Compact vehicle based rear and side obstacle detection system including multiple antennae

• US 5,940,011 A
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Agravante, Hiroshi H., Moffa, Philip J., Hauss, Bruce I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIEU, JULIE BICHNGOC
• Application Number:
  US08/976,587
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 340/903, 340/901, 340/435, 340/436, 150/167, 150/169, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/29, 342/41
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• 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 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9317 Driving backwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2883 using FFT processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2927 by deriving and controlling a threshold value
• 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 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/002 providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas

Abstract

A rear and side object detection system for a vehicle based on monolithic millimeter wave integrated circuit technology. A multiple antenna configuration is employed that defines six sensing regions to the right, left and the rear of the vehicle. A first sensing region is defined at the right side of the vehicle, a second sensing region is defined at the right side and rear of the vehicle and overlaps the first sensing region, a third sensing region and a fourth sensing region extend from the rear on both sides of the vehicle in the adjacent lanes, a fifth sensing region is defined at the left side of the vehicle and a sixth sensing region is defined at the left side and rear of the vehicle and overlaps the second and fifth sensing regions. A right side warning signal is issued if an object is detected in a right side detection zone defined by the first sensing region or a portion of the second sensing region that does not overlap the third or sixth sensing regions. Likewise, a left side warning signal is issued if an object is detected in a left side detection zone defined by the fifth region and a portion of the sixth sensing region that does not overlap the second or fourth sensing regions. A back-up warning signal is issued if an object is detected in an overlap region between the second and sixth sensing regions.

Claims

1. A side obstacle detection system for detecting obstacles around a vehicle, said system comprising:

at least one radiation beam signal source that generates one or more frequency signals;

a plurality of antenna responsive to the frequency signals, each of the plurality of antenna transmitting a radiation beam in a controlled manner to define a plurality of separate sensing regions around the vehicle, wherein a first sensing region is defined adjacent to and around a front portion of a right side of the vehicle, a second sensing region is defined around a rear portion of the right side and a rear area of the vehicle and overlaps the first sensing region, a third sensing region is defined adjacent to and around a front portion of a left side of the vehicle, a fourth sensing region is defined around a rear portion of the left side and the rear area of the vehicle and overlaps the second and third regions, a fifth sensing region is defined extending behind and to the right side of the vehicle and overlapping the second sensing region and a sixth sensing region is defined extending behind and to the left of the vehicle and overlapping the fourth sensing region and wherein the fifth and sixth sensing regions define vehicle approach detection zones, said plurality of antenna being responsive to radiation signals that are reflected off of obstacles within the sensing regions so as to generate a signal indicative of a reflection intensity of the reflected signal; and

a control device responsive to the signals from the plurality of antenna so as to generate a left side warning signal and a right side warning signal wherein the control device will generate the left side warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna from the sixth sensing region and the control device will generate the right side warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna from the fifth sensing region, the control device generating the left side warning signal if the reflection signal received from the sixth sensing region indicates that an obstacle will enter a left side detection zone within a predetermined time interval and the control device generating the right side warning signal if the reflection signal received from the fifth sensing region indicates that an obstacle will enter a right side detection zone within the predetermined time interval.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the signal source and the plurality of antenna are part of a transceiver, and wherein the transceiver is part of a monolithic millimeter wave integrated circuit, said signal source generating a frequency signal in the millimeter wavelengths.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of antenna include antenna selected from the group consisting of patch antenna arrays, slot antenna arrays, dipole antennas and feed horns.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system includes a first sensor positioned proximate a right side of the vehicle and a second sensor positioned proximate a left side of the vehicle, said first sensor including a single frequency signal source and three antenna and said second sensor including a single frequency signal source and three antenna, wherein the three antenna of the first sensor define the first, second, and fifth sensing regions and the three antenna of the second sensor define the third, fourth and sixth sensing regions.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein a right side detection zone is defined by the first sensing region and a portion of the second sensing region outside of the fourth sensing region, said control device issuing the right side warnings signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna in the first sensing region and said control device issuing the right side warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna in the portion of the second sensing region outside of the fourth sensing region.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein a left side detection zone is defined by the third sensing region and a portion of the fourth sensing region outside of the second sensing region, said control device issuing the left side warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna in the third sensing region and said control device issuing the left side warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna in the portion of the fourth sensing region outside of the second sensing region.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth sensing regions extend from the vehicle a distance within a range of about nine feet to about fifteen feet.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the fifth and sixth sensing regions extend approximately fifty feet behind the vehicle.

