1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a doped semiconductor layer disposed outwardly from a substrate;
an insulation layer disposed outwardly from and in contact with the doped semiconductor layer, the doped semiconductor layer disposed between the substrate and the insulation layer; and
a conductive membrane disposed outwardly from the insulation layer by a distance that defines an air gap between the conductive membrane and the insulation layer, the insulation layer disposed between the doped semiconductor layer and the conductive membrane, the conductive membrane operable to contact the insulation layer when an appropriate voltage is applied between the conductive membrane and the doped semiconductor layer, wherein the combination of the doped semiconductor layer and the insulation layer operates to provide a path to dissipate any excess electrical charge received by the insulation layer.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the doped semiconductor layer comprises a doping concentration that approximates a solubility limit of a material of the doped semiconductor layer.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the doped semiconductor layer comprises a single crystal material and wherein the single crystal material is selected from the group consisting of Indium Gallium Arsenide, Indium Phosphide, Gallium Arsenide, silicon, polysilicon, GaN, SiC, and germanium.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the insulation layer comprises a substantially undoped semiconductor material.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a breakdown voltage of a material of the insulation layer is greater than the appropriate voltage applied between the conductive membrane and the doped semiconductor layer.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the insulation layer comprises a semiconductor material and wherein the semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of Indium Aluminum Arsenide, Aluminum Gallium Arsenide, amorphous silicon, polysilicon, and single crystal silicon.
7. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the conductive membrane is capable of changing its position relative to the insulation layer depending on a voltage applied to the conductive membrane.
8. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising one or more ohmic contacts disposed outwardly from and in contact with the doped semiconductor layer.
9. A semiconductor device comprising:
a doped semiconductor layer formed outwardly from a substrate, the doped semiconductor layer comprising a single crystal material, wherein the doped semiconductor layer comprises a doping concentration that approximates a solubility limit of the first single crystal material
an insulation layer disposed outwardly from the doped semiconductor layer, the doped semiconductor layer disposed between the substrate and the insulation layer, the insulation layer comprising a semiconductor material; and
a conductive membrane disposed outwardly from the insulation layer by a distance that defines an air gap between the conductive membrane and the insulation layer, the insulation layer disposed between the doped semiconductor layer and the conductive membrane, the conductive membrane operable to come in contact with the insulation layer when an appropriate voltage is applied between the conductive membrane and the doped semiconductor layer, wherein the combination of the conductive membrane, the doped semiconductor layer, and the insulation layer forms a Schottky barrier diode.
10. The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the combination of the doped semiconductor layer and the insulation layer operates to provide a path to dissipate any excess electrical charge received by the insulation layer.
11. The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the insulation layer comprises a substantially undoped semiconductor material.
12. The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein a breakdown voltage of semiconductor material is greater than the appropriate voltage applied between the conductive membrane and the doped semiconductor layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A vehicle collision determination apparatus comprising:
a distance acquisition unit acquiring a distance between a subject vehicle and a front object that exists in front of the subject vehicle;
a relative speed acquisition unit acquiring a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to the front object;
a lateral acceleration detector detecting a lateral acceleration for accelerating the subject vehicle in a lateral direction;
a lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit calculating the relative speed under an influence of the lateral acceleration, wherein the relative speed of the subject vehicle changes depending on an increase and decrease of the lateral acceleration;
a collision risk index calculation unit calculating a collision risk index for representing a risk of collision of the subject vehicle with the front object based on the distance acquired by the distance acquisition unit, the relative speed acquired by the relative speed acquisition unit, and the relative speed under the influence of the lateral acceleration calculated by the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit; and
a collision determination unit determining the risk of collision of the subject vehicle with the front object by utilizing the collision risk index calculated by the collision risk index calculation unit; wherein
the collision risk index calculation unit calculates a collision risk index TTC_gy by using an equation in the following when a parameter D represents the distance, a parameter Vr represents the relative speed, and a parameter Vr_y represents the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed
TTC\u2014gy=D(Vr\u2212Vr\u2014y)\u2003\u2003Equation.
