Methods and systems for vehicle radar coordination and interference reduction

• US 9,720,072 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: McCloskey, Edward Daniel, Smith, Russell Leigh
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Application Number:
  US14/494,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20160061935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 342 82, 342 70- 72, 342174, 340435, 340436, 340903, 701301
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/325 using transmission of coded signals, e.g. P.S.K. signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/343 using sawtooth modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/345 using triangular modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/347 using more than one modulation frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• 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 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/023 Interference mitigation, e.g. reducing or avoiding non-intentional interference with other HF-transmitters, base station transmitters for mobile communication or other radar systems, e.g. using electro-magnetic interference [EMI] reduction techniques auxiliary means for detecting or identifying radar signals or the like G01S7/021; means for anti-jamming G01S7/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/0232 Avoidance by frequency multiplex
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/0233 Avoidance by phase multiplex
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/0234 Avoidance by code multiplex
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/0236 Avoidance by space multiplex
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4008 of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4013 : involving adjustment of the transmitted power

Abstract

A method is provided that includes a vehicle receiving data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect the environment of the vehicle. The at least one other vehicle may include at least one sensor. The method also includes determining a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle the sensor of the vehicle. The method also includes initiating an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle responsive to the determination.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a sensor that detects an environment of the vehicle based on a comparison between electromagnetic (EM) radiation transmitted by the sensor and a reflection of the EM radiation from one or more objects in the environment of the vehicle; and

a controller that (i) receives data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in the environment of the vehicle, the at least one other vehicle including at least one sensor that transmits given EM radiation and detects reflections of the given EM radiation, (ii) determines a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle and the sensor of the vehicle based on the data, and (iii) responsively initiates an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a location sensor that identifies a location of the vehicle in the environment, wherein the controller determines that the at least one other vehicle is within a threshold distance to the vehicle based on the location sensor and the data, and wherein the controller determines the likelihood of interference based on the determination; and

an orientation sensor that identifies an orientation of the vehicle, wherein the controller compares the orientation of the vehicle with at least one orientation of the at least one other vehicle indicated by the data, and wherein the controller determines the likelihood of interference based on the comparison.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a steering device that adjusts a direction of the sensor, wherein the adjustment of the sensor comprises an adjustment of the direction of the sensor.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the adjustment of the sensor comprises an adjustment of a power of the EM radiation transmitted by the sensor.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising:

a velocity sensor that detects a direction of travel and a speed of the vehicle, wherein the controller reduces the power of the EM radiation in response to a determination that the direction of travel is away from the at least one other vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the controller to reduces the power of the EM radiation by an amount based on the speed of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the EM radiation has a modulation pattern, and wherein the adjustment of the sensor comprises an adjustment of the modulation pattern of the EM radiation.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the adjustment of the modulation pattern comprises a time offset applied to the modulation pattern.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the adjustment of the modulation pattern comprises a frequency offset applied to the modulation pattern.

11. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the adjustment of the modulation pattern comprises an adjustment of a frequency bandwidth of the modulation pattern.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the adjustment of the modulation pattern comprises an adjustment of a shape of the modulation pattern.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the adjustment of the modulation pattern comprises an adjustment of a Binary Phase-Shift Keying (BPSK) scheme associated with the modulation pattern.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a vehicle that includes a sensor configured to detect an environment of the vehicle based on a comparison between electromagnetic (EM) radiation transmitted by the sensor and a reflection of the EM radiation from one or more objects in the environment of the vehicle, data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in the environment of the vehicle, the at least one other vehicle including at least one sensor that transmits given EM radiation and detects reflections of the given EM radiation;

determining, based on the data, a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle and the sensor of the vehicle; and

based on the likelihood being greater than a threshold likelihood, initiating an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

modifying a direction of the EM radiation transmitted by the sensor, wherein the adjustment of the sensor includes modifying the direction.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

modifying a modulation pattern of the EM radiation, wherein the adjustment of the sensor includes modifying the modulation pattern.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein modifying the modulation pattern of the EM radiation comprises one or more of:

(i) applying a time offset to the modulation pattern, (ii) applying a frequency offset to the modulation pattern, (iii) adjusting a frequency bandwidth of the modulation pattern, (iv) adjusting a shape of the modulation pattern, or (v) adjusting a Phase-Shift Keying (PSK) scheme of the modulation pattern.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying, based on a location sensor in the vehicle, a location of the vehicle in the environment;

identifying, based on an orientation sensor in the vehicle, an orientation of the vehicle in the environment; and

determining, based on the data from the external computing device, at least one location and at least one orientation of the at least one other vehicle, wherein determining the likelihood of interference is based on the location of the vehicle, the orientation of the vehicle, the at least one location of the at least one other vehicle, and the at least one orientation of the at least one other vehicle.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device that includes one or more processors, data from a plurality of vehicles indicative of configuration parameters of sensors in the plurality of vehicles, wherein the data is also indicative of locations of the plurality of vehicles, and wherein a given sensor of a given vehicle is configured to detect an environment of the given vehicle based on a comparison between electromagnetic (EM) radiation transmitted by the given sensor and a reflection of the EM radiation from one or more objects in the environment of the given vehicle;

determining, based on the data, that the given vehicle is within a threshold distance to at least one other vehicle;

responsively determining, based on the configuration parameters, a likelihood of interference between at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle and the given sensor of the given vehicle; and

providing, based on the likelihood being greater than a threshold likelihood, a request to the given vehicle to adjust given configuration parameters of the given sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the given sensor of the given vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the given configuration parameters include one or more of a direction of the given sensor, a power of the given sensor, or a modulation pattern of the EM radiation transmitted by the given sensor.