Radar sensor having a blindness detection device

• US 9,140,780 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Heilmann, Stefan, Eder, Sonja, Steffens, Wolf, Kuehnle, Goetz, Bechler, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINDRICH, MARCUS E
• Application Number:
  US13/254,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/165, 342/173, 342/186
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/343 using sawtooth modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/345 using triangular modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 of parts of a radar system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4039 of sensor or antenna obstruction, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4056 specially adapted to FMCW
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4082 using externally generated reference signals, e.g. via remote reflector or transponder

Abstract

A radar sensor having a corresponding evaluation and control device, which has a measuring mode for locating radar targets and a blindness detection device, which is configured to detect blinding of the radar sensor with the aid of the signals received by the radar sensor itself; wherein the evaluation and control device has a test mode, in which the radar sensor is controlled on the basis of parameters that are different from the parameters for the measuring mode and optimized for the blindness detection device, and the evaluation and control device has a switching device for switching over between the measuring mode and the testing mode.

Claims

1. A radar sensor, comprising:

an evaluation and control device, which has a measuring mode for locating radar targets and includes a blindness detection device configured to detect blinding of the radar sensor with the aid of the signals received by the radar sensor itself, wherein the evaluation and control device has a test mode, in which the radar sensor is controlled on the basis of parameters that are different from the parameters for the measuring mode and optimized for the blindness detection device, the evaluation and control device including a switching device for switching between the measuring mode and the test mode, wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to vary the transmission power between at least two levels during the test mode, and wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to modulate a frequency of the transmitted radar signal in a ramp-shaped manner in both the test mode and the measuring mode, and a ramp period in the test mode is changed with respect to the ramp period in the measuring mode, and an amplitude of the frequency modulation in the test mode is changed with respect to the amplitude of the frequency modulation in the measuring mode.

2. The radar sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to drive the radar sensor at a transmission power that is different in the test mode than in the measuring mode.

3. The radar sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to modulate a frequency of the transmitted radar signal in a ramp-shaped manner with, and wherein only falling frequency ramps are utilized in the test mode.