Determining Velocity Patents (Class 342/104)
  • Patent number: 9046607
    Abstract: A radar system includes an arithmetic processing unit, which sends a warning command to a warning device when a local minimum point of the intensity of the reflected wave from a target within a predetermined detection range is detected. By determining whether it is necessary to send a warning command based on whether there is a local minimum point of the intensity within the detection range, it is made possible to determine whether it is necessary to send a warning command more quickly as compared to the conventional system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Ohkado, Masaru Ogawa, Isahiko Tanaka, Koji Suzuki, Atsushi Kawakubo
  • Patent number: 9041592
    Abstract: A radar sensor and a method of detecting an object by using the same are provided. The method includes: receiving at least one radar signal reflected from the object; converting the received at least one radar signal to at least one signal in a frequency domain; accumulating the converted at least one signal for a predetermined time and extracting at least one feature from the accumulated at least one signal; and identifying the object by comparing the extracted at least one feature with at least one reference value stored in a database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG TECHWIN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki-Yong Jeon
  • Patent number: 9041594
    Abstract: An RF beam is used to probe the presence or absence of a rotating blade in a known field of view. Timing of appearance or disappearance or “zero-crossing” of a reflected signal is correlated with timing of the blade movement. Blades which are leading or lagging versus other blades will produce different timing signatures representative of alignment of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Andy Peczalski, David Daniel Lilly, Dinkar Mylaraswamy
  • Publication number: 20150130654
    Abstract: A radar apparatus using a pulse pair method to quickly measure a relative speed of an object. The radar apparatus includes: A data acquirer that acquires data relating to a pulse width, a repetition frequency, and a highest staggered ratio; A staggered pattern output unit that outputs a specific staggered pattern in which a total of phase changes within a sweep range of the target of the pulse pairing can be approximated to zero, wherein each phase change is caused by the pulse pairing on a target object at a constant speed due to a difference between an average transmission interval and a transmission interval between transmissions within the sweep range; And a setter that sets the transmission interval of a pulse signal by using the pulse width, the repetition frequency, the highest staggered ratio, and the specific staggered pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Koji Dai, Akira Okunishi
  • Patent number: 9024816
    Abstract: A radar or sonar system amplifies the signal received by an antenna of the radar system or a transducer of the sonar system is amplified and then subject to linear demodulation by a linear receiver. There may be an anti-aliasing filter and an analog-to-digital converter between the amplifier and the linear receiver. The system may also have a digital signal processor with a network stack running in the processor. That processor may also have a network interface media access controller, where the system operates at different ranges, the modulator may produce pulses of two pulse patterns differing in pulse duration and inter-pulse spacing, those pulse patterns are introduced and used to form two radar images with the two images being derived from data acquired in a duration not more than twenty times larger than the larger inter-pulse spacing, or for a radar system, larger than one half of the antenna resolution time. One or more look-up tables may be used to control the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Raymarine UK Limited
    Inventors: Richard Jales, Andrew Lawrence, Matthieu Maindrou
  • Patent number: 9013347
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a radar apparatus, wherein a distance to a target and a velocity of the target are measured by transmitting a digitally modulated transmitting signal using a digital code and receiving and demodulating an echo signal returned due to reflection of the transmitting signal from the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Pil Jae Park, Cheon Soo Kim, Hyun Kyu Yu, Min Park, Ik Soo Eo
  • Patent number: 8963766
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a target tracking apparatus calculates N-dimensional predicted values from a respective stored (N+1)-dimensional tracks for each of the targets, determines whether or not the N-dimensional predicted value for each of the targets is correlated with the received N-dimensional angle observed value for the target, if the N-dimensional predicted value is not correlated, generates a new (N+1)-dimensional track for the target based on the N-dimensional track corresponding to the N-dimensional angle observed value and if the N-dimensional predicted value is correlated, updates and stores the (N+1)-dimensional track using the N-dimensional angle observed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8952841
