Personal radar assistance

• US 9,618,611 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Karlapalem, Sainath
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US14/495,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20160084952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/065 in the form of braille
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/068 Sticks for blind persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a radar device for detecting objects that intersect an area, the device including a mount attachment; a radar sensor; an output interface; a memory storing one or more environment parameters; a processor in communication with the radar sensor, the output interface, and the memory, the processor being configured to: receive, from the radar sensor, signal information; retrieve, from the memory, environment parameters; calculate, based on the signal information, the distance relative to the sensor of one or more objects; calculate an area based on at least one of the environment parameters; and determine that at least one of the one or more objects intersect the area.

Claims

1. An obstacle detection device for detecting objects that intersect an area, the device comprising:

a mount attachment;

a radar sensor;

an output interface;

a memory storing one or more environment parameters;

a processor in communication with the radar sensor, the output interface, and the memory, the processor being configured to;

receive, from the radar sensor, signal information;

retrieve, from the memory, environment parameters;

calculate, based on the signal information, the distance relative to the sensor of one or more objects;

calculate an area based on at least one of the environment parameters; and

determine that at least one of the one or more objects intersect the area.

2. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein the area comprises a cylinder.

3. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein the area comprises one or more planes.

4. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, the processor being further configured to:

determine the closest object of the one or more objects; and

transmit, through the output interface, feedback information about the closest object.

5. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the memory and the processor, the controller configured to:

retrieve the one or more environment parameters from the memory; and

send to the processor one or more indications of the at least one of the environment parameters.

6. The obstacle detection device of claim 5, wherein the controller is in communication with the radar sensor, and is further configured to:

receive, from the radar sensor, signal information;

determine, based on the signal information, one or more new environment parameters; and

send to the processor one or more indications of the one or more new environment parameters.

7. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein the environment parameters comprise one or more of a user height, a user stride length, a device height range relative to user, a device distance from a user, a distance of the area from the device, and a minimum size of object. relative to the sensor of one or more objects, the processor is further configured to process signal information by means of a fast Fourier transform (FFT) process.

8. The obstacle detection device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to decimate the signal information.

9. The obstacle detection device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to filter the signal information.

10. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein the environment parameters comprise area parameters.

11. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein when calculating the distance relative to the sensor of one or more objects, the processor is further configured to process signal information by means of a fast Fourier transform (FFT) process.

12. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, further comprising an energy harvester.

13. The obstacle detection device of claim 12, wherein the energy harvester comprises a kinetic harvester.

14. The obstacle detection device of claim 12, wherein the energy harvester comprises a photovoltaic harvester.

15. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source; and

a controller in communication with the memory and the processor, the controller configured to;

receive from the power source an indication of battery level; and

send to the radar sensor one or more indications that sensor parameters should be changed.

16. The obstacle detection device of claim 15, wherein the one or more indications that sensor parameters should be changed comprise one or more of an indication to reduce a chirp frequency, an indication to reduce a chirp range, an indication to use fewer transmitters, and an indication to use fewer receivers.

17. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein the output interface comprises an audio output.

18. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein the output interface comprises a tactile feedback generator.

19. The obstacle detection device of claim 1, wherein the output interface comprises a wireless adapter.

20. The obstacle detection device of claim 19, wherein the wireless adapter comprises an IEEE 802.15.1 adapter.