Radar window heating module, vehicle-mounted radar, method, device and vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a radar window heating module, a vehicle-mounted radar, a method, a device and a vehicle, and relates to the technical field of vehicles, the radar window heating module comprises a control module, a heating wire and a conductive electrode, and the vehicle-mounted radar comprises a window; the control module is electrically connected with the conductive electrode, the conductive electrode is electrically connected with the heating wire, and the heating wire is arranged in a non-light-emitting area of the window; and the control module is used for controlling the heating wire to heat under the condition that the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold value and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold value. Compared with the prior art, according to the embodiment of the invention, by receiving the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar, under the condition of determining that the energy value of the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar is in the abnormal state, the heating function is automatically started to heat the window, so that frost and fog on the surface of the window can be efficiently removed in real time, and the user experience is improved. And the vehicle-mounted radar can normally identify the road condition information in the vehicle driving process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a radar window heating module, vehicle-mounted radar, method, apparatus and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread application of automotive LiDAR in autonomous driving, advanced driver assistance systems and other fields, its performance stability under adverse weather conditions has become increasingly important. Existing automotive LiDAR windows (usually made of glass or plastic) often frost or fog up when encountering adverse weather conditions such as rain, fog, and snow. This can seriously affect the performance and accuracy of the LiDAR. Therefore, effective and reliable methods for defrosting and defogging automotive LiDAR windows are particularly important.

[0003] However, existing methods for defrosting and defogging the lidar window generally employ an independent cleaning brush structure with a handle. The brush head, which is in contact with the lidar window, is dipped in cleaning fluid and the window is cleaned manually. This method has a low degree of automation, requires manual intervention, and is prone to damaging the window. Furthermore, the frost and fog on the window cannot be cleaned in time while the vehicle is in motion, which cannot avoid affecting the lidar point cloud performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a radar window heating module, vehicle-mounted radar, method, apparatus, and vehicle. Its main objective is to address the problems of existing window defrosting and defogging methods, which suffer from low automation, require manual intervention, are prone to damaging the window, and cannot effectively clean frost and fog from the window while the vehicle is in motion, thus affecting the performance of the lidar point cloud and consequently impacting the perception capabilities of autonomous driving.

[0005] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a radar window heating module is provided, wherein the module is applied to an automotive radar and includes: a control module, a heating wire and a conductive electrode, wherein the automotive radar includes a window;

[0006] The control module is electrically connected to the conductive electrode, which is electrically connected to the heating wire. The heating wire is located in the non-light-emitting area of ​​the window.

[0007] The control module is also used to control the heating wire to heat when the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold.

[0008] Optionally, the window includes a light-emitting area, and the heating wire is disposed at the periphery of the light-emitting area and placed between the substrate and the hardened film of the window.

[0009] Optionally, the window may further include a dense heating wire area adjacent to the light-emitting area, wherein the heating wires are arranged in a serpentine pattern in the dense heating wire area.

[0010] Optionally, the radar window heating module further includes: a temperature sensor.

[0011] The temperature sensor is used to collect the temperature of the window.

[0012] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle-mounted radar is provided, wherein the vehicle-mounted radar includes a radar window heating module as described in the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0013] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a radar window heating method is provided, wherein the method is applied to an automotive radar and includes:

[0014] The signal value of the echo signal from the vehicle's onboard radar and the environmental information of the target vehicle are acquired; wherein, the environmental information includes the rainfall value in the environment in which the target vehicle is located.

[0015] When the energy value is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold, the window of the vehicle radar is heated.

[0016] Optionally, the heating treatment of the window of the vehicle-mounted radar includes:

[0017] Obtain the first temperature of the viewing window and the second temperature of the internal circuit board of the vehicle radar;

[0018] If the second temperature is less than the first preset temperature threshold, determine whether the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold;

[0019] If the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold, the window is heated by a first preset heating mode; wherein, the first preset heating mode is used to concentrate the temperature of the heating wire on the surface of the window.

[0020] If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature threshold, the window is heated using a second preset heating mode; wherein, the second preset heating mode is used to maintain the first temperature of the window;

[0021] When the second temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature threshold, the window is heated by a third preset heating mode, wherein the third preset heating mode is used to heat the window by driving the hot airflow inside the vehicle radar.

[0022] Optionally, the step of heating the window using a first preset heating mode includes:

[0023] The heating wire is controlled to heat at a first heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a first speed;

[0024] The heating process of the window using the second preset heating mode includes:

[0025] The heating wire is controlled to heat at a second heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a second speed; wherein the second heating power is less than the first heating power, and the second speed is greater than the first speed;

[0026] The heating process of the window using the third preset heating mode includes:

[0027] The heating wire is controlled to stop heating, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a third speed, wherein the third speed is greater than the first speed.

