Object detection system: zone matching and programmability

• US 7,227,474 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arriver Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Attard, Joe C., Zoratti, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/042,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 340435-437, 342 70- 72, 342/46, 342/47, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/18 wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• 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: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

The object detection system includes an object sensor and a controller. The controller is configured to compare a sensed range of an object with a range gate based on the azimuth angle of the object. The range gate for each azimuth angle is programmable and is selected to form a contiguous sensing region closely matching the shape of a desired detection zone. The object sensor is switchable between the plurality of sensing fields, wherein a range gate for each sensing field is programmable to form a contiguous sensing region. The object sensor may be a variety of range sensors including radar, ultrasonic, laser or infrared technologies. The range gate and parameters of the sensing field are each programmable through a controller. Further, the controller may automatically vary the range gate or sensing field based on vehicle parameters.

Claims

1. An object detection system for a vehicle, the object detection system comprising:

an object sensor configured to sense a range of an object;

a controller configured to compare the range to a range gate of a plurality of range gates, each range gate corresponding to an azimuth angle; and

wherein the range gate for each azimuth angle is programmable to form a contiguous sensing region wherein the object sensor is switchable between a plurality of sensing fields and the controller is configured to determine an object azimuth angle based on a sensing field of the plurality of sensing fields.

2. The object detection System according to claim 1, wherein each sensing field has a sensing angle of between 20 and 40°

.

3. The object detection system according to claim 1, wherein the object sensor is a radar sensor.

4. The object detection system according to claim 3, wherein the radar sensor includes a patch array antenna.

5. The object detection system according to claim 3, wherein the radar sensor includes a butler matrix.

6. The object detection system according to claim 4, wherein the radar sensor includes a transmitter output and a receiver input, the transmitter output and receiver input are switched between a plurality of feed networks, each feed network having a fixed phasing length and being selectively connected to the patch array antenna.

7. The object detection system according to claim 1, wherein the range gate for each sensing field is determined based on vehicle parameters.

8. The object detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle parameters include vehicle speed.

9. The object detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle parameters include a turn indicator.

10. The object detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle parameters include a steering wheel angle.

11. The object detection system according to claim 7. wherein the vehicle parameters include a steering wheel angle rate.

12. The object detection system according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle parameters include a navigation system output.

13. The object detection system according to claim 12, wherein the navigation system output includes a road classification.

14. The object detection system according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface.

15. The object detection System according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter receiver in communication with a remote programming device, such that the contiguous sensing region may be modified via the remote programming device.