Method for operation of a radar sensor

• US 7,755,540 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bircher Reglomat AG (Giorgio Behr, PhD)
• Original Assignee: Bircher Reglomat AG (Giorgio Behr, PhD)
• Inventors: Mezger, Klaus, Audergon, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US12/464,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 342/165, 342/173, 342/174, 342/27, 342/74, 342/154, 342/127, 342/133, 342/146
• US Class Current: 342/165
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/632 for horizontally-sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/665 for vertically-sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/433 using reflection from the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/434 with cameras or optical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/487 Fault detection of safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/54 Obstruction or resistance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 of parts of a radar system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence

Abstract

A method for close-proximity operation of a radar sensor for the generation of a usable detection field, for the recognition of people and/or stationary objects by an antenna, whereby the detection field can be altered or adjusted electronically.

Claims

1. A method for operation of a radar sensor in a near area for production of a detectable coverage field for the identification of people and/or stationary objects by means of an antenna, wherein a presence sensor is equipped with an FMCW radar for distance measurement, and/or a radar sensor is equipped with an autonomous auxiliary antenna for carrying out a self test, wherein energy for a test supply is taken from the radar sensor and/or from the present sensor by means of the autonomous auxiliary antenna, and serviceability of the radar sensor and/or of the present sensor is checked, and wherein a signal which is evaluated and used to evaluate the serviceability of the radar sensor and/or of the present sensor is determined by drawing energy by means of the autonomous auxiliary antenna or by loading the actual coverage field of the radar sensor and/or of the present sensor at different frequencies or at the same frequencies.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the direction, location and size or area of a coverage field is influenced via a phase shift, which is set by means of a remote control, or evaluation of the frequency and phase between the output signal and the input signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an evaluation process is carried out by evaluation of a frequency and phase of the individual reflected antenna signals.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein an emission angle α

of the coverage field is set or adjusted via the phase shift of the antenna signals, in which case the radar sensor is arranged at right angles on any desired base.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coverage field is set or aligned to cover an area or as a function of position, via the emission angle α

as a function of an installation height (M_H), and/or the coverage field is aligned such that it is inclined downwards and, if required, is varied by fine adjustment.