Ultrasonic radar and control method

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an ultrasonic radar and a control method. The ultrasonic radar comprises a transformer, a switching circuit and at least two RC modules. The switching circuit is used for conducting the transformer with a first RC module in the at least two RC modules in a first time period; conducting the transformer with a second RC module in the at least two RC modules in a second time period; wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from that of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period. According to the ultrasonic radar provided by the embodiment of the invention, the plurality of RC modules with different resistance-capacitance values are arranged, and the switching circuit is arranged, so that the different RC modules can be switched by the ultrasonic radar in different time periods, and the resistance-capacitance values of the ultrasonic radar can be matched with the wave sending frequency band of the ultrasonic radar in each time period; therefore, the ranging capability and the ranging precision of the ultrasonic radar can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of sensor technology, and in particular to an ultrasonic radar and a control method. Background Art

[0002] At present, ultrasonic radars are increasingly seeking to improve their ability to resist co-channel interference. For the next generation of ultrasonic radar integrated circuits (ICs) and core detection performance, ultrasonic radars are showing increasingly wideband transmission. In the same period of time, the larger the frequency variation range of the ultrasonic waves emitted by ultrasonic radars, the lower the probability that different ultrasonic radars emit ultrasonic waves of the same frequency at the same time, so the ultrasonic radar's ability to resist co-channel interference is better.

[0003] However, the RC module in the existing ultrasonic radar hardware circuit can only match a small bandwidth near the center frequency of the ultrasonic radar. When the ultrasonic radar's wave is at the upper and lower limits of the full frequency band, the RC module does not match the wave frequency, and the ultrasonic wave cannot accurately resonate, which leads to problems such as reduced ultrasonic radar ranging capability (for example, reduced maximum detection distance, increased blind area, etc.) and reduced ranging accuracy (for example, the echo time deviates from the actual distance, and the calculated detection distance deviates greatly from the actual distance).

[0004] How to improve the ultrasonic radar's ability to resist co-frequency interference while taking into account the ultrasonic radar's ranging capability and ranging accuracy is the technical problem to be solved by this application. Summary of the invention

[0005] An ultrasonic radar and a control method provided in an embodiment of the present application can improve the ultrasonic radar's ability to resist co-frequency interference while taking into account the ultrasonic radar's ranging capability and ranging accuracy.

[0006] In a first aspect, an ultrasonic radar is provided, comprising a transformer, a switching circuit, and at least two RC modules, wherein the RC modules comprise capacitors and resistors, and the resistance values ​​and / or capacitance values ​​of different RC modules in the at least two RC modules are different; the switching circuit is used to: connect the transformer to a first RC module in the at least two RC modules in a first time period; and connect the transformer to a second RC module in the at least two RC modules in a second time period; wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period.

[0007] The ultrasonic radar provided in the embodiment of the present application is provided with multiple RC modules with different resistance and capacitance values, and a switching circuit is provided to enable the ultrasonic radar to switch different RC modules in different time periods, thereby ensuring that the resistance and capacitance values ​​of the ultrasonic radar match the wave frequency band of the ultrasonic radar in each time period, thereby ensuring that the sound waves of the ultrasonic radar in each time period can accurately resonate, thereby improving the ranging capability of the ultrasonic radar (for example, increasing the maximum detection distance, reducing blind spots, etc.) and improving the ranging accuracy of the ultrasonic radar.

[0008] In one possible design, the ultrasonic radar also includes a first controller; the first controller is used to: send a first signal to the switching circuit at the beginning or before the beginning of the first time period, the first signal is used to indicate that the transformer and the first RC module are turned on; the switching circuit is used to: receive the first signal, and turn on the transformer and the first RC module in the first time period according to the first signal; the first controller is also used to: send a second signal to the switching circuit at the beginning or before the beginning of the second time period, the second signal is used to indicate that the transformer and the second RC module are turned on; the switching circuit is used to: receive the second signal, and turn on the transformer and the second RC module in the second time period according to the second signal.

[0009] In this design, the first controller controls the switch circuit to switch to different RC modules in different time periods (i.e., different transmission frequency bands), so that the ultrasonic radar can automatically switch to the RC module that matches the transmission frequency.

[0010] In one possible design, the ultrasonic radar transmits ultrasonic waves within a wave transmission cycle, the wave transmission cycle includes at least two time periods, the at least two time periods correspond one-to-one to at least two RC modules, and the frequencies of ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic radar in any two of the at least two time periods are different; the at least two time periods include a first time period and a second time period, and the at least two RC modules include a first RC module and a second RC module; the first controller is used to: within the wave transmission cycle, at the beginning of or before the beginning of each of the at least two time periods, send a signal to the switching circuit to instruct the transformer to turn on the RC module corresponding to each time period.

[0011] In this design, the first controller controls the switch circuit to switch to different RC modules in different time periods (i.e., different transmission frequency bands) within the transmission cycle, so that the ultrasonic radar can automatically switch to the RC module matching the transmission frequency within the transmission cycle.

