Method for determining object location from side-looking sensor data

• US 6,674,394 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veoneer, Inc. (SSW Partners LP)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Zoratti, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDREA, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/401,428
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/71, 340/435, 340/436, 340/992, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 701/96, 701/223, 701/301
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/4445 amplitude comparisons monopulse, i.e. comparing the echo signals received by an antenna arrangement with overlapping squinted beams
• 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 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles

Abstract

An object location of a 3-D object to a side of a transportation vehicle is classified wherein the transportation vehicle moves along a front-to-rear directional axis and has a remote sensor mounted at a predetermined reference point. A set of detection points is identified substantially to the side of the transportation vehicle using the remote sensor. A detection point is found having a closest range to the vehicle reference point. The object is classified as on-center if a position Y_near along the directional axis corresponding to the closest-range detection point is within a predetermined threshold distance from a position Y_zero along the directional axis corresponding to the predetermined reference point. If not on-center, then the object is classified as spanning if a first position Y₁ along the directional axis and a second position Y₂ along the directional axis are on opposite sides of the position Y_zero. If not spanning, then the object is classified as front if any particular detection point is forward of the position Y_zero. If not spanning, then the object is classified as rear if any particular detection point is rearward of the position Y_zero.

Claims

1. A method of classifying an object location of a 3-D object to a side of a transportation vehicle, said transportation vehicle moving along a front-to-rear directional axis and having a remote sensor mounted at a predetermined reference point, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a set of detection points substantially to said side of said transportation vehicle using said remote sensor;

finding a detection point having a closest range to said vehicle reference point;

classifying said object as on-center if a position Y_near along said directional axis corresponding to said closest-range detection point is within a predetermined threshold distance from a position Y_zero along said directional axis corresponding to said predetermined reference point;

if not on-center, then classifying said object as spanning if a first position Y₁ along said directional axis and a second position Y₂ along said directional axis are on opposite sides of said position Y_zero;

if not spanning, then classifying said object as front if any particular detection point is forward of said position Y_zero; and

if not spanning, then classifying said object as rear if any particular detection point is rearward of said position Y_zero.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each point of said set of detections points are all within a predetermined detection zone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first position Y₁ comprises a position Y_max along said directional axis corresponding to a farthest forward detection point and said second position Y₂ comprises a position Y_min along said directional axis corresponding to a farthest rearward detection point.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said set of detection points includes detection points sensed during a plurality of consecutive sample times.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said object is classified as on-center only if each respective position Y_near during each respective sample time is within said predetermined threshold distance from said position Y_zero.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said remote sensor is comprised of a radar sensor and wherein each consecutive sample time corresponds to a radar scan of a predetermined detection zone.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said radar scan is comprised of a monopulse radar scan.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said radar scan is comprised of an electronically scanned radar beam.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said radar scan is comprised of switched directional radar beams.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein said first position Y₁ and said second position Y₂ correspond to different ones of said consecutive sample times.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said particular detection points are comprised of a position Y_max along said directional axis corresponding to a farthest forward detection point.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said particular detection points are comprised of a position Y_min along said directional axis corresponding to a farthest rearward detection point.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating an alert indication to an operator of said transportation vehicle indicative of a moving vehicle in said detection zone in response to said classified object location.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of deploying a pre-crash mitigation measure in said transportation vehicle partly in response to said classified object location.