Automotive radar system and method for using same
First Claim
1. A radar system for a vehicle comprising:
- a transmit unit including a single beam transmit antenna for output of a radar signal into a target zone external to said vehicle; and
a receive unit including a single beam receive antenna capable of receiving a direct receive signal and an indirect receive signal, each of said direct and indirect receive signals being reflections of said radar signal from an object in said target zone, and said direct and indirect receive signals being summed to produce a detection signal indicating a presence of said object in said target zone, wherein said target zone includes a first region adjacent to a side of said vehicle and a second region displaced outwardly and backwardly from a rear quarter panel of said vehicle, and said each of said single beam transmit and receive antennas exhibits an antenna pattern having a main lobe directed in said second region and a side lobe reflected from a reflective panel of said vehicle into said first region such that when said object is located in said second region, a first signal strength of said direct receive signal dominates a second signal strength of said indirect receive signal in said detection signal and when said object is located in said first region, said second signal strength of said indirect receive signal dominates said first signal strength of said direct receive signal in said detection signal.
31 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radar system (44) for a vehicle (42) includes a transmit unit (56) and a receive unit (58). The transmit unit (56) includes a single beam antenna (72) for output of a radar signal (74) into a target zone (46). The receive unit (58) includes a single beam antenna (76) for receiving a direct receive signal (78) and an indirect receive signal (80). The receive signals (78, 80) are reflections of the radar signal (74) from an object (34, 36) in the target zone (46). The indirect receive signal (80) is reflected off the object (34, 36) toward a reflective panel (54) of the vehicle (42), and the indirect receive signal (80) is reflected off the reflective panel (54) for receipt at the receive antenna (76). The receive signals (78, 80) are summed to produce a detection signal (81) indicating presence of the object (34, 36) in the target zone (46).
23 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A radar system for a vehicle comprising:
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a transmit unit including a single beam transmit antenna for output of a radar signal into a target zone external to said vehicle; and a receive unit including a single beam receive antenna capable of receiving a direct receive signal and an indirect receive signal, each of said direct and indirect receive signals being reflections of said radar signal from an object in said target zone, and said direct and indirect receive signals being summed to produce a detection signal indicating a presence of said object in said target zone, wherein said target zone includes a first region adjacent to a side of said vehicle and a second region displaced outwardly and backwardly from a rear quarter panel of said vehicle, and said each of said single beam transmit and receive antennas exhibits an antenna pattern having a main lobe directed in said second region and a side lobe reflected from a reflective panel of said vehicle into said first region such that when said object is located in said second region, a first signal strength of said direct receive signal dominates a second signal strength of said indirect receive signal in said detection signal and when said object is located in said first region, said second signal strength of said indirect receive signal dominates said first signal strength of said direct receive signal in said detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting an object in a target zone external to a vehicle comprising:
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defining said target zone to include a first region adjacent to a side of said vehicle and a second region displaced outwardly and backwardly from a rear quarter panel of said vehicle; transmitting a radar signal from a single beam transmit antenna of a transmit unit into said target zone; receiving a direct receive signal and an indirect receive signal at a single beam receive antenna of a receive unit, each of said direct and indirect receive signals being reflections of said radar signal from said object; directing a main lobe of an antenna pattern for each of said single beam transmit and receive antennas into said second region such that a side lobe of said antenna pattern is reflected from a reflective panel of said vehicle into said first region, wherein when said object is located in said second region, a first signal strength of said direct receive signal dominates a second signal strength of said indirect receive signal in said detection signal and when said object is located in said first region, said second signal strength of said indirect receive signal dominates said first signal strength of said direct receive signal in said detection signal; and summing said direct and indirect receive signals to produce a detection signal indicative of a presence of said object in said target zone. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A radar system for a vehicle comprising:
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a transmit unit including a single beam transmit antenna for output of a radar signal into a target zone external to said vehicle; and a receive unit including a single beam receive antenna capable of receiving a direct receive signal and an indirect receive signal, each of said direct and indirect receive signals being reflections of said radar signal from an object in said target zone, each of said single beam transmit and receive antennas producing an antenna pattern having a main lobe and first side lobes joined to each side of said main lobe, said first side lobes being shoulder-type side lobes, and said antenna pattern being wider in azimuth than in elevation, and said direct and indirect receive signals being summed to produce a detection signal indicating a presence of said object in said target zone, wherein said target zone includes a first region adjacent to a side of said vehicle and a second region displaced outwardly and backwardly from a rear quarter panel of said vehicle, and said each of said single beam transmit and receive antennas exhibits an antenna pattern having said main lobe directed in said second region and one of said first side lobes reflected from a reflective panel of said vehicle into said first region such that when said object is located in said second region, a first signal strength of said direct receive signal dominates a second signal strength of said indirect receive signal in said detection signal and when said object is located in said first region, said second signal strength of said indirect receive signal dominates said first signal strength of said direct receive signal in said detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification