Anti-collision system based on passive acoustic sensor

摘要

Detecting objects in the environment surrounding a vehicle by detecting an acoustic signal impinging thereon from a predetermined direction using a sensor 20, analyzing a sensor output signal (e.g. by auto-correlation or cross-correlation) relative to comparable features and, in the event of a potential collision between the vehicle and object, providing a warning to the vehicle driver, actively acting on the vehicle dynamics or activating anti-collision functions. The detected signal comprises either intrinsic noise generated by the own-vehicle or external noise from the environment. The system may use control data from the vehicle such as vehicle speed or engine speed. The sensor may comprise an electro-acoustic transducer 10 wherein a diaphragm 11 is surrounded by a heavier core housing 15 which is in turn embedded in a sound damping medium 15 within housing 16. Its directional characteristic may be adjustable by varying the core housing shape.