Apparatus, radar system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus, a radar system and a method. The invention proposes an apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to obtain radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine an amount of samples of interest in the radar data. The sample of interest has a value that meets a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine at least one of a presence of interference of the second radar sensor with the first radar sensor and a presence of a target in a field of view of the first radar sensor based on the amount of samples of interest detected in the radar data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to radar signal processing. Examples relate to an apparatus, a radar system, and a method. Background Art

[0002] When multiple radar sensors operate in close proximity, interferences between radar sensors may occur. These interferences may result in false or undetected targets. They can significantly affect the reliability and performance of radar-based detection. Therefore, improvements are needed to distinguish interferences from real targets. Summary of the invention

[0003] This need is met by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0004] Some aspects of the present disclosure are directed to an apparatus that includes processing circuitry configured to obtain radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor, determine an amount of samples of interest present in the radar data, the samples of interest having values ​​that satisfy a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold, and determine, based on the amount of samples of interest detected in the radar data, at least one of: the presence of interference from a second radar sensor with the first radar sensor, and the presence of a target in a field of view of the first radar sensor.

[0005] Some aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method that includes obtaining radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor, determining an amount of samples of interest present in the radar data, the samples of interest having values ​​that satisfy a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold, and determining, based on the amount of samples of interest detected in the radar data, at least one of: the presence of interference from a second radar sensor with the first radar sensor, and the presence of a target in a field of view of the first radar sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Some examples of apparatus and / or methods will be described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0007] Figure 1 An example of an apparatus is illustrated;

[0008] Figure 2a to Figure 2d A schematic diagram illustrating examples of amplitudes of radar signals for different jammer and target scenarios;

[0009] Figure 3a and Figure 3b A schematic diagram illustrating an example of the amount of samples of interest and the distinction between a target and interference based on the amount of samples of interest;

[0010] Figure 4 illustrates an example of a radar system; and

[0011] Figure 5 An example of a method is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Some examples are now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, other possible examples are not limited to the features of these embodiments described in detail. Other examples may include modifications of features and equivalents and substitutions of features. In addition, the terms used to describe some examples herein should not be limited to other possible examples.

[0013] Throughout the description of the figures, the same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements and / or features, which may be implemented in the same or modified form while providing the same or similar functions. The thickness of the lines, layers and / or regions in the figures may also be exaggerated for illustration.

[0014] When two elements A and B are combined using "or", this should be understood to disclose all possible combinations, i.e. only A, only B and A and B, unless otherwise explicitly defined in individual cases. As an alternative wording for the same combination, "at least one of A and B" or "A and / or B" can be used. The same applies to combinations of more than two elements.

[0015] If singular forms such as "a", "an" and "the" are used, and the use of only a single element is not explicitly or implicitly defined as mandatory, additional examples may also use several elements to implement the same functionality. If a function is described below as being implemented using multiple elements, additional examples may use a single element or a single processing entity to implement the same functionality. It is also to be understood that the terms "includes", "including", "comprises" and / or "comprising" when used describe the presence of specified features, wholes, steps, operations, processes, elements, components and / or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, processes, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0016] Figure 1An example of an apparatus 100 is illustrated. Apparatus 100 includes processing circuitry 110 and, optionally, interface circuitry 120. If interface circuitry 120 is present, interface circuitry 120 may be communicatively coupled (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection) to processing circuitry 110, e.g., for data exchange between interface circuitry 120 and processing circuitry 110. Interface circuitry 120 may also be configured to establish a (e.g., wired or wireless) signal connection with a first radar sensor 130 or with a data storage device storing radar data of first radar sensor 130, in order to receive the radar data.

[0017] Device 100 may be external to radar sensor 130 and communicatively coupled to radar sensor 130 or the data storage device. Figure 1 As an alternative to the example of , the device 100 may be (eg, partially or completely) integrated into the radar sensor 130. As described below with reference to Figure 5 As described, device 100 may be part of a radar system including radar sensor 130. If device 100 is integrated into radar sensor 130, device 100 may omit interface circuit device 120.

[0018] Interface circuit device 120 can be any device or component for transferring or exchanging data. For example, interface circuit device 120 can be a set of electronic components, circuits and / or subsystems for interacting between different interface entities (such as devices, systems or components). It can include voltage level shifters, buffers, amplifiers, filters, converters, multiplexers, demultiplexers and / or various other electronic components.

[0019] Processing circuit device 110 can be, for example, a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple individual processors (some or all of which can be shared), digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), microcontroller, or field programmable gate array (FPGA). Processing circuit device 110 can optionally be coupled to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and / or non-volatile memory, for example, for storing software.

