VEHICLE SHORT RANGE SENSING SYSTEM USING RF SENSORS

• US 20170276788A1
• Filed: 03/23/2017
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wodrich, Helmut A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,571,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• 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 15/878 wherein transceivers are operated, either sequentially or simultaneously, both in bi-static and in mono-static mode, e.g. cross-echo mode
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/0234 Avoidance by code multiplex

Abstract

A sensing system for a vehicle includes a plurality of radio frequency (RF) sensor units disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective fields of sensing exterior of the vehicle. Each RF sensor unit includes a system on chip unit comprising a plurality of transmitting antennae and a plurality of receiving antennae, with each transmitting antenna transmitting RF signals and each receiving antenna receiving RF signals transmitted by each transmitting antenna to provide a respective field of sensing of each of the RF sensor units. Outputs of the RF sensor units are communicated to a control and, responsive to the outputs of the RF sensor units, the control determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of at least one of the RF sensor units.

Claims

1. A sensing system for a vehicle, said sensing system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) sensor units disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective fields of sensing exterior of the vehicle;

wherein each of said RF sensor units comprises a system on chip device comprising a plurality of transmitting antennae and a plurality of receiving antennae, with each transmitting antenna transmitting RF signals and each receiving antenna receiving RF signals; and

a control, wherein outputs of said RF sensor units are communicated to said control, and wherein said control, responsive to said outputs of said RF sensor units, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of at least one of said RF sensor units.

2. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein said system on chip device comprises an analog to digital converter, a data processor and a communication device for communicating outputs to said control.

3. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein said outputs of said RF sensor units are communicated to said control via Ethernet.

4. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein, during operation, the number of transmitting and receiving antenna utilized by said RF sensor unit is adjustable based on the complexity of the environment surrounding the vehicle.

5. The sensing system of claim 4, wherein, when the vehicle is at a relatively simple situation with a totally clear field of view, only one transmitting antenna and one receiving antenna is used by an individual one of said RF sensor units.

6. The sensing system of claim 5, wherein, as the complexity of the environment increases from the relatively simple situation, the number of transmitting antenna and receiving antenna utilized by the individual one of said RF sensor units is increased.

7. The sensing system of claim 4, wherein said control adjusts the number of transmitting and receiving antenna utilized by said RF sensor unit responsive to a determination of the complexity of the environment surrounding the vehicle.

8. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein said RF sensor unit comprises a unitary module that is configured to be disposed behind a vehicle component.

9. The sensing system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle component comprises one of a front bumper of the vehicle, a front grill of the vehicle, a rear bumper of the vehicle, a side panel of the vehicle, and a housing of an exterior mirror of the vehicle.

10. A sensing system for a vehicle, said sensing system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) sensor units disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective fields of sensing exterior of the vehicle;

wherein each of said RF sensor units comprises a system on chip device comprising a plurality of transmitting antennae and a plurality of receiving antennae, with each transmitting antenna transmitting RF signals and each receiving antenna receiving RF signals;

a control, wherein outputs of said RF sensor units are communicated to said control, and wherein said control, responsive to said outputs of said RF sensor units, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of at least one of said RF sensor units;

wherein, during operation, the number of transmitting and receiving antenna utilized by said RF sensor unit is adjustable based on the complexity of the environment surrounding the vehicle;

wherein, when the vehicle is at a relatively simple situation with a totally clear field of view, only one transmitting antenna and one receiving antenna is used by an individual one of said RF sensor units; and

wherein said control adjusts the number of transmitting and receiving antenna utilized by said RF sensor unit responsive to a determination of the complexity of the environment surrounding the vehicle.

11. The sensing system of claim 10, wherein said system on chip device comprises an analog to digital converter, a data processor and a communication device for communicating outputs to said control.

12. The sensing system of claim 10, wherein said outputs of said RF sensor units are communicated to said control via Ethernet.

13. The sensing system of claim 10, wherein, as the complexity of the environment increases from the relatively simple situation, the number of transmitting antenna and receiving antenna utilized by the individual one of said RF sensor units is increased.

14. The sensing system of claim 10, wherein said RF sensor unit comprises a unitary module that is configured to be disposed behind a vehicle component.

15. The sensing system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle component comprises one of a front bumper of the vehicle, a front grill of the vehicle, a rear bumper of the vehicle, a side panel of the vehicle, and a housing of an exterior mirror of the vehicle.

16. A sensing system for a vehicle, said sensing system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) sensor units disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective fields of sensing exterior of the vehicle;

wherein each of said RF sensor units comprises a unitary module that is configured to be disposed behind a vehicle component, and wherein the vehicle component comprises one of a front bumper of the vehicle, a front grill of the vehicle, a rear bumper of the vehicle, a side panel of the vehicle, and a housing of an exterior mirror of the vehicle;

wherein each of said RF sensor units comprises a system on chip device comprising a plurality of transmitting antennae and a plurality of receiving antennae, with each transmitting antenna transmitting RF signals and each receiving antenna receiving RF signals;

wherein said system on chip device comprises an analog to digital converter, a data processor and a communication device for communicating outputs to said control; and

a control, wherein outputs of said RF sensor units are communicated to said control, and wherein said control, responsive to said outputs of said RF sensor units, determines the presence of one or more objects exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of at least one of said RF sensor units.

17. The sensing system of claim 16, wherein said outputs of said RF sensor units are communicated to said control via Ethernet.

18. The sensing system of claim 16, wherein, during operation, the number of transmitting and receiving antenna utilized by said RF sensor unit is adjustable based on the complexity of the environment surrounding the vehicle.

19. The sensing system of claim 18, wherein, when the vehicle is at a relatively simple situation with a totally clear field of view, only one transmitting antenna and one receiving antenna is used by an individual one of said RF sensor units, and wherein, as the complexity of the environment increases from the relatively simple situation, the number of transmitting antenna and receiving antenna utilized by the individual one of said RF sensor units is increased.

20. The sensing system of claim 18, wherein said control adjusts the number of transmitting and receiving antenna utilized by said RF sensor unit responsive to a determination of the complexity of the environment surrounding the vehicle.