    Abstract: A traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) based navigation system including a TCAS equipped with a directional antenna, the TCAS configured to generate a RF transmission pattern at a selected frequency, the transmission pattern including a plurality of directional beams, receive a plurality of RF signals reflected from the ground across a selected frequency band, the selected frequency band including the selected frequency, and measure frequency differences between one or more beams of the plurality of RF beams and one or more beams of the plurality of RF signals reflected from the ground, and a computing systems in communication with the TCAS, the computing system configured to calculate a ground speed of the aircraft utilizing the measured frequency differences, calculate a drift angle of the aircraft utilizing the measured plurality of frequency differences, receive a heading reference of the aircraft, and determine an aircraft navigation parameter of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip L. Ellery, Mark A. Billsberry
  • Patent number: 8933834
    Abstract: A radar device including a frequency peak detection unit for receiving reflected waves from objects, a first combination group determination unit for combining up frequency peaks with down frequency peaks, a first pairing candidate group determination unit for calculating a Mahalanobis distance for each combination, a second combination group determination unit for combining down frequency peaks with up frequency peaks, a second pairing candidate group determination unit for calculating a Mahalanobis distance, a pairing candidate group extraction unit for removing the pairs having larger Mahalanobis distances, a current pairing candidate group determination unit for removing the pairs having a Mahalanobis distance larger than or equal to a threshold value, and a current data calculation unit for calculating current data values that include a distance, relative velocity and angle of the objects. The characteristic values include angles, power and spectrum intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Yayoi Nakanishi, Masayuki Kishida
  • Patent number: 8928522
    Abstract: The conventional ESPRIT method is accompanied by the problem of very long signal processing time. The radar device of the invention includes a signal vector-forming unit for forming signal vectors based on waves reflected from an object and received by using a plurality of receiving antennas; a submatrix-forming unit for forming submatrices based on the signal vectors; a regular matrix operation unit for calculating a regular matrix from the submatrices; an eigenvalue decomposition unit for calculating an eigenvalue of the regular matrix; and an angle calculation unit for calculating an angle at where the object is present from the eigenvalue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited, Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kurono, Kazuo Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 8917203
    Abstract: A system and method for motion-based adaptive frequency estimation of a Doppler sensor is provided. The system comprises a Doppler sensor configured to output a digitized Doppler data signal, and a Doppler velocity estimation module operatively coupled to the Doppler sensor to receive the Doppler data signal. An inertial navigation system is operatively coupled to the Doppler velocity estimation module, and one or more inertial sensors is operatively coupled to the inertial navigation system. The inertial sensors are configured to transmit inertial navigation data to the inertial navigation system. The Doppler velocity estimation module calculates a speed or velocity estimate based on the Doppler data signal and the inertial navigation data. The speed or velocity estimate is then transmitted to the inertial navigation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Ingvalson, Robert C. McCroskey, Wesley J. Hawkinson
  • Patent number: 8912945
    Abstract: In a method of determining a deviation of a path of a projectile from a predetermined path, the method uses an image of a target area in which the desired path or direction is pointed out. Subsequently, the real direction or real path is determined and the deviation is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Trackman A/S
    Inventor: Fredrik Tuxen
  • Publication number: 20140354466
    Abstract: A radar device is provided, which includes an extractor configured to extract a representative point of a target from a radar echo, a representative point memory configured to store the representative points extracted by the extractor, for a plurality of scans, an estimator configured to estimate movement information on the target indicated by the representative points based on the information stored in the representative point memory, a determinator configured to determine a possibility of a collision based on the movement information on the target estimated by the estimator, and an acquisition-and-tracking module configured to acquire and track the target determined to have the possibility of a collision by the determinator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nomura
  • Publication number: 20140340253
