SOFT DETECTION OF SAFETY ZONE USING AUTOMOTIVE RADAR

• US 20180149743A1
• Filed: 11/30/2016
• Published: 05/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Bialer, Oded, Bilik, Igal, Golan, Gil
• Application Number:
  US15/365,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20180149743A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/001 the torque NOT being among the input parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/41 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section

Abstract

A system and method for navigating a vehicle with respect to an object is disclosed. The system includes a transmitter for transmitting a source signal, a receiver for receiving an echo signal that is a reflection of the source signal from the object, and a processor. A parameter of the object is obtained at a radar system and an avoidance criterion is selected for the object. The processor determines a boundary of the object for the parameter of the object and the selected avoidance criterion and the vehicle is navigated in order to avoid the object based on the determined boundary.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a vehicle with respect to an object, comprising:

obtaining a parameter of the object at a radar system;

selecting an avoidance criterion for the object;

determining a boundary of the object for the parameter of the object and the selected avoidance criterion; and

navigating the vehicle in order to avoid the object based on the determined boundary.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the boundary further comprises determining a parameter error with respect to the obtained parameter for which a probability of the object existing is equal to the avoidance criterion.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the boundary for the object having a uniform spatial distribution.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising partitioning an environment into safe zones defined by the boundary of the object.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising planning a path through the safe zones of the environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the radar system is conveyed by the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the determined boundary to a collision-avoidance device and navigating the vehicle using the collision-avoidance device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is at least one of:

(i) a range;

(ii) an elevation;

(iii) an azimuth; and

(iv) a velocity.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a value for the avoidance criterion for a selected level of avoidance.

10. A system for navigating a vehicle with respect to an object, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a source signal;

a receiver for receiving an echo signal that is a reflection of the source signal from the object;

running a program at a processor to;

determine a parameter of the object at a radar system;

select an avoidance criterion for the object;

determine a boundary of the object for the parameter of the object and the selected avoidance criterion; and

navigate the vehicle in order to avoid the object based on the determined boundary.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the boundary by determining a parameter error with respect to the determined parameter for which a probability of the object existing is equal to the avoidance criterion.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the probability for the object having a uniform spatial distribution.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to partition an environment into safe zones defined by the boundary of the object.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to plan a path through the safe zones of the environment.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the transmitter, receiver and processor are conveyed by the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a collision-avoidance device, wherein the processor provides the determined boundary to the collision-avoidance device and the collision-avoidance device navigates the vehicle using the determined boundary.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the parameter is at least one of:

(i) a range;

(ii) an elevation;

(iii) an azimuth; and

(iv) a velocity.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the avoidance criterion is a selectable value.