[0020] Processing circuitry 110 is configured to obtain radar data indicative of a radar signal of first radar sensor 130. Processing circuitry 110 may receive the radar data, for example, via interface circuitry 120, or may directly access the radar data if processing circuitry 110 is integrated into first radar sensor 130. Additionally or alternatively, processing circuitry 110 may determine or generate the radar data, for example, by receiving the radar signal or a derivative thereof and sampling the signal using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

[0021] The first radar sensor 130 may be any electronic device for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, i.e., a radar transceiver. The first radar sensor 130 is configured to receive radar signals and optionally generate radar data based on the received radar signals. For example, the first radar sensor 130 may include a transmitter that generates and transmits electromagnetic waves (radar transmit signals) in a radio frequency band to the field of view of the first radar sensor 130 and a receiver that captures the above-mentioned radar signal (radar receive signal) emitted from the field of view. The radar signal may include an echo or reflection of the radar transmit signal reflected from an object in the field of view. The radar data may, for example, indicate an intermediate frequency signal, a baseband signal, or a Doppler shift signal derived from a radar receive signal and a reference frequency signal. The radar data may indicate samples of the signal, each sample including amplitude and / or phase information about the signal at a specific point in time.

[0022] However, the radar data may be impaired by so-called interference of a second, different radar sensor 140 with the first radar sensor 130. The second radar sensor 140 (of the same or different type as the first radar sensor 130) may be operated in the vicinity of the first radar sensor 130 at the same or similar radio frequency. If the radiation of the second radar sensor 140 is mistaken as an echo of the radar transmission signal of the first radar sensor 130, the radar signal (interference signal) emitted by the second radar sensor 140 may cause false targets in the radar data or falsely trigger motion detection in the analysis of the radar data generated by the first radar sensor 130. In some cases, interference may cause the first radar sensor 130 to be "blind", i.e. valid targets or target motions are not present at all or can no longer be correctly detected. For example, the interference signal of the second radar sensor 140 is so strong that the target (motion) signature in the recorded radar data is covered or masked by the interference signal signature during the interference, such as when the radar sensors are close to each other. In general, interference signals may disrupt the operation of the first radar sensor 130.

[0023] Interference or jamming may occur sporadically, for example, depending on the timing of the first radar sensor 130 and / or the second radar sensor 140. For example, two or one of the radar sensors 130, 140 may be a pulse Doppler radar sensor or a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar sensor. The first radar sensor 130 (victim) may alternatively be a Doppler radar sensor that is always on, and then, if the second radar sensor 140 (aggressor) is operated in a duty cycle, sporadic interference may still occur. When the aggressor is in the on state during sampling, interference at the victim may be detected. If both radar sensors 130, 140 are operated in a duty cycle, both are able to detect interference from their respective other radar sensors based on the techniques described herein. Both radar sensors may have their own RC oscillator to provide the timing of the radar pulses. For the two RC oscillators, the clocks may be asynchronous (run independently of each other) or at least not precisely synchronized, so interference may occur frequently but for a very short time.

[0024] An example of how interference can affect the radar signal of a (first) radar sensor is Figure 2a to Figure 2d shown. Figure 2a to Figure 2d It shows that only noise ( Figure 2a ), only targets that exist in the radar sensor's field of view ( Figure 2b ), interference only in the radar sensor's field of view ( Figure 2c ) and the presence of both the target and the interference in the radar sensor's field of view ( Figure 2d ) is an example of a diagram 200 of the amplitude of a radar signal varying over time in the case of a radar signal having a current of 0. The diagram 200 shows the amplitude (within the ADC full scale range) of an I sample 210 and a Q sample 220 (in time sequence) of the radar signal, respectively.

[0025] Schematic diagram 200 shows a measurement in which a first radar sensor (victim) is a pulse Doppler radar sensor (Doppler radar sensor in pulse mode, Doppler radar sensor operated with a duty cycle) in which an RC oscillator exhibits a frequency of 11.05 MHz. The interference is caused by a second radar sensor (aggressor) which is a pulse Doppler radar sensor based on an RC oscillator with a frequency of 11.21 MHz. The distance between the second radar sensor and the first radar sensor is approximately 1 meter. Both radar sensors operate with a pulse width of 10 microseconds and a pulse repetition time of 1000 microseconds. The first radar sensor is configured to have a duration of 300 milliseconds per frame and a number of samples per frame of 256 (sampling rate: 1 kHz). Target scene ( Figure 2b , Figure 2d ) is set as a person approaching the first radar sensor at walking speed.

[0026] exist Figure 2a In , the I sample 210 and the Q sample 220 only show a small variation of about 0.5 of the full scale range caused by noise. Figure 2b In FIG. 1 , the I samples 210 and Q samples 220 exhibit a relatively smooth sinusoidal pattern of signal deflections in both directions starting from 0.5 of the full scale range caused by the target or target motion. Figure 2c In , I samples 210 and Q samples 220 exhibit sporadic outliers, such as outlier 212 and outlier 222, with only one or a few consecutive samples standing out from the mainly constant noise floor, which is caused by interference. Figure 2d , I samples 210 and Q samples 220 generally exhibit a sinusoidal pattern, but with sporadic outliers, such as outlier 214 and outlier 224, which are caused by capturing the target and the jammer simultaneously.