[0028] Optionally, after heating the window of the vehicle-mounted radar, the method further includes:

[0029] Obtain the heating time of the window;

[0030] If the heating time is less than a preset time threshold, determine whether the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold, and determine whether to stop heating the window of the vehicle radar based on the determination result.

[0031] If the heating time is greater than or equal to a preset time threshold, the heating process on the window of the vehicle radar is stopped.

[0032] Optionally, determining whether to stop the heating process on the window based on the judgment result includes:

[0033] If the energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy threshold, the window will continue to be heated.

[0034] If the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold, the heating process on the window will be stopped.

[0035] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a radar window heating device is provided, comprising:

[0036] An acquisition unit is used to acquire the energy value of the echo signal from the vehicle-mounted radar of the target vehicle and the environmental information of the target vehicle; wherein, the environmental information includes the rainfall value in the environment where the target vehicle is located.

[0037] A heating unit is used to heat the window of the vehicle-mounted radar when the energy value is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold.

[0038] Optionally, the heating unit includes:

[0039] The acquisition module is used to acquire the first temperature of the window and the second temperature of the internal circuit board of the vehicle radar;

[0040] The judgment module is used to determine whether the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold when the second temperature is less than the first preset temperature threshold.

[0041] The control module is used to heat the window through a first preset heating mode when the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold; wherein, the first preset heating mode is used to concentrate the temperature of the heating wire on the surface of the window.

[0042] The control module is further configured to heat the window using a second preset heating mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature threshold; wherein the second preset heating mode is used to maintain the first temperature of the window;

[0043] The control module is further configured to heat the window using a third preset heating mode when the second temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature threshold, wherein the third preset heating mode is configured to heat the window by driving the hot airflow inside the vehicle radar.

[0044] Optionally, the control module is further configured to:

[0045] The heating wire is controlled to heat at a first heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a first speed;

[0046] The heating wire is controlled to heat at a second heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a second speed; wherein the second heating power is less than the first heating power, and the second speed is greater than the first speed;

[0047] The heating wire is controlled to stop heating, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a third speed, wherein the third speed is greater than the first speed.

[0048] Optionally, the acquisition unit is further configured to acquire the heating time of the window;

[0049] The device further includes:

[0050] The determination unit is used to determine whether the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold when the heating time is less than the preset time threshold.

[0051] A stop unit is used to determine whether to stop the heating process of the window based on the judgment result;

[0052] The stop unit is further configured to stop heating the window when the heating time is greater than or equal to a preset time threshold.

[0053] Optionally, the heating unit is further configured to continue heating the window when the energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy threshold.

[0054] The stop unit is also used to stop heating the window when the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold.

[0055] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, wherein the vehicle includes an onboard radar as described in a second aspect of this disclosure and a radar window heating device as described in a fourth aspect of this disclosure.

[0056] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided, comprising:

[0057] At least one processor; and

[0058] A memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein,

[0059] The memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the method described in the first aspect above.

[0060] According to a seventh aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided storing computer instructions, wherein the computer instructions are configured to cause the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect above.

[0061] According to the eighth aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in the first aspect above.

[0062] This disclosure provides a radar window heating module, vehicle-mounted radar, method, apparatus, and vehicle, comprising: a control module, a heating wire, and a conductive electrode. The vehicle-mounted radar includes a window. The control module is electrically connected to the conductive electrode, and the conductive electrode is electrically connected to the heating wire. The heating wire is disposed in the non-light-emitting area of ​​the window. The control module is used to control the heating wire to heat when the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold. Compared with related technologies, this disclosure, by receiving the echo signal from the vehicle-mounted radar, automatically activates the heating function to heat the window when it is determined that the energy value of the echo signal from the vehicle-mounted radar is abnormal. This can efficiently remove frost and fog from the window surface in real time, ensuring that the vehicle-mounted radar can normally identify road condition information while the vehicle is in motion.

[0063] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this application, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this application. Other features of this application will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0064] The accompanying drawings are provided to better understand this solution and do not constitute a limitation of this disclosure. Wherein:

[0065] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of a radar window heating module provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0066] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a window provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0067] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrating a radar window heating method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0068] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a radar window heating device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0069] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another radar window heating device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0070] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0071] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, including various details of the embodiments to aid understanding, and should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0072] The radar window heating module, vehicle radar, method, apparatus, and vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0073] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a radar window heating module provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the module being applied to vehicle radar.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a control module 16, a heating wire 13 and a conductive electrode 14, and the vehicle radar 11 includes a viewing window 12;

[0075] The control module 16 is electrically connected to the conductive electrode 14, and the conductive electrode 14 is electrically connected to the heating wire 13. The heating wire 13 is arranged in the non-light-emitting area of ​​the viewing window 12.

