Radar system for a commercial vehicle

Abstract

A radar system (100) for a commercial vehicle (200) includes a multi-mode radar sensor (110) configured to be operable with a wide short range field of view (112) and a narrow long range field of view (116), where both fields of view (112, 116) include a line (30) perpendicular to a direction of travel (10) of the commercial vehicle (200). The radar system (100) further comprises a processing unit (120) configured to operate the multi-mode radar sensor (110) and to detect a cross-traffic flow condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a radar system for a commercial vehicle, a commercial vehicle having the radar system, a method for detecting a cross traffic flow situation for a commercial vehicle, and in particular to a multi-mode radar sensor truck arrangement. Background Art

[0002] Commercial vehicles, in particular medium or heavy trucks, or vehicle combinations including tractor vehicles and trailers, can be difficult to maneuver for human drivers as well as for autonomous driving due to their size, driving behavior and weight. Commercial vehicles are therefore usually equipped with a plurality of exteroceptive sensors for receiving information about the environment of the respective vehicle. Among these sensors are radar sensors, examples of which in the prior art include an antenna array for transmitting radar signals and an antenna array for receiving radar signals after reflection of the radar signals.

[0003] Some of these radar sensors can be operated in two (or more) corresponding modes with different fields of view, usually with different resolutions. For such multi-mode radar sensors, two categories can be distinguished. The first category comprises radar sensors that are configured to be able to switch between different fields of view. Multi-mode radar sensors that are configured to be able to switch between different fields of view use the same antenna for the different fields of view. It is known in the prior art to switch between modes based on the speed of the vehicle. For example, a detection range of, for example, 100 m and a resolution of 1 m can be adopted at speeds of up to 60 km / h, and if the vehicle travels above this speed, the field of view can be switched to a detection range of 200 m and a resolution of 2 m.

[0004] The second category includes multi-mode radar sensors including multiple antenna arrays for transmission installed in one radar sensor, wherein at least two transmitting antenna arrays operate in parallel with different fields of view and / or resolutions. For example, a first antenna array may operate with a resolution of 2m, a range of 200m and a field of view of a horizontal opening angle of 10 degrees, while a second antenna array may simultaneously have a resolution of 0.8m, a range of 40m and a field of view of an angle of 120 degrees.

[0005] Multimode radar sensors are usually symmetrical, i.e. their fields of view are centered on the same line of sight. However, among multimode radar sensors with two fields of view operating in parallel, there are also sensors with an asymmetrical setup, where the two fields of view are each centered on two different lines of sight.

[0006] Publication WO 2021 / 221360 A1 generally describes the operating principle of a multi-mode radar sensor, while US Pat. No. 9,395,727 B1 describes an example of an antenna layout for a multi-mode radar sensor.

[0007] Figure 6 A conventional multi-mode radar sensor 150 is shown mounted on a rear corner of a commercial vehicle 200. The multi-mode radar sensor 150 has a wide short-range field of view 152 with a wide opening angle for close-range object detection and a narrow long-range field of view 156 with a small opening angle for long-range object detection. The multi-mode radar sensor 150 in this example is asymmetrical, i.e., the angle 54 of the line of sight 154 of the wide short-range field of view 152 is different from the corresponding angle 58 of the line of sight 158 ​​of the narrow long-range field of view 156 relative to the (forward) travel direction 10 of the commercial vehicle 200. For this radar sensor 150, the cone of the corresponding narrow long-range field of view 156 is asymmetrically directed rearward to detect traffic behind the commercial vehicle 200.

[0008] In addition to the ability to detect and track traffic participants in front and behind a commercial vehicle, there is also a need to detect and track objects to the side of the vehicle. This includes situations where a commercial vehicle is stopped at a traffic junction before crossing the road or turning into a street. In this case, it is important to observe the cross traffic flow, especially the fast approaching traffic flow. However, in the same situation, there may also be objects at close range and there may be a potential collision with vulnerable road users approaching from the side and / or rear of the commercial vehicle.

[0009] Similar situations occur in commercial vehicle maneuvers, especially when reversing from a position on a driving lot or parking lot, or turning back into a street. In these situations, vehicles approaching at a greater distance but at high speeds perpendicular to the direction of travel, as well as slower or stationary objects nearby, can present a collision hazard. Summary of the invention

[0010] While the radar systems mentioned provide a certain level of safety in this case, there is a fundamental need for systems that can take safety to a higher level.

[0011] At least some of the problems of conventional systems as described above are overcome by a radar system as claimed in claim 1, a commercial vehicle as claimed in claim 11 and a method as claimed in claim 13. The dependent claims relate to further advantageous realizations of the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0012] The present invention relates to a radar system for a commercial vehicle. The radar system comprises a multi-mode radar sensor configured to operate with a wide short-range field of view and a narrow long-range field of view, wherein both fields of view include lines perpendicular to the direction of travel of the commercial vehicle. The system also comprises a processing unit configured to operate the multi-mode radar sensor and detect a cross-traffic flow situation.

