Patents by Inventor Benedikt Loesch

Benedikt Loesch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190353770
    Abstract: An estimation is described of the speed of objects with the aid of a radar sensor that includes multiple transmitting antennas. Multiple nested sequences of frequency ramps are emitted with the aid of multiple transmitting antennas. An individual phase encoding takes place for each transmitting antenna with the aid of a harmonic code. For estimating the speed of the object, the ambiguities due to the code multiplex are resolved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Benedikt Loesch
  • Publication number: 20190353769
    Abstract: An FMCW radar sensor and method for determining a relative velocity of a radar target, in which an FMCW radar measurement is performed with a transmitted signal whose modulation pattern encompasses mutually temporally interleaved sequences of ramps; from the baseband signals a two-dimensional spectrum is calculated separately for each of the sequences; from a position of a peak in at least one two-dimensional spectrum of the baseband signals, values for the relative velocity of a radar target which are periodic with a predetermined velocity period are determined; a phase relationship between spectral values that are obtained respectively at the same position in the separately calculated two-dimensional spectra is checked for agreement with phase relationships expected for several of the determined periodic values of the relative velocity; and based thereon, an estimated value for the relative velocity of the target is selected from the determined periodic values of the relative velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Benedikt Loesch
  • Patent number: 10436890
    Abstract: A method for finding a position of an object using a MIMO FMCW radar. A ramp-shaped frequency-modulated radar signal is transmitted as a sequence of time-delayed successive ramps. A switch network is controlled to provide a corresponding switching state for each of the successive ramps. A different selection of antenna elements is used for transmission of each respective ramp. Radar echoes reflected by radar targets are mixed with the transmitted signal and are down-converted. Baseband signals resulting therefrom are transformed into spectra. Each baseband signal is separately subjected to a two-dimensional Fourier transform. A window function is applied to each of the baseband signals prior to the transform being carried out over a ramp index in a second dimension. A different window function is applied for each of the switching states. The spectra are subjected to a frequency-dependent phase correction which compensates for time offsets of the ramps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Benedikt Loesch, Michael Schoor
  • Patent number: 10416299
    Abstract: A MIMO FMCW radar sensor and a MIMO time multiplexing method for localizing a radar target, in which an FMCW radar measurement is performed with a transmitted signal whose modulation pattern encompasses, for different transmission switching states that differ in terms of the selection of antenna elements used for transmission, mutually temporally interleaved sequences of ramps; ambiguous values for the relative velocity of the radar target are determined from a position of a peak in a two-dimensional spectrum; phase relationships between spectral values of spectra are checked for agreement with phase relationships expected for several of the determined values of the relative velocity; on the basis thereof, an estimated value for the relative velocity of the radar target is selected from the determined periodic values of the relative velocity; and the angle of the radar target is determined on the basis of amplitudes and/or phase relationships between obtained baseband signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Benedikt Loesch
  • Patent number: 10379204
    Abstract: Calibrating an antenna diagram of a MIMO radar sensor, including: before commissioning: storing an antenna diagram that associates with each of several angles a respective control vector that is made up of a transmitting control vector and a receiving control vector; after commissioning: performing a radar measurement to localize an object; checking whether the localized object is a single target or a multiple target; if single: performing a SIMO measurement with each of the transmitting antenna elements; estimating the angle of the object based on the measurement results; calculating a first comparison variable, dependent on the components of the transmitting control vector, for each transmitting antenna element; calculating a second comparison variable, dependent on the results of the SIMO measurements, for each transmitting antenna element; and correcting the transmitting control vector based on a known relationship between the first and second comparison variables for each transmitting antenna element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Benedikt Loesch
  • Patent number: 10180494
    Abstract: A method for a radar sensor for a motor vehicle, for angle estimation of radar targets based on an antenna diagram that indicates, for various configurations of radar targets, pertinent amplitudes and/or phase correlations between signals which are obtained for the relevant configuration in multiple evaluation channels of the radar sensor, wherein for a single real target, the occurrence of a number n of apparent targets, which are caused by reflection of the signal coming from the real target from elongated objects, is modeled mathematically; a correlation between the location angle of the real target and the location angles of the apparent targets is calculated; and to estimate the location angle of the real target, a multi-target estimate is performed in an n-dimensional search space and the search is limited to a sub-space that is determined by the calculated correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Goetz Kuehnle, Volker Gross, Benedikt Loesch
  • Publication number: 20190011532
    Abstract: A radar system includes an antenna array for sending and receiving electromagnetic radiation, the array including N transmitting antennas and M receiving antennas, objects being detectable within the detection area of the antennas according to the MIMO principle using the antennas. The transmitting antennas transmit signals that are orthogonal to one another during a transmission cycle. N-n of the transmitting antennas are situated horizontally next to one another and n of the transmitting antennas are situated in a horizontally offset manner at an identical offset from respective ones of the N-n transmitting antennas. M-m of the receiving antennas are situated horizontally next to one another and m of the receiving antennas are situated vertically offset from the M-m receiving antennas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Benedikt Loesch, Michael Schoor