[0012] In one possible design, the first controller is also used to: receive instructions from the second controller at or before the start of the wave transmission cycle, the instructions being used to indicate the frequency of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic radar during the wave transmission cycle; determine at least two time periods according to the frequency of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic radar during the wave transmission cycle, and the correspondence between the at least two time periods and at least two RC modules.

[0013] In this design, the first controller polls different RC modules within the wave transmission period according to the wave transmission frequency indicated by the second controller, thereby improving the reliability of the solution.

[0014] In one possible design, the first controller is also used to: determine the start time of the wave transmission cycle based on the time when the instruction is received; or, the instruction carries a flag bit; the first controller is also used to: determine the start time of the wave transmission cycle based on the time when the flag bit is read.

[0015] In this design, the command sent by the second controller triggers the ultrasonic radar to start emitting waves and automatically switches the RC module according to the frequency band of the emitted waves, further improving the reliability of the solution.

[0016] In one possible design, the wave transmission period includes a first time range and a second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time range increases with time, and the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time range decreases with time; at least two time periods belong to the first time range or the second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the third time period of the first time range is the same as the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the fourth time period of the second time range; the third time period and the fourth time period correspond to the same RC module.

[0017] In this design method, within the same transmission cycle, corresponding to different time periods of the same frequency band, the ultrasonic radar can switch the same RC module, which can save design costs.

[0018] In a second aspect, a control method is provided, which is applied to the first controller in the ultrasonic radar described in the first aspect, and the method includes: controlling the switching circuit to turn on the transformer and the first RC module among at least two RC modules in a first time period; controlling the switching circuit to turn on the transformer and the second RC module among at least two RC modules in a second time period; wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period.

[0019] In a third aspect, a control device is provided, which is, for example, the first controller described in the first aspect or a chip in the first controller, and includes modules or units or technical means for implementing the method described in the second aspect.

[0020] For example, the control device includes a processing unit for controlling the switching circuit to connect the transformer to the first RC module among at least two RC modules in a first time period; and controlling the switching circuit to connect the transformer to the second RC module among at least two RC modules in a second time period; wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period.

[0021] In a fourth aspect, a control device is provided, comprising: at least one processor and an interface circuit; the interface circuit is used to receive signals from other devices outside the device and transmit them to the processor or send signals from the processor to other devices outside the device, and the processor is used to implement the method described in the second aspect through logic circuits or execution code instructions.

[0022] In a fifth aspect, a terminal device is provided, comprising the ultrasonic radar as described in the first aspect; or, comprising the control device as described in the third aspect; or, comprising the control device as described in the fourth aspect.

[0023] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is used to store instructions, and when the instructions are executed, the method described in the second aspect is implemented.

[0024] According to a seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, wherein instructions are stored in the computer program product, and when the computer program product is run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method described in the second aspect.

[0025] For the specific designs and achievable technical effects of the above-mentioned second to seventeenth aspects, please refer to the description of the corresponding design schemes and achievable technical effects in the above-mentioned first aspect, and this application will not repeat them here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a possible application scenario provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic radar provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 3A , Figure 3B This is an example diagram of the wave cycle;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a switching circuit;

[0030] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of another ultrasonic radar provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of another ultrasonic radar provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 7A to Figure 7E is a schematic diagram of a first controller;

[0033] Fig. 8A A schematic diagram of an ultrasonic radar system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 8B A schematic diagram of another ultrasonic radar system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Fig. 9 A flow chart of a control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a control device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of another control device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0039] In the present application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the text description of the present application, the character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship; in the formula of the present application, the character " / " indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in a "division" relationship. "Including at least one of A, B and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B and C.

[0040] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" etc. described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of the present application include specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment. Therefore, the statements "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in some other embodiments", "in some other embodiments", etc. that appear in different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and their variations all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways. In addition, the words "first", "second", etc. involved in this specification are only used for the purpose of distinguishing descriptions, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, nor can they be understood as indicating or implying order.

[0041] The terms used in the following embodiments are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to be limiting of the present application. As used in the specification and appended claims of the present application, the singular expressions "a", "an", "said", "above", "the" and "this" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more", unless there is a clear contrary indication in the context.

[0042] The ultrasonic radar provided in the embodiment of the present application can be widely used in various perception scenarios. For example, the ultrasonic radar provided in the embodiment of the present application can be set in a vehicle. Among them, the ultrasonic radar set in the vehicle can be called a vehicle-mounted ultrasonic radar.

[0043] See also Figure 1 , is a schematic diagram of a possible application scenario provided by the embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the application scenario includes a vehicle and an obstacle; wherein an ultrasonic radar is installed on the vehicle.

[0044] In one embodiment, when a vehicle is traveling on a road, an ultrasonic radar emits ultrasonic waves. When the ultrasonic waves are transmitted to an obstacle, they are reflected by the obstacle to obtain an echo signal. After receiving the echo signal, the ultrasonic radar can determine the presence of an obstacle based on the echo signal, and can also determine information such as the distance, shape, speed, acceleration, etc. of the obstacle.

