Radar apparatus

• US 9,880,262 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayakawa, Eisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Bythrow, Peter M
• Application Number:
  US14/575,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20150226838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 342165, 342173, 342174
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/02 Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/345 using triangular modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0245 Radar with phased array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4026 Antenna boresight
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4034 in elevation, i.e. in the vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters

Abstract

A radar apparatus includes: a transmitting antenna including a first antenna and a second antenna that transmit transmission waves; a signal processor configured to determine a mounted state of the radar apparatus on the vehicle; and a phase adjuster that adjusts at least one of phases of transmission signals output to the first antenna and the second antenna of the transmitting antenna. The signal processor controls the phase adjuster to adjust the at least one of the phases of the transmission signals based on the mounted state determined by the signal processor.

Claims

1. A radar apparatus that is mounted on a vehicle, the radar apparatus comprising:

a transmitting antenna comprising a first antenna and a second antenna that transmit transmission waves;

a signal processor configured to determine a mounted state of the radar apparatus on the vehicle; and

a phase adjuster that adjusts at least one of phases of transmission signals output to the first antenna and the second antenna of the transmitting antenna, wherein

the signal processor controls the phase adjuster to adjust the at least one of the phases of the transmission signals based on the mounted state determined by the signal processor so that

(i) in a case that the signal processor determines that the radar apparatus is mounted on the vehicle in a predetermined state in which the first antenna is located vertically above the second antenna, the signal processor controls the phase adjuster so that during at least a part of a transmission time, the transmission signal output to the first antenna has a first phase difference and the transmission signal output to the second antenna has a second phase difference that is different from the first phase difference, and

(ii) in a case that the signal processor determines that the radar apparatus is mounted on the vehicle in an upside-down state in which the first antenna is located vertically below the second antenna, the signal processor controls the phase adjuster so that during at least the part of the transmission time, the transmission signal output to the first antenna has the second phase difference and the transmission signal output to the second antenna has the first phase difference.

2. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of parameters including a first parameter and a second parameter that are phase information of the transmission signals, the second parameter being different from the first parameter, wherein

in the case that the signal processor determines that the radar apparatus is mounted on the vehicle in the predetermined state, the signal processor controls the phase adjuster to adjust, based on the first parameter, at least one of the phases of the transmission signals output to the first antenna and the second antenna, and in the case that the signal processor determines that the radar apparatus is mounted on the vehicle in the upside-down state, the signal processor controls the phase adjuster to adjust, based on the second parameter, at least one of the phases of the transmission signals output to the first antenna and the second antenna.

3. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the signal processor determines the mounted state based on a gravity acceleration obtained from an acceleration sensor of the radar apparatus.

4. The radar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the signal processor determines the mounted state based on a state of a reception signal of a reflection wave reflected from an object.

5. The radar apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a switch that is operated by a user, wherein

the signal processor determines the mounted state based on an operation state of the switch.

6. A vehicle control system that controls a vehicle, the vehicle control system comprising:

the radar apparatus according to claim 1; and

a vehicle controller that controls the vehicle based on target information output from the radar apparatus.

7. A signal processing method that is performed by a radar apparatus that is mounted on a vehicle, the signal processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting transmission waves from a first antenna and a second antenna of a transmitting antenna of the radar apparatus;

(b) determining a mounted state of the radar apparatus on the vehicle; and

(c) adjusting at least one of phases of transmission signals output to the first antenna and the second antenna of the transmitting antenna, wherein

the step (c) adjusts the phases of the transmission signals based on the mounted state that has been determined so that

(i) in a case that the step (b) determines that the radar apparatus is mounted on the vehicle in a predetermined state in which the first antenna is located vertically above the second antenna, the step (c) controls the phase of the transmission signals so that during at least a part of a transmission time, the transmission signal output to the first antenna has a first phase difference and the transmission signal output to the second antenna has a second phase difference that is different from the first phase difference, and

(ii) in a case that the step (b) determines that the radar apparatus is mounted on the vehicle in an upside-down state in which the first antenna is located vertically below the second antenna, the step (c) controls the phase of the transmission signals so that during at least the part of the transmission time, the transmission signal output to the first antenna has the second phase difference and the transmission signal output to the second antenna has the first phase difference.