[0076] The control module 16 is further configured to control the heating wire 13 to heat when the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold.

[0077] The vehicle-mounted radar also includes a rotating mirror 18, and the control module 16 also includes a heating control unit 161 and a vehicle body domain controller 162. The heating control unit 161 and the vehicle body domain controller 162 are used to control the start and stop of the heating function. The control module 16 is electrically connected to the vehicle-mounted radar 11, the heating wire 13, and the rotating mirror 18 through a conductive line 15. The rotating mirror 18 is used to assist the heating wire 13 in heating the window 12.

[0078] It should be noted that when determining whether to activate heating, the control module 16 first acquires the echo signal received by the vehicle radar 11 through the radar window 12. Then, based on the peak and trough data of the echo signal, as well as the fitted waveform center data and centroid data of the echo signal, it calculates the energy value of the echo signal using a preset signal algorithm. Simultaneously, it acquires the rainfall value. Then, it compares the energy value with a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value with a preset rainfall threshold to determine whether to activate heating. Specifically, the threshold judgment process can be executed by the vehicle domain controller 162 or by the heating control unit 161. This embodiment does not impose any limitations.

[0079] In the embodiments disclosed herein, such as Figure 1 And as shown in Figure 2, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a window provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the window 12 includes a light-emitting area 121, and the heating wire 13 is arranged at the periphery of the light-emitting area 121 and is placed between the substrate and the hardening film of the window 12.

[0080] Regarding the arrangement of the heating wire 13, within the light-emitting area 121, according to the distribution of the light spot in the viewing window 12, the heating wire 13 is embedded around the edges of the viewing window 12 to avoid affecting the laser of the edge viewing window 12 and causing problems such as ghosting.

[0081] In the embodiments disclosed herein, such as Figure 1 As shown in Figure 2, the window 12 further includes a heating wire dense area 122 adjacent to the light-emitting area 121, in which the heating wires 13 are arranged in a serpentine pattern.

[0082] The heating wire 13 is placed in the middle area between the substrate of the window 12 and the hardened film, and the heating wire dense area 122 is set according to the arrangement of the light-emitting area 121, which can help improve the heating efficiency; in the heating wire dense area 122, the heating wire 13 is arranged more densely than in other surrounding areas.

[0083] like Figure 2 As shown, it should be noted that the relative position of the heating wire dense area 122 and the light-emitting area 121 is not fixed. The heating wire dense area 122 can be set in the left area of ​​the light-emitting area 121, or in the right area of ​​the light-emitting area 121, etc. Multiple heating wire dense areas 122 can be set, for example, in the left area and the right area of ​​the light-emitting area 121, etc. Specifically, the setting of the heating wire dense area 122 can be determined according to the actual situation of the window 12, and this embodiment does not impose any restrictions.

[0084] In the embodiments disclosed herein, such as Figure 1 As shown, the radar window heating module also includes a temperature sensor 17.

[0085] The temperature sensor 17 is used to collect the temperature of the window.

[0086] In summary, it should be noted that the heating of the window 12 is mainly carried out by the heating wire 13 and the rotating mirror 18. The heating wire 13 is used to heat the window 12 by energizing and releasing heat. The rotating mirror 18 is the laser scanning element of the lidar, not a heating element. Therefore, the rotating mirror 18 is used to drive the flow of hot air through its own rotation to heat the window 12.

[0087] When heating the window 12, the heating state is divided into three working modes: mode 1 (first preset heating mode) is high-power heating of the heating wire 13 and low-speed heating of the rotating mirror 18; mode 2 (second preset heating mode) is low-power heating of the heating wire 13 and accelerated heating of the rotating mirror 18; and mode 3 (third heating mode) is accelerated heating of the rotating mirror 18. When the start heating conditions of the corresponding mode are met, the corresponding mode is started to heat the window 12.

[0088] The heating process implemented by the radar window heating module can be achieved in the following ways, but is not limited to: When the heating function is turned on, the control module 16 starts the heating wire 13 to heat the window 12. The light-emitting area of ​​the window 12 is defrosted and defogged according to heat conduction. At the same time, the vehicle radar 11 is downgraded, the point cloud stops being emitted, the motor drives the rotating mirror 18 to accelerate, and accelerates the flow of warm air inside the vehicle radar 11. The control module 16 judges the relevant signals in real time and then controls the start and stop of heating. It should be noted that by driving the rotating mirror 18 to accelerate rotation, the warm air is accelerated to increase the internal airflow circulation. While increasing the temperature of the window 12, the accelerated operation of the motor can also reduce condensation on the encoder (used to collect the light-emitting angle component).