[0027] Conventionally, outliers caused by interference (such as outlier 212 and outlier 222) will be misinterpreted as targets, or if the interference samples are simply discarded, the target will not be detected in the presence of interference (such as in Figure 2d ).

[0028] In contrast, Figure 1 The apparatus 100 can improve the detection and / or mitigation of interference and false targets. Further, the apparatus 100 can achieve the distinction between interference and real targets.

[0029] The processing circuit device 110 is configured to determine the amount (number) of samples of interest in the radar data. The samples of interest have values ​​that meet predetermined criteria relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold. For example, the samples of interest may indicate amplitudes having values ​​or slopes that meet predetermined criteria. For example, samples that exceed the noise floor or are outside the value interval of the noise in the radar signal may be considered samples of interest. The noise value interval may be determined heuristically, such as by trial and error for a specific target application or by statistical evaluation of random samples generated with known interference / target scenarios.

[0030] The predetermined criteria may indicate a mathematical relationship between the value of the sample and the amplitude threshold. If the mathematical relationship is determined to be true, the sample is considered to be a sample of interest (or not). For example, the predetermined criteria may indicate that the value must, for example, exceed, be lower than, or be equal to the amplitude threshold, or exhibit a certain value difference from the amplitude threshold, in order to classify the corresponding sample as a sample of interest. The amplitude threshold may include two amplitude thresholds marking the upper and lower limits of a value interval in which samples of no interest (i.e., samples that are not determined to be samples of interest) are reduced, such as a negative threshold and a positive threshold or a threshold above a reference (e.g., mean or median) amplitude value and a threshold below the reference amplitude value.

[0031] exist Figure 2a to Figure 2d In the example shown, a first amplitude threshold 230-1 and a second amplitude threshold 230-2 are shown. The thresholds 230-1 and 230-2 are set to 0.55 and 0.45 of the ADC full scale range, respectively. Figure 2a to Figure 2d In the example of , all I samples 210 and Q samples 220 having amplitudes above the first amplitude threshold 230-1 or below the second amplitude threshold 230-2 are considered as samples of interest 240-1 and 240-2. All samples between the two thresholds 230-1, 230-2 can be considered as samples of no interest.

[0032] In the case of noise only ( Figure 2a ), there is no sample of interest. Figure 2b ), the sinusoidal oscillation exceeds at least one of the thresholds 230-1 and 230-2, that is, most of the peaks and troughs of the sinusoidal oscillation are higher or lower than the thresholds 230-1 and 230-2. Figure 2b In the radar data shown, a large number of samples of interest 240 - 1 , 240 - 2 are expected.

[0033] In the case of interference only ( Figure 2c ), rare outliers (such as outliers 212, 222) exceed the thresholds 230-1, 230-2 and are therefore considered interesting samples 240-1, 240-2. In this case, it is expected that there will be a small number of interesting samples 240-1, 240-2. In the case of interference and target motion ( Figure 2d ), the outliers caused by interference (such as outliers 214, 224) and the oscillation caused by the target motion exceed the thresholds 230-1, 230-2. Therefore, both the outliers and the oscillation will lead to samples of interest 240-1, 240-2, thereby generating a large number of samples of interest 240-1, 240-2.

[0034] exist Figure 2a to Figure 2d In other examples shown, there may be any number of amplitude thresholds, such as only one amplitude threshold (e.g., above the noise floor or below the noise floor), one or two respective amplitude thresholds for I samples and Q samples, etc. Further, Figure 2a to Figure 2d The specific values ​​of the amplitude thresholds 230-1, 230-2 are for illustration purposes only. In other examples, the amplitude threshold(s) may be set to any other value. The amplitude threshold(s) may be determined, for example, heuristically for a target application.

[0035] Additionally or alternatively, processing circuitry 110 may be configured to determine an absolute value of a sample of radar data, and in response to determining that the absolute value of the sample exceeds a predetermined amplitude threshold, determine that the sample is a sample of interest. Figure 2a to Figure 2d Unlike the example shown, the sample with the deviation removed can be used as a basis, as further explained below. The sample can then deviate from the zero line to negative or positive values. In such cases, determining the absolute value can simplify the detection of samples of interest: only one amplitude threshold may be required - this amplitude threshold can mark both negative and positive differences to the zero line. For example, the value of the sample to be examined must exceed this difference value for the sample to be considered as a sample of interest.

