METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE WIDTH OF RADAR OBJECTS

• US 20090135048A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Jordan, Ruediger
• Granted Patent: US 7,714,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence

Abstract

In a method for estimating the width of radar objects in a position finding system for motor vehicles, which has at least two angle-resolving radar sensors, the reflection points positioned by several of the radar sensors, which are to be assigned to the same object on the basis of their distance data and relative velocity data, are combined into a group, lateral positions of the reflection points from this group are calculated, the difference of the lateral positions is calculated for various pairs of these refection points, and the maximum of these differences is sought out to determine an estimated value for a minimum width of the object.

Claims

1. A method for estimating a width of radar objects in a position finding system for a motor vehicle, which has at least two angle-resolving radar sensors, the method comprising:

combining into a group reflection points located by a plurality of the radar sensors, which are to be assigned to the same object on the basis of distance data and relative velocity data;

calculating lateral positions of the reflection points from the group;

calculating a difference of the lateral positions for various pairs of the reflection points; and

determining a maximum of the differences to determine an estimated value for a minimum width of the object.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

tracking the objects in a tracking procedure; and

replacing a previous estimated value by a more recent estimated value, if the more recent estimated value is greater than the previous estimated value.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating estimated values for the lateral positions of left and right boundaries of the object on the basis of the lateral positions of the reflection points and on the basis of the estimated value for the minimum width of the object.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing a pattern recognition step, in which the positioned objects are classified on the basis of a recognition of characteristic patterns in the lateral positions of the reflection points.

5. A driver assistance system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least two angle-resolving radar sensors; and

an electronic data processing system for analyzing data of the radar sensors, the data processing system performing the following;

combining into a group reflection points located by a plurality of the radar sensors, which are to be assigned to the same object on the basis of distance data and relative velocity data,

calculating lateral positions of the reflection points from the group,

calculating a difference of the lateral positions for various pairs of the reflection points, and

determining a maximum of the differences to determine an estimated value for a minimum width of the object.

6. The driver assistance system according to claim 5, wherein the radar sensors are LRR sensors.

7. The driver assistance system according to claim 5, wherein the at least two radar sensors are mounted in proximity to left and right front corners of the vehicle.