DIRECTION DETECTION APPARATUS, DIRECTION DETECTION METHOD, AND DIRECTION DETECTION PROGRAM

• US 20130278457A1
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Elesys Co., Ltd. (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Honda Elesys Co., Ltd. (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: KAMO, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US13/868,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/345 using triangular modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• 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 7/024 using polarisation effects in waveguides H01P1/165; for aerials H01Q, e.g. H01Q15/22, H01Q15/24, H01Q19/195
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/005 Slotted waveguides arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/002 providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas

Abstract

A direction detection apparatus includes antennas of a plurality of systems having polarization characteristics different from each other and configured to receive a signal reflected by an object, a determination unit configured to determine the polarization characteristic of the received signal, and an operation processing unit configured to select a detection range corresponding to the polarization characteristic which have been determined.

Claims

1. A direction detection apparatus comprising:

antennas of a plurality of systems having polarization characteristics different from each other and configured to receive signals reflected by an object;

a determination unit configured to determine the polarization characteristics of the received signals; and

an operation processing unit configured to select a detection range corresponding to the polarization characteristics which have been determined.

2. The direction detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation processing unit comprises a direction estimating unit configured to estimate a direction of the object using the received signals and a detection coefficient associated with the selected detection range.

3. The direction detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation processing unit configured to repeatedly select the detection range when a predetermined time lapses after the detection coefficient is selected.

4. A direction detection method comprising the steps of:

receiving signals reflected by an object using antennas of a plurality of systems having polarization characteristics different from each other;

determining the polarization characteristics of the received signals; and

selecting a detection range corresponding to the polarization characteristics which have been determined.

5. A direction detection program causing a computer of a direction detection apparatus having antennas of a plurality of systems having polarization characteristics different from each other and configured to receive signals reflected by an object to perform the sequences of:

determining the polarization characteristics of the received signals; and

selecting a detection range corresponding to the polarization characteristics which have been determined.