9. A rear and side obstacle detection system for detecting obstacles around a vehicle, said system comprising:

at least one radiation beam signal source that generates a plurality of frequency signals;

a plurality of antenna responsive to the frequency signals, each of the plurality of antenna transmitting a radiation beam in a controlled manner to define a plurality of separate sensing regions around the vehicle, wherein a first sensing region is defined adjacent to and around a front portion of a right side of the vehicle, a second sensing region is defined around a rear portion of the right side and a rear area of the vehicle and overlaps the first sensing region, a third sensing region extends behind and to the right side of the vehicle and overlaps the second sensing region, a fourth sensing region is defined adjacent to and around a front portion of a left side of the vehicle, a fifth sensing region is defined around a rear portion of the left side and the rear area of the vehicle and overlaps the second and fourth regions, and a sixth sensing region extends behind and to the left side of the vehicle and overlaps the second and fifth sensing regions, said third sensing region overlapping the fifth sensing region, and wherein a rear detection zone is defined by an overlap region between the second and fifth sensing regions, said plurality of antenna being responsive to radiation signals that are reflected off of obstacles within the sensing regions so as to generate a signal indicative of a reflected intensity of the reflected signals; and

a control device responsive to the signals from the plurality of antenna, said control device determining the position of the obstacles in the sensing regions with respect to which of the plurality of antenna generated the reflected intensity signal, said control device issuing a rear warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna from both the second and fifth sensing regions if the reflection signals from the second and fifth sensing regions indicate an obstacle is at about the same position relative to the vehicle and said control device preventing the rear warning signal if a reflection signal from both the third and sixth sensing regions indicates an obstacle is at about the position of the obstacle in the second and fifth sensing regions.

10. A rear and side obstacle detection system for detecting obstacles around a vehicle, said system comprising:

at least one radiation beam signal source that generates a plurality of frequency signals;

a plurality of antenna responsive to the frequency signals, each of the plurality of antenna transmitting a radiation beam in a controlled manner to define a plurality of separate sensing regions around the vehicle, wherein a first sensing region is defined adjacent to and around a front portion of a right side of the vehicle, a second sensing region is defined around a rear portion of the right side and a rear area of the vehicle and overlaps the first sensing region, a third sensing region extends behind and to the right side of the vehicle and overlaps the second sensing region, a fourth sensing region is defined adjacent to and around a front portion of a left side of the vehicle, a fifth sensing region is defined around a rear portion of the left side and the rear area of the vehicle and overlaps the second and fourth regions, and a sixth sensing region extends behind and to the left side of the vehicle and overlaps the second and fifth sensing regions, said third sensing region overlapping the fifth sensing region, and wherein the third and sixth sensing regions define vehicle approach detection zones, said plurality of antenna being responsive to radiation signals that are reflected off of obstacles within the sensing regions so as to generate a signal indicative of a reflected intensity of the reflected signals; and

a control device responsive to the signals from the plurality of antenna, said control device determining the position of the obstacles in the sensing regions with respect to which of the plurality of antenna generated the reflected intensity signal, wherein the control device will generate a left side warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna from the sixth sensing region and the control device will generate a right side warning signal if a reflection signal is detected by the antenna from the third sensing region, and wherein the control device will generate the left side warning signal if the reflection signal received from the sixth sensing region indicates that an obstacle will enter a left side detection zone within a predetermined time interval and the control device will generate the right side warning signal if the reflection signal received from the third sensing region indicates that an obstacle will enter a right side detection zone within the predetermined time interval.