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting objects within a sweep range, comprising at least two switchable transmitting antennas, a plurality of receiving antennas, the transmitting antennas and receiving antennas respectively extending longitudinally, parallel to one another, in a first direction, and the receiving antennas being arranged in a row and the row extending in a second direction, the receiving antennas and the transmitting antennas being arranged such that they produce a synthetic receiving antenna array for the beam sweep by means of the sequential activation of the transmitting antennas and the positions of the transmitting and receiving antennas, the resulting distance corresponding to the positions of the receiving antennas in the synthetic receiving antenna array in the second direction d, the adjacent receiving antennas in the device being spaced apart by a distance of d2 or greater and d2 being twice as great as distance d.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: ASTYX GMBH
    Inventors: Richard Koerber, Andre Giere
  • Publication number: 20140333467
    Abstract: An object detection device includes: a target information acquisition section that acquires information regarding a radar target detected by a radar and information regarding an image target detected by an image acquisition unit; and an object detection section that detects the presence of an object on the basis of whether or not each of a position of the radar target and a position of the image target are within a predetermined range. The object detection section determines whether or not the object is a pedestrian, and expands the predetermined range when it is determined that the object is a pedestrian from that when it is determined that the object is not a pedestrian.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Inomata
  • Patent number: 8884814
    Abstract: A processing method for radar signal with dual pulse repetition frequency, comprising: generating a first transmission signal and a second transmission signal, and perform a transmission process; reflecting a first echo signal and a second echo signal from an object, and converting the first transmission signal and the second transmission signal to a frequency domain information by using 2D (Two Dimension) fast Fourier transform (FFT); and filtering noise in the frequency domain information, and performing a calculation program by using a algorithm to obtain Doppler shift of the object. Thereby, the processing method of the present invention can overcome the bad operation ability of the lower hardware and advance the radar target detection speed restrictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments Bureau, M. N.D.
    Inventors: Yao-Hwa Wen, Min-Fang Lo
  • Publication number: 20140320334
    Abstract: A speed measuring device has an antenna with directionality that transmits a transmission wave toward the moving body based on a transmission signal supplied from a Doppler sensor, and receives a reflected wave reflected by the moving body to generate and supply to the Doppler sensor a reception signal. An imaginary line extending along a direction in which a gain of the antenna is maximized is defined as an imaginary axis that indicates an orientation direction of the antenna. An antenna supporting unit is provided on a housing and supports the antenna so an inclination of the imaginary axis can be altered. A display is provided on an upper surface of the housing with a flat display surface of a rectangular shape facing upward and displays various display contents including the movement speed of the moving body on the display surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Saegusa, Tsuyoshi Kitazaki
  • Patent number: 8866668
    Abstract: In a radar apparatus, a peak extractor performs frequency analysis on a beat signal to obtain a frequency spectrum for each of first and second detection modes based on the beat signal for a corresponding one of the first and second detection modes. The peak extractor extracts a plurality of first peak-signal components from the frequency spectrum obtained for the first detection mode, and a plurality of second peak-signal components from the frequency spectrum obtained for the second detection mode. A determiner compares each of the plurality of first peak-signal components with a corresponding one of the plurality of second peak-signal components to deter mine whether a noise is included in the beat signal according to a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8862379
    Abstract: In the present disclosure, systems and methods for preventing collisions between a ground services vehicle and other objects are described. In one embodiment, a system includes a digital three dimensional map of the outer dimensions of the ground vehicle, a micro radar device, a comparator, and an indicator. The micro radar device is secured to the ground vehicle. A comparator signals when an object is within a predetermined envelope around the outer dimensions of the ground vehicle. The comparator receives signals from the micro radar device, and includes dimension data from the three dimensional map. The indicator is responsive to the signal from the comparator. The indicator alerts of possible and pending collision when the predetermined envelope is breached. The indicator may also activate a brake mechanism to stop the ground vehicle. Methods for carrying out the invention by sensing a breach of the envelope and stopping the vehicle are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Eric B. Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20140300506