[0013] In an embodiment, the commercial vehicle is a commercial truck. It can be a medium or heavy commercial truck, and in particular a vehicle combination including a tractor vehicle and a trailer. Such commercial vehicles are difficult to maneuver due to their size and weight, and may present multiple blind spots to the driver.

[0014] The driving direction can be a (momentary) forward or backward driving direction. Different components of the commercial vehicle can have different momentary driving directions. The driving direction can then be defined as the driving direction of the component of the commercial vehicle on which the multimode radar sensor is installed or to be installed. The driving direction can also be defined as a tangent to the trajectory of the commercial vehicle.

[0015] The cross-traffic flow situation can be understood as an arrangement of one or more objects in the vicinity of the commercial vehicle, wherein the vicinity is away from the instantaneous orientation axis of the commercial vehicle. The object can be located on one side of the commercial vehicle, or can be located on the (future) trajectory of the commercial vehicle or across the (future) trajectory of the commercial vehicle. The one or more objects are understood in a broad sense and can include traffic members or infrastructure. The term "object" can refer to a moving object, such as another vehicle or a pedestrian, or a fixed object, such as a building, a road divider, a traffic sign, a door, a bridge or a tunnel entrance. Thus, objects can move relative to the commercial vehicle, such as other vehicles or pedestrians that may be about to cross the trajectory of the commercial vehicle, or they can be stationary, like a bridge that the commercial vehicle is about to pass under. The term "cross-traffic flow situation" can also refer to a slope or an uphill or downhill slope that the commercial vehicle will encounter when turning.

[0016] The multi-mode radar sensor is configured to be mounted on one side of the vehicle. It can be at any height above the ground. However, the multi-mode radar sensor is advantageously mounted at (or near) a corner of the vehicle. The multi-mode radar sensor can be integrated or combined with another sensor of the vehicle, such as another radar sensor, or a lidar or ultrasonic sensor.

[0017] The multi-mode radar sensor may be a multiple-input multiple-output MIMO sensor, i.e., it may include a first multi-antenna element for transmitting radar signals and a second multi-antenna element for receiving reflected radio signals. The multi-mode radar sensor is configured to operate in at least two modes using a wide short-range field of view and a narrow long-range field of view. The two modes may be activated simultaneously, i.e., the multi-mode radar sensor may be a multi-array radar sensor. In other embodiments, the same transmitting and receiving elements may be used for the two modes, and at any given time, only one of the two modes is activated, i.e., the multi-mode radar sensor may be a mode switching radar sensor. When implemented as a mode switching radar sensor, the mode may be switched based on the speed of the commercial vehicle, based on the position of the commercial vehicle (e.g., on a map, before the commercial vehicle enters an intersection, before the commercial vehicle reaches an exit or entrance, or when the commercial vehicle is about to turn), based on the acceleration of the commercial vehicle, or based on the angle of the wheels of the commercial vehicle.

[0018] The wide short-range field of view may cover an area within a wide opening angle, such as 180, 200, 150 or 135 degrees, reaching a distance of, for example, 20, 50 or 100 meters. The resolution of the multi-mode radar sensor in the wide short-range field of view may be higher, resolving features of approximately 50 cm, 1 m or 1.5 m within the distance. The narrow long-range field of view may cover an area within a limited opening angle, such as 10, 15 or 30 degrees, reaching a distance of, for example, 150, 200 or 300 meters. The resolution of the multi-mode radar sensor in the narrow long-range field of view may be lower, resolving features of approximately 0.5 m, 1 m, 2 m or 2.5 m within the distance. In an embodiment, the opening angle of the narrow long-range field of view is included in the opening angle of the wide short-range field of view.

[0019] It will be appreciated that the radar system may include a plurality of multi-mode radar sensors as described, and that for any two of these multi-mode radar sensors, their positions on the commercial vehicle, the opening angles of the corresponding two fields of view, and the line of sight directions may be different.

[0020] The processing unit is configured to receive sensor data from the multi-mode radar sensor and may include means for beamforming and / or radar signal processing based on the mounting location of the multi-mode radar sensor. The processing unit may include a waveform generator for digital beamforming. Radar signal processing may include phase detection and plot extraction, processing and combination. The processing unit may be configured for digital radar signal processing. The processing unit may be configured to search, identify, track and / or trace features of objects or image contours in each field of view. The processing unit may be configured to identify objects or features in data of one field of view (e.g., a wide short-range field of view) from objects or features in data of another field of view (e.g., a narrow long-range field of view, respectively).

[0021] The processing unit may be distributed over multiple components. There may be one component per multi-mode radar sensor. There may also be a central component that collects data from multiple multi-mode radar sensors of the type described.

[0022] In an embodiment, the radar system includes a multi-mode radar sensor configured to be mounted on the vehicle. The multi-mode radar sensor is configured to operate with a wide short-range field of view, the wide short-range field of view including an area laterally adjacent to the commercial vehicle, and the multi-mode radar sensor is further configured to operate with a narrow long-range field of view, the narrow long-range field of view being centered on a line of sight through an area laterally adjacent to the commercial vehicle. The radar system also includes a processing unit configured to operate the multi-mode radar sensor and detect a cross-traffic flow condition.