[0089] The radar window heating module disclosed herein includes: a control module, a heating wire, and a conductive electrode. The vehicle-mounted radar includes a window. The control module is electrically connected to the conductive electrode, and the conductive electrode is electrically connected to the heating wire. The heating wire is disposed in the non-light-emitting area of ​​the window. The control module is used to control the heating wire to heat when the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold. Compared with related technologies, the embodiments of this disclosure, by receiving the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar, automatically activate the heating function to heat the window when it is determined that the energy value of the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar is abnormal. This can remove frost and fog on the surface of the window in real time and efficiently, ensuring that the vehicle-mounted radar can normally identify road condition information while the vehicle is in motion.

[0090] Corresponding to the radar window heating module mentioned above, Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a radar window heating method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0091] Step 301: Obtain the signal value of the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar of the target vehicle and the environmental information of the target vehicle; wherein, the environmental information includes the rainfall value in the environment where the target vehicle is located.

[0092] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the echo signal refers to the signal reflected back after the radio wave signal emitted by the vehicle radar encounters an object, and the environmental information is the information of the environment in which the target vehicle is located, such as the rainfall value and temperature in the environment in which the target vehicle is located. Specifically, this embodiment of the disclosure does not limit the echo signal and the environmental information.

[0093] The echo signal is acquired by the vehicle-mounted radar, and the environmental information is acquired by preset sensors on the target vehicle. The preset sensors are various sensors configured on the target vehicle itself, such as rain sensors, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, etc. Specifically, this embodiment does not limit the preset sensors.

[0094] The signal value is calculated based on the echo signal. The calculation of the energy value can be performed, but is not limited to, the following methods: Obtaining peak and trough data: The positions of peaks and troughs are determined by analyzing the waveform of the echo signal, or by finding local maximum and minimum values; Determining the waveform center and centroid: The waveform center can be determined by calculating the integral (area) and derivative (amplitude) of the echo signal waveform. The waveform centroid requires calculating the weighted average of the waveform, with the weights being the amplitude at each point; Calculating the amplitude: The difference or absolute value between peaks and troughs can be used to estimate the amplitude, reflecting the maximum offset of the waveform; Fitting the waveform: To more accurately estimate the energy value, the waveform can be mathematically fitted, for example, using a Gaussian function, a sine function, or other suitable function models; Calculating the energy value: By combining the detected peaks, troughs, waveform center, centroid, and fitting results, the amplitude, period, phase, and other characteristic values ​​of the signal can be calculated. The energy value can be determined by the amplitude of the signal.

[0095] Step 302: When the energy value is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold, the window of the vehicle radar is heated.

[0096] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the preset energy threshold is the threshold calibrated when the vehicle radar leaves the factory, and the preset rainfall threshold is a custom value, such as 0, 10ml, etc. Specifically, the preset energy threshold and the preset rainfall threshold can be determined according to the actual situation, and this embodiment of the disclosure does not impose any restrictions.

[0097] The preset rainfall threshold is generally set to 0, indicating a no-rain state. That is, when the vehicle radar is determined to be in an abnormal state based on the energy value, it is necessary to determine whether it is in a rainy state. When the target vehicle is in a rainy environment, it is impossible to determine whether the abnormal state of the vehicle radar is caused by raindrops or by frost or fog on the window. When the target vehicle is not in a rainy environment, it can be determined that the abnormal state of the vehicle radar is caused by frost or fog on the window. Therefore, it is necessary to determine whether it is in a rainy state based on the rainfall value in order to determine whether window heating treatment is required.

[0098] It should be noted that the abnormal state of the vehicle-mounted radar refers to the abnormal state of the point cloud of the vehicle-mounted radar. The point cloud is a dataset composed of points reflected back after the laser pulse emitted by the radar encounters the surface of an object. These points correspond to the specific location of the object in space.

[0099] When it is determined that the vehicle-mounted radar is in an abnormal state and the target vehicle is not in a rainy environment, it can be determined that the conditions for activating the window heating are met. At this time, the heating device will be turned on and the motor will accelerate. At the same time, the corresponding information will be sent to the domain controller to indicate that the radar is in a heating degraded state, and related modules such as point cloud processing and transmission will be stopped to reduce power consumption.

[0100] When heating the window, there are three working modes: mode 1 is high-power heating of the heating wire and low-speed heating of the rotating mirror; mode 2 is low-power heating of the heating wire and accelerated heating of the rotating mirror; and mode 3 is accelerated heating of the rotating mirror. When the start-up heating conditions of the corresponding mode are met, the corresponding mode will be started to heat the window.

