Radar object detection system

• US 9,910,151 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cashler, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US14/663,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/872 Combinations of primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4039 of sensor or antenna obstruction, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating

Abstract

A radar object detection system includes a first sensor and a controller. The first sensor emits a first radar signal toward a first area about a vehicle, and outputs a first signal indicative of detected targets proximate to the vehicle. The controller receives the first signal from the first sensor, determines when a trailer is connected to the vehicle based on the first signal, defines a shadow-zone that corresponds to a first portion of the first area obstructed by the trailer from being viewed by the first sensor, and ignores detected targets within the shadow-zone that are indicated by the first signal.

Claims

1. A radar object detection system, said system comprising:

a first sensor configured to emit a first radar signal toward a first area about a vehicle and output a first signal indicative of detected targets in the first area;

a second sensor configured to emit a second radar signal toward a second area that is different from and at least partially overlapping the first area and output a second signal indicative of detected targets in the second area; and

a controller configured to receive the first signal from the first sensor and the second signal from the second sensor, determine when a trailer is connected to the vehicle based on the first signal and the second signal, define a shadow-zone that corresponds to an intersection area defined by an intersection of a first portion of the first area obstructed by the trailer from being viewed by the first sensor and a second portion of the second area obstructed by the trailer from being viewed by the second sensor, and classify detected targets within the shadow-zone that are indicated by only one of the first signal and the second signal as false targets.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged such that the second area is a mirror image of the first area taken about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.