[0036] Processing circuit device 110 may be configured to determine the number of samples of interest by determining how many samples of radar data have values ​​that meet a predetermined criterion, such as exceeding (and / or falling below) an amplitude threshold. That is, processing circuit device 110 may determine the number of samples by counting the occurrences of such examples.

[0037] For example, the number of samples of interest may be determined for one or more sample frames or a predetermined number of consecutive samples. In other words, determining the amount of samples of interest may be associated with a specific count of radar data frames or samples. A frame refers to a specific time window during which a certain number of samples are collected. For example, the processing circuit device 110 may determine (e.g., count) the number of samples of interest in a first frame, store the value and / or use it for additional processing, as described below. The processing circuit device 110 may then determine the number of samples of interest for a second frame, and similarly use it for additional radar data analysis. In this way, the number of samples of interest may be continuously updated for selected frames one after another.

[0038] In the case of frame-by-frame counting of samples of interest, processing complexity can be reduced because other analyses of the radar data (such as averaging out random noise) can also be performed in the frame. The determination of the number of samples can focus on a single or multiple frames, such as continuous frames. Alternatively, the processing circuit device 110 can take a set of (e.g., continuous) samples as the basis, for example, regardless of their position within the frame, and count the samples of interest among these samples. This may be beneficial for continuously monitoring the environment of the radar sensor or reducing delays because the processing circuit device 110 does not need to wait for the acquisition of a complete frame before initiating analysis. If the number of samples of interest exceeds a certain target threshold, the count can also be terminated. In general, the techniques described herein can provide adaptability of radar signal processing to different target applications when selecting whether to analyze samples and / or frames.

[0039] Processing circuit device 110 is also configured to determine at least one of the following based on the amount of samples of interest detected in the radar data: the presence of interference between second radar sensor 140 and first radar sensor 130, and the presence of a target in the field of view of first radar sensor 130. For example, processing circuit device 110 can determine whether the amount of samples of interest indicates the presence of a target or the exclusive presence of interference. A small number of samples of interest (e.g., per frame) above the noise floor can indicate an outlier or peak in the radar data, indicating the presence of interference. For a real target or target motion, it is expected that there may be a large number of samples of interest.

[0040] In this way, the apparatus 100 may provide signal processing techniques to improve mitigation of interference and its effects in radar data analysis.The proposed techniques may be based on outlier detection to handle (self)interference between RC oscillator based radar sensors (e.g. pulse Doppler and / or FMCW radar sensors).

[0041] A target threshold may be set to evaluate the amount of samples of interest. For example, the processing circuit device 110 may also be configured to determine the presence of a target in response to determining that at least one of the following satisfies one or more predetermined first criteria relative to the target threshold: the amount of samples of interest, and the ratio of the amount of samples of interest to a predetermined amount of samples in the radar data. That is, thresholding may be applied to the amount of samples of interest. The target threshold may be heuristically determined for a target application and / or based on the number of samples per frame, the timing of the first radar sensor 130, the sampling rate, and the like. If the sample amount or ratio exceeds (e.g., is higher than) the target threshold, it may be considered to indicate a target. Regardless of interference, the device 100 may be able to correctly detect the target using the target threshold, thereby preventing the first radar sensor 130 from being blinded.

[0042] For example, for a ratio, the amount of samples of interest may be related to the number of samples within a frame of radar data generated by first radar sensor 130. In this way, the amount of samples may be converted to a percentage value that is more generally applicable to different use cases of device 100—thus, the target threshold may not necessarily have to be adjusted if, for example, the number of samples per frame changes.

[0043] Optionally, several frames may be processed together to evaluate whether a target exists. For example, a first criterion may have to be met for at least a predefined number of consecutive frames of radar data. For example, the presence of a target is assumed only when each of the consecutive frames or a predefined number of frames in the consecutive frames indicates that the first criterion is met (e.g., the amount of samples of interest in the frame exceeds the target threshold). Optionally, a sliding window may be applied to a certain number y≥2 of consecutive frames: only when at least x≥1 (e.g., 2) of y (e.g., 5) consecutive frames meet the first criterion can the final determination of the presence of target motion be output. By processing blocks of frames together, such as by averaging or fusing information from adjacent frames, the device 100 can compensate for outliers caused by randomly occurring interference within a frame and accurately distinguish interference from true targets.

[0044] Additionally or alternatively, interference may be explicitly searched for. For example, the processing circuit device 110 may be configured to determine that interference exists and no target exists for the second radar sensor 140 in response to determining that at least one of the following satisfies one or more predetermined second criteria relative to the target threshold: the amount of samples of interest, and the ratio of the amount of samples of interest to a predetermined amount of samples in the radar data. For example, the second criterion may include that the amount of samples of interest is greater than 0 but less than the target threshold. This may be conducive to taking additional measures when interference is detected - for example, outputting a warning signal, changing the operating mode of the first radar sensor 130 for interference mitigation, etc.