[0023] The area laterally adjacent to the commercial vehicle may be taken to extend from the respective side of the commercial vehicle to 1 m or 2 m away from the commercial vehicle. Thus, although the area laterally adjacent to the commercial vehicle may not cover the full length of the commercial vehicle, it does not exceed the length of the commercial vehicle. For any point in the lateral adjacent area, the line representing the distance from that point to the commercial vehicle may be at right angles to the respective side of the commercial vehicle. The lateral adjacent area may in particular include one or more blind spots of the driver of the commercial vehicle.

[0024] Optionally, the radar sensor and the processing unit are configured for mounting the radar sensor at a front corner and / or a rear corner opposite to a driver's seat side of the commercial vehicle.

[0025] Having the radar sensor cover only the side opposite the driver's seat can reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed while still providing a high level of assistance to the driver. For the driver, there is usually a larger blind spot on this side and it is more difficult to assess a potential collision with an object on this side.

[0026] Optionally, the wide short-range field of view has an opening angle of at least 150 degrees centered on a line of sight at an angle in the range of 90 to 120 degrees relative to the direction of travel, and / or the narrow long-range field of view has an opening angle in the range of 15 to 30 degrees centered on a line of sight at an angle in the range of 70 to 90 degrees relative to the direction of travel.

[0027] For human drivers and autonomous systems, these values ​​may be particularly advantageous for the task of detecting cross traffic and approaching lateral objects when the commercial vehicle is turning. In an embodiment, the narrow long-range field of view may in particular have an opening angle of 20 degrees between 70 degrees and 90 degrees relative to the direction of travel. It will be appreciated that the direction of travel may be either a forward direction or a rearward direction. It will also be appreciated that the radar system may include a plurality of multimode radar sensors as described, and that the direction of the line of sight may be different for any two of these multimode radar sensors. In particular, the indicated distances and angles may refer to the forward direction of travel of one multimode radar sensor and to the rearward direction of travel of another multimode radar sensor.

[0028] Optionally, the line of sight of the narrow long-distance field of view is steerable, and the processing unit is configured to be able to steer the line of sight.

[0029] In an embodiment, advantageously, when the multi-mode radar sensor is mounted at or near a front corner or a rear corner on a respective side of the commercial vehicle, the line of sight of the narrow long-range field of view may be directed within an angle range of 70 to 90 degrees relative to the direction of travel (forward or rearward). The processing unit may be configured to be able to receive instructions on how to direct the line of sight from another system on the vehicle, such as an autonomous driving or driver assistance system.

[0030] Optionally, the processing unit is configured to direct the line of sight of the narrow long-range field of view based on a position of the commercial vehicle, a speed of the commercial vehicle, an acceleration of the commercial vehicle and / or a steering angle of the commercial vehicle.

[0031] The processing unit is then configured to receive the corresponding data for the task. The data may be obtained from other sensors on the commercial vehicle. Some of the data may be obtained, for example, as the angle of one or more wheels of the commercial vehicle. On certain types of commercial vehicles in the prior art, at least some of these data may be routinely provided to radar or other sensor systems. However, the processing unit may also be configured to request the corresponding data, for example, via CAN.

[0032] The processing unit may be configured to estimate the pose and / or short-term trajectory of the commercial vehicle based on the received data and to direct the sight line of the narrow long-range field accordingly. In particular, the processing unit may be configured to direct the sight line so that it is at a smaller angle (i.e. more aligned) to the direction of travel when the commercial vehicle is decelerating at an intersection without coming to a complete stop, and to direct the sight line so that it is at a larger angle (i.e. more aligned) to the direction of travel if the commercial vehicle is coming to a complete stop and / or when the commercial vehicle is about to turn rather than just passing through the intersection. The estimation may rely on a time series of the mentioned data and in particular on first-order derivatives.

[0033] Optionally, the processing unit is configured to direct the line of sight of the narrow long-range field of view based on the presence of a trailer for the commercial vehicle, the weight of the commercial vehicle, the planned movement of the commercial vehicle or a derivative of the trajectory of the commercial vehicle.

[0034] A particularly advantageous angle of sight for the narrow long-range field of view may depend on the size of the commercial vehicle, and how quickly the commercial vehicle can move to and away from an intersection or similar hazardous area. Autonomous or driver assistance systems present on the commercial vehicle may be configured to provide at least some of this data. The length of the commercial vehicle (which may depend on the presence of a trailer, or on the type of trailer) may also be determined from data from the multi-mode radar sensor of the wide short-range field of view, since the wide short-range field of view may be configured to cover the entire side of the commercial vehicle, including the trailer.

[0035] Optionally, the processing unit is configured to be capable of issuing a warning signal based on a fast approaching object in the narrow long-range field of view, a moving object in the wide short-range field of view and / or a potential collision of the commercial vehicle with a static object.