    Abstract: Statistical movement analysis method that includes defining one or more movement signature types, wherein a movement signature type includes a set of movement parameters and values for the set of movement parameters and receiving data for objects monitored by a radar system at a plurality of times, the data including values acquired for the set of movement parameters. The method also includes discriminating the data for the monitored objects by comparing movement signatures of two or more of the monitored objects for a difference of statistical significance and characterizing the monitored objects based on the movement signatures of the monitored objects. The method also includes identifying one or more of the monitored objects by comparing the received data for a monitored object with the movement signature type to determine if any of the objects monitored by the radar system are moving consistent with the movement signature type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Marcus Alton Teter, Mark Frank Tryon
  • Patent number: 8854251
    Abstract: Provided is an object identification device and a method for the same that are capable of identifying a three-dimensional object and a road surface static object, irrespective of situations. The object identification device identifies an object, based on a transmission signal and a reflection signal caused by the object reflecting the transmission signal. The object identification device includes: a measurement section configured to measure at least one of the relative distance and the relative velocity with respect to the object; an intensity detection section configured to detect the intensity of the reflection signal; and an object identification section configured to identify the object which can be an obstacle object, based on at least one of the relative velocity and the variation in the relative distance, and on the variation in the intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Setsuo Tokoro
  • Patent number: 8842037
    Abstract: A process for reducing erroneous plots when detecting targets using High Frequency surfacewave radar (HFSWR) is provided. Detection of genuine targets is thereby enhanced. A first difference in range of an apparent target is determined, based on range data, associated with the apparent target. A second difference in range of the apparent target is determined, based on Doppler data, associated with the apparent target. The first and second range differences are compared to one another over time to assess a consistency therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: BAE Systems plc
    Inventor: David James Emery
  • Publication number: 20140266860
    Abstract: A method for distinguishing a target, wherein the target includes one or more objects of interest possibly located among a plurality of objects. The method comprises the following stages: obtaining and processing sonar or radar raw data; tracking the objects of the plurality using the processed raw data; grouping the tracked objects by associating them into one or more groups, while hierarchically arranging the tracked objects in the groups and controllably applying prior knowledge at least about characteristic features and/or constraints of the target's class; classifying the groups to classes and determining whether any of the groups matches to the target's class.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Gaddi BLUMROSEN, Ben FISHMAN, Yosef YOVEL
  • Patent number: 8830116
    Abstract: A radar wave sensing apparatus including a rotation element, a nanosecond pulse near-field sensor and a control unit is provided. The nanosecond pulse near-field sensor emits an incident radar wave and receives a reflection radar wave of the incident radar wave hitting on a surface of the rotation element to obtain a repetition frequency variation of the reflection radar wave corresponding to the incident radar wave. The control unit calculates a vibration of the rotation element according to the repetition frequency variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuang-I Chang, Sheng-Hang Wang, Yu-Jen Su, Mu-Yu Tsai, Jyun-Long Chen
  • Patent number: 8823578
    Abstract: A driving assist apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The driving assist apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting a transmission wave, a receiver for receiving a reflected wave, an obstacle presence determination section for detecting a presence of an obstacle in the surrounding of the vehicle based on the reflected wave, a measurement section for measuring a frequency of phase delay and advance of the reflected wave with respect to a reference signal, and a detection section for detecting the obstacle having a specific relation with the vehicle based on the presence of the obstacle determined by the obstacle presence determination section and the frequency of delay and the frequency of advance measured by the measurement section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Hattori, Mitsuyasu Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8823579
    Abstract: There is provided a sensor for use generally within the signal processing unit of a radar system. The sensor enables entity returns to be classified according to the velocity of the entity and thus allows returns to be processed according to classification. In particular, the sensor comprises a first processing means that filters an input signal using a narrow-band notch filter to output a wideband output. In particular, the sensor comprises a second processing means that filters an input signal using a wide-band notch filter to output a narrowband output. The invention provides for the comparison of the outputs to determine how the entity return is to be classified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: BAE Systems PLC
    Inventor: Philip Trevelyan Edwards
