ULTRASONIC SENSOR AND VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

To provide an ultrasonic sensor with which it is possible to suppress the appearance design of a region where the ultrasonic sensor is installed from being impaired, while reducing manufacturing costs.SOLUTION: This ultrasonic sensor comprises an ultrasonic transmitter, a pulse generation unit, an ultrasonic receiver, and a detection unit. The ultrasonic transmitter transmits an ultrasonic wave in pulse form to excite a sheet. The pulse generation unit generates a pulse signal of an excitation frequency different from the resonance frequency of the ultrasonic transmitter and causes the ultrasonic wave based on the pulse signal to be transmitted by the ultrasonic transmitter. The ultrasonic receiver receives a direct wave propagating only through the sheet and a reflected wave returning to the sheet after having been radiated to the outside and reflected on an object. The detection unit detects an object present in the periphery of the sheet on the basis of a difference between the time at which the direct wave of the excitation frequency is received and the time at which the reflected wave of the excitation frequency is received.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3 【課題】製造コストを低減しつつ、超音波センサが設置される部位の外観デザインを損なうことを抑制可能な超音波センサを提供する。【解決手段】本発明の超音波センサは、超音波送信器と、パルス生成部と、超音波受信器と、検知部と、を備える。超音波送信器は、パルス状の超音波を送信して薄板を励振させる。パルス生成部は、前記超音波送信器の共振周波数とは異なる励振周波数のパルス信号を生成し、当該パルス信号に基づく前記超音波を前記超音波送信器に送信させる。超音波受信器は、前記薄板を伝搬する超音波のうち、前記薄板のみを伝搬する直接波と、外部に放射されて物体で反射した後に前記薄板に戻ってくる反射波とを受信する。検知部は、前記励振周波数の前記直接波が受信された時間と、前記励振周波数の前記反射波が受信された時間との差に基づいて、前記薄板の周辺に存在する物体を検知する。【選択図】図３