[0045] Understandably, Figure 1 The ultrasonic radar is installed in the front of the vehicle as an example. In fact, the ultrasonic radar can also be installed in other locations such as the rear of the vehicle, the body of the vehicle, the roof, etc., and this embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0046] Figure 2A schematic structural diagram of an ultrasonic radar provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a transformer 11, a switching circuit 12, and at least two RC modules 13. Figure 2 In the figure, four RC modules are taken as an example, namely, RC module 13a, RC module 13b, RC module 13c and RC module 13d. The actual ultrasonic radar may also include more or less RC modules, which is not limited in the present application.

[0047] Each RC module includes a capacitor and a resistor, and the two ends of the capacitor are connected in parallel with the resistor. For example, RC module 13a includes resistor 131a and capacitor 132a, RC module 13b includes resistor 131b and capacitor 132b, RC module 13c includes resistor 131c and capacitor 132c, and RC module 13d includes resistor 131d and capacitor 132d. It can be understood that Figure 2 Each RC module shown is based on one capacitor and one resistor as an example, and the number of capacitors or resistors in an actual RC module is not limited thereto.

[0048] The resistance value and / or capacitance value of different RC modules are different, wherein the capacitance value and resistance value of the RC module can be referred to as the resistance and capacitance value of the RC module, and the resistance value and / or capacitance value can also be referred to as different resistance and capacitance values. For example, the resistance and capacitance value of the RC module is different from the resistance and capacitance value of 13b, specifically, it can be: the resistance value of the resistor 131a is different from that of the resistor 131b, or the capacitance value of the capacitor 132a is different from that of the capacitor 132b, or the resistance value of the resistor 131a is different from that of the resistor 131b and the capacitance value of the capacitor 132a is different from that of the capacitor 132b, or the resistance value of the resistor 131a is different from that of the resistor 131b and the capacitance value of the capacitor 132a is different from that of the capacitor 132b.

[0049] The switch circuit 12 connects the transformer 11 and each RC module of at least two RC modules 13, and the switch circuit 12 is used to conduct the transformer 11 and different RC modules in different time periods. Specifically, the ultrasonic radar has different wave frequency bands in different time periods. In each time period, the switch circuit conducts the transformer 11 and the RC module matching the wave frequency band in the time period, so that the ultrasonic radar switches to different RC modules in different time periods, so as to ensure that the resistance and capacitance values ​​of the ultrasonic radar match the wave frequency band of the ultrasonic radar in each time period, so that the sound waves of the ultrasonic radar in each time period can accurately resonate.

[0050] Exemplarily, the switch circuit 12 conducts the transformer 11 with the first RC module of the at least two RC modules 13 in the first time period; and conducts the transformer 11 with the second RC module of the at least two RC modules 13 in the second time period, wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period, the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period matches the resistance and capacitance value of the first RC module, and the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period matches the resistance and capacitance value of the second RC module. The first RC module and the second RC module can be any two RC modules of the at least two RC modules 13, so that Figure 2 For example, the first RC module and the second RC module may be RC module 13a and RC module 13b, or RC module 13c and RC module 13d, and so on.

[0051] In some embodiments, the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is the first frequency band (or the first frequency range), and the ultrasonic radar emits ultrasonic waves of different frequencies in the first frequency band at different times in the first time period, for example, the frequency of the ultrasonic radar changes from the minimum value of the frequency band to the maximum value, or from the maximum value of the frequency band to the minimum value, etc. in the first time period. The frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period is the second frequency band (or the second frequency range), and the ultrasonic radar emits ultrasonic waves of different frequencies in the second frequency band at different times in the second time period, for example, the frequency of the ultrasonic radar changes from the minimum value of the frequency band to the maximum value, or from the maximum value of the frequency band to the minimum value, etc. in the second time period. Among them, the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period, that is, the first frequency band is different from the second frequency band, specifically, the center frequency of the first frequency band is different from the center frequency of the second frequency band, or the starting frequency of the first frequency band is different from the starting frequency of the second frequency band, or the ending frequency of the first frequency band is different from the ending frequency of the second frequency band, or the length of the first frequency band is different from the length of the second frequency band, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0052] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic radar emits ultrasonic waves within a wave transmission cycle, and the wave transmission cycle includes at least two time periods, and the at least two time periods correspond one-to-one to at least two RC modules 13. The frequencies of ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic radar in any two time periods of the at least two time periods are different; the at least two time periods include a first time period and a second time period, and the at least two RC modules 13 include a first RC module and a second RC module.

[0053] It can be understood that the transmission period referred to in the embodiments of the present application refers to a period of time during which the ultrasonic radar continuously transmits waves. In practical applications, the ultrasonic radar may have one or more transmission periods, and the ultrasonic radar transmits waves in each transmission period. When there are multiple transmission periods, the transmission mode of the ultrasonic radar in each transmission period may be the same or different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0054] See also Figure 3A , is an example diagram of a wave transmission cycle, which includes four time periods, namely t0~t1, t1~t2, t2~t3, t3~t4, and the first time period and the second time period are any two of the four time periods. The frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the four time periods increases with time, such as the frequency bands corresponding to t0~t1, t1~t2, t2~t3, and t3~t4 are f0~f1, f1~f2, f2~f3, and f3~f4 respectively. The ultrasonic radar switches to RC module 13a, RC module 13b, RC module 13c, and RC module 13d in t0~t1, t1~t2, t2~t3, and t3~t4 in sequence. Ultrasonic radar, f0~f1, f1~f2, f2~f3, and f3~f4 are, for example, 42~46K Hz, 46~50K Hz, 50~54K Hz, and 54~58K Hz respectively.