[0036] The warning may be in the form of an acoustic, tactile or optical warning to the driver, or in the form of a signal to an autonomous driving system or a driver assistance system present on board the vehicle. In particular for fully autonomous commercial vehicles, the signal may be broadcast to a remote station. Fast approaching objects may in particular be members of a cross traffic flow. Moving objects in the wide short-range field of view may be cyclists, vehicles or pedestrians in the immediate vicinity of the commercial vehicle. The static objects may be in the wide short-range field of view, in the narrow long-range field of view or in both fields of view. The static objects may be (part of) a building or a traffic sign or a traffic light. The static objects may also be a bridge, a gate or a tunnel, or a corresponding entrance into a tunnel.

[0037] Optionally, the multi-mode radar sensor and the processing unit are configured to provide a free space representation, detection of infrastructure, detection of boundary lines and / or height information for determining whether the commercial vehicle can drive under an object.

[0038] Thus, the multimode radar sensor and the processing unit may be configured to be able to determine representative data for free space in an area around the commercial vehicle. In particular, the processing unit may be configured to be able to collect data for generating an occupancy grid for the area. The infrastructure may in particular relate to road infrastructure, such as lanes, exits and entrances, private driveways, bridges, gates or tunnels. The multimode radar sensor and the processing unit may be configured to determine height information of a bridge, gate or tunnel. To this end, the multimode radar system may be configured to be able to determine an elevation angle of the respective bridge, gate or tunnel, and the processing unit may be configured to determine the height information based on the elevation angle and the distance to the respective object by means of triangulation, the height information being an estimate of the elevation angle.

[0039] Optionally, the radar system includes an additional radar sensor configured to be mountable on the commercial vehicle and to operate with a field of view centered on a forward and / or rearward travel direction of the commercial vehicle, wherein the field of view of the additional radar sensor overlaps with the wide short-range field of view of the multi-mode radar sensor.

[0040] The safety of the commercial vehicle requires coverage of a large area around the commercial vehicle and it may be advantageous to combine the proposed multimode radar sensor in particular with a radar sensor, possibly a multimode radar sensor, mounted in a central position at the front and / or rear of the commercial vehicle.

[0041] Optionally, the overlap covers an angle of at least 15 degrees, in particular for radar sensors intended to be mounted in a central position at the front or rear of the commercial vehicle. An overview of at least 15 degrees may be advantageous for cross-checking the detection of objects close to the boundaries of the respective fields of view.

[0042] Embodiments also relate to a commercial vehicle comprising the proposed radar system.

[0043] The commercial vehicle may be a commercial truck. It may be a medium or heavy commercial truck, and in particular a vehicle combination comprising a tractor and a trailer. The commercial vehicle may be configured to be able to determine the position of the commercial vehicle, the speed of the commercial vehicle, the acceleration of the commercial vehicle and / or the steering angle of the commercial vehicle via sensors and / or remote communications. The commercial vehicle may also be configured to be able to determine the presence of the trailer of the commercial vehicle, the weight of the commercial vehicle, the planned movement of the commercial vehicle or the derivative of the trajectory of the commercial vehicle via sensors and / or remote communications. The commercial vehicle may be configured to be able to provide some or all of these data to the processing unit of the radar system. The commercial vehicle may be configured to be able to guide the line of sight of the narrow long-range field of view via the processing unit of the radar system based on some of all these data.

[0044] Optionally, the commercial vehicle comprises a planning module configured to generate planning data for the autonomous movement of the commercial vehicle and to receive data from the radar system, wherein the planning module is further configured to compare the driving envelope of the commercial vehicle with the data and / or to change the threshold of the warning issued by the processing unit based on the driving situation.

[0045] The driving envelope or volume to be traversed by the commercial vehicle can in particular be compared with building data, in particular with the height of a bridge, a gate or a tunnel entrance.

[0046] Embodiments also relate to a method for detecting a cross traffic flow situation for a commercial vehicle. The method includes monitoring a wide short-range field of view and a narrow long-range field of view by a multi-mode radar sensor, wherein both fields of view include lines perpendicular to a direction of travel of the commercial vehicle. The method also includes detecting the cross traffic flow situation based on data received by the multi-mode radar sensor.

[0047] In an embodiment, the method includes monitoring a wide short-range field of view by a multi-mode radar sensor, the wide short-range field of view including an area laterally adjacent to the commercial vehicle. The method also includes monitoring a narrow long-range field of view centered on a line of sight through an area laterally adjacent to the commercial vehicle by the multi-mode radar sensor.

[0048] Monitoring of the two fields of view may be performed in parallel (ie, simultaneously at the same time), or sequentially.

[0049] The method may also be implemented in software or a computer program product, and the order of the steps may not be important for achieving the desired effect. In particular, embodiments of the invention may be implemented in part by software or software modules in an ECU. Therefore, embodiments also relate to a computer program product having a program code, which is used to perform the method when the computer program is executed on a processor.

[0050] Important aspects of the proposed radar system and method can also be summarized as follows.

[0051] The radar system for the commercial vehicle may comprise one or more multi-mode radar sensors at the front and / or rear corners of the vehicle, having a wide short-range field of view and a narrow long-range field of view. The narrow long-range field of view may be steerable or rotatable in the direction in which the commercial vehicle turns in. This arrangement creates the possibility of sensing and tracking cross traffic flows at the front and / or rear of the vehicle. Based on the detected cross traffic flows, a function may be implemented which may support the driver by notifying and / or warning and / or taking action in the event of a potential collision.

