Ultrasonic detection device to determine interference source by an additional reception mode

• US 10,234,548 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAGNA Electronics Solutions GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MAGNA Electronics Solutions GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hsu, Chen-Yi, Lai, Chien-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nath, Suman K
• Application Number:
  US14/711,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 73598, 73602, 73627, 367 93, 367 95, 367 96, 367 98, 367 99, 367100, 367135, 367136, 367137, 180167, 180168, 180169
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurement G01S15/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/527 Extracting wanted echo signals Doppler systems G01S15/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an ultrasonic detection device and detection method thereof. The ultrasonic detection device includes a processor and a transceiver module, whereby the transceiver module may be operated to enter an additional reception mode and receive a first ambient echo. The processor may analyze the first ambient echo and generate an analysis result. When the generated analysis result shows that the first ambient echo has a signal characteristic indicative of an interference source in the environment, the transceiver module may again enter the additional reception mode before a detection operation is performed. As a result, an elimination mode may be performed to correctly obtain or distinguish the corresponding reflected wave of the detection operation, thereby avoiding an error of operation, such as distance detection, due to the presence of an interference source.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic detection method for an ultrasonic detection device that includes a processor and a transceiver module operable in a plurality of reception modes, the method comprising:

generating via the processor a first instruction signal to cause the transceiver module of the ultrasonic detection device to enter a first reception mode that is operable to receive external signals from an environment monitored by the ultrasonic detection device, wherein the transceiver module is operable in the first reception mode for a preset time and without transmitting a detection wave, wherein the external signals comprise interference signals and reflections of detection waves transmitted by the transceiver and reflected off objects in the environment;

receiving a first external signal from the environment with the transceiver module in the first reception mode;

in response to the transceiver module receiving the first external signal from the environment monitored by the ultrasonic detection device while in the first reception mode, analyzing, by the processor, the first external signal based on whether the first external signal has a frequency that is greater than or equal to a threshold indicative of an interference source separate from the ultrasonic detection device;

determining, by the processor, whether the interference source is present based on the processor'"'"'s analysis of the first external signal;

in response to the analysis indicating that the first external signal has a frequency that is greater than the threshold indicative of the interference source separate from the ultrasonic detection device, generating via the processor, a second instruction signal to cause the transceiver module to again enter the first reception mode;

in response to (i) the preset time of the transceiver module operating in the first reception mode elapsing and (ii) the transceiver module not receiving any external signals or the analysis indicating that the first external signal has a frequency that is less or equal to than a threshold indicative of the interference source not being present, generating via the processor a third instruction signal to cause the transceiver module to run a detection operation;

wherein the detection operation causes the transceiver module of the ultrasonic detection device to switch between a transmission mode and a second reception mode;

wherein the transmission mode transmits a detection wave and wherein the second reception mode receives a second external signal; and

calculating, by the processor, a Time of Flight between transmission of the detection wave and reception of the second external signal, so as to obtain a detection distance between the ultrasonic detection device and a target object in the environment.

2. An ultrasonic detection method for an ultrasonic detection device with a processor and a transceiver module operable in a plurality of reception modes for receiving external signals from an environment monitored by the ultrasonic detection device, the method comprising:

transmitting a detection wave into the environment from the transceiver module in a preset transmission mode;

switching the transceiver module from the preset transmission mode to a preset reception mode for receiving external signals, wherein the external signals comprise interference signals and reflections of detection waves transmitted from the transceiver in the preset transmission mode and reflected off objects in the environment;

receiving a first external signal from the environment with the transceiver module in the preset reception mode;

receiving a second external signal from the environment with the transceiver module in an additional reception mode;

analyzing the second external signal with the processor based on whether the second external signal has a signal characteristic indicative of an interference source separate from the ultrasonic detection device;

determining whether the interference source is present based on the processor'"'"'s analysis of the second external signal;

in response to the analysis of the second external signal indicating that the second external signal has a signal characteristic indicative of the interference source in the environment that is separate from the ultrasonic detection device, performing an elimination process on the first external signal with the processor of the ultrasonic detection device; and

in response to the analysis indicating that the interference source is not present in the environment, calculating, with the processor, a Time of Flight between the transmission of the detection wave and the reception of the first external signal so as to obtain a detection distance between the ultrasonic detection device and a target object in the environment.

3. The ultrasonic detection method of claim 2, wherein the elimination process comprises discarding the first external signal and outputting a distance that was previously calculated by the processor when the interference source was not present.

4. The ultrasonic detection method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, with the processor, that the received first external signal is a reflection of the transmitted detection wave when the analysis shows that the second external signal does not have the signal characteristic.

5. The ultrasonic detection method of claim 4, in response to calculating the detection distance, recording and updating a stored distance with the detection distance, wherein the elimination process comprises discarding the first external signal and outputting the stored distance.

6. An ultrasonic detection device, comprising:

a transceiver module configured to transmit a detection wave into a surrounding environment in a transmission mode and receive external signals from the surrounding environment in a plurality of reception modes, wherein the external signals comprise interference signals and reflections of detection waves transmitted by the transceiver and reflected off objects in the environment;

a processor configured to cause the transceiver module to enter a first reception mode without being in the transmission mode for a preset time;

wherein, responsive to the transceiver module receiving a first external signal in the first reception mode during the preset time, the processor analyzes the first external signal based on whether the first external signal has a signal characteristic indicative of an interference source separate from the ultrasonic detection device;

wherein, responsive to the analysis, the processor determines whether an interference source is present;

wherein, responsive to the analysis indicating that the first external signal has a signal characteristic indicative of the interference source separate from the ultrasonic detection device, the processor causes the transceiver module to again enter the first reception mode without being in the transmission mode for a preset time; and

wherein, responsive to the analysis indicating that the first external signal does not have the interference source present and the preset time being elapsed, the processor causes the transceiver module to switch between the transmission mode and a second reception mode for receiving external signals.

7. The ultrasonic detection device of claim 6, wherein the signal characteristic includes a signal frequency of the first external signal being greater than a frequency threshold.

8. The ultrasonic detection device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a Time of Flight between the transmission of the detection wave and the reception of the external signals so as to obtain a detection distance between the ultrasonic detection device and a target object in the environment.

9. The ultrasonic detection device of claim 6, wherein the transceiver module does not transmit a detection wave when in the plurality of reception modes.

10. The ultrasonic detection device of claim 6, wherein the processor determines a detection distance between the ultrasonic detection device and a target object in response to the interference source not being detected by the transceiver module of the ultrasonic detection device in the first reception mode.

11. The ultrasonic detection device of claim 6, wherein, responsive to the analysis indicating that the received first external signal has a signal characteristic indicative of the interference source separate from the ultrasonic detection device, the processor outputs a previously recorded distance.

12. The ultrasonic detection device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a Time of Flight between the transmission of the detection wave and the reception of the external signals so as to obtain a detection distance between the ultrasonic detection device and a target object, and wherein, responsive to calculating the detection distance, the processor records a stored distance with the detection distance.

13. The ultrasonic detection device of claim 12, wherein, responsive to the analysis indicating that the first external signal has a signal characteristic indicative of the interference source separate from the ultrasonic detection device, the processor outputs the stored distance.