Automotive Radar Sensor Blockage Detection System and Related Techniques
First Claim
1. A blockage detection process comprising:
- (a) detecting a target within a virtual detection zone;
(b) while the target is within the virtual detection zone, accumulating target-related information;
(c) based upon the information accumulated in (b), determining if a missed alert signal should be generated.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A blockage detection system and method for use in a sensor such as a side object detection (SOD) sensor in an automotive radar system is described. The sensor emits signals and receives return signals (i.e. reflected signals) from a passing object. If the passing object is within a virtual detection zone, the sensor uses the information from the passing object to determine if a blockage condition exists in the sensor. The technique utilizes statistics related to the passing object to determine whether a blockage condition exists within the sensor. In one embodiment, a SOD sensor mounted in a first vehicle uses information from a second passing vehicle (e.g. radar return information) to determine whether a blockage condition exists within the SOD sensor itself.
127 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A blockage detection process comprising:
-
(a) detecting a target within a virtual detection zone; (b) while the target is within the virtual detection zone, accumulating target-related information; (c) based upon the information accumulated in (b), determining if a missed alert signal should be generated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A blockage detection system comprising:
-
a missed alert detection processor configured to receive target data and in response to the target data to generate a missed alert signal; and a blockage detection determination processor coupled to receive a missed alert signal from said missed alert detection processor and configured to provide a blockage alert signal at an output port thereof. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for determining a blockage condition in an automotive radar side object detection system, the method comprising:
-
establishing a virtual detection zone; emitting signals from the automotive radar side object detection system; receiving, in the automotive radar side object detection system, a plurality of return signals from a target located in the virtual detection zone; and processing the plurality of return signals from the target located in the virtual detection zone to determine if a blockage condition exists. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
Specification