Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and estimating the dimension of a trailer are presented. The method includes: capturing information on surrounding static infrastructure; determining the existence of a trailer based upon the captured information on the surrounding static infrastructure. When it is determined that a trailer is present, the method further includes: filtering detections associated with the existence of the trailer; identifying one or more regions on a trailer based upon the filtered detections, the regions corresponding to repeated reflections having an amplitude equal to or greater than a predetermined amplitude threshold with a substantially constant range relative to a fixed origin; and determining at least one of a width, length, and height of the trailer based on the identified regions.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to detecting road surface conditions. A road surface detector comprises a transmitter, receiver, and one or more processors. The transmitter is configured to transmit one or more radio frequency (RF) beams at a road surface. The receiver is configured to receive RF reflections of the one or more transmitted RF beams at two or more receive channels. The one or more processors are to determine a road surface condition based on a doppler signature of the received RF reflections. A method comprises transmitting one or more radio frequency (RF) beams at a road surface. RF reflections of the one or more transmitted RF beams are receives at two or more receive channels. The method includes determining a road surface condition based on a doppler signature of the received RF reflections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initializing a radar track are presented. The method includes: detecting a target within a field of view where the target having a detected range, radial velocity and azimuth; initializing values of a Kalman filter upon initial detection of the target based upon the detected range, radial velocity and azimuth; generating a azimuth value and estimated azimuth rate value of the target; determining a first estimated error value associated with the azimuth value and a second estimated error value associated with the estimated azimuth rate value based upon the detected azimuth; estimating a cross track error based upon the first and second estimated errors; in response to the estimated cross track error value being lower than a predetermined threshold value, reinitializing the values of the Kalman filter; and establishing a radar track based upon the reinitialzied values of the Kalman filter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and estimating the dimension of a trailer are presented. The method includes: capturing information on surrounding static infrastructure; determining the existence of a trailer based upon the captured information on the surrounding static infrastructure. When it is determined that a trailer is present, the method further includes: filtering detections associated with the existence of the trailer; identifying one or more regions on a trailer based upon the filtered detections, the regions corresponding to repeated reflections having an amplitude equal to or greater than a predetermined amplitude threshold with a substantially constant range relative to a fixed origin; and determining at least one of a width, length, and height of the trailer based on the identified regions.

Abstract: A blockage detection system and methods for use in a radar sensor such as a side object detection (SOD) sensor in an automotive radar system are described. The blockage detection system and method operate in systems including two or more radar sensors having overlapping field-of-views (FOVs). The blockage detection system includes a storage in a first radar sensor having stored therein a tracked object list including detections/tracks for one or more targets made by a second radar sensor and a processor for adjusting an overlap zone associated with the first radar sensor based upon an estimated mounting angle of the first radar sensor.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to detecting road surface conditions. A road surface detector comprises a transmitter, receiver, and one or more processors. The transmitter is configured to transmit one or more radio frequency (RF) beams at a road surface. The receiver is configured to receive RF reflections of the one or more transmitted RF beams at two or more receive channels. The one or more processors are to determine a road surface condition based on a doppler signature of the received RF reflections. A method comprises transmitting one or more radio frequency (RF) beams at a road surface. RF reflections of the one or more transmitted RF beams are receives at two or more receive channels. The method includes determining a road surface condition based on a doppler signature of the received RF reflections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initializing a radar track are presented. The method includes: detecting a target within a field of view where the target having a detected range, radial velocity and azimuth; initializing values of a Kalman filter upon initial detection of the target based upon the detected range, radial velocity and azimuth; generating a azimuth value and estimated azimuth rate value of the target; determining a first estimated error value associated with the azimuth value and a second estimated error value associated with the estimated azimuth rate value based upon the detected azimuth; estimating a cross track error based upon the first and second estimated errors; in response to the estimated cross track error value being lower than a predetermined threshold value, reinitializing the values of the Kalman filter; and establishing a radar track based upon the reinitialzied values of the Kalman filter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting static objects and broadside objects in a vehicular radar system is presented. Detection data within a field of view for a host vehicle is acquired. A histogram process is used to determine a presence of at least one of a static object and a broadside vehicle. The histogram process includes generating ratios of a relative velocity of an object (Vr) to host velocity (Vh) from acquired detection data and determining a number of detections which occur at an angle ? corresponding to an intersection of two lines with a first line represented by Vr/Vh=0 and a region of a second line within the FOV along which Vr/Vh?0. The detections are filtered to identify only those detection points at a first and second predetermined values of ?, wherein the identified detections indicate a presence of a static object and/or a broadside vehicle.