[0052] In some embodiments, the multi-mode radar sensor is located at or near the front of the vehicle, looking substantially to the side so that it includes a line perpendicular to the side of the commercial vehicle. Using a sufficiently large opening angle and / or a slightly backwards turning sight line, the entire side of the commercial vehicle can be covered in a wide short-range field of view. The narrow long-range field of view can extend perpendicular to the direction of travel, or have a sight line slightly turned towards the direction of travel.

[0053] In some embodiments, the multi-mode radar sensor is located at or near the rear of the vehicle, particularly at a rear corner of the vehicle. In this position, the multi-mode radar sensor can look slightly forward.

[0054] With the aid of the radar system, fast approaching traffic can be detected at an early stage of a cross traffic event. A core aspect is that each sensor combines the wide short-range field of view with the narrow long-range field of view. In addition to achieving the task of simultaneously detecting fast approaching objects far from the commercial vehicle as well as objects in the vicinity of the commercial vehicle, the reduction to one multimode radar sensor instead of two single-mode radar sensors saves costs, integration effort and integration space.

[0055] In an embodiment, the entire side of the commercial vehicle can be covered by the wide short-range field of view. In contrast, in the narrow long-range field of view that is approximately or completely perpendicular to the direction of travel, fast approaching traffic can be detected earlier, especially during turns or reversing events.

[0056] The multi-mode radar sensor mounted at the front corner of the commercial vehicle may be mounted in combination with any other sensor combination such as a front camera around the commercial vehicle, a front radar, a central radar at the rear, a conventional (non-multi-mode) radar facing rearward on the rear corner, a multi-mode radar facing rearward on the rear corner, a surround view camera and a lidar.

[0057] The multi-mode radar sensor mounted at the rear corner of the commercial vehicle may be mounted in combination with any other sensor combination such as a front camera around the vehicle, a front radar, a central radar at the rear, a normal (non-multi-mode) radar at the front corner, a surround view camera and a lidar.

[0058] The processing unit may be configured to detect and track objects. The processing unit may also be configured to provide a free space representation (e.g., in the form of an occupancy grid). The processing unit may also be configured to provide detection of infrastructure and boundary lines. The processing unit may also be configured to provide altitude information to determine whether the commercial vehicle may drive under a detected object (e.g., a building, bridge, or door) or enter a tunnel.

[0059] The processing unit of the radar system or the planning module of the vehicle connected to the processing unit of the radar system can be configured to provide information or warnings to the driver of the commercial vehicle. The warning can be a visual, tactile or acoustic signal. The processing unit of the radar system or the planning module of the vehicle connected to the processing unit of the radar system can be configured to provide braking or steering intervention. In particular, the planning module can be configured to change the planned trajectory of the commercial vehicle, or to initiate emergency braking.

[0060] Some advantages of the proposed radar system are outlined below.

[0061] A radar system of the proposed type can be particularly useful for the task of simultaneously detecting cross traffic flows and objects in the vicinity of the commercial vehicle. This is essentially achieved by intersecting the narrow long-range field of view with the wide-range field of view, wherein both fields of view include lines perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle. In particular, it has been shown that such an arrangement generally presents a favorable compromise between efficiency and the amount of data that needs to be processed. The radar system can increase the safety of the commercial vehicle, in particular at intersections, entrances and exits. It is often advantageous to have the multimode radar sensor not at some midway position on the side of the commercial vehicle, but at a corner.

[0062] The radar system can use (or directly provide) driver assistance or autonomous driving functions by covering a large part of the vehicle's surroundings. Typically, different functions require different detection distances in different directions. The proposed radar system can be configured to be able to detect and track traffic participant objects on the side of the commercial vehicle. It can also be configured to be able to detect and track traffic participants in front and behind the commercial vehicle. Therefore, the proposed radar system is advantageous in cases where the commercial vehicle is stopped at a traffic intersection and the driver assistance system should support the driver of the commercial vehicle to cross the street or turn into the street. To this end, the proposed radar system can provide an observation of cross traffic flow, especially an observation of faster approaching traffic flow, which is important for being able to avoid cross traffic flow accidents in these situations. The proposed radar system can provide this at a long distance perpendicular to the driving direction. At the same time, the proposed radar system can also detect objects in close range and can be configured to be able to notify the driver, planning system or some other advanced system on the commercial vehicle about a potential collision with a vulnerable road user approaching the commercial vehicle from the side. To this end, the proposed radar system can be configured to be able to measure in a close distance with a wide opening angle.

[0063] The proposed radar system can also help in situations where the commercial vehicle intends to exit backwards from a driving lot or parking lot, or when it turns backwards into a street. The proposed radar system can help in cross-traffic situations by detecting vehicles approaching from a distance but at a higher speed perpendicular to the direction of travel. Also, at the same time, the proposed radar system can inform about potential collisions with any objects in a wide close distance to the side of the commercial vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] Some examples of systems and / or methods will be described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0065] Figure 1 A radar system for a commercial vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention is depicted;

[0066] Figure 2 Another embodiment of a radar system having two multi-mode radar sensors at the front corners of a commercial vehicle is depicted.

