Method for correcting radar misalignment

• US 6,714,156 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Sielagoski, Gerald L., Ibrahim, Faroog A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/302,287
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/165, 342/173, 342/174
• US Class Current: 342/174
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4026 Antenna boresight
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4086 in a calibrating environment, e.g. anechoic chamber

Abstract

A method of identifying a radar requiring alignment and of adjusting the alignment of the radar fixed to a mounting assembly. The identification method includes the steps of determining a misalignment threshold, determining the misalignment angle of the radar, and creating an alignment notice if the misalignment angle exceeds the threshold. The mounting assembly for the adjustment method includes a housing and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the housing. The method includes the steps of determining a radar misalignment angle, consulting a mapping table having adjustment mechanism manipulations associated with each of a plurality of radar misalignment angles to identify an appropriate adjustment mechanism manipulation for the misalignment angle, and performing the adjustment mechanism manipulation identified in the mapping table for the determined radar misalignment angle.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a radar requiring alignment comprising the steps of:

determining a misalignment threshold as a function of the radar field of view and maximum expected target range in a designated radius of curvature;

determining the misalignment angle of the radar; and

creating an alignment notice if the misalignment angle exceeds the threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of storing the misalignment angle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a misalignment threshold includes calculating the misalignment threshold (MTh) according to $\mathrm{Mth}=F-(\frac{2}{R}+(\frac{R}{2}$

 



ROC))

wherein F is the absolute value of the radar field of view and R is the maximum expected target range in a designated radius of curvature ROC.

4. A method of adjusting the alignment of a radar fixed to a mounting assembly, the mounting assembly including a housing and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the housing, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a radar misalignment angle;

consulting a mapping table having adjustment mechanism manipulations associated with each of a plurality of radar misalignment angles to identify an appropriate adjustment mechanism manipulation for the misalignment angle; and

performing the adjustment mechanism manipulation identified in the mapping table for the determined radar misalignment angle.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the adjusting mechanism includes a rotatable element and the manipulations in the mapping table include a rotatable adjustment of said rotatable element corresponding to each of said plurality of misalignment angles, and wherein the step of performing the manipulation identified in the mapping table includes rotating the rotatable element.

6. The method of claim 4 further including the steps of:

determining a misalignment threshold;

comparing the misalignment angle to the misalignment threshold; and

consulting the mapping table if the misalignment angle is greater than the misalignment threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the misalignment threshold is a function of the radar field of view and maximum expected target range in a designated radius of curvature.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining a misalignment threshold includes calculating the misalignment threshold (MTh) according to $\mathrm{Mth}=F-(\frac{2}{R}+(\frac{R}{2}$

 



ROC))

wherein F is the absolute value of the radar field of view and R is the maximum expected target range in a designated radius of curvature ROC.

9. The method of claim 6 further including the step of generating an alignment notice if the misalignment value exceeds the threshold.