Abstract: A method, system and technique is described for providing object detection. A plurality of detections for an area around at least a portion of a vehicle are acquired from at least one radar sensor. At least some of the plurality of detections are integrated to generate at least one image mask. The at least one image mask is applied to a host-compensated image of the area around at least a portion of the vehicle to determine a presence of static objects within the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting static objects and broadside objects in a vehicular radar system is presented. Detection data within a field of view for a host vehicle is acquired. A histogram process is used to determine a presence of at least one of a static object and a broadside vehicle. The histogram process includes generating ratios of a relative velocity of an object (Vr) to host velocity (Vh) from acquired detection data and determining a number of detections which occur at an angle ? corresponding to an intersection of two lines with a first line represented by Vr/Vh=0 and a region of a second line within the FOV along which Vr/Vh?0. The detections are filtered to identify only those detection points at a first and second predetermined values of ?, wherein the identified detections indicate a presence of a static object and/or a broadside vehicle.

Abstract: A radar sensor for use within a vehicle includes blockage detection functionality. In at least one embodiment, the radar sensor collects information on stationary infrastructure around the vehicle. The infrastructure information may be used to generate a Doppler Monopulse Image (DMI) or other graph for the sensor. A clutter ridge within the DMI or other graph may be analyzed determine a blockage condition of the sensor (i.e., unblocked, partially blocked, or fully blocked).

Abstract: A radar imaging system and technique is described in which the imaging system generates an image and transforms the image into world coordinates taking into account host position and heading. Once in world coordinates, successive radar images can be summed (integrated, averaged) to produce an integrated image having a resolution which is improved compared with an originally generated image.

Abstract: An automotive radar apparatus includes a bit stream modulation circuit configured to generate a bit stream signal at an output thereof and a driver circuit having an input coupled to the output of said bit stream modulation circuit and configured to generate a corresponding driver bit stream signal having a reduced output swing at the driver circuit output. Also included is a filter circuit having an input coupled to the output of said driver circuit and configured to generate a filtered bit stream signal at the filter circuit output. Additionally included is a VCO having an input coupled to the output of said filter circuit and configured to generate an RF output signal at the VCO output. A corresponding method is also provided.

Abstract: Presently disclosed is a structure and technique for de-coupling a sensor (such as an automotive radar sensor), from a surrounding electrically conductive structure (such as a vehicle) on which the sensor is mounted.

Abstract: A radar imaging system and technique is described in which the imaging system generates an image and transforms the image into world coordinates taking into account host position and heading. Once in world coordinates, successive radar images can be summed (integrated, averaged) to produce an integrated image having a resolution which is improved compared with an originally generated image.

Abstract: Described herein is an automotive radar system which utilizes a three channel switched antenna to improve the angular resolution of an azimuth tracking two-channel, radar.

Abstract: Described herein is an automotive radar system and related processing techniques utilizing a three channel switched antenna to improve the angular resolution of an azimuth tracking radar.

Abstract: A travel control device includes a side obstacle detection unit, a rearward movement preparation detection unit, a warning unit, and a suppression unit. The side obstacle detection unit divides a range from a lateral side to a rear side of a vehicle into plural detection angle areas, and detects, for each of the plural detection angle areas, an obstacle entering the detection angle area and a distance to the obstacle. The warning unit provides warning about the obstacle. The suppression unit suppresses the warning by the warning unit, if the rearward movement preparation detection unit detects the vehicle preparing to move rearward and the detection angle area in which the obstacle is detected shifts from the rear side to the lateral side.

Abstract: Presently disclosed is a structure and technique for de-coupling a sensor (such as an automotive radar sensor), from a surrounding electrically conductive structure (such as a vehicle) on which the sensor is mounted.

Abstract: A system and method for generating alert signals in a detection system is described. The system compares data extracted from signals received via receive antenna beams with stored scenarios and determines whether to generate an alert signal based upon the results of the compare operation. The comparison of data extracted from received signals with stored scenarios can be accomplished by using one or more latches to process the extracted data from the received signals. In one embodiment, raw detections are pre-processed to generate so-called field of view (FOV) products. The FOV products are then provided to a tracker. In another embodiment, rather than pre-process the raw detections, the raw detections are instead provided directly to a tracker which processes the raw detections to provide products including, but not limited to, relative velocity and other parameters.