Method and system for reducing power loss of transmitted radio wave through cover

• US 7,852,258 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Yusuke, Aoki, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bythrow; Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/254,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 342/22, 342 70- 72, 342/82, 342/83, 342/85, 342/165, 342/173, 342/174, 702/85, 702/94, 702/106, 343/872
• US Class Current: 342/82
• 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 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4008 of transmitters

Abstract

In a power-loss reducing system, a transmitting unit causes a radar to transmit a measurement radio wave, and a power monitoring unit monitors power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through a cover while changing a positional relationship between the cover and the radar. An extracting unit extracts a value of the changed positional relationship between the cover and the radar based on a result of the monitoring of the power such that the extracted value of the positional relationship allows reduction of power loss of a radar wave transmitted, through the cover, from the radar located based on the extracted value of the positional relationship.

Claims

1. A power-loss reducing method for a radar located such that a cover is placed over the radar with a positional relationship therebetween, the method comprising:

causing the radar to transmit a measurement radio wave;

monitoring power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through the cover while changing the positional relationship between the cover and the radar; and

extracting a value of the changed positional relationship between the cover and the radar based on a result of the monitoring of the power such that the extracted value of the positional relationship allows reduction of power loss of a radar wave transmitted, through the cover, from the radar located based on the extracted value of the positional relationship.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring step includes:

monitoring the power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through the cover while moving the radar from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined limit position, further comprising;

moving the radar to locate the radar at a position so that a positional relationship between the radar located at the position and the cover is matched with the extracted value of the changed positional relationship between the cover and the radar.

3. A power-loss reducing method for a radar located such that a cover is placed over the radar with a positional relationship therebetween, the method comprising:

causing the radar to transmit a measurement radio wave with a frequency;

monitoring power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through the cover while changing the frequency of the transmitted radio wave; and

extracting a value of the changed frequency of the measurement radio wave based on a result of the monitoring of the power such that the extracted value of the changed frequency allows reduction of power loss of a radar wave having the extracted value of the changed frequency and transmitted from the radar through the cover.

4. The method according to claim 3, where the monitoring step includes:

monitoring the power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar trough the cover while changing the frequency of the measurement radio wave from a predetermined frequency to a predetermined limit frequency, further comprising;

adjusting a frequency of a radio wave to be transmitted from the radar so that the adjusted frequency is matched with the extracted value of the changed frequency.

5. A power-loss reducing system for a radar located such that a cover is placed over the radar with a positional relationship therebetween, the system comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to cause the radar to transmit a measurement radio wave;

a power monitoring unit configured to monitor power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through the cover while changing the positional relationship between the cover and the radar; and

an extracting unit configured to extract a value of the changed positional relationship between the cover and the radar based on a result of the monitoring of the power such that the extracted value of the positional relationship allows reduction of power loss of a radar wave transmitted from the radar located based on the extracted value of the positional relationship through the cover.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the power monitoring unit is configured to monitor the power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through the cover while moving the radar from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined limit position, further comprising:

a moving unit configured to move the radar to locate the radar at a position so that a positional relationship between the radar located at the position and the cover is matched with the extracted value of the changed positional relationship between the cover and the radar.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the moving unit is configured to linearly move the radar so as to change a distance between the cover and the radar.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the measurement radio wave has a wavelength, and a distance between the predetermined reference position and the predetermined limit position is determined to the half of the wavelength of the measurement radio wave.

9. A power-loss reducing system for a radar located such that a cover is placed over the radar with a positional relationship therebetween, the system comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to cause the radar to transmit a measurement radio wave with a frequency;

a monitoring unit configured to monitor power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through the cover while changing the frequency of the transmitted radio wave; and

an extracting unit configured to extract a value of the changed frequency of the measurement radio wave based on a result of the monitoring of the power such that the extracted value of the changed frequency allows reduction of power loss of a radar wave having the extracted value of the changed frequency and transmitted from the radar through the cover.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to monitor the power of the measurement radio wave transmitted from the radar through the cover while changing the frequency of the measurement radio wave from a predetermined frequency to a predetermined limit frequency, further comprising:

an adjusting unit configured to adjust a frequency of a radio wave to be transmitted from the radar so that the adjusted frequency is matched with the extracted value of the changed frequency.