Extending footprint for localization using surface penetrating radar (SPR)

• US 10,663,579 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Stanley, Byron McCall, Cornick, Matthew Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Akonai, Olumide Ajibade
• Application Number:
  US15/882,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/00 Indexing codes relating to the special location or mounting of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/064 Degree of grip
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/068 Road friction coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/872 Combinations of primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/951 ground based
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9327 Sensor installation details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for extending a surface penetrating radar (SPR) footprint for performing localization with an SPR system is disclosed. The method may include may include transmitting at least one SPR signal from at least one SPR transmit element. The method may further include receiving a response signal via at least two SPR receive elements, the response signal including, at least in part, a reflection of the SPR signal from an object. The method may also include determining that the object is in a region of interest outside a footprint of the SPR system based on a difference in phase at which the response signal is received at the at least two SPR receive elements. The method may additionally include performing localization of a vehicle using the SPR system based at least in part on the object.

Claims

1. A method for extending a surface penetrating radar (SPR) footprint for performing localization with an SPR system, the method comprising:

transmitting at least one SPR signal from at least one SPR transmit element;

receiving a response signal via at least two SPR receive elements, the response signal including, at least in part, a reflection of the SPR signal from an object;

determining that the object is in a region of interest outside a footprint of the SPR system based on a difference in phase at which the response signal is received at the at least two SPR receive elements; and

performing localization of a vehicle using the SPR system based at least in part on the object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

expanding a map associated with performing localization with the SPR system based at least in part on the object.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing localization of the vehicle when a tracking pass only partially overlaps with a map footprint associated with performing localization with the SPR system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is not below an SPR antenna array of the SPR system.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

expanding a map associated with performing localization with the SPR system beyond an area below the SPR antenna array.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

performing less mapping passes of an area by expanding the map associated with performing localization with the SPR system.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

expanding an area where localization can be performed by expanding the map associated with performing localization with the SPR system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a distance from the object to an SPR element of the SPR system based on the receiving of the response signal via the at least two SPR receive elements.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

migrating data associated with the receiving of the response signal via the at least two SPR receive elements.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing localization of the vehicle when a tracking pass only partially overlaps with a map footprint associated with performing localization with the SPR system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is not below an SPR antenna array of the SPR system.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

expanding a map associated with performing localization with the SPR system beyond an area below the corresponding SPR antenna array.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing less mapping passes of an area by expanding the map associated with performing localization with the SPR system.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

expanding an area where localization can be performed by expanding the map associated with performing localization with the SPR system.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a distance from the object to an SPR element of the SPR system based on the receiving of the two or more response signals via the SPR receive element.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

migrating data associated with the receiving of the response signal via the SPR receive element.

17. A method for extending a surface penetrating radar (SPR) footprint for performing localization with an SPR system, the method comprising:

transmitting two or more SPR signals each from a different SPR transmit element;

receiving two or more response signals via a SPR receive element, the response signals including, at least in part, reflections of the two or more SPR signals from an object;

determining that the object is in a region of interest outside a footprint of the SPR system based on a difference in phase at which the two or more response signals are received at the SPR receive element; and

performing localization of a vehicle using the SPR system based at least in part on the object.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

expanding a map associated with performing localization with the SPR system based at least in part on the object.

19. A method for extending a surface penetrating radar (SPR) footprint for performing localization with an SPR system, the method comprising:

transmitting a first SPR signal from a first SPR transmit element and a second SPR signal from a second SPR transmit element;

receiving a first response signal at a first SPR receive element and at a second SPR receive element, the first response signal including, at least in part, a reflection of the first SPR signal from an object;

receiving a second response signal via at least one of the first SPR receive element and the second SPR receive element, the second response signal including, at least in part, a reflection of the second SPR signal from the object;

determining that the object is in a region of interest outside a footprint of the SPR system based on a difference in phase at which the first response signal is received at the first SPR receive element and the second SPR receive element and a difference in phase at which the first response signal and the second response signal are received via the at least one of the first SPR receive element and the second SPR receive element; and

performing localization of a vehicle using the SPR system based at least in part on the object.

20. A system for extending a surface penetrating radar (SPR) footprint for performing localization with SPR, the system comprising:

a first SPR transmit element configured to transmit a first SPR signal;

a second SPR transmit element configured to transmit a second SPR signal;

a first SPR receive element configured to receive a first response signal, the first response signal including, at least in part, a reflection of the first SPR signal from an object;

a second SPR receive element configured to receive the first response signal, wherein at least one of the first and second SPR receive elements are configured to receive a second response signal, the second response signal including, at least in part, a reflection of the second SPR signal from the object; and

one or more processors in communication with the first and second SPR receive elements, the one or more processors configured to;

determine that the object is in a region of interest outside a footprint associated with the system based on a difference in phase at which the first response signal is received at the first SPR receive element and the second SPR receive element and a difference in phase at which the first response signal and the second response signal are received via the at least one of the first SPR receive element and the second SPR receive element; and

perform localization of a vehicle based at least in part on the object.