[0101] The radar window heating method disclosed herein includes: a control module, a heating wire, and a conductive electrode. The vehicle-mounted radar includes a window. The control module is electrically connected to the conductive electrode, and the conductive electrode is electrically connected to the heating wire. The heating wire is disposed in the non-light-emitting area of ​​the window. The control module is used to control the heating wire to heat the window when the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold. Compared with related technologies, this embodiment of the present disclosure, by receiving the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar, automatically activates the heating function to heat the window when it is determined that the energy value of the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar is abnormal. This can remove frost and fog from the surface of the window in real time and efficiently, ensuring that the vehicle-mounted radar can normally identify road condition information while the vehicle is in motion.

[0102] In one possible implementation of this embodiment, as a refinement of step 302 above, multiple heating modes are available during window heating, each with different activation conditions. Furthermore, to ensure that the vehicle radar is not damaged during window heating, the corresponding heating mode needs to be accurately determined based on the different activation conditions. Therefore, to better protect the vehicle radar while removing frost and fog, the following methods can also be used, but are not limited to: obtaining a first temperature of the window and a second temperature of the internal circuit board of the vehicle radar; if the second temperature is less than a first preset temperature threshold, determining whether the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold; if the second temperature is less than a first preset temperature threshold... If the temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold, the window is heated using a first preset heating mode; wherein the first preset heating mode is used to concentrate the temperature of the heating wire on the surface of the window; if the first temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature threshold, the window is heated using a second preset heating mode; wherein the second preset heating mode is used to maintain the first temperature of the window; if the second temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature threshold, the window is heated using a third preset heating mode, wherein the third preset heating mode is used to heat the window by driving the hot airflow inside the vehicle radar.

[0103] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the first temperature is the temperature of the window, the second temperature includes the temperature of each temperature point on the circuit board of the vehicle radar, and the first preset temperature threshold and the second preset temperature threshold are custom-set values, such as 85℃, 75℃, etc. Specifically, this embodiment of the disclosure does not impose any restrictions on the first preset temperature threshold and the second preset temperature threshold.

[0104] Related to the above embodiments, in some embodiments, heating the window using a first preset heating mode can also be achieved, but is not limited to, by controlling the heating wire to heat with a first heating power and controlling the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar to rotate at a first speed; heating the window using a second preset heating mode can also be achieved, but is not limited to, by controlling the heating wire to heat with a second heating power and controlling the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar to rotate at a second speed; wherein the second heating power is less than the first heating power, and the second speed is greater than the first speed; heating the window using a third preset heating mode can also be achieved, but is not limited to, by controlling the heating wire to stop heating and controlling the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar to rotate at a third speed; wherein the third speed is greater than the first speed.

[0105] Among them, the first preset heating mode is mode 1: high power heating of heating wire and low speed heating of rotating mirror; the second preset heating mode 2: low power heating of heating wire and accelerated heating of rotating mirror; the third preset heating mode 3: accelerated heating of rotating mirror. Regarding the implementation process of the embodiments of this disclosure, the following methods can be used, but are not limited to: when the window temperature is lower than 10℃ (any temperature set by the user), the window is in a low temperature state. At this time, mode 1 (first preset heating mode) is selected to quickly heat the window (mode 1 takes into account that the radar temperature is low when the window is in a condensation state. At this time, the local area of ​​the window should be heated first. The rotating mirror rotates at low speed to drive the temperature of the dense area of ​​heating wire to flow on the surface of the window, while avoiding the loss of heating temperature to non-heated areas).

[0106] Simultaneously, the window temperature is continuously monitored (because the operating temperature requirements of automotive components need to be considered; at this time, the window temperature should not exceed 85℃ (the second preset temperature threshold, which can be manually adjusted), and considering that the polycarbonate (PC) material window is not easily deformed, the window temperature needs to be continuously monitored). During the heating process, the echo signal is continuously monitored to see if it returns to normal. When the window temperature equals 85℃, it switches to mode 2 (the second preset heating mode) to maintain the heating state. However, when the temperature does not reach 85℃, it continues to heat according to mode 1 (i.e., when the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold, heating is performed using the first preset heating mode; when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature threshold, heating is performed using the second preset heating mode).

[0107] When the temperature of each point on the internal printed circuit board (PCB) of the radar (the second temperature of the internal circuit board of the vehicle radar) is not lower than 85℃ (the first preset temperature threshold, which can be manually adjusted) or when the internal heating wire is abnormal and cannot heat, mode 3 (the third preset heating mode) is activated. Only the rotating mirror is accelerated, thereby driving the temperature of other areas inside the radar to heat the window with hot airflow. This mode can save energy better (that is, the second temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature threshold, and the heating is carried out through the third preset heating mode).

