Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems for accurate and efficient electromagnetic response for a sensor simulator. Target information and sensor parameters for an electromagnetic sensor are simulated in an environment that includes a ground plane. Electromagnetic rays that may be detected by the sensor or an image of the sensor are launched from the simulated sensor toward the target and an image of the target about the ground plane to determine a complex electromagnetic response of the target. A ray-tracing algorithm is applied to trace the forward wave propagation of electromagnetic rays in the environment that considers rays bouncing between the target and the image of the target. An electromagnetic response can be modeled based on the congregation of the electromagnetic response of all backward paths of all bounces of all rays. In this manner, an efficient and accurate electromagnetic response model may be approximated.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, which is carried out by a detection device having a transmitter element for transmitting wave signals and two vertically aligned receiver elements for receiving wave signals, separated by a given spacing. The method includes transmitting, at the transmitter element, a wave signal that is reflected by the target. Each receiver element receives the wave signal reflected by the target, where the wave signal propagates via multiple paths caused by the reflecting surface. While a target distance varies, a phase difference between the reflected wave signals received by the two receiver elements is measured. From the phase difference measurements, a physical quantity fluctuation is determined in relation to the target distance. The information on the target height is then derived from the physical quantity fluctuation.

Abstract: A method for operating an angle resolving radar device for automotive applications comprises: routing first and second antenna signals between a radar circuit and an antenna device; transducing, with a first antenna comprising a first set of antenna elements, between the first antenna signal and a first radiation field, the first radiation field having a first phase center; transducing, with a second antenna comprising a second set of antenna elements, between the second antenna signal and a second radiation field, the second radiation field having a second phase center with a location shifted with respect to a location of the first phase center, the first set of antenna elements and the second set of antenna elements sharing one or more common antenna elements; and constructing an angle resolving virtual antenna array using the locations of the first and second phase centers as first and second antenna positions, respectively.

Abstract: This document describes methods and systems for vehicle localization based on radar detections. Radar localization starts with building a radar reference map. The radar reference map may be generated and updated using different techniques as described herein. Once a radar reference map is available, real-time localization may be achieved with inexpensive radar sensors and navigation systems. Using the techniques described in this document, the data from the radar sensors and the navigation systems may be processed to identify stationary localization objects, or landmarks, in the vicinity of the vehicle. Comparing the landmark data originating from the onboard sensors and systems of the vehicle with landmark data detailed in the radar reference map may generate an accurate pose of the vehicle in its environment. By using inexpensive radar systems and lower quality navigation systems, a highly accurate vehicle pose may be obtained in a cost-effective manner.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems for electromagnetic response simulation for arbitrary road surface profiles. An electromagnetic response simulator receives a position and an orientation of both an electromagnetic sensor (e.g., radar sensor) and a target, and a geometric profile of a road surface. The road surface may vary in elevation in the lateral and/or longitudinal directions. The electromagnetic response simulator estimates reflection points of electromagnetic rays along the geometric profile of the road surface and translates the positions and the orientations of the electromagnetic sensor and the target into respective local coordinates corresponding to each reflection point. The electromagnetic responses can then be calculated, corresponding simulated rays can be output to a sensor simulator.

Abstract: Provided is method for determining free space surrounding a device, the method comprising: acquiring radar data regarding each of one or more radar antennas, the acquired radar data comprising range data and range rate data; extracting, from the acquired radar data, a specific set of radar data having values equal to or below a noise-based threshold; and determining a free space around the device based on the extracted specific set of radar data.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining an occupancy map in the vicinity of a vehicle comprises the following steps: successively acquiring sensor data of a sensor system, determining object detections based on the sensor data, overlaying the object detections in a spatial representation of the vicinity of the vehicle, defining, for an object detection of a first data acquisition process, an expectation area extending around the object detection, adjusting, if an object detection of a second data acquisition process is present within the expectation area, the position of the expectation area based on a difference between the position of the object detection of the first data acquisition process and the position of the object detection of the second data acquisition process, and removing an object detection of the expectation area from the occupancy map if no object detection can be determined in the expectation area for a predetermined number of successive data acquisition processes.

Abstract: A method for operating an angle resolving radar device for automotive applications comprises: routing at least a first and second antenna signal between a radar circuit and an antenna device, wherein the first and second antenna signals are routed via a common signal port of the radar circuit; transducing between the first antenna signal and a first radiation field, the first radiation field having a first phase center, and between the second antenna signal and a second radiation field, the second radiation field having a second phase center, wherein a location of the second phase center is shifted with respect to a location of the first phase center; constructing at least one angle resolving virtual antenna array using the location of the first phase center as a first antenna position and the location of the second phase center of the second radiation field as a second antenna position.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that enable radar reference map generation. A high-definition (HD) map is received and one or more HD map objects within the HD map are determined. Attributes of the respective HD map objects are determined, and, for each HD map object, one or more occupancy cells of a radar occupancy grid are indicated as occupied space based on the attributes of the respective HD map object. By doing so, a radar reference map may be generated without a vehicle traversing through an area corresponding to the radar reference map.

Abstract: A radar device comprises a radar circuit configured to transceive first radar signals that occupy a first frequency band and second radar signals that occupy a second frequency band. An antenna device of the radar device comprises a first set and a second set of antennas and is configured to selectively transduce the first radar signals via the first set and not via the second set and to selectively transduce the second radar signals via the second set and not via the first set. A processing device of the radar device detects from the first radar signals target reflections via first propagation channels and from the second radar signals target reflections via second propagation channels. The signal processing device jointly evaluates the target reflections via the first and second propagation channels to form a common virtual antenna array for determining an angular position of a target object.

