Saliency based beam-forming for object detection

• US 10,310,064 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Majumdar, Somdeb, Ozaki, Ernest, Calle, Richard Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Bythrow, Peter M
• Application Number:
  US15/236,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/426 Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar G01S13/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

A scanning device generally produces an image having a uniform resolution throughout a target region. To improve radar scanning/lidar scanning, an efficient scan approach to enable a radar device/lidar device to adoptively perform a scan of a target region based on interested regions and/or an adjustable resolution. The apparatus may be a scanning device for scanning. The apparatus performs a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region. The apparatus generates a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples. The apparatus determines a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map. The apparatus performs at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region.

Claims

1. A method of scanning by a scanning device, comprising:

performing a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;

generating a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;

determining a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and

performing at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the at least one second scan comprises:

performing at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and

wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;

generating an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;

determining an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and

performing at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and

wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.

11. A scanning device for scanning, comprising:

means for performing a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;

means for generating a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;

means for determining a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and

means for performing at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

12. The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the means for performing the at least one second scan is configured to:

perform at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

13. The scanning device of claim 12, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

14. The scanning device of claim 12, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

15. The scanning device of claim 11, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

16. The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and

wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

17. The scanning device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for performing a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;

means for generating an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;

means for determining an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and

means for performing at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

18. The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and

wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

19. The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

20. The scanning device of claim 19, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.

21. A scanning device for scanning, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

perform a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;

generate a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;

determine a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and

perform at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

22. The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor configured to perform the at least one second scan is configured to:

perform at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

23. The scanning device of claim 22, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

24. The scanning device of claim 22, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

25. The scanning device of claim 21, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

26. The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and

wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

27. The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

perform a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;

generate an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;

determine an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and

perform at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

28. The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and

wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

29. The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

30. The scanning device of claim 29, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for a scanning device for scanning, comprising code to:

perform a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;

generate a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;

determine a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and

perform at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the code to perform the at least one second scan comprises code to:

perform at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and

wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprises code to:

perform a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;

generate an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;

determine an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and

perform at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and

wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.