System and method for generating an alert signal in a detection system

• US 8,072,370 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Radar Systems, Inc. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Radar Systems, Inc. (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Woodington, Walter G., Wimmer, Wilson J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John
• Application Number:
  US12/445,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 342/64, 342 91- 92, 342/192, 342/196, 340435-436, 340/903, 701/301
• US Class Current: 342/70
• 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 13/44 Monopulse radar, i.e. simultaneous lobing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/584 adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for generating alert signals in a detection system is described. The system compares data extracted from signals received via receive antenna beams with stored scenarios and determines whether to generate an alert signal based upon the results of the compare operation. The comparison of data extracted from received signals with stored scenarios can be accomplished by using one or more latches to process the extracted data from the received signals. In one embodiment, raw detections are pre-processed to generate so-called field of view (FOV) products. The FOV products are then provided to a tracker. In another embodiment, rather than pre-process the raw detections, the raw detections are instead provided directly to a tracker which processes the raw detections to provide products including, but not limited to, relative velocity and other parameters.

Claims

1. A method of generating alert signals in a detection system, comprising:

providing a plurality of receive antenna beams;

receiving signals through multiple ones of the plurality of receive antenna beams wherein at least some those signals received through the multiple ones of the plurality of receive antenna beams correspond to detections;

determining a particular sequence of receive beams in which the detections are received;

comparing the particular sequence of receive beams in which the detections are received with stored scenarios wherein the stored scenarios correspond to at least one of;

(a) a pass-from-the-rear scenario;

(b) a stagnation scenario;

(c) a side-merge scenario;

(d) a corridor scenario; and

(e) a convoy scenario; and

in response to a particular sequence of receive beams in which the detections are received matching at least one of the stored scenarios, determining whether to generate an alert signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating alert signals in a detection system comprises generating alert signals in a vehicle detection system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein comparing the particular sequence of receive beams in which the detections are received with stored scenarios comprises:

using one or more latches to process data from the received signals, the data comprising range data, velocity data and receive beam data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the received signals;

determining peaks from the FFT; and

identifying raw detections.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising averaging the FFTs by receive beam.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

masking close-range leakage; and

performing automatic threshold processing.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

filtering and smoothing the raw detections;

filtering side-lobe detections;

determining a field of view detection; and

filtering and smoothing the field of view detection.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining a field of view detection comprising determining a closest detection to a receiver the received signals.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

performing a tracker overlay processing; and

performing a beam overlay processing.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining parameters, the parameters including a relative velocity.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

performing a first scenario processing using the parameters; and

performing a second scenario processing using the parameters.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining to send an off alert signal based on the first scenario processing and the second scenario processing and the parameters.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining to send an on alert signal based on the first scenario processing and the second scenario processing.

14. An automotive radar system comprising:

a transmit system for generating a transmit signal emitted from the automotive radar system via said transmit antenna;

a receiving system adapted to simultaneously generate a plurality of receive antenna beams and adapted to receive signals through each of the plurality of receive antenna beams, said receiving system comprising a memory having one or more scenarios stored therein, said stored scenarios corresponding to at least one of;

(a) a pass-from-the-rear scenario;

(b) a stagnation scenario;

(c) a side-merge scenario;

(d) a corridor scenario; and

(e) a convoy scenario;

said receiving system for receiving signals through one or more of the plurality of receive antenna beams and for those signals received through each of the one or more plurality of receive antenna beams and corresponding to detections, determining a particular sequence of receive beams in which the detections are received and comparing the sequence of detections with one or more of the stored scenarios and determining whether to generate an alert signal based upon results of the comparison.

15. The automotive radar system of claim 14 wherein said transmit system comprises a transmit antenna and a transmitter coupled to said transmit antenna.

16. The automotive radar system of claim 14 wherein said receiving systems comprises:

a receive antenna adapted to generate one or more receive antenna beams; and

a receiver coupled to receive signals from one or more of the one or more receive antenna beams; and

a storage device having the one or more scenarios stored therein.

17. The automotive radar system of claim 14 wherein said receiver comprises one or more latches to process the extracted data from the received signals and compare the data extracted from received signals with the stored scenarios.

18. The automotive radar system of claim 17 wherein the data corresponds to at least one of range data;

velocity data; and

receive beam data.

19. The automotive radar system of claim 17 wherein said receiving system comprises a fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processor which performs an FFT on the received signals, determines peaks from the FFT and identifies raw detections.

20. The automotive radar system of claim 19 wherein said receiving system further comprises:

a raw detections filter for filtering and smoothing the raw detections;

a side-lobe detection filter for filtering side-lobe detections;

a field of view processor (FOV) for determining a field of view detection; and

a FOV filter for filtering and smoothing the field of view detection.

21. The automotive radar system of claim 19 wherein said a FOV processor determines a field of view detection by determining which of one or more received signals corresponds to a closest detection to said receiver.

22. The automotive radar system of claim 19 wherein said receiving system further comprises a tracker for performing a tracker overlay processing and for performing a beam overlay processing.

23. The automotive radar system of claim 19 wherein said receiving system determines parameters and performs first and second scenario processing using the parameters.

24. The automotive radar system of claim 23 wherein in response to said first and second scenario processing and/or said parameters, said receiving system determines when to send at least one of an on alert signal and an off alert signal.

25. The automotive radar system of claim 14 wherein said receiving system comprises:

an RF receiver adapted to receive one or more RF receive signals from one or more receive antenna beams;

a FOV processor coupled to receive signals form said receiver and to provide raw detections at an output thereof;

a pre-processor having an input coupled to an output of said FOV processor, said pre-processor adapted to receive the raw detections from said FOV processor and to provide FOV products at an output thereof; and

a tracker having an input coupled to an output of said pre-processor, said tracker adapted to receive the FOV products from the pre-processor and to provide tracker output signals at an output thereof.

26. The automotive radar system of claim 14 wherein said receiving system comprises:

an RF receiver adapted to receive one or more RF receive signals from one or more receive antenna beams;

a FOV processor coupled to receive signals form said receiver and to provide raw detections at an output thereof; and

a tracker having an input coupled to the output of said FOV processor, said tracker adapted to receive the raw detections from said FOV processor and to provide products and tracker output signals at an output thereof.