METHOD, ANTENNA ARRAY, RADAR SYSTEM AND VEHICLE

• US 20150198705A1
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: SCHOOR, Michael, KUEHNLE, Goetz, GROSS, Volker, LOESCH, Benedikt
• Granted Patent: US 9,910,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/424 Stacked beam radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• 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 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00

Abstract

A method is provided for detecting at least two objects, particularly using a radar system having the steps of sending out a first radio signal using a first sending device, the first sending device being situated in a horizontal plane having at least two first antenna elements, receiving the radio signal using the at least two first antenna elements, receiving the radio signal using at least two second antenna elements, which are situated in different horizontal positions each above or below corresponding first antenna elements of the horizontally situated antenna elements, calculating respectively one azimuth angle and one angle of elevation from at least two objects located in front of the first antenna elements and the second antenna elements from the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements. Furthermore, an antenna array, a radar system, and a vehicle are provided.

Claims

1. A method for detecting at least two objects, comprising:

sending out a first radio signal using a first sending device, the first sending device being situated in a horizontal plane with at least two first antenna elements;

receiving the first radio signal using the at least two first antenna;

receiving the first radio signal using at least two second antenna elements, which in different horizontal positions are each situated above or below the corresponding first antenna elements of the horizontally situated first antenna elements; and

calculating each of one azimuth angle and of one angle of elevation of the at least two objects situated in front of the first antenna elements and the second antenna elements from the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements, in each case one azimuth angle and one angle of elevation being assigned to an object.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein during the calculating, the respective azimuth angles and the respective angles of elevation are calculated at least based on the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements and based on a specified function of the maximum probability.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein during the calculating of the respective azimuth angles and the respective angles of elevation, a correction is carried out based on respective azimuth angles previously calculated separately.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending at least one second radio signal using a second sending device, wherein during the calculating, the azimuth angle and the angle of elevation are calculated based on the first and second radio signals received by the first antenna elements and the first and second radio signals received by the second antenna elements.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed using a radar system.

5. An antenna array for detecting at least two objects, comprising:

at least two first antenna elements situated in a horizontal direction in a plane and for receiving a first radio signal;

at least two second antenna elements situated in different horizontal positions each above or below the horizontally situated first antenna elements and for receiving the first radio signal;

a processing device for calculating respectively one azimuth angle and respectively one angle of elevation for each the of at least two objects located in front of the antenna array from the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements, and for in each case assigning an azimuth angle and an angle of elevation to one of the objects.

6. The antenna array as recited in claim 5, wherein the second antenna elements are each situated in a vertical direction above or below one of the corresponding ones of the first antenna elements, the second antenna elements being situated at various heights above or below the plane of the first antenna element.

7. The antenna array as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the second antenna elements is situated in a vertical direction next to a corresponding one of first antenna elements.

8. The antenna array as recited in claim 5, further comprising a first sending device for sending out the first radio signal and situated in the plane of the first antenna elements.

9. The antenna array as recited in claim 8, further comprising at least one second sending device for sending out a second radio signal, wherein:

the second sending device is situated in the plane of the first antenna elements at another horizontal position than the first sending device,

the first antenna elements and the second antenna elements receive the second radio signal, and

the processing device calculates the azimuth angles and the angles of elevation from the first radio signal and the second radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the first radio signal and the second radio signal received by the second antenna elements.

10. The antenna array as recited in claim 5, wherein the processing device calculates the respective azimuth angles and the respective angles of elevation at least based on the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements and based on a specified function of a maximum probability.

11. The antenna array as recited in claim 10, wherein the processing device performs a correction based on the calculated azimuth angle during the calculation of the respective azimuth angles and the respective angle of elevation.

16. The antenna array as recited in claim 5, wherein the antenna array is for a radar system.

12. A radar system, comprising:

an antenna array for detecting at least two objects, comprising;

at least two first antenna elements situated in a horizontal direction in a plane and for receiving a first radio signal,

at least two second antenna elements situated in different horizontal positions each above or below the horizontally situated first antenna elements and for receiving the first radio signal, and

a processing device for calculating respectively one azimuth angle and respectively one angle of elevation for each the of at least two objects located in front of the antenna array from the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements, and for in each case assigning an azimuth angle and an angle of elevation to one of the objects; and

an electronic system for generating at least one of a first signal which is sent out by a first sending device as the first radio signal a second signal which is sent out by a second sending device as the second radio signal.

13. A vehicle especially a motor vehicle, comprising:

a radar system, comprising;

an antenna array for detecting at least two objects, comprising;

at least two first antenna elements situated in a horizontal direction in a plane and for receiving a first radio signal,

at least two second antenna elements situated in different horizontal positions each above or below the horizontally situated first antenna elements and for receiving the first radio signal, and

a processing device for calculating respectively one azimuth angle and respectively one angle of elevation for each the of at least two objects located in front of the antenna array from the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements, and for in each case assigning an azimuth angle and an angle of elevation to one of the objects; and

an electronic system for generating at least one of a first signal which is sent out by a first sending device as the first radio signal a second signal which is sent out by a second sending device as the second radio signal.

14. The vehicle as recited in claim 13, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.