Extended angular resolution in sensor arrays using secondary echoes

• US 9,285,468 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Bilik, Igal
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US13/630,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 367/87, 367 89- 91, 367/95, 367/96, 367/99, 367/117, 342 29- 51, 342/61, 342 70- 72, 342104-115, 342118-127, 342/175, 342/195, 342/146, 342/147, 342/68
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/462 using multipath signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles

Abstract

A reflector is used to extend an aperture of an omni-directional, single-point remote-sensing echo-system utilizing secondary round-trip reflections of a transmitted sensor signal. The reflector is spatially displaced from a transmission element to contribute a secondary reflection whose echo from the target object provides additional information used to triangulate both azimuthal and elevation angles of the target object.

Claims

1. A method for resolving an angular direction of an object, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal towards an object from a transmitter at transmission time, t₀;

receiving a first echo of the signal from the object at a receiver at receipt time t₂;

directing the first echo of the signal towards the object from a reflector displaced from the receiver;

receiving the second echo of the signal from the object at the receiver at second receipt time t₅; and

using a processor configured to triangulate an azimuthal angular direction of the object based on a delay between the times t₂ and t₅, the azimuthal angular direction relative to a line defined by the transmitter and the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the reflector are mounted on a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the directing the first echo comprises reflecting the first echo.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the directing the first echo comprises actively repeating the first echo.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is implemented as an acoustic signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the azimuthal angular direction of the object includes an elevation component.

7. An apparatus for resolving an angular direction of an object, the apparatus comprising:

a signal transmission element operative to transmit a signal towards the object at a transmission time, t₀;

a signal reception element operative to receive a first echo of the signal from the object at a first receipt time, t₂;

a signal retransmission device displaced from the transmission element, the retransmission device operative to direct the first echo of the signal towards the object such that the signal receiver receives a second echo of the signal from the object at a second receipt time, t₅; and

a processor operative to triangulate an azimuthal angular direction of the object relative to the transmission element based on a delay between the times t₂ and t₅, the azimuthal angular direction relative to a line defined by the transmitter and the receiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the signal is implemented as an acoustical signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the signal retransmission device is implemented as a passive signal reflector.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the signal retransmission device is implemented as an active signal repeater.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the signal retransmission device and the reflector are mounted on a vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the azimuthal angular direction of the object includes an elevation component.