Pre-warning method and vehicle radar system

• US 9,784,831 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuo, Chi-Cheng, Hsiao, Hsin-Lung, Li, Jeng-Da
• Primary Examiner(s): Brainard, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US14/698,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20160054441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 342 73
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/345 using triangular modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• 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 7/006 using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/35 Details of non-pulse systems

Abstract

A pre-warning method utilized in a vehicle radar system is disclosed. The vehicle radar system includes a frequency-modulation continuous wave (FMCW) module, a data transceiver module and an antenna module, and the FMCW module and the data transceiver module share the antenna module. The pre-warning method includes the FMCW module utilizing the antenna to transmit and receive beat signals to detect dynamic information of a target corresponding to the vehicle radar system and obtain a first detection result, and receiving and broadcasting data to broadcast the first detection result via the data transceiver module and the antenna module, or receive a detection result broadcasted by another vehicle radar system and combine the detection result with the first detection result to perform real-time target tracking and alarm.

Claims

1. A pre-warning method, utilized in a vehicle radar system, wherein the vehicle radar system comprises a frequency-modulation continuous wave (FMCW) module, a data transceiver module and an antenna module, and the FMCW module and the data transceiver module share the antenna module, the pre-warning method comprising:

the FMCW module utilizing the antenna module to transmit and recive signals, to detect dynamic information of a target corresponding to the vehicle radar system, and obtaining a first detection result; and

broadcasting the first detection result via the data transceiver module and the antenna module;

wherein the target locates on a first direction corresponding to the vehicle radar system, and the step of broadcasting the first detection result via the data transceiver module and the antenna module is broadcasting the first detection result via the data transceiver module and the antenna module toward a second direction.

2. The pre-warning method of claim 1, wherein the second direction is a reverse direction of the first direction.

3. The pre-warning method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second detection result of the target via the data transceiver module and the antenna module before obtaining the first detection result; and

verifying the first detection result according to the second detection result after obtaining the first detection result.

4. A vehicle radar system, utilized for a vehicle, the vehicle radar system comprising:

a substrate, comprising a first plane and a second plane;

an antenna module, comprising a plurality of antenna strings, formed on the first plane of the substrate, each comprising a plurality of radiating units connected in a sequence, wherein the plurality of antenna strings are classified into a first group and a second group;

a plurality of wires, formed on the second plane of the substrate, for transmitting radio-frequency (RF) signals;

a plurality of connecting units, disposed in the substrate, for coupling the plurality of wires and antenna strings of the second group within the plurality of antenna strings;

a frequency-modulation continuous wave (FMCW) module, coupled to antenna strings of the first group within the plurality of antenna strings, for transmitting or receiving RF signals via the antenna strings of the first group, to detect dynamic information of a plurality of targets corresponding to the vehicle radar system;

a data transceiver module, coupled to the plurality of wires, for coupling to the antenna strings of the second group through the plurality of wires and the plurality of connecting units, to transmit or receive RF signals via the antenna strings of the second group, so as to perform data transmission and reception; and

a data fusion unit, for integrating a detection result of the FMCW module and a data transceiving result of the data transceiver module;

wherein when the FMCW module transmits or receives RF signals via the antenna strings of the first group, a first electric field generated by the antenna strings of the first group extends toward a first direction, and when the data transceiver module transmits or receives RF signals via the antenna strings of the second group, a second electric field generated by the antenna strings of the second group extends toward a second direction different from the first direction;

wherein at least an antenna string of the plurality of antenna strings belongs to both the first group and the second group.

5. The vehicle radar system of claim 4, wherein the FMCW module is formed on the first plane of the substrate.

6. The vehicle radar system of claim 4, wherein the data transceiver module is formed on the second plane of the substrate.

7. The vehicle radar system of claim 4, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

8. The vehicle radar system of claim 4, further comprising a first power divider, coupled between the FMCW module and the antenna strings of the first group.

9. The vehicle radar system of claim 4, wherein after the FMCW module detects dynamic information of a target corresponding to the vehicle radar system using the antenna strings of the first group, the data fusion unit broadcasts the dynamic information of the target via the data transceiver module and the antenna strings of the second group.

10. The vehicle radar system of claim 9, wherein the target locates on a third direction corresponding to the vehicle radar system, and the data fusion unit broadcasts the dynamic information of the target via the data transceiver module and the antenna strings of the second group toward a fourth direction.

11. The vehicle radar system of claim 10, wherein the third direction is a reverse direction of the fourth direction.

12. The vehicle radar system of claim 9, wherein

the data fusion unit receives an auxiliary dynamic information related to the target via the data transceiver module and the antenna strings of the second group before the FMCW module and the antenna strings of the first group obtain the dynamic information of the target;

and

the data fusion unit verifies the dynamic information of the target according to the auxiliary dynamic information after obtaining the dynamic information of the target via the FMCW module and the antenna strings of the first group.