return signal as a function of the sensed return of the signal transmitted by the second sensor;
• determining spacing between the first and second sensors;
• determining a perpendicular distance from the sensors to the rear-most portion of the vehicle;
• and
• calculating the distance from the rear-most portion of the vehicle to the object as a function of the spacing, the perpendicular distance, and the first and second return signals.

A collision avoidance system, comprising:

• a control module;
• a first transmitting device connected to the control module, wherein the first transmitting device transmits a signal;
• a first receiving device connected to the control module, wherein the first receiving device receives a return of the signal transmitted from the first transmitting device and transmits a first return signal representative of the return to the control device;
• a second transmitting device connected to the control module, wherein the second transmitting device transmits a signal;
• and
• a second receiving device connected to the control module, wherein the second receiving device receives a return of the signal transmitted from the second transmitting device and transmits a second return signal representative of the return to the control device,
• wherein the control module includes measurement circuitry used to measure the first and second return signals and to calculate a transverse location as a function of the first and second return signals and further wherein the control module includes an interface between the control module and an on-board computer information system.

A collision avoidance system for a vehicle comprising:

• a control module;
• a first transceiver connected to the control module, wherein the first transceiver produces a sensor antenna pattern;
• and
• a second transceiver connected to the control module, wherein the second transceiver produces a sensor antenna pattern;
• wherein the control module determines an angle to an object as a function of the amplitude of signals received by the first and second transceivers and the sensor antenna pattern of each transceiver.

A collision avoidance system for a vehicle comprising:

• a control module;
• a plurality of transmitting devices coupled to the control module;
• a plurality of receiving devices coupled to the control module,
• wherein the control module includes a built-in-test function which sequentially commands each transmitting device to transmit a signal, detects a return of the signal and sends a signal representative of said return signal to the control module for system verification.

A collision avoidance system, which provides object detection around the exterior of a vehicle, comprising:

• a control module;
• a plurality of transmitting devices connected to the control module, wherein each of the plurality of transmitting devices transmits a signal;
• a plurality of receiving devices connected to the control module, wherein each of the plurality of receiving devices receives a return representative of one of the plurality of transmitted signals and wherein each of the plurality of receiving devices transmits to the control module a return signal representative of the return received by that receiving device;
• and
• wherein the control module measures the return signals, detects an object as a function of the return signals, calculates a distance to and location of the object and displays the distance to and the location of the object.