Radar detector for pre-impact airbag triggering

• US 6,025,796 A
• Filed: 12/09/1996
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert G. Crosby II
• Original Assignee: Robert G. Crosby II
• Inventors: Crosby, Robert G. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US08/761,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/69
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/72 for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4082 using externally generated reference signals, e.g. via remote reflector or transponder
• 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 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271

Abstract

A pulsed radar detector to be used for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, has sets of transmitters and receiver separately disposed on a the side of a vehicle so as to create a bistatic antenna pattern. The transmitting antennae are mounted relative to receiving antennae so as to control the amount of direct radiation from each transmitter antenna and said receiver antenna so as to create a modulation of a received target signal. A signal processor determines the period of the modulation in order to obtain a measure of target velocity. The amplitude of the modulation is determined so as to have a measure of relative target size. Using this data, a computer continuous calculates the predicted time and point of impact in order to initiate release of an airbag at a predetermined time before impact between said object and the side of said vehicle.

Claims

1. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, comprising:

at least one set of transmitting and receiving antenna means, each said transmitting antenna being longitudinally spaced apart from said receiving antenna means, wherein each said transmitting antenna is mounted to one side of a transverse centerline passing approximately orthogonal through the longitudinal axis of said vehicle and each said receiving antenna is mounted to the opposite side of said transverse centerline;

mounting means for adjustable support of each said transmitter antenna means and said receiver antenna means so as to provide a uniform bistatic antenna pattern coverage of one or more sides of said vehicle;

at least one set of transmitter and receiver means, each said transmitter means being electrically connected to a respective transmitting antenna, and each said receiver means being electrically connected to a respective receiving antenna;

means for detection of a signal out of said receiver means, said signal resulting from radiation from said transmitter antenna being reflected from an object adjacent the side of said vehicle;

signal processing means for continuous tracking of the position of said target object relative to the side of said vehicle;

computer means for continuous calculation of the predicted time and point of impact, and

means for controlling initiation of an airbag at a predetermined time before impact between said object and the side of said vehicle.

2. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 1, wherein said signal processing means further provides means for determination of target amplitude.

3. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 2, wherein said signal processing means further provides means for continuous tracking of the acceleration of said target object relative to the side of said vehicle.

4. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 3, wherein said signal processing means further provides means for continuous tracking of the velocity of said target object relative to the side of said vehicle.

5. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 4, wherein said detection means includes means for detecting the period of the modulation of the target signal by the direct signal radiation between said transmitter and associated receiver, so as to obtain an estimate of target velocity.

6. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 5, wherein said detection means includes means for detecting the amplitude of the modulation of the target signal by the direct signal radiation between said transmitter and associated receiver, so as to obtain an estimate of target radar cross section.

7. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 4, wherein said detection means includes means for momentarily disturbing the target track at non-critical ranges while varying the detection gain so as to obtain an estimate of target radar cross-section.

8. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 4, further comprising means for continuous direct measurement of the velocity of said object relative to the side of said vehicle.

9. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 8, wherein said means for continuous direct measurement of the velocity of said object relative to the side of said vehicle comprises a doppler radar.

10. A radar detector for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 8, wherein said computing means is a microprocessor.

11. A method of radar detection for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one set of transmitting and receiving antenna means, each said transmitting antenna being longitudinally spaced apart from said receiving antenna means, wherein each said transmitting antenna is mounted to one side of a transverse centerline passing approximately orthogonal through the longitudinal axis of said vehicle and each said receiving antenna is mounted to the opposite side of said transverse centerline;

mounting said transmitter and receiver antenna means with adjustable support means so as to provide a uniform bistatic antenna pattern coverage of one or more sides of said vehicle;

connecting at least one set of transmitter means to a respective transmitting antenna and at least one set of receiver means to a respective receiving antenna;

detecting a signal out of said receiver means, said signal resulting from radiation from said transmitter antenna being reflected from an object adjacent the side of said vehicle;

processing the signal for continuous tracking of the position of said target object relative to the side of said vehicle;

calculating the predicted time and point of impact continuously by computer means; and

controlling the initiation of an airbag at a predetermined time before impact between said object and the side of said vehicle.

12. A method of radar detection for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

locating said transmitting and associated receiving antennas relative to each other so as to approximately maintain the received direct signal radiation from said transmitter antenna approximately above the minimum detectable receiver signal level and below the minimum detectable target level; and

detecting the amplitude of the modulation of the target signal by direct signal radiation between said transmitter and associated receiver, so as to obtain an estimate of target radar cross-section.

13. A method of radar detection for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the period of the modulation of the target signal by the direct signal radiation between said transmitter and associated receiver, so as to obtain an estimate of target velocity.

14. A method of radar detection for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

disturbing the target track at non-critical ranges momentarily while varying the detection gain so as to obtain an estimate of target velocity.

15. A method of radar detection for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

measuring the velocity of said object relative to the side of said vehicle by continuous direct measurement means.

16. A method of radar detection for airbag triggering prior to a collision between a vehicle on a roadway and an impacting target object, as recited in claim 15, wherein said steps of direct measurement of the velocity of said object relative to the side of said vehicle comprises a doppler radar.