Internal multi-axis G sensing used to align an automotive forward radar to the vehicle's thrust axis

• US 8,957,807 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mills, Aaron L., Gaboury, Scott Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US13/325,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 342/165, 342/173, 342/174
• US Class Current: 342/165
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• 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 7/4026 Antenna boresight
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4034 in elevation, i.e. in the vertical plane

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a vehicle floor, a tilt sensor attached to the vehicle floor and having an output, and a forward looking radar module attached to the vehicle. The radar module includes a radar, an accelerometer; and an output from the accelerometer, and a controller that averages the tilt sensor output and the accelerometer output and determines a difference between the output averages, the controller reporting when the differences changes more than a predetermined amount. A method of calibrating the forward looking radar module, when attached to a vehicle, comprises placing the vehicle on a flat surface to determine the accelerometer pitch.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle including:

a vehicle floor,

a tilt sensor attached to the vehicle floor and having an output,

a forward-looking radar module attached to the vehicle, the radar module including a radar,

an accelerometer; and

an output from the accelerometer, and

a controller that averages the tilt sensor output and the accelerometer output and determines a difference between the output averages, the controller reporting when the differences changes more than a predetermined amount.

2. Apparatus mounted on a vehicle for aligning an automotive forward-looking radar with the vehicle'"'"'s thrust axis, the apparatus comprising:

a tilt sensor attached to a vehicle floor and having an output;

a forward-looking radar module attached to the vehicle, the radar module including a radar;

an accelerometer having an output; and

a controller adapted to

receive the tilt sensor output and the accelerometer output;

average the tilt sensor output and the accelerometer output;

determine a difference between the output averages, and

report when the difference changes more than a predetermined amount.