Method and MIMO radar device for determining a position angle of an object

• US 10,126,409 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Loesch, Benedikt, Schoor, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bythrow, Peter M
• Application Number:
  US14/877,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20160097847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/4445 amplitude comparisons monopulse, i.e. comparing the echo signals received by an antenna arrangement with overlapping squinted beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/4454 phase comparisons monopulse, i.e. comparing the echo signals received by an interferometric antenna arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/282 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/35 Details of non-pulse systems

Abstract

A method and a MIMO radar device are provided for determining a position angle of an object. The method includes the following steps: emitting a first radar signal with the aid of a first transmitting antenna having a first radiation pattern; emitting a second radar signal with the aid of a second transmitting antenna having a second radiation pattern; emitting a third radar signal with the aid of a third transmitting antenna having a third radiation pattern; the first, second, and third radar signal being emitted in various directions; receiving radar signals which are reflected on the object; and determining the position angle of the object based on phase differences and based on amplitude differences, which originate from the emission of the radar signals in the first through third directions, between the received reflected radar signals.

Claims

1. A method for determining a position angle of an object, the method comprising:

emitting a first radar signal via a first transmitting antenna, of a transmitter array of a MIMO radar device, having a first radiation pattern;

emitting a second radar signal via a second transmitting antenna, of the transmitter array of the MIMO radar device, having a second radiation pattern;

emitting a third radar signal via a third transmitting antenna, of a transmitter array of the MIMO radar device, having a third radiation pattern, wherein;

a main lobe of the first radiation pattern points in a first direction,

a main lobe of the second radiation pattern points in a second direction which is at a first angle of between 1 degree and 90 degrees relative to the first direction, and

a main lobe of the third radiation pattern points in a third direction which is at a second angle of between 1 degree and 90 degrees relative to the second direction;

receiving radar signals reflected on the object; and

emitting a fourth radar signal via a fourth transmitting antenna having a fourth radiation pattern, wherein a main lobe of the fourth radiation pattern points in a fourth direction which is at a third angle of between 1 degree and 90 degrees relative to the third direction; and

determining the position angle of the object based on phase differences and based on amplitude differences that originate from the emission of the radar signals in the first through fourth directions, between the received reflected radar signals;

wherein the position angle is defined based on the MIMO radar device situated in a vehicle, wherein the position angle is measured with respect to forward travel direction of the vehicle, with a base point of the forward travel direction on the vehicle as the vertex, and with a covered angular sector in parallel to a driving plane of the vehicle; and

wherein the first direction and the second direction together form a first angle having an absolute value of about 20°

, the second direction and the third direction form a second angle having an absolute value of about 20°

, the third direction and the fourth direction form a third angle having an absolute value of about 20°

, the first angle, the second angle, and the third angle are situated in a shared virtual plane which is in parallel to the driving plane of the vehicle, and an additional angle between the first direction and the fourth direction has an absolute value of about 50°

.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first angle and the second angle are equal.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first angle is smaller than the second angle.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first angle and the third angle are equal.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first angle, the second angle, and the third angle is between 5 degrees and 30 degrees.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first angle, the second angle, and the third angle is between 10 degrees and 25 degrees.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first radar signal, the second radar signal, the third radar signal, and the fourth radar signal have a ramp-shaped time amplitude curve, a temporal extension of each ramp being greater than one millisecond.

8. A MIMO radar device for determining a position angle of an object, comprising:

a first transmitting antenna, of a transmitter array of the MIMO radar device, via which first radar signals are emittable having a first radiation pattern;

a second transmitting antenna, of the transmitter array of the MIMO radar device, via which second radar signals are emittable having a second radiation pattern;

a third transmitting antenna, of the transmitter array of the MIMO radar device, via which third radar signals are emittable having a third radiation pattern;

a fourth transmitting antenna via which fourth radar signals are emittable having a fourth radiation pattern, a main lobe of the fourth radiation pattern pointing in a fourth direction which is at a third angle of between 1 degree and 90 degrees relative to the third direction;

wherein;

a main lobe of the first radiation pattern points in a first,

a main lobe of the second radiation pattern points in a second direction which is at a first angle of between 1 degree and 90 degrees relative to the first direction, and

a main lobe of the third radiation pattern points in a third direction, the third direction being at a second angle of between 1 degree and 90 degrees relative to the second direction;

at least one receiving antenna via which radar signals reflected on the object are receivable; and

an evaluation device via which the position angle of the object is determinable based on phase differences and based on amplitude differences, which originate from the emission of the radar signals in the first through fourth directions, between the received reflected radar signals;

wherein the position angle is defined based on the MIMO radar device situated in a vehicle, wherein the position angle is measured with respect to forward travel direction of the vehicle, with a base point of the forward travel direction on the vehicle as the vertex, and with a covered angular sector in parallel to a driving plane of the vehicle, and

wherein the first direction and the second direction together form a first angle having an absolute value of about 20°

, the second direction and the third direction form a second angle having an absolute value of about 20°

, the third direction and the fourth direction form a third angle having an absolute value of about 20°

, the first angle, the second angle, and the third angle are situated in a shared virtual plane which is in parallel to the driving plane of the vehicle, and an additional angle between the first direction and the fourth direction has an absolute value of about 50°

.