  • Publication number: 20140240167
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for multi-mode obstacle detection using radar, including the steps of: determining whether an object moves by acquiring radar information on the object; discriminating between a stationary object and a moving object according to whether the object moves; executing a first detecting mode for detecting the stationary object or a second detecting mode for detecting the moving object; and transmitting location information on the stationary object obtained through the first detecting mode, or location and speed information on the moving object obtained through the second detecting mode, to an external terminal. According to the method for multi-mode obstacle detection using radar, and to the apparatus for same, multi-detection modes can be provided to separately detect a stationary object and a moving object using the radar information on the object obtained using radar, thereby increasing location tracking efficiency for each object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: METABUILD CO., LTD
    Inventor: Poong Youn Cho
  • Patent number: 8816902
    Abstract: There is provided a radar apparatus for detecting a target. A detection signal generating unit generates detection signals of the target based on transmission and reception waves of antennas. A detection signal processing unit performs frequency analysis on the detection signals to extract signal components of the target, and performs a predetermined process on the signal components to calculate at least one of a distance to the target, a relative speed to the target, and an orientation of the target. The detection signal generating unit includes a filter unit for giving changes to the detection signals in a frequency bandwidth higher than Nyquist frequency which is a half a sampling frequency. The detection signal processing unit acquires the signal components from the detection signals to which the filter unit gives the changes to determine whether the signal components are generated by replication due to the Nyquist frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Itoh
  • Patent number: 8805005
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for processing imagery, such as may be derived from a coherent imaging system e.g. a synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The system processes sequences of SAR images of a region taken in at least two different passes and generates Coherent Change Detection (CCD) base images from corresponding images of each pass. A reference image is formed from one or more of the CCD base images images, and an incoherent change detection image formed by comparison between a given CCD base image and the reference image. The technique is able to detect targets from tracks left in soft ground, or from shadow areas caused by vehicles, and so does not rely on a reflection directly from the target itself. The technique may be implemented on data recorded in real time, or may be done in post-processing on a suitable computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Qinetiq Limited
    Inventors: Mohammed Jahangir, Paul Graham Kealey, Christopher Paul Moate, Robert David Hill
  • Publication number: 20140218227
    Abstract: A method is described for detecting a rotating wheel of a vehicle that is travelling on a roadway in a travel direction, the wheels of which are at least partially exposed laterally, the method comprising: emitting an electromagnetic measurement beam having a known temporal progression of its frequency onto a first section above the roadway in a direction in a slant with respect to the vertical and normally or at a slant with respect to the travel direction; receiving a reflected measurement beam and recording the temporal progression of its frequencies, relative to the known progression, as a reception frequency mixture progression; and detecting a frequency band, which is continuously inclining or declining over a period of time, in the reception frequency mixture progression as a wheel. A device for conducting the method is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Kapsch TrafficCom AG
    Inventors: Andreas Stelzen, Markus Pichler, Clemens Pfeffer, Oliver Nagy, Werner Scheiblhofer, Reinhard Feger
  • Publication number: 20140191896
    Abstract: Spin rate measurement utilizing periodic phase modulation of the radar Doppler signal reflected from a golf ball is described. Some embodiments provide a method to directly measure the ball spin rate caused by the symmetrical structure of the golf ball seam, using the dielectric lens effect of a practical sports ball to magnify the modulating effect of a non-homogeneous feature on the ball, and utilizing the specific pattern of modulation caused in this manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: EDH US LLC
    Inventors: Henri Johnson, Thomas Johnson, Robert William Rust
  • Patent number: 8760342
    Abstract: A circuit board is provided. The circuit board includes a substrate, a waveguide line and a laminated waveguide. The waveguide line is at least partially positioned on a first surface of the substrate. The waveguide line transmits a high frequency signal. The laminated waveguide is formed inside the substrate. The laminated waveguide is electromagnetically coupled to the waveguide line, and has a lead-out portion led out from inside the substrate to a surface other than the first surface. The laminated waveguide includes a dielectric layer, a pair of main conductive layers and a through conductor group. The pair of main conductive layers sandwiches the dielectric layer in a thickness direction thereof. In the through conductor group, a plurality of through conductors are arranged along a high frequency signal transmitting direction. The plurality of through conductors electrically connect the pair of main conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuki Hayata
