Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes identifying, for each of one or more environmental radars, one or more parameter values associated with a radar signal of the environmental radar, determining one or more transmission parameter values for the radar, wherein a combination of the one or more transmission parameter values is different from a combination of the one or more parameter values of each of the one or more environmental radars, and configuring the radar with the determined one or more transmission parameter values.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a set of data points captured using a radar system of the vehicle. Each data point is associated with at least three measurements include a Doppler measurement, a range measurement, and an azimuth measurement in reference to the radar system. The method also includes clustering the set of data points into one or more first clusters based on a first pair of the three measurements associated with each of the data points; and clustering the set of data points into one or more second clusters based on a second pair of the three measurements associated with each of the data points. The second pair being different from the first pair of the three measurements.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first signal associated with a first multipath effect from a first radar installed on a vehicle at a first height, receiving a second signal associated with a second multipath effect from a second radar installed on the vehicle at a second height, wherein the first height and the second height are different, wherein a difference between the first height and the second height is configured to generate a mitigation of the first multipath effect and the second multipath effect, and wherein the first radar and the second radar have an overlapping field of view, and determining that a target exists in the overlapping field of view based on the first signal and the second signal.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media provide an adaptive gating mechanism for radar tracking initialization. Specifically, the radar system obtains measurement data of target points, and then determines, based on the measured position and dopplers of points in the first few scans, whether the doppler and displacement parameters satisfy an initialization constraint. When the initialization constraint is not satisfied, the radar system flags the respective cluster with an initialization flag, and adaptively uses the measured position and doppler of scanned points to determine the gating size for the next scan, instead of using a fixed gate size. When the initialization flag of the same cluster across a few consecutive scans satisfies a combination logic, the radar system determines that the tracking enters into the association stage, e.g., the radar system formally generates a track for the target points along a series of scans.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a radar transceiver to transmit a first number of radar pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency (PRF); and determining a first value corresponding to a first object based on a first radar data received in response to the first number of radar pulses. The first object is identified based on the first value being higher than a predetermined threshold value. The method also includes configuring the radar transceiver to transmit a second number of radar pulses at a second PRF that is higher than the first PRF; determining a second value of the first object based on a second radar data received in response to the second number of radar pulses; and associating the second value with information of the first object.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more transmission criteria for a radar system. The radar system having a number of antenna elements. The method also includes determining a configuration of a selected subset of the number of antenna elements satisfying the one or more transmission criteria; configuring a switching network to couple each antenna element of the selected subset of antenna elements to a corresponding receiving channel and a corresponding transmitting channel; and causing the radar system to transmit and receive signals using the selected subset of antenna elements.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media provide a blind online calibration mechanism to calibrate the position of the radar unit while the self-driving vehicle is in motion without the use of any map data. Specifically, a calibration system associated with the self-driving vehicle is configured to adjust the boresight angle of the radar within a calibration range and monitor the convergence or divergence pattern of the resulting clutter locations. The boresight angle of the radar unit may be progressively adjusted in static or dynamic degree increments until the convergence of the clutter curves is observed. In this way, without using any map data or factory settings, radar calibration can be conducted as often as needed while the vehicle is moving. Radar sensing and measurement accuracy is thus improved.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology can include systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media configured to adaptively identify clutter points representing static objects from a sensor data scan. A plurality of sensor data scans are captured, by a sensor unit placed on a vehicle, at a plurality of consecutive time instants while the vehicle is traveling along a route. A set of target points from each of the plurality of sensor data scans is identified. A characteristic indicative of a trajectory pattern relating to one or more respective sets of target points is obtained from one or more sensor data scans taken at consecutive time instants. In response to determining that the characteristic satisfies a pre-defined condition, an indicator with the respective sets of target points is adopted as relating to one or more static objects in an environment at which the vehicle is situated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing sensor data generated by one or more sensors of the vehicle, determining that a first beam angle of a radar of the vehicle provides insufficient radar visibility of a current road condition according to one or more criteria based on the sensor data, determining an amount of adjustment needed to adjust the first beam angle of the radar, adjusting the first beam angle of the radar to a second beam angle based on the determined amount of adjustment, and detecting one or more objects based on the second beam angle of the radar.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media provide a blind online calibration mechanism to calibrate the position of the radar unit while the self-driving vehicle is in motion without the use of any map data. Specifically, a calibration system associated with the self-driving vehicle is configured to adjust the boresight angle of the radar within a calibration range and monitor the convergence or divergence pattern of the resulting clutter locations. The boresight angle of the radar unit may be progressively adjusted in static or dynamic degree increments until the convergence of the clutter curves is observed. In this way, without using any map data or factory settings, radar calibration can be conducted as often as needed while the vehicle is moving. Radar sensing and measurement accuracy is thus improved.