[0067] Figure 3 Another embodiment of a radar system having two multi-mode radar sensors at the rear corners of a commercial vehicle is depicted.

[0068] Figure 4Another embodiment of a radar system having two multi-mode radar sensors at the front corners of a commercial vehicle and a rear-facing multi-mode radar sensor at the rear corner of the commercial vehicle is depicted.

[0069] Figure 5 The steps of the method according to the invention for detecting a cross traffic situation for a commercial vehicle are shown.

[0070] Figure 6 Shown is the field of view of two conventional multi-mode radar sensors mounted on the rear end of a commercial vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] Figure 1 A radar system 100 for a commercial vehicle 200 according to one embodiment of the invention is depicted. The radar system 100 includes a multi-mode radar sensor 110 configured to be mounted on the commercial vehicle 200 and to operate in two modes, wherein one mode has a wide short-range field of view 112 and the other mode has a narrow long-range field of view 116, both fields of view 112, 116 including a line 30 perpendicular to the direction of travel 10 of the commercial vehicle 200. The radar system 100 includes a processing unit 120 configured to operate the multi-mode radar sensor 110 and detect cross-traffic flow situations.

[0072] The commercial vehicle 200 in this embodiment is a heavy truck with a towing vehicle and a trailer. The radar system 100 is mounted on the commercial vehicle 200. In particular, the multi-mode radar sensor 110 is mounted at the front corner opposite to the side of the driver's seat of the commercial vehicle 200. The wide short-range field of view 112 has an opening angle of 165 degrees centered on a line of sight 114 at an angle of 95.5 degrees relative to the direction of travel. The narrow long-range field of view 116 has an opening angle of 20 degrees centered on a line of sight 118 at an angle of 80 degrees relative to the direction of travel 10.

[0073] The line of sight 118 of the narrow long-range field of view 116 may be steerable, and the processing unit 120 may be configured to be able to steer the line of sight 118. The processing unit 120 of the radar system 100 or a planning unit of an autonomous driving or driver assistance system (not shown) of the commercial vehicle 200 may be configured to be able to steer (within a limited angular range) the line of sight 118 of the narrow long-range field of view 116 based on the trajectory and / or speed of the commercial vehicle 200 when turning.

[0074] The depicted embodiment provides the possibility to sense and track cross traffic flow, in particular in front of the commercial vehicle 200. Based on the detected cross traffic flow, a function can be implemented that can support the driver by notifying and / or warning and / or taking action in the presence of a potential collision.

[0075] Figure 2 Another embodiment of radar system 100 is depicted. In this embodiment, radar system 100 includes a first multi-mode radar sensor 110 mounted at the right front corner of commercial vehicle 200 and a second multi-mode radar sensor 110′ mounted at the left front corner of commercial vehicle 200 .

[0076] An advantage of the depicted embodiment with two multimode radars 110, 110' located at the front of the commercial vehicle 200 is that the entire respective side of the commercial vehicle 200 can be covered at a short distance, while at a long distance perpendicular to the direction of travel, fast approaching traffic can be detected early during cross-traffic events.

[0077] For both multi-mode radar sensors 110, 110', the line of sight of the wide short-range field of view 112, 112' (not shown in this figure) is rotated backwards by more than 90 degrees relative to the forward driving direction. In addition, for both multi-mode radar sensors 110, 110', the line of sight of the narrow long-range field of view 116, 116' is rotated by 90+ / -15 degrees.

[0078] The radar system 100 further comprises a first additional radar sensor 130 mounted at a central position at the front of the commercial vehicle 200, for example at the front bumper. The first additional radar sensor 130 covers a field of view 135 in the forward driving direction with an opening angle of 45 degrees and a distance as the narrow long-range field of view 116, 116' of the first and second multimode radar sensors 110, 110'. The field of view 135 of the first additional radar sensor 130 has an overlap with the wide short-field field of view 112, 112' of both the left multimode radar sensor 110 and the right multimode radar sensor 110'. Advantageously, each overlap has an opening angle of approximately 30 degrees, respectively. In some embodiments, the first additional radar sensor 130 can also be a multimode radar sensor with an additional narrow long-range field of view extending beyond the distance depicted in the figure.

[0079] The radar system 100 further comprises a second additional radar sensor 140 mounted at a central position at the rear of the commercial vehicle 200, for example at the rear bumper. The second additional radar sensor 140 covers a field of view 145 in the rearward driving direction at an opening angle of 45 degrees and at a distance that is the wide short-range field of view 112, 112' of the first and second multi-mode radar sensors 110, 110'. Thus, the range of the second additional sensor 140 is shorter than the range of the first additional sensor 130, which may be sufficient since a typical reverse speed of the commercial vehicle 200 may be much lower than a forward driving speed. In some embodiments, the second additional radar sensor 140 may also be a multi-mode radar sensor having a narrow long-range field of view that extends beyond the distance depicted in the figure.