  • Patent number: 8738263
    Abstract: A method of detecting a vehicle speed is disclosed in the present invention. The method includes outputting a detecting wave, receiving a reflecting wave from an external object when the external object passes through a covering range of the detecting wave, calculating a variation between the detecting wave and the reflecting wave, and reading a table for executing an application program according to information of the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Tung-Ming Wu, Meng-Kai Lin
  • Patent number: 8718919
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for lane recognition for a vehicle that is equipped with an adaptive distance and speed control system are provided, the adaptive distance and speed controller having conveyed to it, using an object detection system, the relative speed of detected objects, a variable for determining the lateral offset of the detected objects with respect to the longitudinal vehicle axis, and the speed of the host vehicle. From the relative speed of the objects and the host-vehicle speed, a determination is made as to whether an object is oncoming, stationary, or moving in the same direction as the host vehicle. In combination with the calculated lateral offset of the detected object with respect to the longitudinal vehicle axis, the number of lanes present and the lane currently being traveled in by the host vehicle are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thilo Leineweber, Werner Urban, Ruediger-Walter Henn, Goetz Braeuchle, Martin Heinebrodt
  • Publication number: 20140118184
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a radar device and a velocity calculation method with which velocity can be calculated more accurately. A radar device 1 comprises a transmitter 23, a first velocity calculator 31a, a second velocity calculator 31b, a first velocity corrector 33a, and a second velocity corrector 33b. The transmitter 23 transmits pulse signals at two or more different pulse repetition frequencies. The first velocity calculator 31a calculates a first Doppler velocity based on a first received signal. The second velocity calculator 31b calculates a second Doppler velocity based on a second received signal. The first velocity corrector 33a calculates a first corrected Doppler velocity by folding correction of the first Doppler velocity. The second velocity corrector 33b calculates a second corrected Doppler velocity by folding correction of the second Doppler velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: FURUNO Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro MINOWA, Yasunobu ASADA
  • Patent number: 8704704
    Abstract: Presented is a method for determining speeds (vr14, vr16) and distances (r14, r16) of objects (14, 16) relative to a radar system (12) of a motor vehicle (10), wherein a coverage area (EB) of the radar system (12) is divided into at least two part-areas (TB1, TB2, TB3), the coverage area (EB) is examined for reflecting objects (14, 16) in successive measuring cycles (MZ1, MZ2; MZi, MZi+1), wherein radar signals received in a measuring cycle (MZ1, MZ2; MZi, MZi+1) are processed separated in accordance with part-areas (TB1, TB2, TB3) and processed signals are assembled to form a total result differentiated in accordance with spatial directions. The method is characterized in that from signals received in a first measuring cycle (MZ1; MZi), hypotheses for the distance (r14, r16) and speed (vr14, vr16) of reflecting objects (14, 16) are formed and the hypotheses are validated in dependence on signals received in at least one further measuring cycle (MZ2; MZi+2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Urs Luebbert, Udo Haberland
  • Patent number: 8704702
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating an object motion characteristic from a radar signal. The method comprises the step of receiving radar data of an object from a multiple beam radar system. Further, the method comprises the steps of associating radar data with estimated height and/or cross-range information of object parts causing the corresponding radar data and fitting an object model with radar data being associated with a selected estimated height and/or cross-range information interval. The method also comprises the step of determining an object motion characteristic from the fitted object model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
    Inventor: Philip van Dorp
  • Patent number: 8698654
    Abstract: A vehicle display system diminishes specified display features when in a taxi mode. EV images, SV images, and avionics symbology are displayed, with certain of the images and symbology being diminished when in a taxi mode. Additionally, guidance to the runway centerline is displayed in the taxi mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Gang He
  • Publication number: 20140062760