[0045] In some examples, interference and target detection can be combined: for example, as a first step, the number of respective samples of interest is determined in each of a certain number of consecutive frames using an amplitude threshold TH1. In a second step, the processing circuit device 110 can determine whether the amount of samples of interest or the ratio (percentage) of the amount of samples of interest to the samples of each frame meets a first criterion or a second criterion relative to a target threshold TH2. The third step can be to evaluate the output of the second step: if the number / percentage of samples of interest meets the second criterion (for example, if it is greater than 0 but less than TH2), interference can be considered to exist, which may be an optional output of the device 100. If the amount / percentage of samples of interest meets the first criterion (for example, if it is greater than or equal to TH2), it can be considered that a target or target motion is detected.

[0046] Examples of this type of interference / target detection are Figure 3a and Figure 3b shown. Figure 3a and Figure 3bExamples of a first schematic diagram 300a and a second schematic diagram 300b are shown, respectively. The first schematic diagram 300a illustrates a ratio 310 of the amount of samples of interest in 200 frames of radar data to the total number of samples per frame. The second schematic diagram 300b illustrates an output 320 of interference / target detection for the ratio 310 of the first schematic diagram 300a. The output 320 is set to 1 when only interference is detected and is set to 2 when target motion is detected. Figure 3a and Figure 3b In the example of , the target threshold 330 is set to 5%. For frames where the ratio 310 of the frame is greater than 0 and less than the target threshold 330, "only interference" is assumed. For frames where the ratio 310 in the frame is greater than the target threshold 330, it is assumed that target motion exists. Figure 3a and Figure 3b It is shown that in the presence of interference, target motion can still be detected, and in the case of interference alone, false targets are suppressed.

[0047] Return to reference Figure 1 In order to keep the complexity of the data processing performed by the device 100 low, the radar data can optionally be kept in the original data state or only slightly modified. For example, the IQ representation of the radar data can be used directly to determine the amount of samples of interest. In such cases, the processing circuit device 110 can be configured to determine the amount of samples of interest for each of the I samples and Q samples of the radar data. The processing circuit device 110 can then determine at least one of the presence of interference and the presence of a target based on the amount of samples of interest determined for the I samples and the Q samples. The evaluation of the sample amount can be performed independently for the I samples and the Q samples, for example, when at least one of the I samples and the Q samples indicates the presence of a target or only when both the I samples and the Q samples indicate the presence of a target, the final evaluation can be the presence of a target. Alternatively, the amount of samples of interest for each of the I samples and the Q samples can be processed together, for example, the amount can be added as the total amount of samples of interest, and the total amount can be evaluated using a target threshold.

[0048] In some examples, the processing circuit device 110 can be configured to determine the amount of samples of interest in a baseband signal of the radar signal. For example, the radar data can indicate a baseband signal. The baseband signal refers to a signal obtained by, for example, down-converting or mixing the radar signal received by the first radar sensor 130. For example, the baseband signal can represent the conversion of a radio frequency radar signal to a lower frequency signal. The baseband signal can be a time domain representation of the radar signal. The baseband signal can include information about the signal strength (amplitude) of the radar signal and the phase or Doppler shift of the radar signal.

[0049] The processing circuit device 110 may optionally preprocess the (digital representation of) the baseband signal to improve interference and / or target detection. For example, the processing circuit device 110 may be configured to remove or attenuate the (amplitude) offset of the baseband signal, and determine the number of samples of interest using an amplitude threshold in the baseband signal from which the offset is removed. That is, the number of samples of interest may be determined from samples of modified radar data indicating the baseband signal from which the offset is removed. This may enable the absolute value of the sample to be used to determine whether the sample is a sample of interest. In this way, only one value of the amplitude threshold must be set, rather than providing upper and lower limits for marking samples of interest. Therefore, preprocessing may simplify sample evaluation.

[0050] The processing circuit device 110 may use any technique for removing or attenuating the deviation. For example, the processing circuit device 110 may be configured to determine the deviation by determining at least one of the following: the median of the baseband signal, the average of the baseband signal, the median of a predefined number of samples of the baseband signal (e.g., the first z≥2 samples or the first 3 or 5 samples), and the average of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) output of the first radar sensor 130. For example, the deviation may be determined for each frame of the baseband signal. The processing circuit device 110 may then, for example, subtract the determined deviation from the amplitude of the sample. In the case of separate I / Q processing, the processing circuit device 110 may subtract separate (respective) deviations from the corresponding I samples or Q samples of the baseband signal.

[0051] In summary, apparatus 100 can reduce false motion detections of first radar sensor 130 caused by other radar sensors 140 operating in the same frequency region. This can improve the performance of the target application of first radar sensor 130, reduce power consumption of radar systems coupled to first radar sensor 130 that is permanently falsely awakened, and enable undisturbed use of multiple radar sensors, such as in the same room or location.