2. The vehicle collision determination apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a turn radius acquisition unit acquiring a turn radius of the subject vehicle when the lateral acceleration of the subject vehicle is generated in the lateral direction of the subject vehicle,
wherein the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit calculates a lateral acceleration dependent relative speed Vr_y by using an equation in the following when a parameter Gy represents the lateral acceleration, and a parameter R represents the turn radius
Vr\u2014y=\u2212(R\xd7Gy)12\u2003\u2003Equation.
3. The vehicle collision determination apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a brake force control unit controlling a brake force of a brake unit for adjusting a speed decrease of the subject vehicle to a target speed decrease,
wherein the brake force control unit uses the collision risk index as a control termination condition for terminating a control of the brake force.
4. A vehicle collision determination apparatus comprising:
a distance acquisition unit acquiring a distance between a subject vehicle and a front object that exists in front of the subject vehicle;
a relative speed acquisition unit acquiring a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to the front object;
a lateral acceleration detector detecting a lateral acceleration for accelerating the subject vehicle in a lateral direction;
a lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit calculating the relative speed under an influence of the lateral acceleration, wherein the relative speed of the subject vehicle changes depending on an increase and decrease of the lateral acceleration;
a collision risk index calculation unit calculating a collision risk index for representing a risk of collision of the subject vehicle with the front object based on the distance acquired by the distance acquisition unit, the relative speed acquired by the relative speed acquisition unit, and the relative speed under the influence of the lateral acceleration calculated by the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit; and
a collision determination unit determining the risk of collision of the subject vehicle with the front object by utilizing the collision risk index calculated by the collision risk index calculation unit; wherein
the collision risk index calculation unit calculates a collision risk index TTC_gy by using an equation in the following when a parameter D represents the distance, a parameter Vr represents the relative speed, and a parameter Vr_y represents the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed
EquationTTC\u2014gy=D(Vr\u2212Vr\u2014y).
5. The vehicle collision determination apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:
a turn radius acquisition unit acquiring a turn radius of the subject vehicle when the lateral acceleration of the subject vehicle is generated in the lateral direction of the subject vehicle,
wherein the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit calculates a lateral acceleration dependent relative speed Vr_y by using an equation in the following when a parameter Gy represents the lateral acceleration, and a parameter R represents the turn radius
EquationVr\u2014y=\u2212(R\xd7Gy)12.
6. The vehicle collision determination apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:
a brake force control unit controlling a brake force of a brake unit for adjusting a speed decrease of the subject vehicle to a target speed decrease,
wherein the brake force control unit uses the collision risk index as a control termination condition for terminating a control of the brake force.
7. A vehicle collision determination apparatus comprising:
a distance acquisition unit acquiring a distance between a subject vehicle and a front object that exists in front of the subject vehicle;
a relative speed acquisition unit acquiring a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to the front object;
a lateral acceleration detector detecting a lateral acceleration of the subject vehicle in a lateral direction;
a lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit calculating the relative speed under influence of the lateral acceleration based on the lateral acceleration;
a collision risk index calculation unit calculating a collision risk index for representing a risk of collision of the subject vehicle with the front object based on the distance acquired by the distance acquisition unit, the relative speed acquired by the relative speed acquisition unit, and the relative speed under the influence of the lateral acceleration calculated by the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit; and
a collision determination unit determining the risk of collision of the subject vehicle with the front object by utilizing the collision risk index calculated by the collision risk index calculation unit, wherein the collision risk index is calculated as a scalar product of one dimensional numbers.
8. The vehicle collision determination apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
a turn radius acquisition unit acquiring a turn radius of the subject vehicle when the lateral acceleration of the subject vehicle is generated in the lateral direction of the subject vehicle,
wherein the lateral acceleration dependent relative speed calculation unit calculates a lateral acceleration dependent relative speed Vr_y by using an equation in the following when a parameter Gy represents the lateral acceleration, and a parameter R represents the turn radius
EquationVr\u2014y=\u2212(R\xd7Gy)12.
9. The vehicle collision determination apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
a brake force control unit controlling a brake force of a brake unit for adjusting a speed decrease of the subject vehicle to a target speed decrease,
wherein the brake force control unit uses the collision risk index as a control termination condition for terminating a control of the brake force.