[0080] In other embodiments, the multi-mode radar sensors 110, 110' mounted at the front corners may be combined with any other sensor, such as a camera, in particular a front camera, a lidar, an ultrasonic sensor or another front or rear radar. Such other radar sensors may be ordinary (single mode or non-multi-mode) or multi-mode radar devices, in particular when facing backwards, where they may be mounted on the rear corners of the commercial vehicle. In embodiments, the radar system may be combined with a surround view camera and / or a lidar around the commercial vehicle 200.

[0081] Figure 3 Another embodiment of radar system 100 is depicted. In this embodiment, radar system 100 includes a first multi-mode radar sensor 110 mounted at the right rear corner of commercial vehicle 200 and a second multi-mode radar sensor 110′ mounted at the left rear corner of commercial vehicle 200. Other embodiments may include only one multi-mode radar sensor 110 at the left rear corner or the right rear corner.

[0082] The advantage of the depicted embodiment with two multimode radars 110, 110' located in the rear of the commercial vehicle 200 and in particular on the trailer is that the entire side of the commercial vehicle 200 can be covered at a short distance, while at a long distance perpendicular to the direction of travel, fast approaching traffic can be detected early during cross-traffic events, in particular when reversing.

[0083] For both multi-mode radar sensors 110, 110', the line of sight of the wide short-range field of view 112, 112' is rotated 70 to 90 degrees rearward relative to the forward travel direction. In addition, for both multi-mode radar sensors 110, 110', the line of sight of the narrow long-range field of view 116, 116' is rotated 90+ / -15 degrees.

[0084] This embodiment again includes Figure 2 The embodiment shown shows a first additional radar sensor 130 and a second additional radar sensor 140. In other embodiments, the radar system 100 may include other radar sensors, or it may be integrated with other sensors (camera, lidar, ultrasound), which may also be located in particular at the front of the commercial vehicle 200 (on the towing vehicle).

[0085] Figure 4 Another embodiment of the radar system 100 is depicted. In this embodiment, the radar system 100 includes a first multi-mode radar sensor 110 mounted at the right front corner of the commercial vehicle 200 and a second multi-mode radar sensor 110' mounted at the left front corner of the commercial vehicle 200, similar to Figure 2 .

[0086] The radar system 100 also includes two multi-mode radar sensors 150, 150', which are mounted on the two rear corners of the commercial vehicle 200, respectively. These multi-mode radar sensors 150, 150' also have a wide short-range field of view 152, 152' with a wide opening angle for close-range object detection, and a narrow long-range field of view 156, 156' with a small opening angle for long-range object detection. The line of sight of the wide short-range field of view 152, 152' and the line of sight of the corresponding narrow long-range field of view 156, 156' are again not aligned. The cones of the narrow long-range fields 156, 156' of the two radar sensors 150, 150' at the rear end of the commercial vehicle 200 point to the rear, rather than including the vertical direction. The line of sight or center line of the wide short-range field of view 152, 152' of each rear-mounted radar sensor 150, 150' is rotated 100 to 170 degrees to the rear. The line of sight or centerline of the narrow long-range field of view 156 , 156 ′ is rotated 180+ / −20 degrees. With this arrangement, the rear radar sensor 150 , 150 ′ is configured to be able to detect traffic flow behind the commercial vehicle 200 .

[0087] The advantage of using a multi-mode radar 150, 150' located at the rear of the commercial vehicle 200 and looking backwards is that the entire rear and side areas of the commercial vehicle 200 can be covered at close range, while at long range, fast approaching traffic flows parallel to the direction of travel can be detected earlier, for example for lane change scenarios. Likewise, the configuration of all radar sensors 110, 110', 150, 150' for operation in multiple modes can save costs, integration effort and integration space.

[0088] Figure 5 A flow chart of a method for detecting a cross traffic flow situation for a commercial vehicle 200 is depicted. The method includes monitoring S110 a wide short-range field of view 112 and a narrow long-range field of view 116 by a multi-mode radar sensor 110, wherein the two fields of view 112, 116 include a line 30 perpendicular to the direction of travel 10 of the commercial vehicle 200. Monitoring the wide short-range field of view 112 can be performed simultaneously with monitoring the narrow long-range field of view 116. In other embodiments, monitoring the wide short-range field of view 112 can be performed alternately with monitoring the narrow long-range field of view 116, and the two modes can be switched between based on the speed, position, acceleration, or wheel angle of the commercial vehicle 200. In other embodiments, monitoring of the narrow long-range field of view 116 can be turned on when the commercial vehicle 200 is about to turn in the corresponding direction. In an embodiment, monitoring of the long-range field of view 116 is turned on when the commercial vehicle 200 approaches an intersection or a similar dangerous area where lateral traffic is expected. When commercial vehicle 200 is traveling in a straight direction or away from an intersection, monitoring of narrow long-range field of view 116 may be switched off.

[0089] The method further includes detecting S120 a cross-traffic flow situation based on data received by the multi-mode radar sensor 110 .

[0090] The method may also be a computer-implemented method. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the steps of various of the above methods may be performed by a programmed computer. Embodiments are also intended to cover program storage devices, such as digital data storage media, which are machine or computer readable and encode a machine-executable or computer-executable program of instructions, wherein when executed on a computer or processor, the instructions perform some or all of the actions of the above methods.

