Vehicle having an articulated joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11167698-B2
Application number	US-201816497449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 9, 2021
Grant date	Nov 9, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle comprising an articulated joint and a sensor arranged on the articulated joint and configured to detect a lateral area of the vehicle. The sensor is configured to be swiveled in order to change a sensed area.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a first vehicle unit;
a second vehicle unit,
an articulated joint configured to movably connect the first vehicle unit to the second vehicle unit;
a first sensor arranged on a front outer area of the vehicle and configured to detect a first sensed area, the first sensor being configured to be swiveled in order to adjust the first sensed area; and
a second sensor arranged on the front outer area of the vehicle and configured to detect a second sensed area, the second sensor being configured to be swiveled in order to adjust the second sensed area,
wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to be swiveled based on a speed of travel of the vehicle,
wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to be swiveled, in response to a driving speed of the vehicle exceeding a predefined speed greater than zero, such that the first sensed area and the second sensed area overlap to form an overlap area in which a three-dimensional image can be detected, and
wherein, in a stationary state of the vehicle, the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to be swiveled such that the first sensed area and the second sensed area do not overlap, as a result of which a two-dimensional image can be detected.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor is configured to be swiveled based on an angle of articulation of the articulated joint.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is arranged on a first side of the vehicle and wherein the second sensor is arranged on a second side of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle unit is a driver's cab.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the first sensor is located on a first side of a fender of the vehicle and the second sensor is located on a second side of the fender of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the first sensor is located on a first outside mirror of the driver's cab and the second sensor is located on a second outside mirror of the driver's cab.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured to be swiveled so as to have a first orientation, the first orientation being determined based on a combination of (i) a vehicle speed and (ii) an angle of articulation of the articulated joint.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the second sensor is configured to be swiveled so as to have a second orientation, the second orientation being determined based on a combination of (i) a vehicle speed and (ii) an angle of articulation of the articulated joint.

9. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the first orientation is additionally determined based on (iii) a gradient of terrain on which the vehicle is traveling.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the second sensor is configured to be swiveled so as to have a second orientation, the second orientation being determined based on a combination of (i) the vehicle speed, (ii) the angle of articulation of the articulated joint, and (iii) the gradient of terrain on which the vehicle is traveling.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein in the stationary state of the vehicle, the first sensor is configured to be swiveled such that the first sensed area includes a first lateral area of the vehicle and the second sensed area includes a second lateral area of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Morrison Robert
• Hiemer Marcus

Classifications

• H04N7/18

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title

• B60R2011/004

  outside the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R2300/101

  using cameras with adjustable capturing direction · CPC title

• H04N13/239 Primary

  using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R11/00 Primary

  Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title