[0052] Figure 4 An example of a radar system 400 is illustrated. Radar system 400 includes an apparatus 410 described herein, such as apparatus 100, and a first radar sensor 420. Radar sensor 420 is configured to receive radar signals and generate radar data based on the received radar signals.

[0053] Although device 410 and first radar sensor 420 are Figure 4 4 is depicted as a separate box, but in other examples, device 410 may be partially or fully included in first radar sensor 420, which in turn includes all or part of the processing circuit device of device 410 (e.g., processing circuit device 110).

[0054] If device 410 is only partially included in first radar sensor 420, radar system 400 may include distributed processing circuit devices that perform various parts of the processing steps, for example in the form of a first processing (sub-)circuit device included in first radar sensor 420 and a second processing (sub-)circuit device that is external to the sensor and communicates with the first processing circuit device via an interface circuit device (e.g. interface circuit device 120), for example for exchanging data between the first processing circuit device and the second processing circuit device.

[0055] If arrangement 410 is integrated in first radar sensor 420 , processing circuitry and first radar sensor 420 may be integrated together in a single semiconductor chip or in more than one semiconductor chip.

[0056] If apparatus 410 is not included in first radar sensor 420 , the processing circuitry may take the form of circuitry external to first radar sensor 420 and may be communicatively coupled thereto via interface circuitry.

[0057] For example, the first radar sensor 420 may be a Doppler radar sensor in pulse mode (a pulse Doppler radar sensor, a Doppler radar sensor operating in a duty cycle). That is, the radar sensor 420 may be a Doppler radar sensor that is not continuously turned on (e.g., essentially emitting single-frequency radiation), but rather emitting short "pulses" when samples are needed to save power. Therefore, the radar sensor 420 may be operated in a duty cycle, i.e., having a duty cycle (ratio between pulse duration or pulse width and period or pulse repetition interval) of less than 1. In such a radar sensor, (short duration) radar pulses are transmitted, for example, in the form of pulse trains or packets. These radar pulses are reflected by objects in the radar's field of view, including stationary targets and moving targets. The first radar sensor 420 then receives the reflected signal (echo) and generates a radar (received) signal based on the received echo. By analyzing the Doppler shift of the returned signal, it can determine the speed of the target relative to the first radar sensor 420. For example, the radar system 400 can determine the presence of a person based on the velocity signature in the radar signal.

[0058] First radar sensor 420 may alternatively be a Doppler radar sensor that is always on, then sporadic interference may still occur if a second, different radar sensor (aggressor) is duty cycled. When the second radar sensor is on during sampling, interference at first radar sensor 420 may be detected. If both radar sensors are cycled, both are able to detect interference from the respective other radar sensor based on the techniques described herein.

[0059] The first radar sensor 420 may include an optional RC oscillator configured to output a clock signal for transmitting the radar signal. The pulse repetition interval of the radar signal may be based on the clock signal. In other words, the clock signal may provide a timing operation for the pulse repetition interval. For example, the start of the pulse repetition interval may be set by counting a predefined number of pulses (e.g., a falling edge or a rising edge) of the clock signal.

[0060] Radar system 400 may also include a main processing circuit device external to the processing circuit device of device 410. For example, if an object or object motion is detected, the processing circuit device of device 410 may trigger activation or wake-up of the main processing circuit device. The main processing circuit device may then perform additional and more complex processing on the radar data, such as Fourier transforms, etc.

[0061] Further details and aspects of the radar system 400 are described in conjunction with the proposed technology or one or more of the examples described above, for example, with reference to Figure 1 The radar system 400 may include one or more additional optional features corresponding to one or more aspects of the proposed technology or one or more of the examples described above.

[0062] Figure 5 An example of a method 500 is illustrated. The method 500 may be performed by an apparatus described herein, such as the apparatus 100. The method 500 includes obtaining 510 radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor and determining 520 an amount of samples of interest present in the radar data. The samples of interest have values ​​that satisfy a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold. The method 500 also includes determining 530 at least one of the following based on the amount of samples of interest detected in the radar data: the presence of interference of a second radar sensor with the first radar sensor, and the presence of a target in a field of view of the first radar sensor.

[0063] Further details and aspects of the method 500 are described in conjunction with the proposed technology or one or more of the above examples, for example, with reference to Figure 1 The method 500 may include one or more additional optional features corresponding to one or more aspects of the proposed technology or one or more examples described above.

[0064] In the following, some examples of the proposed technique are presented:

[0065] An example (e.g., Example 1) relates to an apparatus comprising a processing circuit device configured to obtain radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor, determine a quantity of samples of interest present in the radar data, the samples of interest having values ​​that satisfy a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold, and based on the quantity of samples of interest detected in the radar data, determine at least one of: the presence of interference from a second radar sensor with the first radar sensor, and the presence of a target in a field of view of the first radar sensor.

