Pre-warning Method and Vehicle Radar System

• US 20160054442A1
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Jeng-Da, Hsiao, Hsin-Lung, Kuo, Chi-Cheng
• Granted Patent: US 10,162,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver

Abstract

A pre-warning method utilized in a vehicle radar system includes a first and a second millimeter-wave detection modules detecting dynamic information of a plurality of first targets and a plurality of second targets corresponding to the vehicle radar system in different dimensions of an area and obtaining a first and a second detection results, determining whether there are identical targets within the plurality of first targets and the plurality of second targets according to the first and the second detection results, determining 3-D dynamic information of at least an identical target after determining that the plurality of first targets and the plurality of second targets include the at least an identical target, and determining whether to trigger an alarm signal according to the 3-D dynamic information of the at least an identical target.

Claims

1. A pre-warning method, utilized in a vehicle radar system comprising a first millimeter-wave detection module and a second millimeter-wave detection module, the pre-warning method comprising:

detecting dynamic information of a plurality of first targets in a first dimension within an area corresponding to the vehicle radar system, to obtain a first detection result;

detecting dynamic information of a plurality of second targets in a second dimension within the area corresponding to the vehicle radar system, to obtain a second detection result, wherein the first dimension is different from the second dimension;

determining whether there are identical targets within the plurality of first targets and the plurality of second targets according to the first detection result and the second detection result;

after determining that the plurality of first targets and the plurality of second targets comprise at least an identical target, determining a 3-dimensional (3-D) dynamic information of the at least an identical target; and

determining whether to trigger an alarm signal according to the 3-D dynamic information of the at least an identical target.

2. The pre-warning method of claim 1, wherein determining whether there are identical targets within the plurality of first targets and the plurality of second targets according to the first detection result and the second detection result is determining that a first target within the plurality of first targets and a second target within the plurality of second targets are identical targets when the first detection result and the second detection result indicate that a difference between a first dynamic information of the first target and a second dynamic information of the second target is smaller than a threshold value.

3. The pre-warning method of claim 1, wherein determining the 3-D dynamic information of the at least an identical target is determining a dynamic information in 3-D space of the at least an identical target corresponding to the vehicle radar system according to the dynamic information of the at least an identical target in the first dimension and the second dimension.

4. The pre-warning method of claim 1, wherein the first dimension is a horizontal dimension corresponding to the vehicle radar system, and the second dimension is a vertical dimension corresponding to the vehicle radar system.

5. The pre-warning method of claim 1, wherein dynamic information of the plurality of first targets or the plurality of second targets corresponding to the vehicle radar system are selected from one or more of positions, distances, angles and velocities of the plurality of first targets or the plurality of second targets corresponding to the vehicle radar system.

6. A vehicle radar system, utilized for a vehicle, the vehicle radar system comprising:

a substrate, comprising a first plane and a second plane;

an antenna module, comprising a plurality of antenna strings, formed on the first plane of the substrate, each comprising a plurality of radiating units connected in a sequence, wherein the plurality of antenna strings are classified into a first group and a second group;

a plurality of wires, formed on the second plane of the substrate, for transmitting radio-frequency (RF) signals;

a plurality of connecting units, disposed in the substrate, for coupling the plurality of wires and antenna strings of the second group within the plurality of antenna strings;

a first millimeter-wave detection module, coupled to antenna strings of the first group within the plurality of antenna strings, for transmitting or receiving RF signals via the antenna strings of the first group, to detect dynamic information of a plurality of first targets in a first dimension within an area corresponding to the vehicle, so as to obtain a first detection result;

a second millimeter-wave detection module, coupled to the plurality of wires, for coupling to the antenna strings of the second group through the plurality of wires and the plurality of connecting units, to detect dynamic information of a plurality of second targets in a second dimension within the area corresponding to the vehicle, so as to obtain a second detection result, wherein the first dimension is different from the second dimension; and

a data fusion unit, for determining whether there are identical targets within the plurality of first targets and the plurality of second targets according to the first detection result and the second detection result;

after determining that the plurality of first targets and the plurality of second targets comprise at least an identical target, determining a 3-D dynamic information of the at least an identical target; and

determining whether to trigger an alarm signal according to the 3-D dynamic information of the at least an identical target;

wherein when the first millimeter-wave detection module transmits or receives RF signals via the antenna strings of the first group, a first electric field generated by the antenna strings of the first group extends toward a first direction, and when the second millimeter-wave detection module transmits or receives RF signals via the antenna strings of the second group, a second electric field generated by the antenna strings of the second group extends toward a second direction different from the first direction;

wherein at least an antenna string of the plurality of antenna strings belongs to both the first group and the second group.

7. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, wherein the first millimeter-wave detection module is formed on the first plane of the substrate.

8. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, wherein the second millimeter-wave detection module is formed on the second plane of the substrate.

9. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

10. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, further comprising a first power divider, coupled between the first millimeter-wave detection module and the antenna strings of the first group.

11. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, wherein the data fusion unit determines that a first target within the plurality of first targets and a second target within the plurality of second targets are identical targets when the first detection result and the second detection result indicate that a difference between a first dynamic information of the first target and a second dynamic information of the second target is smaller than a threshold value.

12. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, wherein the data fusion unit determines a dynamic information in 3-D space of the at least an identical target corresponding to the vehicle radar system according to the dynamic information of the at least an identical target in the first dimension and the second dimension.

13. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, wherein the first dimension is a horizontal dimension corresponding to the vehicle radar system, and the second dimension is a vertical dimension corresponding to the vehicle radar system.

14. The vehicle radar system of claim 6, wherein dynamic information of the plurality of first targets or the plurality of second targets corresponding to the vehicle radar system are selected from one or more of positions, distances, angles and velocities of the plurality of first targets or the plurality of second targets corresponding to the vehicle radar system.