Technique for changing a range gate and radar for coverage

• US 6,683,557 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Radar Systems, Inc. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Pleva, Joseph S., Woodington, Walter Gordon, Russell, Mark E., Delcheccolo, Michael Joseph, Van Rees, H. Barteld
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/930,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 342/27, 342/28, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/175, 342/41, 342/59, 342/73-81, 342/89-103, 342/128-133, 342/195-199
• US Class Current: 342/74
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/081 using distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/088 using transmission control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4043 Lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/803 Relative lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/282 using a frequency modulated carrier wave G01S13/286 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/343 using sawtooth modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/346 using noise modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/48 using multiple beams at emission or reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/584 adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/726 Multiple target tracking
• 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 2013/0245 Radar with phased array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• 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 7/023 : Interference mitigation, e.g. reducing or avoiding non-intentional interference with other HF-transmitters, base station transmitters for mobile communication or other radar systems, e.g. using electro-magnetic interference [EMI] reduction techniques auxiliary means for detecting or identifying radar signals or the like G01S7/021; means for anti-jamming G01S7/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/0232 : Avoidance by frequency multiplex
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 : Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/038 : Feedthrough nulling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/06 : Cathode-ray tube displays or other two dimensional or three-dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/288 : Coherent receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/352 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/354 : Extracting wanted echo-signals Doppler systems G01S13/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/356 : involving particularities of FFT processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 : of parts of a radar system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4008 : of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4021 : of receivers
• 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 1/3258 : using the gutter of the vehicle; Means for clamping a whip aerial on the edge of a part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 : side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 : formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 : Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 : Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/18 : the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ; Open cavity antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0043 : Slotted waveguides combination with horns H01Q13/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0075 : Stripline fed arrays H01Q21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 : Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 : Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 : varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/40 : with phasing matrix

Abstract

A radar detection process includes computing a derivative of an FFT output signal to detect an object within a specified detection zone. In one embodiment, a zero crossing in the second derivative of the FFT output signal indicates the presence of an object. The range of the object is determined as a function of the frequency at which the zero crossing occurs. Also described is a detection table containing indicators of the presence or absence of an object within a respective radar beam and processing cycle. At least two such indicators are combined in order to detect the presence of an object within the detection zone and with changing range gates in each of the antenna beams the coverage of the detection zone can be varied.

Claims

1. A method of operating a radar comprising:

(a) selecting a detection coverage area;

(b) selecting, responsive to the selected detection coverage area, one of a plurality of antenna beams provided in the detection coverage area; and

(c) selecting, responsive to the selected coverage area, a maximum range to be covered by the selected one of the plurality of antenna beams, wherein the maximum range of the selected one of the plurality of antenna beams defines a segment of the detection coverage area.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

(d) selecting, responsive to the selected detection coverage area, another antenna beam of the plurality of antenna beams generated in the detection coverage area; and

(e) repeating step (c) and (d) until each one of the plurality of antenna beams have been selected and until a plurality of maximum ranges to be covered by the plurality of antenna beams generated in the detection coverage area has been determined.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

(f) determining if a target is detected at one or more of a predetermined number of range bins stored in a memory.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

activating a signal if a target is detected at one or more of the predetermined number of range bins stored in the memory.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting at least one antenna beam of the plurality of antenna beams to locate a relative position of a target.

6. A method of operating a radar comprising:

(a) selecting one of a plurality of predetermined antenna beam coverage areas;

(b) setting, responsive to the selected one on the predetermined antenna beam coverage areas, a maximum range to be covered by each one of a plurality of antenna beams;

(c) determining if a target is located within the maximum range of one of the plurality of antenna beams; and

(d) activating a signal if a target is found within the maximum range of one of the plurality of antenna beams, wherein the one of the plurality of antenna beams includes a plurality of range bins having attributes stored in a memory that define a plurality of target detection ranges and wherein setting the maximum range to be covered by the one of the plurality of antenna beams includes querying a predetermined number of range bins stored in the memory.

7. A storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of programs operative to interact with a processor to control operation of a radar system, comprising:

a first program of the plurality of programs stored on the storage medium being operative to interact with the processor to select a detection coverage area covered by the radar;

a second program of the plurality of programs stored on the storage medium being operative to interact with the processor to select, responsive to the selected detection coverage area, one of a plurality of antenna beams; and

a third program of the plurality of programs stored on the storage medium being operative to interact with the processor to select, responsive to the selected coverage area, a maximum range to be covered by the selected one of the plurality of antenna beams, wherein the selected one of the plurality of antenna beams includes a plurality of range bins having attributes stored in a memory that define a plurality of target detection ranges and wherein selecting the maximum range to be covered by the selected one of the plurality of antenna beams includes querying a predetermined number of range bins stored in the memory.

8. A method of providing a detection coverage area in an automotive radar, the method comprising:

(a) generating a plurality of adjacent antenna beams in the detection coverage area;

(b) associating a predetermined number of range bins with each of the plurality of adjacent antenna beams; and

(c) defining a shape of the detection coverage area by setting a maximum detection range of each of the plurality of adjacent antenna beams, wherein at least two of the plurality of adjacent antenna beams are provided having a different maximum detection range.