[0055] In some embodiments, if the ultrasonic radar transmits ultrasonic waves of the same frequency band in different time periods within the same wave transmission cycle, the ultrasonic radar can switch to the same RC module to save design costs. Exemplarily, the wave transmission cycle includes a first time range and a second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time range increases over time, and the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time range decreases over time; at least two time periods in the above may belong to the first time range or the second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the third time period of the first time range is the same as the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the fourth time period of the second time range, and the third time period and the fourth time period correspond to the same RC module.

[0056] For example, see Figure 3B, is another example diagram of a wave transmission cycle, which includes eight time periods, namely t0-t1, t1-t2, t2-t3, t3-t4, t4-t5, t5-t6, t6-t7, t7-t8, wherein t0-t4 is a frequency increase stage, t4-t8 is a frequency decrease stage, wherein t0-t1 frequency band is f0-f1, t7-t8 frequency band is f1-f0, and ultrasonic radar switches to RC module 13a at t0-t1 and t7-t8; t1 The frequency band of t2 to t3 is f1 to f2, the frequency band of t6 to t7 is f2 to f1, and the ultrasonic radar switches to the RC module 13b at t1 to t2 and t6 to t7; the frequency band of t2 to t3 is f2 to f3, the frequency band of t5 to t6 is f2 to f3, and the ultrasonic radar switches to the RC module 13c at t2 to t3 and t5 to t6; the frequency band of t3 to t4 is f3 to f4, the frequency band of t4 to t5 is f3 to f4, and the ultrasonic radar switches to the RC module 13d at t3 to t4 and t4 to t5. Among them, f0, f1, f2, f3, and f4 are, for example, 42KHz, 46KHz, 50KHz, 54KHz, and 58KHz, respectively.

[0057] It is understandable that in actual applications, the frequency change of ultrasonic radar within the wave cycle is not limited to Figure 3A , Figure 3B The two types shown in the figure can also be changed in other ways, and the time division of the wave cycle is not limited to Figure 3A , Figure 3B Two types shown.

[0058] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation method of the switch circuit 12. As an example, the switch circuit 12 includes at least two paths, the number of paths is the same as the number of RC modules, one end of each path is connected to the transformer 11, and the other end is connected to the RC module, each path is connected to an RC module and different paths are connected to different RC modules. A conduction switch is set on each path, and when the conduction switch on any path is in a closed state, the RC module connected to the path is connected to the transformer 11, and the RC module is selected as the working RC module, and other unselected RC modules do not work; when the conduction switch on the path is in an open state (or disconnected state), the RC module connected to the path is disconnected from the transformer 11, that is, the RC module does not work. For example Figure 4 , four paths are shown, each of which is provided with a conduction switch, which is used to conduct the transformer 11 and the RC module 13a, the transformer 11 and the RC module 13b, the transformer 11 and the RC module 13c, and the transformer 11 and the RC module 13d respectively.

[0059] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the resistance and capacitance values ​​of the RC module selected by the ultrasonic radar in each time period match the wave frequency that the ultrasonic radar needs to emit in that time period.

[0060] For example, the wave frequency f that the ultrasonic radar needs to transmit in any time period, the inductance L of the transformer 11 driving the wave, and the capacitance C of the RC module selected in the time period satisfy the following relationship:

[0061]

[0062] In this way, the actual transmission frequency f' of the ultrasonic radar in the time period can be close to or even equal to the transmission frequency f required by the ultrasonic radar in the time period.

[0063] Since the ultrasonic radar provided in the embodiment of the present application is provided with a plurality of RC modules with different resistance and capacitance values, and the ultrasonic radar switches different RC modules in different time periods through a switching circuit, it is ensured that the resistance and capacitance values ​​of the ultrasonic radar match the wave frequency band of the ultrasonic radar in each time period, thereby ensuring that the sound waves of the ultrasonic radar in each time period can accurately resonate, thereby improving the ranging capability of the ultrasonic radar (for example, increasing the maximum detection distance, reducing blind spots, etc.) and improving the ranging accuracy of the ultrasonic radar.

[0064] It should be noted that Figure 2 The ultrasonic radar shown takes three-way driver (DRV) signals (ie, DRV1, DRV2, DRV3) as an example, but is not limited thereto.

[0065] also, Figure 2 Only some components of the ultrasonic radar are shown, and the actual ultrasonic radar may also include other components. Figure 5 The ultrasonic radar may also include an ultrasonic probe 14 (probe 14 for short). The probe 14 may be composed of a piezoelectric chip, and is used to convert analog signals into ultrasonic signals and transmit ultrasonic signals, as well as receive ultrasonic signals returned from the outside (such as echo signals formed after the transmitted ultrasonic signals are reflected by external objects) and convert the ultrasonic signals into analog signals.

