Simultaneous object detection and data transfer with a vehicle radar

• US 10,082,562 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woven By Toyota US Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Inventors: Abari, Farzad Cyrus Foroughi, Clement, Romain, Lurie, Helen Ruth
• Primary Examiner(s): Bythrow, Peter M
• Application Number:
  US15/965,779
• Time in Patent Office: 151 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/325 using transmission of coded signals, e.g. P.S.K. signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/343 using sawtooth modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/48 using multiple beams at emission or reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/006 using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/35 Details of non-pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/354 Extracting wanted echo-signals Doppler systems G01S13/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/358 using I/Q processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4091 during normal radar operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4095 the external reference signals being modulated, e.g. rotating a dihedral reflector or modulating a transponder for simulation of a Doppler echo

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes providing instructions to broadcast a modulated radar chirp signal from a radar antenna of a vehicle. The modulated chirp signal includes data associated with the vehicle. The method includes receiving a first return signal whose waveform substantially matches the modulated chirp signal. The first return signal is the modulated radar chirp signal after reflecting off of an object in an environment surrounding the vehicle. The method includes calculating a location for the object using the first return signal, receiving, from a base station antenna, a second return signal that indicates the modulated chirp signal was received by the base station antenna, and providing instructions to establish a wireless communication session with the base station antenna.

Claims

1. A method comprising, by a computing system:

providing instructions to broadcast a modulated radar chirp signal from a radar antenna of a vehicle, wherein the modulated chirp signal comprises data associated with the vehicle;

receiving a first return signal whose waveform substantially matches the modulated chirp signal, wherein the first return signal is the modulated radar chirp signal after reflecting off of an object in an environment surrounding the vehicle;

calculating a location for the object using the first return signal;

receiving, from a base station antenna, a second return signal that indicates the modulated chirp signal was received by the base station antenna; and

providing instructions to establish a wireless communication session with the base station antenna.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises;

storing in a memory cache the waveform of the modulated chirp signal; and

comparing the stored waveform of the modulated chirp signal to the waveform of the first return signal; and

the location for the object is calculated when the stored waveform and the waveform of the first return signal substantially match one another.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the second return signal indicates that one or more pieces of information were not received by the base station antenna; and

sending instructions to re-send a previously sent modulated radar chirp signal containing the one or more pieces of information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding the modulated chirp signal with one or more diagnostic metrics associated with the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding the modulated chirp signal with sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the vehicle, the sensor data comprising a list of objects that are within a threshold distance of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulated chirp signal is modulated using a phase-modulated continuous-wave radar antenna.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulated chirp signal is modulated using a frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar antenna.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that an ambient noise level in the environment is below a threshold level, wherein the instructions to broadcast the modulated chirp signal are provided because the ambient noise level in the environment is below the threshold level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

10. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to one or more of the processors and comprising instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to;

provide instructions to broadcast a modulated radar chirp signal from a radar antenna of a vehicle, wherein the modulated chirp signal comprises data associated with the vehicle;

receive a first return signal whose waveform substantially matches the modulated chirp signal, wherein the first return signal is the modulated radar chirp signal after reflecting off of an object in an environment surrounding the vehicle;

calculate a location for the object using the first return signal;

receive, from a base station antenna, a second return signal that indicates the modulated chirp signal was received by the base station antenna; and

provide instructions to establish a wireless communication session with the base station antenna.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the instructions are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to;

store in a memory cache the waveform of the modulated chirp signal; and

compare the stored waveform of the modulated chirp signal to the waveform of the first return signal; and

the location for the object is calculated when the stored waveform and the waveform of the first return signal substantially match one another.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to:

determine that the second return signal indicates that one or more pieces of information were not received by the base station antenna; and

send instructions to re-send a previously sent modulated radar chirp signal containing the one or more pieces of information.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to encode the modulated chirp signal with one or more diagnostic metrics associated with the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to encode the modulated chirp signal with sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the vehicle, the sensor data comprising a list of objects that are within a threshold distance of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the modulated chirp signal is modulated using a phase-modulated continuous-wave radar antenna.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the modulated chirp signal is modulated using a frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar antenna.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to determine that an ambient noise level in the environment is below a threshold level, wherein the instructions to broadcast the modulated chirp signal are provided because the ambient noise level in the environment is below the threshold level.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

19. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

provide instructions to broadcast a modulated radar chirp signal from a radar antenna of a vehicle, wherein the modulated chirp signal comprises data associated with the vehicle;

receive a first return signal whose waveform substantially matches the modulated chirp signal, wherein the first return signal is the modulated radar chirp signal after reflecting off of an object in an environment surrounding the vehicle;

calculate a location for the object using the first return signal;

receive, from a base station antenna, a second return signal that indicates the modulated chirp signal was received by the base station antenna; and

provide instructions to establish a wireless communication session with the base station antenna.

20. The media of claim 19, wherein:

the software is further operable when executed to;

store in a memory cache the waveform of the modulated chirp signal; and

compare the stored waveform of the modulated chirp signal to the waveform of the first return signal; and

the location for the object is calculated when the stored waveform and the waveform of the first return signal substantially match one another.

21. The media of claim 19, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

determine that the second return signal indicates that one or more pieces of information were not received by the base station antenna; and

send instructions to re-send a previously sent modulated radar chirp signal containing the one or more pieces of information.

22. The media of claim 19, wherein the software is further operable when executed to encode the modulated chirp signal with one or more diagnostic metrics associated with the vehicle.

23. The media of claim 19, wherein the software is further operable when executed to encode the modulated chirp signal with sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the vehicle, the sensor data comprising a list of objects that are within a threshold distance of the vehicle.

24. The media of claim 19, wherein the modulated chirp signal is modulated using a phase-modulated continuous-wave radar antenna.

25. The media of claim 19, wherein the modulated chirp signal is modulated using a frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar antenna.

26. The media of claim 19, wherein the software is further operable when executed to determine that an ambient noise level in the environment is below a threshold level, wherein the instructions to broadcast the modulated chirp signal are provided because the ambient noise level in the environment is below the threshold level.

27. The media of claim 19, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.