[0066] Another example (e.g., Example 2) relates to the previous example (e.g., Example 1) or any other example, and also includes the processing circuit device being further configured to determine target presence in response to determining that at least one of the following satisfies one or more predetermined first criteria relative to a target threshold: the amount of samples of interest, and the ratio of the amount of samples of interest to a predetermined sample amount in the radar data.

[0067] Another example (e.g., Example 3) relates to the previous example (e.g., one of Examples 1 or 2) or any other example, and also includes a processing circuit device configured to determine that interference exists and no target exists for the second radar sensor in response to determining that at least one of the following satisfies one or more predetermined second criteria relative to a target threshold: the amount of samples of interest, and the ratio of the amount of samples of interest to a predetermined sample amount in the radar data.

[0068] Another example (eg, Example 4) relates to the previous example (eg, Example 2) or any other example, further comprising that the first criterion is satisfied for at least a predefined number of consecutive frames of radar data.

[0069] Another example (e.g., Example 5) relates to the previous example (e.g., one of Examples 1 to 4) or any other example, and also includes the processing circuit device being configured to determine the number of samples of interest by determining how many samples of the radar data have values ​​exceeding an amplitude threshold.

[0070] Another example (e.g., Example 6) relates to the previous example (e.g., one of Examples 1 to 5) or any other example, and also includes a processing circuit device configured to determine an absolute value of a sample of radar data, and in response to determining that the absolute value of the sample exceeds a predetermined amplitude threshold, determine that the sample is a sample of interest.

[0071] Another example (e.g., Example 7) relates to the previous example (e.g., one of Examples 1 to 6) or any other example, and also includes the processing circuit device being configured to determine the quantity of samples of interest of respective I samples and Q samples of the radar data.

[0072] Another example (eg, Example 8) relates to the previous example (eg, one of Examples 1 to 7) or any other example, and also includes the processing circuit device being configured to determine the amount of samples of interest in the baseband signal of the radar signal.

[0073] Another example (e.g., Example 9) relates to the previous example (e.g., Example 8) or any other example, and also includes a processing circuit device configured to remove or attenuate deviations of a baseband signal and determine the number of samples of interest using an amplitude threshold in the baseband signal from which the deviations have been removed.

[0074] Another example (e.g., Example 10) relates to the previous example (e.g., Example 9) or any other example, and also includes a processing circuit device configured to determine the deviation by determining at least one of the following: a median of the baseband signal, an average of the baseband signal, a median of a predefined number of samples of the baseband signal, and an average of the analog-to-digital converter output of the first radar sensor.

[0075] An example (eg, Example 11) relates to a radar system comprising an apparatus according to any one of the preceding examples and a first radar sensor, wherein the first radar sensor is configured to receive a radar signal and generate radar data based on the received radar signal.

[0076] Another example (eg, Example 12) relates to the previous example (eg, Example 11) or any other example, and further includes that the first radar sensor is a Doppler radar sensor.

[0077] Another example (eg, Example 13) relates to the previous example (eg, Example 11 or 12), further including that the first radar sensor includes an RC oscillator configured to output a clock signal for transmitting the radar signal.

[0078] An example (e.g., Example 14) relates to a method that includes obtaining radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor, determining a quantity of samples of interest present in the radar data, the samples of interest having values ​​that satisfy a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold, and based on the quantity of samples of interest detected in the radar data, determining at least one of: the presence of interference from a second radar sensor with the first radar sensor, and the presence of a target in a field of view of the first radar sensor.

[0079] Another example (eg, Example 15) relates to a non-transitory machine-readable medium having a program stored thereon, the program having program code for performing the method of Example 14 when the program is executed on a processor or programmable hardware.

[0080] Another example (eg, Example 16) relates to a program having a program code for performing the method of Example 14 when the program is executed on a processor or programmable hardware.

[0081] The aspects and features described with respect to a specific example in the preceding examples may also be combined with one or more of the other examples to replace the same or similar features of the other examples or to additionally introduce features into the other examples.

[0082] The example may also be or relate to a (computer) program, including a program code, which is used to perform one or more of the above methods when the program is executed on a computer, a processor or other programmable hardware component. Therefore, the steps, operations or processes of the different methods in the above method may also be performed by a programmed computer, a processor or other programmable hardware component. The example may also cover a program storage device, such as a digital data storage medium, which is readable by a machine, a processor or a computer, and encodes and / or contains machine-executable, processor-executable or computer-executable programs and instructions. For example, the program storage device may include or may be a digital storage device, a magnetic storage medium (such as a disk and a tape), a hard drive or an optically readable digital data storage medium. Other examples may also include a computer, a processor, a control unit, a (field) programmable logic array ((F)PLA), a (field) programmable gate array ((F)PGA), a graphics processor unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an integrated circuit (IC) or a system on a chip (SoC) system, which is programmed to perform the steps of the above method.

