| CPC G01B 11/26 (2013.01) [G01B 11/026 (2013.01); G01B 15/00 (2013.01); G01S 13/878 (2013.01); G01S 15/08 (2013.01); G01S 15/42 (2013.01); G01S 17/08 (2013.01); G01S 2013/468 (2013.01)] | 31 Claims |
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1. A vehicle operative to travel in a direction and operative for estimating a first angle (α) between a reference line defined by first and second points and a first surface or a first object, the vehicle comprising:
a first distance meter for measuring a first distance (d1) along a first line from the first point to the first surface or the first object;
a second distance meter for measuring a second distance (d2) along a second line from the second point to the first surface or the first object; and
software and a processor for executing the software, the processor being coupled to receive representations of the first and second distances, respectively, from the first and second distance meters,
wherein the first and second lines are substantially parallel to one another and are spaced a third distance (c) apart, and the vehicle is operative to calculate, by the processor, the estimated first angle (α) based on the first distance (d1) and the second distance (d2), and to display the estimated first angle (α) or a function thereof by a display, and
wherein the meters are mounted so that the first and the second lines are substantially parallel or perpendicular to the travel direction,
wherein the estimated first angle (α) is calculated, by the processor, using, or based on, α=(arctan(d2−d1)/c),
wherein the vehicle is operative to send over a wireless network the representations of the first distance (d1) or any function thereof, the second distance (d2) or any function thereof, or the estimated first angle (α) or any function thereof,
wherein the vehicle is operative to calculate or estimate a distance or an angle using, or based on, the calculated first angle α and a speed V, and
wherein a time period Δt exists between a detection by the first distance meter and the successive detection by the second distance meter, and the processor is further operative to calculate or estimate the distance or the angle using, or based on, the calculated first angle α, the speed V, and the time period Δt.
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