[0108] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, after the heating function is activated, it is necessary to determine an appropriate time to turn off the heating function based on the heating situation to prevent damage to the vehicle radar due to excessive heating time and to save energy. Therefore, in order to protect the vehicle radar and save energy, the following methods can also be used, but are not limited to: obtaining the heating time of the window; if the heating time is less than a preset time threshold, determining whether the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold, and determining whether to stop heating the window based on the determination result; if the heating time is greater than or equal to the preset time threshold, stopping heating the window.

[0109] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the preset time threshold is a custom value, such as 3 minutes, 2 minutes, etc., and the prompt information is a message indicating that there is dirt on the vehicle radar, such as: there is dirt on the vehicle radar that cannot be removed temporarily. Specifically, this embodiment of the disclosure does not impose any restrictions on the preset time threshold and the prompt information.

[0110] Since the echo signal needs to be continuously evaluated during heating to determine whether the vehicle radar meets the requirements and returns to normal, it is necessary to acquire the real-time echo signal and calculate the energy value to determine whether the vehicle radar has returned to normal after heating.

[0111] Related to the above embodiments, regarding determining whether to stop the heating process of the window based on the judgment result, the following methods may also be used, but are not limited to: if the energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy threshold, then continue to heat the window; if the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold, then stop the heating process of the window.

[0112] Based on the two embodiments above, it can be understood that: when the heating time reaches a preset time threshold, heating will stop even if the vehicle radar is still in an abnormal state, and a prompt message will be generated indicating that there is dirt on the vehicle radar; conversely, when the vehicle radar returns to normal during the heating process, heating will stop immediately regardless of whether the heating time threshold has been reached. Specifically, this can be illustrated by, but is not limited to, the following example: the heating upper limit is set to 3 minutes; when 3 minutes are reached, heating stops, and it is determined that there is dirt on the vehicle radar that cannot be removed temporarily; when the point cloud waveform returns to normal (the vehicle radar returns to normal), heating stops, and the transmission of point cloud information resumes normally.

[0113] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the heating state can be further adjusted by using the distance to the foreign object collected by the vehicle-mounted radar. Regarding adjusting the heating state using the distance to the foreign object collected by the vehicle-mounted radar, the following methods can also be used, but are not limited to: obtaining the collection distance of the vehicle-mounted radar; when it is determined that the rainfall value is less than the preset rainfall threshold and the collection distance is less than the preset distance threshold, setting the upper limit of the heating treatment time to a preset time threshold; when it is determined that the rainfall value is less than or equal to the preset rainfall threshold and the collection distance is greater than the preset distance threshold, setting the upper limit of the heating treatment time to a second preset time threshold; wherein, the preset time threshold is greater than the second preset time threshold.

[0114] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the second time threshold is also a custom-set threshold, such as 3min, 2min, etc., and the preset distance threshold is a custom-set threshold, such as 10cm, 15cm, etc. Specifically, this embodiment of the disclosure does not impose any restrictions on the second time threshold and the preset distance threshold.

[0115] By measuring the acquisition distance of the vehicle-mounted radar, it can be determined whether a foreign object detected by the radar exists on the viewing window. For example, if the vehicle-mounted radar is 10cm away from the viewing window, the preset distance threshold is set to 10cm. When the acquisition distance is less than or equal to 10cm, it can be determined that a foreign object exists on the viewing window, and the heating mode needs to be fully activated. When the acquisition distance is greater than 10cm, it is impossible to determine whether a foreign object exists on the viewing window. In this case, a brief heating can be performed to see if the vehicle-mounted radar can return to normal operation.

[0116] Therefore, in the above embodiment for determining whether to stop heating the window, the sampling distance can also be introduced. For example, the upper limit of heating is set to 3 minutes. When the sampling distance is still <10cm after 3 minutes, heating is stopped, and it is determined that there is dirt on the vehicle radar that cannot be removed temporarily. When the sampling distance is >10cm after 3 minutes, but the vehicle radar has not fully returned to normal, heating can continue. The upper limit of continuous heating is 2 minutes. At the same time, the temperature sensor on the window continuously collects the window temperature to avoid the window temperature from becoming too high.

[0117] In summary, the embodiments disclosed herein can achieve the following effects:

[0118] This embodiment detects the echo signal of the vehicle radar and, upon determining that the vehicle radar is in an abnormal state, automatically activates the heating function to heat the window. This can remove frost and fog from the window surface in real time and efficiently, ensuring that the vehicle radar can normally identify road condition information while the vehicle is in motion.