[0066] For a possible implementation, see Figure 6 The ultrasonic radar may further include a first controller 15. The first controller 15 is used to control the switch circuit 12 to conduct different RC modules and the transformer 11 in different time periods.

[0067] Specifically, the first controller 15 can connect different RC modules to the transformer 11 in different time periods according to the corresponding relationship between the time period and the RC module. Figure 3AFor example, the first controller controls the switch circuit 12 to conduct the transformer 11 and the RC module 13a in the time period t0-t1, and controls the switch circuit 12 to conduct the transformer 11 and the RC module 13b in the time period t1-t2. Alternatively, the first controller 15 can conduct different RC modules to the transformer 11 in different wave transmission frequency bands according to the corresponding relationship between the frequency band and the RC module, so as to Figure 3A For example, the first controller controls the switch circuit 12 to turn on the transformer 11 and the RC module 13a when the ultrasonic radar operates in the frequency band f0-f1, and controls the switch circuit 12 to turn on the transformer 11 and the RC module 13b when the ultrasonic radar operates in the frequency band f1-f2.

[0068] In a specific example, the first controller 15 sends a signal to the switch circuit 12 at the beginning or before each time period to instruct the transformer 11 to be turned on with the RC module 13 corresponding to each time period. For example, the wave transmission cycle includes a first time period and a second time period. The first controller 15 sends a first signal to the switch circuit 12 at the beginning or before the beginning of the first time period, and the first signal is used to instruct the transformer 11 to be turned on with the first RC module 13. The switch circuit 12 receives the first signal, and the switch circuit 12 turns on the transformer 11 with the first RC module 13 in the first time period according to the first signal; the first controller 15 sends a second signal to the switch circuit 12 at the beginning or before the beginning of the second time period, and the second signal is used to instruct the transformer 11 to be turned on with the second RC module 13. The switch circuit 12 receives the second signal, and the switch circuit 12 turns on the transformer 11 with the second RC module 13 in the second time period according to the second signal.

[0069] by Figure 3A Taking the wave transmission cycle shown in the figure as an example: the first controller 15 sends a signal 1 to the switch circuit 12 at time t0 to instruct the switch circuit 12 to connect the RC module 13a and the transformer 11. After receiving the signal 1, the switch circuit 12 connects the RC module 13a and the transformer 11; the first controller 15 sends a signal 2 to the switch circuit 12 at time t1 to instruct the switch circuit 12 to connect the RC module 13b and the transformer 11. After receiving the signal 2, the switch circuit 12 connects the RC module 13b and the transformer 11 and disconnects the RC module 13a from the transformer 11; the first controller 15 sends a signal 2 to the switch circuit 12 at time t1 to instruct the switch circuit 12 to connect the RC module 13b and the transformer 11, and disconnects the RC module 13a from the transformer 11. The first controller 15 sends a signal 3 to the switch circuit 12 at time t2 to instruct the switch circuit 12 to connect the RC module 13c and the transformer 11. After receiving the signal 3, the switch circuit 12 connects the RC module 13c and the transformer 11, and disconnects the RC module 13b from the transformer 11. The first controller 15 sends a signal 4 to the switch circuit 12 at time t3 to instruct the switch circuit 12 to connect the RC module 13d and the transformer 11. After receiving the signal 4, the switch circuit 12 connects the RC module 13d and the transformer 11, and disconnects the RC module 13c from the transformer 11.

[0070] In the specific implementation process, the switch circuit 12 can be connected to the pin (or called pin foot or pin, etc.) of the first controller 15. Among them, different paths in the switch circuit 12 are connected to the same pin foot of the first controller 15, and the first controller 15 sends different signals through the pin foot at different time periods to control the switch circuit 12 to turn on different RC modules, for example, sending "00" to turn on the RC module 13a, sending "01" to turn on the RC module 13b, sending "10" to turn on the RC module 13c, and sending "11" to turn on the RC module 13d; or, different paths in the switch circuit 12 are connected to different pin feet of the first controller 15, and the first controller 15 sends signals through different pin feet at different time periods to control the switch circuit 12 to turn on different RC modules, for example, sending "1" through pin foot 1 to turn on the RC module 13a, sending "1" through pin foot 2 to turn on the RC module 13b, sending "1" through pin foot 3 to turn on the RC module 13c, and sending "1" through pin foot 4 to turn on the RC module 13d.

[0071] In a specific implementation, the first controller 15 can be any device with processing capabilities, such as a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc.

[0072] For an example, see Fig. 7A , the first controller 15 is an ultrasonic radar controller, specifically, for example, an integrated circuit (IC) chip of the ultrasonic radar or a microprocessor (such as DSP, etc.) in the IC chip. In the embodiment of the present application, a program code for implementing the above method is built into the IC chip of the ultrasonic radar, and the IC chip controls the switch circuit 12 to select different RC modules at different times (or different frequency bands) by running the program code. It can be understood that in addition to controlling the switch circuit 12 to select different RC modules at different times (or different frequency bands), the IC chip also performs other functions, such as driving the ultrasonic radar to transmit ultrasonic signals, processing echo signals received by the ultrasonic radar, etc.

