Radar apparatus and method for detecting malfunction of radar apparatus
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A radar apparatus to be installed in a vehicle comprising a wiper device, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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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:
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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.
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Specification