    Abstract: A signal processing device is provided. The device includes an echo signal input unit for receiving echo signals resulted from transmission signals reflected on an object. The transmission signals are transmitted from a transmission source at transmission timings at predetermined time intervals, at least one of the transmission timings shifted from the other timings in time. The device includes a complex reception signal generator for generating complex reception signals, a phase calculator for calculating a phase change amount of the complex reception signals with respect to a reference phase, a phase corrector for phase-correcting the complex reception signals and outputting the corrected signals, and a Doppler processor for performing Doppler processing on the corrected signals and outputting the Doppler-processed signals as Doppler echo signals of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Asada, Akira Okunishi, Koji Dai, Sae Takemoto
  • Patent number: 8624776
    Abstract: A radar or sonar system amplifies the signal received by an antenna of the radar system or a transducer of the sonar system is amplified and then subject to linear demodulation by a linear receiver. There may be an anti-aliasing filter and an analog-to-digital converter between the amplifier and the linear receiver. The system may also have a digital signal processor with a network stack running in the processor. That processor may also have a network interface media access controller, where the system operates at different ranges, the modulator may produce pulses of two pulse patterns differing in pulse duration and inter-pulse spacing, those pulse patterns are introduced and used to form two radar images with the two images being derived from data acquired in a duration not more than twenty times larger than the larger inter-pulse spacing, or for a radar system, larger than one half of the antenna resolution time. One or more look-up tables may be used to control the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Raymarine UK Limited
    Inventors: Richard Jales, Andrew Lawrence, Matthieu Maindrou
  • Patent number: 8626418
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring speed of a vehicle moving along a road that includes risk zones. The method determines: road conditions for each risk zone; a threshold speed of each risk zone based on the road conditions and on a distance to a posted speed limit within a high risk zone; a geographical position of the vehicle, a current risk zone in which the vehicle is moving based on the stored geographical position of the vehicle; and a current speed of the vehicle moving in the current risk zone which exceeds the threshold speed of a particular risk zone, resulting in performing a subsequent action (triggering an alarm within the vehicle, presenting a message to a driver in the vehicle, and/or automatically regulating the speed of the vehicle). The action is specific to the particular risk zone and dependent on the road conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bertrand Boulet, Francis Bredin
  • Publication number: 20130346009
    Abstract: A sensor system and method of using the system synergistically to improve the accuracy and usefulness of measured results is described. The system is comprised of electronically linked components that act as markers to trigger events, producers that gather data from sensors and aggregators that combine the data from a plurality of producers using triggers from marker devices to select the data of interest. The system is shown to be applicable to selection of data regions of interest and to analysis of the data to improve accuracy. The analysis of the data of any particular sensor within the system makes use of extrinsic data, being data generated by other sensors and intrinsic data, that is data or data limits that are known to be true from nature, laws of physics or just the particular information the user wants to acquire. The system is demonstrated on the analysis of Doppler radar measurements of a thrown object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: XBAND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kirt Alan Winter, Jose Julio Doval
  • Patent number: 8606491
    Abstract: Methods and systems suitable for negotiating air traffic trajectory modification requests received from multiple aircraft that each has trajectory parameters. The methods include transmitting from at least a first aircraft a first trajectory modification request to alter the altitude, speed and/or lateral route thereof. A first conflict assessment is then performed to determine if the first trajectory modification request poses a conflict with the altitudes, speeds and lateral routes of other aircraft. If a conflict is not identified, the first trajectory modification request is granted and the first aircraft is notified of the first trajectory modification request being granted. Alternatively, if a conflict is identified, the first trajectory modification request is not granted and the first aircraft is notified thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rajesh Venkat Subbu, Feng Xue, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Joel Kenneth Klooster, Joachim Karl Hochwarth, Sergio Torres, Weiwei Chen
  • Patent number: 8598501