[0083] It should also be understood that the disclosure of several steps, processes, operations or functions disclosed in the specification or claims should not be interpreted as implying that these operations necessarily depend on the order described, unless explicitly stated in individual cases or necessary for technical reasons. Therefore, the foregoing description does not limit the execution of several steps or functions to a certain order. In addition, in other examples, a single step, function, process or operation may include and / or be decomposed into several sub-steps, sub-functions, sub-processes or sub-operations.

[0084] If certain aspects have been described with respect to a device or system, these aspects should also be understood as descriptions of corresponding methods. For example, a block, device, or functional aspect of a device or system may correspond to a feature of a corresponding method, such as a method step. Therefore, aspects described with respect to a method should be understood as descriptions of properties or functional features of a corresponding block, corresponding element, corresponding device, or corresponding system.

[0085] The following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, where each claim may stand alone as a separate example. It should also be noted that although in the claims a dependent claim refers to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other examples may also include a combination of a dependent claim with the subject matter of any other dependent or independent claim. Such combinations are explicitly proposed herein, unless otherwise stated in individual cases where a specific combination is not intended. In addition, features of a claim shall also be included by any other independent claim, even if the claim is not directly defined as dependent on the other independent claim.

Claims

1. A device (100), comprising a processing circuit device (110), configured to: obtaining radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor (130); determining an amount of samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) present in the radar data, the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) having values ​​that meet a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold (230-1, 230-2); and Based on the amount of the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) detected in the radar data, at least one of the following is determined: the presence of interference between the second radar sensor (140) and the first radar sensor (130), and the presence of a target in the field of view of the first radar sensor (130).

2. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit device (110) is further configured to determine target presence in response to determining that at least one of the following satisfies one or more predetermined first criteria relative to a target threshold (330): an amount of the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2), and a ratio of the amount of the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) relative to a predetermined sample amount in the radar data.

3. An apparatus (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit device (110) is configured to determine that interference is present and no target is present at the second radar sensor (140) in response to determining that at least one of the following satisfies one or more predetermined second criteria relative to a target threshold (330): an amount of the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2), and a ratio of the amount of the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) to a predetermined sample amount in the radar data.

4. The apparatus (100) of claim 2, wherein the first criterion is met for at least a predefined number of consecutive frames of the radar data.

5. The apparatus (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuitry (110) is configured to determine the number of samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) by determining how many samples of the radar data have values ​​exceeding the amplitude threshold (230-1, 230-2).

6. An apparatus (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit device (110) is configured to: determine an absolute value of a sample of the radar data, and in response to determining that the absolute value of the sample exceeds the predetermined amplitude threshold (230-1, 230-2), determine that the sample is a sample of interest.

7. The apparatus (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the processing circuit arrangement (110) is configured to determine a quantity of samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) of respective ones of the I samples and the Q samples of the radar data.

8. The apparatus (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit arrangement (110) is configured to determine an amount of the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) in a baseband signal of the radar signal.

9. The apparatus (100) of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit device (110) is configured to remove or attenuate the deviation of the baseband signal and to determine the number of samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) using the amplitude threshold (230-1, 230-2) in the baseband signal from which the deviation has been removed.

10. The apparatus (100) of claim 9, wherein the processing circuit device (110) is configured to determine the deviation by determining at least one of: a median value of the baseband signal, an average value of the baseband signal, a median value of a predefined number of samples of the baseband signal, and a median value of an analog-to-digital converter output of the first radar sensor (130).

11. A radar system (400), comprising: An apparatus (410) according to any one of the preceding claims; as well as The first radar sensor (420), wherein the first radar sensor (420) is configured to receive the radar signal and generate the radar data based on the received radar signal.

12. The radar system (400) of claim 11, wherein the first radar sensor (420) is a Doppler radar sensor.

13. The radar system (400) according to any one of claims 11 or 12, wherein the first radar sensor (420) comprises an RC oscillator configured to output a clock signal for transmitting the radar signal.

14. A method (500), comprising: obtaining ( 510 ) radar data indicative of a radar signal of a first radar sensor; determining (520) a quantity of samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) present in the radar data, the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) having values ​​that satisfy a predetermined criterion relative to a predetermined amplitude threshold (230-1, 230-2); as well as Based on the amount of the samples of interest (240-1, 240-2) detected in the radar data, at least one of the following is determined (530): the presence of interference from a second radar sensor with the first radar sensor and the presence of a target in a field of view of the first radar sensor.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having a program stored thereon, the program having a program code for performing the method according to claim 14 when the program is executed on a processor or programmable hardware.

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