Abstract: A radar device for automotive applications comprises a radar circuit configured to process a radar signal that has a first signal portion and a second signal portion, wherein the first signal portion occupies a first frequency band and the second signal portion occupies a second frequency band that is separate from the first frequency band. An antenna device of the radar device comprises a first and second antenna element that are both coupled to a common signal port of the radar circuit and the radar device is configured to route both the first signal portion and the second signal portion via the common signal port between the radar circuit and the antenna device. The antenna device is a frequency selective antenna device that transduces the first signal portion via the first antenna element and not via the second antenna element and that transduces the second signal portion at least via the second antenna element.

Abstract: A radar device, for example for automotive applications, comprises a radar circuit, an antenna device and a signal processing device, wherein the radar circuit is configured to transceive a first antenna signal and a second antenna signal, wherein the first antenna signal occupies a first frequency band and the second antenna signal occupies a second frequency band that is separate from the first frequency band, wherein the antenna device is configured to transduce the first antenna signal via a first antenna of the antenna device and the second antenna signal via a second antenna of the antenna device, and wherein the signal processing device comprises a ranging module that is configured to jointly process the first and second antenna signal to determine a distance to a target object irradiated by the antenna device.

Abstract: A method for operating an angle resolving radar device for automotive applications comprises: routing at least a first and second antenna signal between a radar circuit and an antenna device, wherein the first and second antenna signals are routed via a common signal port of the radar circuit; transducing between the first antenna signal and a first radiation field, the first radiation field having a first phase center, and between the second antenna signal and a second radiation field, the second radiation field having a second phase center, wherein a location of the second phase center is shifted with respect to a location of the first phase center; constructing at least one angle resolving virtual antenna array using the location of the first phase center as a first antenna position and the location of the second phase center of the second radiation field as a second antenna position.

Abstract: A method for operating an angle resolving radar device for automotive applications comprises: routing at least a first and second antenna signal between a radar circuit and an antenna device, wherein the first and second antenna signals are routed via a common signal port of the radar circuit; transducing between the first antenna signal and a first radiation field, the first radiation field having a first phase center, and between the second antenna signal and a second radiation field, the second radiation field having a second phase center, wherein a location of the second phase center is shifted with respect to a location of the first phase center; constructing at least one angle resolving virtual antenna array using the location of the first phase center as a first antenna position and the location of the second phase center of the second radiation field as a second antenna position.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems for enabling more-accurate single-point radar cross section (RCS) approaches for radar simulations without introducing orders of complexity. For automotive radar applications, considering variations in RCS radial patterns, with both angle and range, and because of analytically calculated multi-path effects and near-field RCS effects improves simulation accuracy by incorporating multi-path phenomenon that is present due to ground reflections. The described techniques are performed without using full scale ray-tracing or other computationally demanding techniques.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for a radar device. For example, an antenna device has a first set of antennas to establish first propagation channels and a second set of antennas to establish second propagation channels. A signal processing device determines a first differential phase shift among first radar signals propagating via the first propagation channels and a second differential phase shift among second radar signals propagating via the second propagation channels. Antennas of the first set are located at positions that generate the first differential phase shift for a first multitude of target angles, and antennas of the second set are located at positions that generate the second differential phase shift for a second multitude of target angles. The processing device determines an angular position of a target object as a unique target angle that is part of the first and second multitude of target angles.

Abstract: Disclosed are aspects of an antenna including a body having a convex surface. A conductive structure is deposited onto an antenna region of the convex surface. The conductive structure is configured as a conformal slot antenna array. The antenna region of the convex surface includes corrugations having peaks and valleys. A plurality of slots of the conformal slot antenna array are located at the peaks and the valleys of the convex surface.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems for an adaptive ray-launcher for an electromagnetic response simulator. An adaptive ray-launching process is used to shoot electromagnetic rays at targets in a simulated environment. Uniformly distributed sparse electromagnetic rays are launched at the targets and the angular ray densities relative to the targets are calculated. Several propagation paths that include multipath effects are considered to determine the angular ray densities. Based on the length of the propagation paths of sparse electromagnetic rays with multipath related to each target, denser electromagnetic rays can be launched. The denser electromagnetic rays enable the fidelity related to targets in a far-range to be similar to the fidelity of closer targets. Additionally, any sparse electromagnetics that cannot be detected by a sensor can be disregarded. In this manner, an efficient and accurate electromagnetic response model may be approximated.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems for a modified ray-tracer for an electromagnetic response simulator. Electromagnetic ray information, including a starting point and direction, is received. A potential target can be determined to be hit by the electromagnetic ray by converting the electromagnetic ray information from a global coordinate system of the environment to a local coordinate system of the potential target. The potential target is hit by the electromagnetic ray if a facet of the potential target is computed to be hit by the ray. The computations, performed in the local coordinate system of the potential target, include a simplified large element physical optics formulation for parallel rays. An electromagnetic response related to the potential target can be calculated if the facet of the potential target was determined to be hit. In this manner, an efficient and accurate electromagnetic response model may be approximated.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems for accurate and efficient electromagnetic response for a sensor simulator. Target information and sensor parameters for an electromagnetic sensor are simulated in an environment that includes a ground plane. Electromagnetic rays that may be detected by the sensor or an image of the sensor are launched from the simulated sensor toward the target and an image of the target about the ground plane to determine a complex electromagnetic response of the target. A ray-tracing algorithm is applied to trace the forward wave propagation of electromagnetic rays in the environment that considers rays bouncing between the target and the image of the target. An electromagnetic response can be modeled based on the congregation of the electromagnetic response of all backward paths of all bounces of all rays. In this manner, an efficient and accurate electromagnetic response model may be approximated.