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a radar transceiver to transmit a first number of radar pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency (PRF); and determining a first value corresponding to a first object based on a first radar data received in response to the first number of radar pulses. The first object is identified based on the first value being higher than a predetermined threshold value. The method also includes configuring the radar transceiver to transmit a second number of radar pulses at a second PRF that is higher than the first PRF; determining a second value of the first object based on a second radar data received in response to the second number of radar pulses; and associating the second value with information of the first object.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more transmission criteria for a radar system. The radar system having a number of antenna elements. The method also includes determining a configuration of a selected subset of the number of antenna elements satisfying the one or more transmission criteria; configuring a switching network to couple each antenna element of the selected subset of antenna elements to a corresponding receiving channel and a corresponding transmitting channel; and causing the radar system to transmit and receive signals using the selected subset of antenna elements.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first signal associated with a first multipath effect from a first radar installed on a vehicle at a first height, receiving a second signal associated with a second multipath effect from a second radar installed on the vehicle at a second height, wherein the first height and the second height are different, wherein a difference between the first height and the second height is configured to generate a mitigation of the first multipath effect and the second multipath effect, and wherein the first radar and the second radar have an overlapping field of view, and determining that a target exists in the overlapping field of view based on the first signal and the second signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a set of data points captured using a radar system of the vehicle. Each data point is associated with at least three measurements include a Doppler measurement, a range measurement, and an azimuth measurement in reference to the radar system. The method also includes clustering the set of data points into one or more first clusters based on a first pair of the three measurements associated with each of the data points; and clustering the set of data points into one or more second clusters based on a second pair of the three measurements associated with each of the data points. The second pair being different from the first pair of the three measurements.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology can include systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media configured to adaptively identify clutter points representing static objects from a sensor data scan. A plurality of sensor data scans are captured, by a sensor unit placed on a vehicle, at a plurality of consecutive time instants while the vehicle is traveling along a route. A set of target points from each of the plurality of sensor data scans is identified. A characteristic indicative of a trajectory pattern relating to one or more respective sets of target points is obtained from one or more sensor data scans taken at consecutive time instants. In response to determining that the characteristic satisfies a pre-defined condition, an indicator with the respective sets of target points is adopted as relating to one or more static objects in an environment at which the vehicle is situated.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media provide an adaptive gating mechanism for radar tracking initialization. Specifically, the radar system obtains measurement data of target points, and then determines, based on the measured position and dopplers of points in the first few scans, whether the doppler and displacement parameters satisfy an initialization constraint. When the initialization constraint is not satisfied, the radar system flags the respective cluster with an initialization flag, and adaptively uses the measured position and doppler of scanned points to determine the gating size for the next scan, instead of using a fixed gate size. When the initialization flag of the same cluster across a few consecutive scans satisfies a combination logic, the radar system determines that the tracking enters into the association stage, e.g., the radar system formally generates a track for the target points along a series of scans.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing sensor data generated by one or more sensors of the vehicle, determining that a first beam angle of a radar of the vehicle provides insufficient radar visibility of a current road condition according to one or more criteria based on the sensor data, determining an amount of adjustment needed to adjust the first beam angle of the radar, adjusting the first beam angle of the radar to a second beam angle based on the determined amount of adjustment, and detecting one or more objects based on the second beam angle of the radar.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes identifying, for each of one or more environmental radars, one or more parameter values associated with a radar signal of the environmental radar, determining one or more transmission parameter values for the radar, wherein a combination of the one or more transmission parameter values is different from a combination of the one or more parameter values of each of the one or more environmental radars, and configuring the radar with the determined one or more transmission parameter values.

Abstract: A microwave power divider/combiner (10) comprises a preamplifier (12), a first microwave lens (14), a plurality of amplifiers (16), and a second microwave lens (18). The preamplifier (12) is coupled to receive a microwave source signal (20) and amplify it. The output of the preamplifier (12) feeds the first lens (14). The first lens (14) divides the signal received on its input into a plurality of signals of equal amplitude and phase. Each output of the first lens (14) is then provided to an input of a respective amplifier (16) from the plurality of amplifiers (16). The amplifiers (16) amplify the divided signals and output them to the second lens (18). The second lens (18) has a plurality of inputs and recombines the signals on the inputs into a single higher level signal at an output (22). The present invention also provides a compact configuration for the divider/combiner (10) of the present invention with the lenses (14, 18) mounted on top of each other separated by a mounting block (26).

Abstract: An antenna for reception of signals in a plurality of frequency bands employed in portable and vehicular communications is constructed of a dielectric layer disposed on a metallic plate which serves as a ground plane. Microstrip antenna elements in the form of a planar radiator encircled by a loop radiator are disposed upon the dielectric layer. A rod radiator oriented normally to the plate extends through the patch radiator and the dielectric layer, and is surrounded by a dielectric cylinder which insulates the rod radiator from the planar radiator and the plate. The planar radiator may be configured as a patch radiator, a spiral radiator, or a crossed dipole radiator. Also, one or more additional layers of patch radiator elements may stacked upon the patch radiator to provide a stacked microstrip radiator. Terminals are positioned about the planar radiator for extracting orthogonal components of a circularly polarized electromagnetic signal.