Vehicle obstacle warning radar

• US 7,295,154 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Ohio State University)
• Original Assignee: Ohio State University
• Inventors: Walton, Eric K., Chen, Chi-Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo; Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/968,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 73, 342/90, 342/126, 342/145, 342/194, 342/195
• US Class Current: 342/194
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/32 using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0245 Radar with phased array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front 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 3/48 the waves arriving at the antennas being continuous or intermittent and the phase difference of signals derived therefrom being measured
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/352 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/358 using I/Q processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4086 in a calibrating environment, e.g. anechoic chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

A method for detecting an object using a transmitting antenna and an array of receiving antennas. The method comprises the step of transmitting a signal from the transmitting antenna. The magnitude and phase of a respective received signal at each of the receiving antennas is then measured. Next, the magnitude of a weighted sum of respective phase-compensated signals related to each of the receiving antennas is determined. The magnitude of the weighted sum is compared against a first predetermined threshold value and, optionally, a second predetermined threshold value. An object may be detected by considering a ratio of the magnitude of the weighted sum to the first predetermined threshold value and, optionally, to the second predetermined threshold value. In some embodiments, a second array of receiving antennas may be provided to facilitate the determination of the location of the object.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an object, said method comprising:

providing a transmitting antenna;

providing a first array of receiving antennas;

transmitting from said transmitting antenna;

measuring a magnitude and phase of a respective received signal at each of said receiving antennas of said first array;

determining a first magnitude of a first weighted sum of respective phase-compensated signals related to each of said receiving antennas of said first array;

comparing said first magnitude of said first weighted sum from said first array against a first predetermined threshold value;

comparing said first magnitude of said first weighted sum from said first array against a second predetermined threshold value; and

detecting an object by considering a ratio of said first magnitude to said first predetermined threshold value and a ratio of said first magnitude to said second predetermined threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining a warning based on a relationship of said first magnitude of said first weighted sum to said first predetermined threshold value and said second predetermined threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing a first type of said warning if said first magnitude of said first weighted sum exceeds said first predetermined threshold value but not said second predetermined threshold value; and

providing a second type of said warning if said first magnitude of said first weighted sum exceeds said first predetermined threshold value and said second predetermined threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a second array of receiving antennas;

measuring a magnitude and phase of a respective received signal at each of said receiving antennas of said second array;

determining a second magnitude of a second weighted sum of respective phase-compensated signals related to each of said receiving antennas of said second array;

comparing said second magnitude of said second weighted sum of said respective phase-compensated signals of said second array against third predetermined threshold value;

comparing said second magnitude of said second weighted sum of said respective phase-compensated signals of said second array against fourth predetermined threshold value; and

detecting an object by further considering a ratio of said second magnitude to said third predetermined threshold value and a ratio of said second magnitude to said fourth predetermined threshold value.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of determining a warning based on a relationship of said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array to said first predetermined threshold value and said second predetermined threshold value and on a relationship of said second magnitude of said second weighted sum of said second array to said third predetermined threshold value and said fourth predetermined threshold value.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said warning is based on said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array if said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array at least exceeds said first predetermined threshold value but said second magnitude of said second weighted sum of said second array does not exceed said third predetermined threshold value.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array at least exceeds said first predetermined threshold value but said second magnitude of said second weighted sum of said second array does not exceed said third predetermined threshold value, the method further comprising:

providing a first type of said warning if said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array exceeds said first predetermined threshold value but not said second predetermined threshold value; and

providing a second type of said warning if said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array exceeds said first predetermined threshold value and said second predetermined threshold value.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

performing position triangulation if said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array exceeds said first predetermined threshold value and said second magnitude of said second weighted sum of said second array exceeds said third predetermined threshold value;

wherein said second predetermined threshold value is higher than said first predetermined threshold value and said fourth predetermined threshold value is higher than said third predetermined threshold value.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing a warning based on the position of the object.

10. A method for determining the location of an object, said method comprising:

providing a transmitting antenna;

providing a first array of receiving antennas and a second array of receiving antennas;

transmitting from said transmitting antenna;

measuring a magnitude and phase of a respective received signal at each of said receiving antennas of said first array and said second array;

determining a first weighted sum of the magnitudes of said first array;

determining a second weighted sum of the magnitudes of said second array;

comparing said first weighted sum of said first array against a predetermined threshold value;

comparing said second weighted sum of said second array against a predetermined threshold value; and

performing position triangulation if at least one peak of said first weighted sum of said first array and at least one peak of said second weighted sum of said second array both at least exceed said respective predetermined threshold value.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of performing position triangulation considers only interceptions that involve a peak of said first weighted sum of said first array and a peak of said second weighted sum of said second array.

12. A method for detecting an object, said method comprising:

providing a transmitting antenna;

providing a first array of receiving antennas;

transmitting from said transmitting antenna;

measuring a magnitude and phase of a respective received signal at each of said receiving antennas of said first array;

determining a first magnitude of a first weighted sum of respective phase-compensated signals related to each of said receiving antennas of said first array;

comparing said first magnitude of said first weighted sum from said first array against a first predetermined threshold value; and

detecting an object by considering a ratio of said first magnitude to said first predetermined threshold value.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

providing a second array of receiving antennas;

measuring a magnitude and phase of a respective received signal at each of said receiving antennas of said second array;

determining a second magnitude of a second weighted sum of respective phase-compensated signals related to each of said receiving antennas of said second array;

comparing said second magnitude of said second weighted sum from said second array against a second predetermined threshold value; and

detecting an object by further considering a ratio of said second magnitude to said second predetermined threshold value.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of performing position triangulation if said first magnitude of said first weighted sum of said first array exceeds said first predetermined threshold value and said second magnitude of said second weighted sum of said second array exceeds said second predetermined threshold value.