[0073] See also Figure 7B, is a schematic diagram of a possible IC chip, including analog data acquisition (ADA) unit, digital signal processing (DSP) unit, analog signal processing (ASP) unit, analog core supply (VDDA) unit, digital core supply (VDDD) unit, sensor driver supply voltage input (VTANK) unit, switches (such as S1, S2, S3, K1, K2), resistors (such as R1) and other devices. It can be understood that Figure 7B This is just an example of the structure of an IC chip, and the structure of an actual IC chip is not limited to this.

[0074] For another example, see Figure 7C The first controller 15 is a controller in the ultrasonic radar that is different from the ultrasonic radar controller. The first controller 15 is dedicated to controlling the switch circuit 12 to select different RC modules at different times (or different frequency bands), while the ultrasonic radar controller (such as an IC chip) still performs its original functions (such as driving the ultrasonic radar to transmit ultrasonic signals, processing echo signals received by the ultrasonic radar, etc.).

[0075] In some other embodiments, the first controller 15 is disposed outside the ultrasonic radar, that is, the ultrasonic radar may not include the first controller 15. The first controller 15 is connected to the switch circuit 12 in the ultrasonic radar. Fig.7D As shown, the first controller 15 is a controller different from the ultrasonic radar controller and is arranged outside the ultrasonic radar; or as shown in FIG. Fig. 7E As shown, the first controller 15 is an ultrasonic radar controller and the ultrasonic radar controller is arranged outside the ultrasonic radar. In this way, there is no need to change the internal structure or execution logic of the ultrasonic radar, and the implementation method is simple.

[0076] In the above implementation, the first controller 15 controls the switch circuit to switch to different RC modules in different time periods (ie, different transmission frequency bands), so that the ultrasonic radar can automatically switch the RC modules.

[0077] In a possible implementation, the first controller 15 also receives an instruction from the second controller 16 at the beginning of or before the start of the wave transmission cycle, and the instruction indicates the wave transmission frequency of the ultrasonic radar. In some embodiments, the instruction may also indicate the wave transmission type (such as a pilot signal or a chirp signal, etc.), and may also indicate the ultrasonic radar wave transmission, etc.

[0078] The first controller 15 divides the transmission period into at least two time periods according to the transmission frequency of the ultrasonic radar, and determines the correspondence between the at least two time periods and the at least two RC modules 13 (ie, determines the RC module corresponding to each time period).

[0079] by Figure 1 Taking the shown in-vehicle scenario as an example, the second controller 16 can be the vehicle's entire intelligent driving controller, such as a vehicle control unit (VCU), a cockpit domain controller (CDC), a mobile data center (MDC), or a vehicle integrated unit (VIU).

[0080] When the first controller 15 is an ultrasonic radar controller (such as an IC chip), the first controller 15 can be directly connected to the second controller 16, for example Fig. 8A FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic radar system provided in an embodiment of the present application, in which the first controller 15 receives instructions from the second controller 16. When the first controller 15 is a controller different from the ultrasonic radar controller, the first controller 15 can be connected to the ultrasonic radar controller, and the ultrasonic radar controller is connected to the second controller 16, for example Figure 8B FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another ultrasonic radar system provided in an embodiment of the present application. The ultrasonic radar controller receives instructions from the second controller 16 and sends the instructions to the first controller 15. It can be understood that Fig. 8A and Figure 8B The ultrasonic radar controller is set inside the ultrasonic radar as an example, but it is not limited to this.

[0081] In some embodiments, the first controller 15 can determine the start time of the wave-generating cycle based on the time when the instruction is received, for example, the time when the first controller 15 receives the instruction is the start time of the wave-generating cycle; or, the instruction received by the first controller 15 also carries a flag bit, which is used to indicate the start of the wave-generating cycle, and the first controller determines the start time of the wave-generating cycle based on the time when the flag bit is read, for example, the time when the first controller 15 reads the flag bit is the start time of the wave-generating cycle.

[0082] In some embodiments, the length of the wave transmission period of the ultrasonic radar is a fixed length and can be configured in advance in the first controller 15, for example, the wave transmission period is 2 ms.

[0083] In the above manner, the first controller 15 can poll different RC modules within the wave transmission period according to the instructions sent by the second controller 16, so as to achieve the effect that the ultrasonic radar automatically switches the RC modules according to the wave transmission frequency band.

[0084] It can be understood that the above and embodiment modes can be separate embodiments or can be combined with each other, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0085] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a control method, which is applied to the first controller 15 in the ultrasonic radar, see Fig. 9 , the method comprising:

[0086] S901, controlling the switch circuit 12 to conduct the transformer 11 and the first RC module of the at least two RC modules 13 in the first time period;

[0087] S902, controlling the switch circuit 12 to conduct the transformer 11 and the second RC module of the at least two RC modules 13 in the second time period;

[0088] The frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period.

