Method and system for detecting objects external to a vehicle

1. A method for obtaining information about objects in the environment outside of and around a vehicle, comprising:

directing a laser beam from the vehicle into the environment;

receiving from an object in the path of the laser beam a reflection of the laser beam at a location on the vehicle;

forming at least one image from the received laser beam reflections; and

analyzing the at least one image formed from the received laser beam reflections to obtain information about the object from which the laser beam is being reflected,

the analyzing step comprising range gating the received laser beam reflections to limit analysis of the at least one image formed from the received laser beam reflections to only images formed from laser beam reflections received from an object within a defined range such that objects at distances within the range are isolated from surrounding objects.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing step obtains information about the distance between the vehicle and the object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam is infrared.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling the direction of the laser beam.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a digital map including information relating to roads on which the vehicle can travel or is traveling; and

defining a field into which the laser beam will be directed based on the map;

the step of directing the laser beam into the environment comprising directing the laser beam into the defined field.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

scanning with the laser beam at a high scanning speed; and

scanning with an additional laser beam at a slower scanning speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing step further comprises analyzing the at least one image formed from the received laser beam reflections to detect the presence of objects potentially affecting operation of the vehicle, the range gating step being performed once the presence of each object is detected and the range being determined to encompass any objects whose presence has been detected.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the analyzing step further comprises narrowing the range such that laser beam reflections from only the object whose presence is detected and other objects in the same range are analyzed.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the analysis of the at least one image formed from the received laser beam reflections to detect the presence of objects is performed using a pattern recognition algorithm.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the analyzing step further comprises ascertaining the identity of or identifying each object and proceeding to obtain information about the distance between the object and the vehicle based on the identity or identification of the object.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising alerting a driver of the vehicle if the information obtained about an object in the environment outside of and around the vehicle indicates that a collision with the object is about to occur.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam reflections are received by an image sensor which forms the at least one image.

13. A method for avoiding collisions between a vehicle and another object, comprising:

mounting a laser beam projector on the vehicle;

directing a laser beam from the projector outward from the vehicle;

determining whether an object is present in the path of the laser beam based on reception of reflections of the laser beam caused by the presence of the object in the path of the laser beam;

when an object is determined to be present,

setting a distance range including a distance between the vehicle and the object;

processing only received reflections of the laser beam emanating from objects in the set distance range to determine whether each object may impact the vehicle; and

if a determination is made that the object may impact the vehicle, effecting a countermeasure with a view toward preventing the impact.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

providing a digital map including information relating to roads on which the vehicle can travel or is traveling; and

defining a field into which the laser beam will be directed based on the map;

the step of directing the laser beam outward from the vehicle comprising directing the laser beam into the defined field.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

scanning with the laser beam at a high scanning speed; and

scanning with an additional laser beam at a slower scanning speed.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the processing step comprises applying a pattern recognition technique to ascertain the identity of or identify each object in the set distance range and assessing the potential for and consequences of an impact between the vehicle and the object based on the identity or identification of the object.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the countermeasure effected entails alerting a driver of the vehicle about the possible impact and/or altering the travel of the vehicle.

18. A system for avoiding collisions between a vehicle and another object, comprising:

a laser beam projector arranged on the vehicle to direct a laser beam outward from the vehicle;

a receiving unit for receiving reflections of the laser beam which reflect off of objects in the path of the laser beam; and

a processor coupled to said receiving unit and arranged to process any received reflections to determine whether an object is present in the path of the laser beam and when an object is determined to be present, said processor being arranged to set a distance range including a distance between the vehicle and the object, process only received reflections of the laser beam emanating from objects in the set distance range to determine whether each object may impact the vehicle, and if a determination is made that the object may impact the vehicle, cause a countermeasure to be effected with a view toward preventing the impact.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein said processor includes a pattern recognition algorithm which ascertains the identity of or identifies each object in the set distance range and assesses the potential for and consequences of an impact between the vehicle and the object based on the identity or identification of the object.

20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a driver notification system or a vehicle control system, the countermeasure caused by said processor being activation of said driver notification system to alert the driver of the impending impact or activation of said vehicle control system to vary the travel of the vehicle to avoid the impending impact.

21. A method for obtaining information about objects in the environment outside of and around a vehicle, comprising:

providing a digital map including information relating to roads on which the vehicle can travel or is traveling;

defining a field in the environment into which a laser beam will be directed based on the map;

directing a laser beam from the vehicle into the defined field;

receiving from an object in the path of the laser beam a reflection of the laser beam at a location on the vehicle; and

analyzing the received laser beam reflections to obtain information about the object from which the laser beam is being reflected,

the analyzing step comprising range gating the received laser beam reflections to limit analysis of the received laser beam reflections to only those received from an object within a defined range such that objects at distances within the range are isolated from surrounding objects.

22. A method for obtaining information about objects in the environment outside of and around a vehicle, comprising:

directing two laser beams from the vehicle into the environment;

receiving from an object in the path of the laser beams a reflection of the laser beams at a location on the vehicle; and

analyzing the received laser beam reflections to obtain information about the object from which the laser beam is being reflected,

the directing step comprising scanning with a first one of the laser beams at a high scanning speed and scanning with a second one of the laser beams at a slower scanning speed,

the analyzing step comprising range gating the received laser beam reflections to limit analysis of the received laser beam reflections to only those received from an object within a defined range such that objects at distances within the range are isolated from surrounding objects.

23. A method for obtaining information about objects in the environment outside of and around a vehicle, comprising:

directing a laser beam from the vehicle into the environment;

receiving from an object in the path of the laser beam a reflection of the laser beam at a location on the vehicle; and

analyzing the received laser beam reflections to obtain information about the object from which the laser beam is being reflected,

the analyzing step comprising analyzing the received laser beam reflections to detect the presence of objects potentially affecting operation of the vehicle and range gating the received laser beam reflections to limit analysis of the received laser beam reflections to only those received from an object within a defined range such that objects at distances within the range are isolated from surrounding objects, the range gating step being performed once the presence of each object is detected and the range being determined to encompass any objects whose presence has been detected.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the analyzing step further comprises narrowing the range such that laser beam reflections from only the object whose presence is detected and other objects in the same range are analyzed.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein analysis of the received laser beam reflections to detect the presence of objects is performed using a pattern recognition algorithm.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the analyzing step further comprises ascertaining the identity of or identifying each object and proceeding to obtain information about the distance between the object and the vehicle based on the identity or identification of the object.