Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying parking spaces, including emitting an ultrasonic signal and receiving a reflected signal; and providing a grid which of a region having a plurality of cells. Each cell is assigned to a partial region of the region surrounding the vehicle and an occupancy value is assigned to each cell. The reflected signal is assigned to a set of cells of the grid based on a transit time of the ultrasonic signal between emission and reception. The occupancy values of the cells to which the reflected signal is allocated are increased by a specific value. An occupancy information item is determined based on the occupancy values of the cells. The signal emitting/receiving and the reflected signal assigning are repeated multiple times. Parking space identification is performed based on an occupancy status of the cells specified using the occupancy information item determination.

Abstract: A method for classifying the height of an object by means of at least one ultrasonic sensor of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes emitting an ultrasonic signal by the ultrasonic sensor of the vehicle in a transmission cycle; and performing a reception cycle, wherein the reception cycle has a reception time window which makes it possible to receive echoes having a transit time which corresponds to at least double a reception range of the ultrasonic sensor. It is checked whether echoes were received in the reception cycle. A detected object is classified in a height class depending on whether at least a first and a second echo were received, wherein the transit time of the second echo is an integer multiple of the transit time of the first echo.

Abstract: A method for determining the elevation angle and/or azimuth angle of a signal received by an ultrasound sensor includes: providing an ultrasound sensor with a frequency-dependent radiation pattern; transmitting a first ultrasound wave at a first frequency; transmitting a second ultrasound wave at a second frequency different from the first frequency; receiving reflections of the first and second waves, the reflections being caused by an object; and determining the elevation angle of the first and second reflected waves based on amplitudes of the reflections of the first and second waves. Determining the elevation angle (and/or azimuth angle includes calculating a ratio between the amplitudes of received reflections of the first and second waves and mapping a calculated ratio to an elevation angle and/or azimuth angle. The mapping is based on a predetermined ratio curve or ratio dataset which associates a certain amplitude ratio to an elevation angle and/or azimuth angle.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a DOA in a MIMO system includes a receiver and a signal processor. The receiver receives Rx signals from a target through Rx antennas after Tx signals having different phases are transmitted through Tx antennas, and transforms the Rx signals into time domain Rx signals. The processor transforms the time domain Rx signals into Rx signals in a frequency domain including a range-related domain and a velocity-related doppler domain; divides the doppler domain into regions according to a phase difference between the Tx signals; extracts signals from the regions; combines the signals to form first and second arrays; determines a minimum value for each of the first and second arrays using a DML algorithm; selects one of the first and second arrays having the minimum value as a true array; and estimates a DOA corresponding to the true array as an actual DOA of the target.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a DOA in a MIMO system includes a receiver and a signal processor. The receiver receives Rx signals from a target through Rx antennas after Tx signals having different phases are transmitted through Tx antennas, and transforms the Rx signals into time domain Rx signals. The processor transforms the time domain Rx signals into Rx signals in a frequency domain including a range-related domain and a velocity-related doppler domain; divides the doppler domain into regions according to a phase difference between the Tx signals; extracts signals from the regions; combines the signals to form first and second arrays; determines a minimum value for each of the first and second arrays using a DML algorithm; selects one of the first and second arrays having the minimum value as a true array; and estimates a DOA corresponding to the true array as an actual DOA of the target.