[0089] For the specific implementation of the above method steps, please refer to the relevant description of the corresponding design of the first controller 15 in the above device embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0090] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a control device, which includes a control device for realizing Fig. 9 The modules, units or technical means of the method shown.

[0091] For example, see Fig.10 , is a structural schematic diagram of the control device, comprising: a processing unit 101, used to control the switch circuit to connect the transformer to the first RC module of at least two RC modules in a first time period; and control the switch circuit to connect the transformer to the second RC module of at least two RC modules in a second time period; wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period.

[0092] In a specific implementation, the processing unit 101 is used to: send a first signal to the switching circuit at the beginning of or before the beginning of the first time period, the first signal is used to indicate that the transformer and the first RC module are turned on; and send a second signal to the switching circuit at the beginning of or before the beginning of the second time period, the second signal is used to indicate that the transformer and the second RC module are turned on.

[0093] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic radar transmits ultrasonic waves within a wave transmission cycle, the wave transmission cycle includes at least two time periods, the at least two time periods correspond one-to-one to at least two RC modules, and the frequencies of ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic radar in any two of the at least two time periods are different; the at least two time periods include a first time period and a second time period, and the at least two RC modules include a first RC module and a second RC module; the processing unit 101 is used to: within the wave transmission cycle, at the beginning of or before the beginning of each of the at least two time periods, send a signal to the switching circuit to instruct the transformer to turn on the RC module corresponding to each time period.

[0094] Optionally, the control device may further include a transceiver unit 102, which is used to: receive an instruction from the second controller at the beginning of or before the wave transmission cycle, the instruction being used to indicate the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar during the wave transmission cycle. The processing unit 101 is also used to: determine at least two time periods according to the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar during the wave transmission cycle, and the corresponding relationship between the at least two time periods and the at least two RC modules.

[0095] In some embodiments, the processing unit 101 is further used to: determine the start time of the wave transmission cycle according to the time when the instruction is received. In other embodiments, the instruction carries a flag bit, and the processing unit 101 is further used to: determine the start time of the wave transmission cycle according to the time when the flag bit is read.

[0096] In one possible design, the wave transmission period includes a first time range and a second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time range increases with time, and the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time range decreases with time; at least two time periods belong to the first time range or the second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the third time period of the first time range is the same as the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the fourth time period of the second time range; the third time period and the fourth time period correspond to the same RC module.

[0097] Based on the same technical concept, the present application also provides a control device, see Fig.11 The control device includes: at least one processor 111 and an interface circuit 112; the interface circuit 112 is used to receive signals from other devices outside the device and transmit them to the processor 111 or send signals from the processor 111 to other devices outside the device, and the processor 111 is used to implement the following through logic circuits or executing code instructions: Fig. 9 The method shown.

[0098] It should be understood that the processor mentioned in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by hardware or by software. When implemented by hardware, the processor can be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, etc. When implemented by software, the processor can be a general-purpose processor implemented by reading software code stored in a memory.

[0099] Exemplarily, the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor may also be any conventional processor, etc.

[0100] It should be understood that the memory mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM) and direct memory bus random access memory (DirectRambus RAM, DR RAM).

[0101] It should be noted that when the processor is a general-purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, the memory (storage module) can be integrated into the processor.

[0102] It should be noted that the memory described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0103] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, including a program or an instruction, when the program or the instruction is executed on a computer, Fig. 9 The method shown is executed.

[0104] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product including instructions, wherein the computer program product stores instructions, and when the computer program product is run on a computer, Fig. 9 The method shown is executed.

[0105] Based on the same technical concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a terminal device, including the ultrasonic radar and / or control device described above. The terminal device can be a vehicle, a drone, a helicopter, an airplane, a ship, an intelligent transportation device, or a smart home device. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the terminal device.

[0106] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present application may be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, the present application may adopt the form of a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment, or an embodiment in combination with software and hardware. Moreover, the present application may adopt the form of a computer program product implemented in one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) that include computer-usable program code.

[0107] The present application is described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to the present application. It should be understood that each process and / or box in the flowchart and / or block diagram, as well as the combination of the processes and / or boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate instructions for implementing the processes in the flowchart and / or block diagram. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in a block or multiple blocks.

[0108] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture comprising an instruction device, which implements the process Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A function specified in one or more boxes.

[0109] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions for implementing the process. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps for the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0110] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the scope of protection of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic radar, characterized in that: The ultrasonic radar includes a transformer, a switch circuit, and at least two RC modules, wherein the RC modules include capacitors and resistors, and the resistance values ​​and / or capacitance values ​​of different RC modules in the at least two RC modules are different; The switch circuit is used to: conduct the transformer with a first RC module of the at least two RC modules in a first time period; and conduct the transformer with a second RC module of the at least two RC modules in a second time period; The frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period.