[0091] In addition, although each embodiment can be independently used as a separate example, it should be noted that in other embodiments, the defined features can be combined differently, that is, specific features described in one embodiment can also be implemented in other embodiments. If within the scope of the claims, such combinations are covered by the disclosure of this article, unless the statement does not intend a specific combination.

[0092] Reference numerals list

[0093] 10 Driving Directions

[0094] 30 Vertical

[0095] 54, 58 Angle

[0096] 100 Radar Systems

[0097] 110 Multi-mode radar sensor

[0098] 112 Wide short-distance field of view

[0099] 114 Sight

[0100] 116 Narrow long-distance field of view

[0101] 118 Sight

[0102] 120 processing units

[0103] 130 First additional radar sensor

[0104] 135 Field of view

[0105] 140 Second additional radar sensor

[0106] 145 Field of view

[0107] 150 Multi-mode radar sensor

[0108] 152 Wide short-distance field of view

[0109] 154 Sight

[0110] 156 Narrow long-distance field of view

[0111] 158 Sight

[0112] 200 Commercial vehicles

[0113] Steps of S110 and S120 methods

Claims

1. A radar system (100) for a commercial vehicle (200), Features The radar system comprises: A multi-mode radar sensor (110) configured to operate with a wide short-range field of view (112) and a narrow long-range field of view (116), wherein both fields of view (112, 116) include a line (30) perpendicular to a direction of travel (10) of the commercial vehicle (200); and A processing unit (120) is configured to operate the multi-mode radar sensor (110) and detect cross-traffic conditions.

2. The radar system (100) according to claim 1, Features: The multi-mode radar sensor (110) and the processing unit (120) are configured to install the multi-mode radar sensor (110) at a front corner and / or a rear corner opposite to a driver's seat side of the commercial vehicle (200).

3. The radar system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, Features: The wide short-range field of view (112) has an opening angle of at least 150 degrees centered on a line of sight (114), the line of sight (114) being at an angle in the range of 90 degrees to 120 degrees relative to the direction of travel (10); and / or The narrow long-range field of view (116) has an opening angle in the range of 15 to 30 degrees centered on a line of sight (118) that is angled in the range of 70 to 90 degrees relative to the direction of travel (10).

4. The radar system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, Features: The line of sight (118) of the narrow long-distance field of view (116) is steerable, and the processing unit (120) is configured to steer the line of sight (118).

5. The radar system (100) according to claim 4, Features: The processing unit (120) is configured to direct the line of sight (118) of the narrow long-distance field of view (116) based on at least one of: - the position of the commercial vehicle (200), - the speed of the commercial vehicle (200), - the acceleration of the commercial vehicle (200), - the steering angle of the commercial vehicle (200).

6. The radar system (100) according to claim 4 or 5, Features: The processing unit (120) is configured to direct the line of sight (118) of the narrow long-distance field of view (116) based on at least one of: - the presence of a trailer for the commercial vehicle (200), - the weight of the commercial vehicle (200), - the planned movement of the commercial vehicle (200), - a derivative of the trajectory of the commercial vehicle (200).

7. The radar system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, Features: The processing unit (120) is configured to issue a warning signal based on at least one of the following: - fast approaching objects in the narrow long-range field of view (116), - moving objects in the wide short-range field of view (112), - a potential collision of the commercial vehicle (200) with a stationary object.

8. The radar system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, Features: The multi-mode radar sensor (110) and the processing unit (120) are configured to provide one of the following: - free space representation, -Infrastructure testing, - Boundary line detection, - height information for determining whether the commercial vehicle (200) can travel under the object.

9. The radar system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, Features: The radar system (100) comprises an additional radar sensor (130, 140) configured to operate with a field of view (135, 145) centered on the forward or rearward travel direction (10) of the commercial vehicle (200), wherein the field of view (135, 145) of the additional radar sensor (130, 140) overlaps with the wide short-range field of view (112) of the multi-mode radar sensor (110).

10. The radar system (100) according to claim 9, Features: The overlap covers an angle of at least 15 degrees.

11. A commercial vehicle (200), Features include: The radar system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. The commercial vehicle (200) according to claim 10 or claim 11, in, The commercial vehicle (200) comprises a planning module, which is configured to generate planning data for an autonomous movement of the commercial vehicle (200) and is configured to receive data from the radar system (100), Features: The planning module is configured to perform at least one of the following: - comparing the travel envelope of the commercial vehicle (200) with data from the radar system (100), - Changing the threshold value of the warning issued by the processing unit (120) based on the driving situation.

13. A method for detecting a cross traffic flow situation for a commercial vehicle (200), Features include: Monitoring (S110) a wide short-range field of view (112) and a narrow long-range field of view (116) by means of a multi-mode radar sensor (110), wherein both fields of view (112, 116) include a line (30) perpendicular to a direction of travel (10) of the commercial vehicle (200); and The cross traffic flow situation is detected (S120) based on the data received by the multi-mode radar sensor (110).

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