Inter-vehicle alert system with nagable video look ahead

• US 9,140,782 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Alberth, William P. Jr., Thorson, Dean E.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US13/556,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 342/27, 342/28, 342/52, 342/55, 342 58- 60, 342 70- 72, 342/118, 342128-133, 342/175, 342/195, 342/22, 348/143, 348/148, 348/149, 348/552, 348/14.01, 348/14.08, 348/61, 348/160, 348/723, 348/724, 725/73, 370/0.254, 370/464, 370/480, 340/901, 340/902, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 332/149, 332/151, 379/67.1, 379/88.13, 379/242, 379/310
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• 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 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

An apparatus includes a video encoder, a camera and radio frequency modulation circuitry. The radio frequency modulation circuitry is operative to modulate a radar signal to include video data. A radar transmitter is operatively coupled to the radio frequency modulation circuitry, and is operative to transmit a radar signal including the video data. The apparatus may also include radio frequency demodulation circuitry and a video decoder. The video decoder is operative to decode video data contained in a radar signal demodulated by the radio frequency demodulation circuitry. An inter-vehicle alert system controls the camera to initiate capturing video data which includes the video data. A method of operation modulates a radar signal to include at least a portion of the video data captured in response to detecting an obstruction, and transmits the radar signal to a second vehicle via an antenna array oriented at the moving vehicle'"'"'s rear.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a video encoder operatively coupled to a camera;

radio frequency modulation circuitry, operatively coupled to the video encoder, the radio frequency modulation circuitry operative to modulate a radar signal to include video data;

a radar transmitter, operatively coupled to the radio frequency modulation circuitry, the radar transmitter operative to transmit a radar signal including the video data; and

inter-vehicle control logic, operatively coupled to a radar receiver and to the camera, the inter-vehicle control logic operative to control the camera to initiate capturing the video data, the video data including at least one video data frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry, operatively coupled to a radar receiver; and

a video decoder, operatively coupled to the radio frequency demodulation circuitry, the video decoder operative to decode video data contained in a radar signal demodulated by the radio frequency demodulation circuitry.

3. A vehicle including the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the radar transmitter is coupled to a first antenna array oriented to transmit a radar signal from a rear of a vehicle;

and

wherein the radar receiver is coupled to a second antenna array oriented to receive an incoming radar signal directed to a front of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle including the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radar transmitter is coupled to a first antenna array oriented to transmit a radar signal from a rear of a vehicle.

5. A method comprising:

encoding a video signal in response to detecting an obstruction in the path of a moving vehicle using an on-board radar system having an antenna array oriented at the moving vehicle'"'"'s front;

modulating a radar signal to include a portion of the video signal; and

transmitting the radar signal to a second vehicle via another antenna array oriented to transmit from the moving vehicle'"'"'s rear.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising;

receiving a second radar signal from the second vehicle;

determining a distance of the second vehicle;

determining an available transmission time based on the distance of the second vehicle and a time characteristic of the second radar signal; and

transmitting the radar signal to the second vehicle during the available transmission time.

7. The method of claim 5, comprising:

demodulating a radar signal intercepted at the antenna array oriented at the moving vehicle'"'"'s front to obtain at least a portion of a second video signal transmitted from a third vehicle;

decoding the portion of the second video signal; and

displaying the portion of the decoded video signal on an on-board display system.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

decoding information related to an obstruction detected by the third vehicle, the information decoded as metadata contained in the portion of the video signal; and

displaying the information on the on-board display system.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

displaying an alert on the on-board display system, the alert related to the detected obstruction, detected by the second vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7 comprising:

modulating a radar signal to include at least a portion of the video signal captured in response to detecting the obstruction, and at least a portion of the second video signal; and

transmitting the radar signal to the second vehicle via the antenna array oriented at the moving vehicle'"'"'s rear.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting, a radar signal sent from the second vehicle; and

adjusting the modulated radar signal power level to be proportional to a power level of the radar signal sent from the second vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

adjusting the modulated radar signal power level based on a radar cross section of the moving vehicle'"'"'s rear.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a distance of the second vehicle from the moving vehicle'"'"'s rear via the radar signal; and

adjusting the power of the radar signal to be proportional to the distance of the second vehicle.

14. An apparatus comprising:

radio frequency modulation circuitry, operatively coupled to a video encoder, a video decoder, and at least one radar transceiver, the radio frequency modulation circuitry operative to modulate a radar signal to include video data and to demodulate a radar signal to obtain video data; and

view navigation control logic operatively coupled to a camera and to the radio frequency modulation circuitry, the view navigation control logic operative to send and receive control signals and video data to and from a plurality of vehicles, and to control video data displayed on a vehicle on-board display system, the video data obtained from the plurality of vehicles.

15. A method comprising:

sending a request for video data as a request signal contained in a first modulated radar signal modulated by the request signal, from a first vehicle radar transceiver to a second vehicle radar transceiver;

receiving, in response to the request, a second modulated radar signal from the second vehicle radar transceiver, the video data contained in the second modulated radar signal; and

demodulating the second modulated radar signal to obtain the video data.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving a third modulated radar signal from a third vehicle radar transceiver;

demodulating the third modulated radar signal to obtain a second request for video data as a second request signal;

modulating a radar signal using the second request signal; and

transmitting the radar signal from the first vehicle radar transceiver to a third vehicle radar transceiver.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the radar signal from the first vehicle radar transceiver to a third vehicle radar transceiver further comprises:

transmitting the radar signal from a front facing antenna array of the first vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

modulating the radar signal using the second request signal and video data obtained from a vehicle camera.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the video data on a vehicle on-board display system.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a video encoder operatively coupled to a camera;

radio frequency modulation circuitry, operatively coupled to the video encoder, the radio frequency modulation circuitry operative to modulate a radar signal to include video data;

a radar transmitter, operatively coupled to the radio frequency modulation circuitry, the radar transmitter operative to transmit a radar signal including the video data;

radio frequency demodulation circuitry, operatively coupled to a radar receiver; and

a video decoder, operatively coupled to the radio frequency demodulation circuitry, the video decoder operative to decode video data contained in a radar signal demodulated by the radio frequency demodulation circuitry,

wherein the radar transmitter is coupled to a first antenna array oriented to transmit a radar signal from a rear of a vehicle, and

wherein the radar receiver is coupled to a second antenna array oriented to receive an incoming radar signal directed to a front of the vehicle.