2. The ultrasonic radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultrasonic radar also includes a first controller; The first controller is used to: send a first signal to the switch circuit at the beginning of or before the beginning of the first time period, the first signal being used to instruct to conduct the transformer and the first RC module; the switch circuit is used to: receive the first signal, and conduct the transformer and the first RC module in the first time period according to the first signal; The first controller is also used to: send a second signal to the switching circuit at the beginning of or before the beginning of the second time period, the second signal being used to instruct to turn on the transformer and the second RC module; the switching circuit is used to: receive the second signal, and turn on the transformer and the second RC module in the second time period according to the second signal.

3. The ultrasonic radar according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ultrasonic radar transmits ultrasonic waves within a wave transmission cycle, the wave transmission cycle includes at least two time periods, the at least two time periods correspond to the at least two RC modules one by one, and the ultrasonic radar transmits ultrasonic waves at different frequencies in any two time periods of the at least two time periods; the at least two time periods include the first time period and the second time period, and the at least two RC modules include the first RC module and the second RC module; The first controller is used to: within the wave generation cycle, at the beginning of or before the beginning of each of the at least two time periods, send a signal to the switch circuit for instructing the transformer to be turned on with the RC module corresponding to each time period.

4. The ultrasonic radar according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first controller is also used for: At the beginning of or before the wave transmission period, receiving an instruction from a second controller, the instruction being used to instruct the frequency of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the ultrasonic radar during the wave transmission period; The at least two time periods and the corresponding relationship between the at least two time periods and the at least two RC modules are determined according to the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar within the wave emission period.

5. The ultrasonic radar according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first controller is further used to: determine the start time of the wave generation cycle according to the time when the instruction is received; or, The instruction carries a flag bit; the first controller is also used to: determine the start time of the wave transmission cycle according to the time when the flag bit is read.

6. The ultrasonic radar according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that: The wave transmission period includes a first time range and a second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time range increases with time, and the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time range decreases with time; the at least two time periods belong to the first time range or the second time range; The frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the third time period in the first time range is the same as the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the fourth time period in the second time range; The third time period and the fourth time period correspond to the same RC module.

7. A control method, characterized in that: A first controller applied to an ultrasonic radar, wherein the ultrasonic radar further comprises a transformer, a switch circuit, and at least two RC modules, wherein the RC modules comprise capacitors and resistors, and wherein different RC modules in the at least two RC modules have different resistance values ​​and / or capacitance values; The method comprises: Controlling the switch circuit to conduct the transformer and the first RC module of the at least two RC modules in a first time period; Controlling the switch circuit to conduct the transformer and the second RC module of the at least two RC modules in a second time period; The frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time period is different from the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time period.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that Controlling the switch circuit to conduct the transformer and the first RC module of the at least two RC modules in a first time period includes: Sending a first signal to the switch circuit at the beginning of or before the beginning of the first time period, wherein the first signal is used to instruct to conduct the transformer and the first RC module; Controlling the switch circuit to conduct the transformer and the second RC module of the at least two RC modules in the second time period includes: A second signal is sent to the switch circuit at the beginning of or before the beginning of the second time period, wherein the second signal is used to instruct to turn on the transformer and the second RC module.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The ultrasonic radar transmits ultrasonic waves within a wave transmission cycle, the wave transmission cycle includes at least two time periods, the at least two time periods correspond to the at least two RC modules one by one, and the ultrasonic radar transmits ultrasonic waves at different frequencies in any two time periods of the at least two time periods; the at least two time periods include the first time period and the second time period, and the at least two RC modules include the first RC module and the second RC module; The method further comprises: In the wave generation cycle, at the beginning of or before the beginning of each of the at least two time periods, a signal for instructing the transformer and the RC module corresponding to each time period to be turned on is sent to the switch circuit.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The method further comprises: At the beginning of or before the wave transmission period, receiving an instruction from a second controller, the instruction being used to instruct the frequency of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the ultrasonic radar during the wave transmission period; The at least two time periods and the corresponding relationship between the at least two time periods and the at least two RC modules are determined according to the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar within the wave emission period.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The method further includes: determining the start time of the wave transmission cycle according to the time when the instruction is received; or, The instruction carries a flag bit; the method further comprises: determining the start time of the wave transmission cycle according to the time when the flag bit is read.

12. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that: The wave transmission period includes a first time range and a second time range; the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the first time range increases with time, and the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the second time range decreases with time; the at least two time periods belong to the first time range or the second time range; The frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the third time period in the first time range is the same as the frequency of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic radar in the fourth time period in the second time range; The third time period and the fourth time period correspond to the same RC module.

13. A control device, characterized in that: Comprising modules for implementing the method as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12.

14. A control device, characterized in that: include: at least one processor and interface circuitry; The interface circuit is used to receive signals from other devices outside the device and transmit them to the processor or send signals from the processor to other devices outside the device. The processor implements the method as described in any one of claims 7 to 12 through logic circuits or executing code instructions.

15. A terminal device, characterized in that: It comprises the ultrasonic radar as described in any one of claims 1 to 6; or, it comprises the control device as described in claim 13; or, it comprises the control device as described in claim 14.

16. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The readable storage medium is used to store instructions, and when the instructions are executed, the method according to any one of claims 7 to 12 is implemented.

17. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product stores instructions, and when the computer program product is run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 7 to 12.

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