    Abstract: A sensor system uses ground emitters to illuminate a projectile in flight with a polarized RF beam. By monitoring the polarization modulation of RF signals received from antenna elements mounted on the projectile, both angular orientation and angular rate signals can be derived and used in the inertial solution in place of the gyroscope. Depending on the spacing and positional accuracies of the RF ground emitters, position information of the projectile may also be derived, which eliminates the need for accelerometers. When RF signals of ground emitter/s are blocked from the guided projectile, the sensor deploys another plurality of RF antennas mounted on the projectile nose to determine position and velocity vectors and orientation of incoming targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Guidance an Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: A. Douglas Meyer, Mostafa A. Karam, Charles A. Lee, Charles H. Volk
  • Patent number: 8599062
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the generation and processing of waveforms utilized to modulate the carrier frequency of a microwave sensor employed, to determine the range and velocity of an object of interest. The system and method result in improved performance in environments with high levels of interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Wieslaw Jerzy Szajnowski
  • Patent number: 8581776
    Abstract: Provided is a radar system which calculates a track of a detected object and can determine whether or not the track is accurate. The radar system includes: a radar section for emitting an electromagnetic wave to an object and receiving a reflected wave reflected from the object to detect position information of the object; a track calculation section for calculating, periodically at a first cycle, a track along which the object moves, on the basis of the position information obtained from the radar section; a first speed calculation section for calculating a first speed at which the object moves, on the basis of pieces of the position information at two different time points having a time interval which is longer than the first cycle; and a track determination section for determining whether or not the track is accurate, on the basis of at least the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Tsunekawa
  • Patent number: 8564478
    Abstract: A high-frequency module according to the present embodiment includes a substrate, a circuit board, and a resonator. The substrate has an input-output portion for high-frequency signals formed on one surface thereof. The circuit board includes a dielectric waveguide line with its end face exposed, and is placed on the one surface of the substrate such that a virtual plane extending beyond the end face is intersected by the one surface of the substrate. The resonator includes input-output end portions for high-frequency signals at ends thereof, in which one of the input-output end portions is connected to the end face of the dielectric waveguide line, and the other thereof is connected to the input-output portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Djuniadi Arifin Sagala, Kazuki Hayata, Yuji Kishida
  • Patent number: 8564477
    Abstract: A high-frequency module according to the present embodiment includes a substrate, a circuit board, and a waveguide. The substrate has an input-output portion for high-frequency signals on one surface thereof. The circuit board has a dielectric waveguide line with its end face exposed, and is placed on the one surface of the substrate such that a virtual plane extending beyond the end face is intersected by the one surface of the substrate. The waveguide has openings at ends thereof, in which one of the openings is connected to the end face of the dielectric waveguide line, and the other opening is connected to the input-output portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Djuniadi Arifin Sagala, Kazuki Hayata, Yuji Kishida
  • Patent number: 8559491
    Abstract: A method for measuring certain parameters of the impulse response of a propagation channel involving emitters and reflectors that are fixed or mobile, and for detecting and determining the parameters regarding the position and kinematics of the emitters and reflectors, or for auto-locating the reception system implementing the invention, in a system comprising N sensors receiving signals from the emitters or from the reflection on the reflectors. The method determines an ambiguity function which couples the spatial analysis and the delay-distance/Doppler-kinematic analysis, and determines at least one sufficient statistic ?(l,m,K) corresponding to the correlation between the known signal s(kTe) corresponding to the complex envelope of the signal emitted and the output of a filter w(l,m) where l corresponds to a temporal assumption and m corresponds to a frequency assumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Pascal Chevalier, François Delaveau, François Pipon
  • Patent number: 8547273
    Abstract: The invention provides a pulse radar apparatus, and a control method thereof, that permits to readily downsize and to lower its cost and allows information on an object to be detected in high precision by removing an influence of noise when a gain of a variable gain amplifier is discontinuously changed corresponding to detected distance, with a simple configuration. A variable gain amplifier 135 configured to adjust a gain corresponding to a distance gate is used to be able to detect weak reflected wave from a distant object and to amplify a reflected wave from a short distance with a low gain. An offset noise from the variable gain amplifier 135 is prepared together with interference noise and self-mixing noise in advance as a replica signal of unwanted wave and the replica signal is removed from a baseband signal in detecting the object T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Aoyagi, Kazutaka Kamimura, Yoshihito Ishida