  • Patent number: 10126409
    Abstract: A method and a MIMO radar device are provided for determining a position angle of an object. The method includes the following steps: emitting a first radar signal with the aid of a first transmitting antenna having a first radiation pattern; emitting a second radar signal with the aid of a second transmitting antenna having a second radiation pattern; emitting a third radar signal with the aid of a third transmitting antenna having a third radiation pattern; the first, second, and third radar signal being emitted in various directions; receiving radar signals which are reflected on the object; and determining the position angle of the object based on phase differences and based on amplitude differences, which originate from the emission of the radar signals in the first through third directions, between the received reflected radar signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Benedikt Loesch, Michael Schoor
  • Patent number: 9910150
    Abstract: A method is provided for detecting at least two objects, particularly using a radar system having the steps of sending out a first radio signal using a first sending device, the first sending device being situated in a horizontal plane having at least two first antenna elements, receiving the radio signal using the at least two first antenna elements, receiving the radio signal using at least two second antenna elements, which are situated in different horizontal positions each above or below corresponding first antenna elements of the horizontally situated antenna elements, calculating respectively one azimuth angle and one angle of elevation from at least two objects located in front of the first antenna elements and the second antenna elements from the first radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the first radio signal received by the second antenna elements. Furthermore, an antenna array, a radar system, and a vehicle are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Goetz Kuehnle, Volker Gross, Benedikt Loesch
  • Publication number: 20170322295
    Abstract: A radar sensor includes one transmitting antenna, multiple first receiving antennas with the same vertical heights, and a second receiving antenna with a vertical height different from the others. A method for determining the azimuth angle of an object with respect to the radar sensor includes steps of determining an approximation for the azimuth angle in a coarse grid based on the signals of all receiving antennas, and determining the azimuth angle in a fine grid based on the signals of the first receiving antennas in a range around the approximation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Benedikt Loesch, Volker Gross
  • Publication number: 20170307744
    Abstract: A MIMO radar device for the decoupled determination of an elevation angle and azimuth angle of an object. The MIMO radar device includes an antenna array including multiple transmitting antennas, whose phase centers are situated spaced apart from one another along a first coordinate direction; and multiple receiving antennas, whose phase centers are situated spaced apart from one another along the first coordinate direction; the phase center of at least one of the transmitting antennas being spaced apart from the phase centers of the remaining transmitting antennas by an offset value along a second coordinate direction; the phase center of at least one of the receiving antennas being spaced apart from the phase centers of the remaining transmitting antennas by the offset value along the second coordinate direction; an evaluation unit to evaluate electromagnetic signals for the decoupled determination of the elevation angle and the azimuth angle of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Benedikt Loesch, Michael Schoor
  • Patent number: 9715014
    Abstract: An antenna array, particularly for a radar system, having first antenna elements which are situated in a horizontal direction in a plane and which are developed to receive a first radio signal, having second antenna elements which are each situated above or below the horizontally situated first antenna elements and which are developed to receive the first radio signal, and having a processing device which is developed to calculate an azimuth angle and an angle of elevation of an object, that is located in front of the antenna array, from the radio signal received by the first antenna elements and from the radio signal received by the second antenna elements. Also described is a radar system, a vehicle and a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Goetz Kuehnle, Volker Gross, Benedikt Loesch
  • Patent number: 9664788
    Abstract: A method for evaluating obstacles based on locating data of a radar sensor in a driver assistance system for motor vehicles, in which at least one evaluation function is calculated which indicates, as a function of a set of measured variables which are related to a potential obstacle, whether the potential obstacle is to be evaluated as a real obstacle, a complexity indicator being formed based on the locating data which indicates the complexity of a present measurement situation, and at least two different evaluation functions being defined for the same set of measured variables, and it being decided which of the evaluation functions is applied in the present measurement situation as a function of the complexity indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Goetz Kuehnle, Volker Gross, Benedikt Loesch, Stefan Heilmann
  • Publication number: 20170131392
    Abstract: A MIMO FMCW radar sensor and a MIMO time multiplexing method for localizing a radar target, in which an FMCW radar measurement is performed with a transmitted signal whose modulation pattern encompasses, for different transmission switching states that differ in terms of the selection of antenna elements used for transmission, mutually temporally interleaved sequences of ramps; ambiguous values for the relative velocity of the radar target are determined from a position of a peak in a two-dimensional spectrum; phase relationships between spectral values of spectra are checked for agreement with phase relationships expected for several of the determined values of the relative velocity; on the basis thereof, an estimated value for the relative velocity of the radar target is selected from the determined periodic values of the relative velocity; and the angle of the radar target is determined on the basis of amplitudes and/or phase relationships between obtained baseband signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Benedikt Loesch