[0119] Corresponding to the radar window heating method described above, this invention also proposes a radar window heating device. Since the device embodiments of this invention correspond to the method embodiments described above, details not disclosed in the device embodiments can be referred to in the method embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0120] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a radar window heating device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, including:

[0121] The acquisition unit 41 is used to acquire the signal value of the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar of the target vehicle and the environmental information of the target vehicle; wherein, the environmental information includes the rainfall value in the environment where the target vehicle is located.

[0122] The heating unit 42 is used to heat the window of the vehicle radar when the energy value is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold.

[0123] The radar window heating device disclosed herein includes: a control module, a heating wire, and a conductive electrode. The vehicle-mounted radar includes a window. The control module is electrically connected to the conductive electrode, and the conductive electrode is electrically connected to the heating wire. The heating wire is disposed in the non-light-emitting area of ​​the window. The control module is used to control the heating wire to heat when the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold. Compared with related technologies, the embodiments of this disclosure, by receiving the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar, automatically activate the heating function to heat the window when it is determined that the energy value of the echo signal of the vehicle-mounted radar is abnormal. This can remove frost and fog from the surface of the window in real time and efficiently, ensuring that the vehicle-mounted radar can normally identify road condition information while the vehicle is in motion.

[0124] Furthermore, in one possible implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 5 As shown, the heating unit 42 includes:

[0125] The acquisition module 421 is used to acquire the first temperature of the window and the second temperature of the internal circuit board of the vehicle radar.

[0126] The judgment module 422 is used to determine whether the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold when the second temperature is less than the first preset temperature threshold.

[0127] The control module 423 is used to heat the window through a first preset heating mode when the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold; wherein, the first preset heating mode is used to rapidly increase the first temperature of the window through a higher heating power;

[0128] The control module 423 is further configured to heat the window using a second preset heating mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature threshold; wherein the second preset heating mode is configured to slowly increase the first temperature of the window using a lower heating power.

[0129] The control module 423 is further configured to heat the window using a third preset heating mode when the second temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature threshold, wherein the third preset heating mode is configured to heat the window by driving airflow through the internal circuit board.

[0130] Furthermore, in one possible implementation of this disclosure, the control module 423 is further configured to:

[0131] The heating wire is controlled to heat at a first heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a first speed;

[0132] The heating wire is controlled to heat at a second heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a second speed; wherein the second heating power is less than the first heating power, and the second speed is greater than the first speed;

[0133] The heating wire is controlled to stop heating, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a third speed, wherein the third speed is greater than the first speed.

[0134] Furthermore, in one possible implementation of this embodiment, the acquisition unit 41 is further configured to acquire the heating time of the window;

[0135] like Figure 5 As shown, the device further includes:

[0136] The judgment unit 43 is used to determine whether the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold when the heating time is less than the preset time threshold.

[0137] The stop unit 44 is used to determine whether to stop the heating process of the window based on the judgment result;

[0138] The stop unit 44 is further configured to stop heating the window when the heating time is greater than or equal to a preset time threshold.

[0139] Furthermore, in one possible implementation of this embodiment, the heating unit 42 is further configured to continue heating the window when the energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy threshold.

[0140] The stop unit 44 is further configured to stop heating the window when the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold.

[0141] In this embodiment of the disclosure, a vehicle-mounted radar is also provided, wherein the vehicle-mounted radar is equipped with a radar window heating module.

[0142] In this embodiment of the disclosure, a vehicle is also provided, wherein the vehicle is equipped with an on-board radar and a radar window heating device.

[0143] It should be noted that the foregoing explanation of the method embodiments also applies to the apparatus of the embodiments of this disclosure, and the principle is the same. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0144] According to embodiments of this disclosure, this disclosure also provides an electronic device, a readable storage medium, and a computer program product.

[0145] Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of an example electronic device 600 that can be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The electronic device is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, and other suitable computers. The electronic device may also represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital processors, cellular phones, smartphones, wearable devices, and other similar computing devices. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present disclosure described and / or claimed herein.

[0146] like Figure 6 As shown, device 600 includes a computing unit 601, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on a computer program stored in ROM (Read-Only Memory) 602 or a computer program loaded from storage unit 608 into RAM (Random Access Memory) 603. RAM 603 may also store various programs and data required for the operation of device 600. The computing unit 601, ROM 602, and RAM 603 are interconnected via bus 604. I / O (Input / Output) interface 605 is also connected to bus 604.

