Systems and methods for determining a radar device coverage region

• US 9,041,589 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Hong, Kriel, Bradley Scott, McDaniel, Michael Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US13/439,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20130265189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 342/52, 342/54, 342 70- 72, 342165-175
• US Class Current: 342/54
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4026 Antenna boresight

Abstract

A system for determining a coverage region of a radar device is disclosed. The system may have one or more processors and a memory. The memory may store instructions that, when executed, enable the one or more processors to receive radar data generated by a radar device and lidar data generated by a lidar device. The radar data may include radar data points representing objects detected by the radar device and the lidar data may include lidar data points representing objects detected by the lidar device. The one or more processors may be further enabled to determine a radar coverage region for the radar device by comparing one or more radar data points to one or more lidar data points, and to generate data used to display a graphical representation of the radar coverage region.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a coverage region of a radar device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

generating, by a radar device mounted on a machine, radar data including radar data points representing objects detected by the radar device;

generating, by a lidar device mounted on the machine, lidar data including lidar data points representing objects detected by the lidar device;

calculating a distance between each one of the radar data points and a corresponding one of the lidar data points;

determining an accuracy value for each one of a plurality of sub-regions based on the calculated distances of the radar data points in the sub-region;

determining, by the one or more processors, a radar coverage region for the radar device, the radar coverage region including a group of sub-regions with accuracy values within a predetermined range; and

generating, by the one or more processors, data used to display a graphical representation of the radar coverage region.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further including:

comparing the radar coverage region to an ideal radar coverage region; and

determining that at least one of a location and an orientation of the radar device should be adjusted responsive to the comparison of the radar coverage region to the ideal radar coverage region.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further including:

generating data to display a graphical representation of the accuracy value for the sub-region included in the radar coverage region; and

displaying the graphical representation of the radar coverage region including the graphical representation of the accuracy value for the sub-region.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein determining the accuracy value for the sub-region includes:

comparing calculated distances between each radar data point and a corresponding lidar data point in the sub-region to a threshold value; and

determining an accuracy value for the sub-region to be a percentage of the calculated distances that are less than or equal to the threshold value.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the radar coverage region is determined based on at least one of a number of false positive radar data points or a number of false negative radar data points generated by the radar device.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further including:

displaying the graphical representation of the radar coverage region as a radar coverage map that includes multiple colors representing different accuracy values for sub-regions in the radar coverage map.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6, wherein the machine includes a plurality of radar devices,

the method further including:

displaying a graphical representation of a machine; and

displaying a plurality of radar coverage maps with the graphical representation of the machine, wherein each of the radar coverage maps corresponds to one of the plurality of radar devices that are included on the machine and is displayed based on a location and an orientation of the corresponding radar device on the machine.

8. A system for determining a coverage region of a radar device, the system comprising:

a radar device mounted on a machine for generating radar data including radar data points representing objects detected by the radar device;

a lidar device mounted on the machine for generating lidar data including lidar data points representing objects detected by the lidar device;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, enable the one or more processors to;

receive the radar data generated by the radar device and the lidar data generated by the lidar device;

calculate a distance between each one of the radar data points and a corresponding one of the lidar data points;

determine accuracy values for each one of a plurality of sub-regions based on the calculated distances of the radar data points in the sub-region;

determine a radar coverage region for the radar device, the radar coverage region including a group of sub-regions with accuracy values within a predetermined range; and

generate data used to display a graphical representation of the radar coverage region.

9. The system according to claim 8, the instructions further enabling the one or more processors to:

compare the radar coverage region to an ideal radar coverage region; and

determine that at least one of a location and an orientation of the radar device should be adjusted responsive to the comparison of the radar coverage region to the ideal radar coverage region.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to;

generate data to display a graphical representation of the accuracy value for the sub-region included in the radar coverage region; and

display, via the display device, the graphical representation of the radar coverage region including the graphical representation of the accuracy value for the sub-region.

11. The system according to claim 8, the instructions further enabling the one or more processors to:

compare calculated distances between each radar data point and a corresponding lidar data point in the sub-region to a threshold value; and

determine an accuracy value for the sub-region to be a percentage of the calculated distances that are less than or equal to the threshold value.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the radar coverage region is determined based on at least one of a number of false positive radar data points or a number of false negative radar data points generated by the radar device.

13. The system according to claim 8, further including:

a display device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to display, via the display device, the graphical representation of the radar coverage region as a radar coverage map that includes multiple colors representing different accuracy values for sub-regions in the radar coverage map.

14. The system according to claim 13, further including a plurality of radar devices,

the instructions further enabling the one or more processors to:

display a graphical representation of a machine; and

display a plurality of radar coverage maps with the graphical representation of the machine, wherein each of the radar coverage maps corresponds to one of the plurality of radar devices that are included on the machine and is displayed based on a location and an orientation of the corresponding radar device on the machine.

15. The system according to claim 8, further including the lidar device.

16. A system comprising:

an earthmoving machine; and

a radar device connected to the earthmoving machine;

a lidar device connected to the earthmoving machine;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, enable the one or more processors to;

receive radar data generated by the radar device and lidar data generated by the lidar device, the radar data including radar data points representing objects detected by the radar device and the lidar data including lidar data points representing objects detected by the lidar device;

calculate a distance between a radar data point in the radar data and a corresponding lidar data point in the lidar data;

determine accuracy values for a plurality of sub-regions included in a region based on the calculated distance;

determine a radar coverage region for the radar device, the radar coverage region including a group of sub-regions with accuracy values within a predetermined range; and

generate data used to display a graphical representation of the radar coverage region.

17. The system according to claim 16, the radar device having been further configured by:

comparing the radar coverage region to an ideal radar coverage region; and

determining that at least one of a location and an orientation of the radar device should be adjusted responsive to the comparison of the radar coverage region to the ideal radar coverage region.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the earthmoving machine is an autonomous material-moving machine.