  • Publication number: 20170131396
    Abstract: An FMCW radar sensor and method for determining a relative velocity of a radar target, in which an FMCW radar measurement is performed with a transmitted signal whose modulation pattern encompasses mutually temporally interleaved sequences of ramps; from the baseband signals a two-dimensional spectrum is calculated separately for each of the sequences; from a position of a peak in at least one two-dimensional spectrum of the baseband signals, values for the relative velocity of a radar target which are periodic with a predetermined velocity period are determined; a phase relationship between spectral values that are obtained respectively at the same position in the separately calculated two-dimensional spectra is checked for agreement with phase relationships expected for several of the determined periodic values of the relative velocity; and based thereon, an estimated value for the relative velocity of the target is selected from the determined periodic values of the relative velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Benedikt Loesch
  • Publication number: 20170131393
    Abstract: An FMCW radar sensor and a method for localizing a radar target, in which FMCW radar measurements are performed with transmitting antennas having different fields of view which differ in terms of an aperture angle and/or a range, the measurements each encompassing temporally interleaved sequences of ramps, and measurements with different fields of view being temporally interwoven with one another; ambiguous values for the relative velocity of the radar target being determined from a position of a peak in a two-dimensional spectrum; phase relationships between spectral values of spectra being checked for agreement with phase relationships expected for several of the determined values of the relative velocity; and on the basis thereof an estimated value for the relative velocity of the radar target being selected from the determined periodic values of the relative velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Benedikt Loesch
  • Publication number: 20170115384
    Abstract: A method for finding positions of objects using a MIMO FMCW radar, in which a ramp-shaped frequency-modulated radar signal is transmitted whose modulation pattern has a sequence of time-delayed successive ramps, switching over is periodically performed between at least two switching states (TX) in the clock pulse of the successive ramps, the switching states differing in the selection of the antenna elements used for transmission and reception, received radar echoes are down-converted with the transmitted signal into a baseband, the baseband signals obtained for the various switching states (TX) are transformed into spectra, based on which distances and relative speeds of the radar targets are determined, and the phases of the baseband signals obtained for various switching states are compared for determining position-finding angles of the radar targets, characterized in that the baseband signals are separately subjected to a two-dimensional Fourier transform for each switching state (TX), a ramp-for-ramp tra
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Benedikt Loesch, Michael Schoor
  • Publication number: 20170045609
    Abstract: Calibrating an antenna diagram of a MIMO radar sensor, including: before commissioning: storing an antenna diagram that associates with each of several angles a respective control vector that is made up of a transmitting control vector and a receiving control vector; after commissioning: performing a radar measurement to localize an object; checking whether the localized object is a single target or a multiple target; if single: performing a SIMO measurement with each of the transmitting antenna elements; estimating the angle of the object based on the measurement results; calculating a first comparison variable, dependent on the components of the transmitting control vector, for each transmitting antenna element; calculating a second comparison variable, dependent on the results of the SIMO measurements, for each transmitting antenna element; and correcting the transmitting control vector based on a known relationship between the first and second comparison variables for each transmitting antenna element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventor: Benedikt Loesch
  • Patent number: 9448302
    Abstract: In a method for operating a MIMO radar, an influence of an object motion on an angle estimate is substantially eliminated, and a time multiplex schema having a transmission sequence and transmission instants of transmitters of the MIMO radar is identified by optimizing the following mathematical relationship: d _ pulses , opt = arg ? ? max d _ pulses ? [ Var S ? ( d _ pulses ) - ( Cov S ? ( d _ pulses , t ) ) 2 / Var S ? ( t _ ) ] in which: dpulses,opt is optimized positions of the transmitters in the sequence in which they transmit; dpulses is positions of the transmitters in the sequence in which they transmit; t is transmission instants; VarS is sample variance; and CovS is sample covariance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Schoor, Goetz Kuehnle, Kilian Rambach, Benedikt Loesch
  • Publication number: 20160097847
    Abstract: A method and a MIMO radar device are provided for determining a position angle of an object. The method includes the following steps: emitting a first radar signal with the aid of a first transmitting antenna having a first radiation pattern; emitting a second radar signal with the aid of a second transmitting antenna having a second radiation pattern; emitting a third radar signal with the aid of a third transmitting antenna having a third radiation pattern; the first, second, and third radar signal being emitted in various directions; receiving radar signals which are reflected on the object; and determining the position angle of the object based on phase differences and based on amplitude differences, which originate from the emission of the radar signals in the first through third directions, between the received reflected radar signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Benedikt LOESCH, Michael SCHOOR