Radar apparatus and method for detecting malfunction of radar apparatus

• US 6,278,399 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2000
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ashihara, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/506,936
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70-72, 342/89, 342/165, 342/169-175, 342/195, 342/27-29, 342/41, 342/61, 342/69, 342/73, 342/94-103, 342/118-124, 342/127-146, 342/159, 356/5-1-, 702/182, 702/183, 702/184, 702/185, 702/186, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169
• US Class Current: 342/173
• 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 2013/93276 in the windshield area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4056 specially adapted to FMCW
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4078 involving an integrated reference reflector or reference transponder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4082 using externally generated reference signals, e.g. via remote reflector or transponder

Abstract

The radar apparatus of the present invention comprises a beam transmitter for radiating a radar beam, a beam receiver for receiving a reflected signal, a processor for calculating the position of the object, and a malfunction detecting device for detecting a malfunction of the radar apparatus. At least one of the area irradiated by the beam transmitter and a receiving area of the beam receiver overlaps with a movable area of a wiper blade of the wiper device, and the malfunction detecting device estimates that the radar apparatus is malfunctioning if a wiper passing signal to be detected does not appear in an output signal of the processor while a wiper movement detecting device detects that the wiper device is activated.

Claims

1. A radar apparatus to be installed in a vehicle comprising a wiper device, comprising:

a beam transmitter for radiating a radar beam as a transmitted signal;

a beam receiver for receiving a signal reflected by an object in an area irradiated by the radar beam;

a processor for calculating the position of the object from the transmitted signal and the reflected signal; and

a malfunction detecting device for detecting a malfunction of the radar apparatus;

wherein at least one of the area irradiated by the beam transmitter and a receiving area of the beam receiver overlaps with an area over which a wiping member of the wiper device moves, and the malfunction detecting device estimates that the radar apparatus is malfunctioning if a wiper passing signal to be detected does not appear in an output signal of the processor when the wiper device is activated.

2. A radar apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a wiper movement detecting device for detecting whether the wiper device is activated, and wherein the malfunction detecting device estimates that the radar apparatus is malfunctioning if a wiper passing signal to be detected does not appear in an output signal of the processor while the wiper movement detecting device detects that the wiper device is activated.

3. A radar apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising at least an attachment for fixing the radar module on the inner surface of the windshield of the vehicle so that a front face of the radar module contacts the inner surface of the windshield.

4. A radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the beam transmitter and the beam receiver are assembled into a radar module to be installed at an inner surface of a windshield of the vehicle.

5. A method for detecting malfunction of a radar apparatus installed in a vehicle comprising a wiper device, the radar apparatus comprising a beam transmitter for radiating a radar beam as a transmitted signal, a beam receiver for receiving a signal reflected by an object in an area irradiated by the radar beam, and a processor for calculating the position of the object from the transmitted signal and the reflected signal, wherein at least one of the area irradiated by the beam transmitter and a receiving area of the beam receiver overlaps with an area over which a wiping member of the wiper device moves, and the method comprising:

activating the wiper device to move the wiping member;

radiating a radar beam by the beam transmitter and receiving the reflected signal by the beam receiver; and

estimating that the radar apparatus is malfunctioning if a wiper passing signal to be detected does not appear in an output signal of the processor.