Method for estimating an object motion characteristic from a radar signal, a computer system and a computer program product

• US 8,704,702 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: van Dorp, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US13/144,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 342/21, 342/22, 342/27, 342/28, 342/59, 342/89, 342/90, 342104-115, 342/118, 342/123, 342145-147, 342/175, 342/176, 342/179, 342192-197, 342/1, 342 61- 64, 342 73- 75, 342/91, 342 93- 95, 342159-163, 342125-127, 342450-465
• US Class Current: 342/115
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/415 Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for estimating an object motion characteristic from a radar signal. The method comprises the step of receiving radar data of an object from a multiple beam radar system. Further, the method comprises the steps of associating radar data with estimated height and/or cross-range information of object parts causing the corresponding radar data and fitting an object model with radar data being associated with a selected estimated height and/or cross-range information interval. The method also comprises the step of determining an object motion characteristic from the fitted object model.

Claims

1. A method for estimating an object motion characteristic from a radar signal, comprising the steps of

receiving radar data of an object from a multiple beam radar system;

associating radar data with at least one of estimated height or cross-range information of object parts causing the corresponding radar data;

fitting an object model with radar data being associated with at least one of a selected estimated height or cross-range information interval, and

determining an object motion characteristic from the fitted object model.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the associating step comprises estimating at least one of height or cross-sectional information of object parts, based on at least one of trilateration or received radar data power.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fitting step comprises constructing at least one of speed or range data from the received radar data.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object model comprises an ellipsoid as a function of at least one of speed or range parameters.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises a human body.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the object model comprises at least one of a torso parameter, a leg parameter or an arm parameter.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of representing radar data as a function of speed, range and at least one of estimated height and cross-sectional information.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of representing radar data in a single image.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of classifying the estimated object motion characteristic in one class of a pre-determined number of classes, based on characteristic values.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the classifying step is performed based on estimated frequency and radius parameter values.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving radar data from at least three radar stations.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the radar system comprises a multiple number of separate radar stations.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple beams of the radar system are mutually coherent.

14. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer readable medium operatively associated with the one or more processors having encoded thereon software comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, causes the computer system to;

receive radar data of an object sent from a multiple beam radar system;

associate radar data with at least one of estimated height or cross-range information of object parts causing the corresponding radar data;

fit an object model with radar data being associated with at least one of a selected estimated height or cross-range information interval, and

determine an object motion characteristic from the fitted object model.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions executable by a computer system to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving radar data of an object from a multiple beam radar system;

instructions for associating radar data with at least one of an estimated height or cross-range information of object parts causing the corresponding radar data;

instructions for fitting an object model with radar data being associated with at least one of a selected estimated height or cross-range information interval, and

instructions for determining an object motion characteristic from the fitted object model.