[0147] Multiple components in device 600 are connected to I / O interface 605, including: input unit 606, such as keyboard, mouse, etc.; output unit 607, such as various types of monitors, speakers, etc.; storage unit 608, such as disk, optical disk, etc.; and communication unit 609, such as network card, modem, wireless transceiver, etc. Communication unit 609 allows device 600 to exchange information / data with other devices through computer networks such as the Internet and / or various telecommunications networks.

[0148] The computing unit 601 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of the computing unit 601 include, but are not limited to, CPUs (Central Processing Units), GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), various special-purpose AI (Artificial Intelligence) computing chips, various computing units running machine learning model algorithms, DSPs (Digital Signal Processors), and any suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. The computing unit 601 performs the various methods and processes described above, such as the window heating method. For example, in some embodiments, the window heating method may be implemented as a computer software program tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium, such as storage unit 608. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed on device 600 via ROM 602 and / or communication unit 609. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 603 and executed by the computing unit 601, one or more steps of the methods described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the computing unit 601 may be configured to perform the aforementioned window heating method by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0149] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), ASSPs (Application-Specific Standard Products), SOCs (System-on-Chips), CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, capable of receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0150] The program code used to implement the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a standalone software package partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0151] In the context of this disclosure, a machine-readable medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A machine-readable medium can be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable medium can be, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, RAM, ROM, EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory) or flash memory, optical fiber, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0152] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having: a display device for displaying information to the user (e.g., a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor); and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including sound input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0153] The systems and technologies described herein can be implemented in computing systems that include backend components (e.g., as data servers), or middleware components (e.g., application servers), or frontend components (e.g., user computers with graphical user interfaces or web browsers through which users can interact with implementations of the systems and technologies described herein), or any combination of such backend, middleware, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected via digital data communication (e.g., communication networks) of any form or medium. Examples of communication networks include LANs (Local Area Networks), WANs (Wide Area Networks), the Internet, and blockchain networks.

[0154] Computer systems can include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally geographically separated and typically interact via communication networks. The client-server relationship is created by computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship with each other. A server can be a cloud server, also known as a cloud computing server or cloud host, a hosting product within the cloud computing service ecosystem, addressing the shortcomings of traditional physical hosts and VPS (Virtual Private Server, or simply "VPS") services, such as high management difficulty and weak business scalability. Servers can also be servers for distributed systems or servers incorporating blockchain technology.

[0155] It's important to note that artificial intelligence (AI) is the study of enabling computers to simulate certain human thought processes and intelligent behaviors (such as learning, reasoning, thinking, and planning). It encompasses both hardware and software technologies. AI hardware technologies generally include sensors, dedicated AI chips, cloud computing, distributed storage, and big data processing. AI software technologies primarily include computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, machine learning / deep learning, big data processing, and knowledge graph technologies.

[0156] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to rearrange, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this disclosure can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this disclosure can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0157] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A radar window heating module, applied to vehicle-mounted radar, characterized in that, include: The vehicle-mounted radar includes a control module, heating wire, and conductive electrodes, and a viewing window. The control module is electrically connected to the conductive electrode, and the conductive electrode is electrically connected to the heating wire. The heating wire is arranged in the non-light-emitting area of ​​the window. The control module is used to control the heating wire to heat when the energy value of the echo signal is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold.

2. The radar window heating module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The window includes a light-emitting area, and the heating wire is arranged around the perimeter of the light-emitting area and placed between the substrate and the hardened film of the window.

3. The radar window heating module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The window also includes a dense heating wire area adjacent to the light-emitting area, wherein the heating wires are arranged in a serpentine pattern in the dense heating wire area.

4. The radar window heating module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radar window heating module also includes a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is used to collect the temperature of the window.

5. A vehicle-mounted radar, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted radar includes the radar window heating module as described in any one of claims 1-4.

6. A method for heating a radar window, the method being applied to vehicle-mounted radar, characterized in that, include: The energy value of the echo signal from the vehicle's onboard radar and the environmental information of the target vehicle are obtained; wherein, the environmental information includes the rainfall value in the environment in which the target vehicle is located. When the energy value is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold, the window of the vehicle radar is heated.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heating process for the viewing window of the vehicle-mounted radar includes: Obtain the first temperature of the viewing window and the second temperature of the internal circuit board of the vehicle radar; If the second temperature is less than the first preset temperature threshold, determine whether the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold; If the first temperature is less than the second preset temperature threshold, the window is heated by a first preset heating mode; wherein, the first preset heating mode is used to concentrate the temperature of the heating wire on the surface of the window. If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature threshold, the window is heated using a second preset heating mode; wherein, the second preset heating mode is used to maintain the first temperature of the window; When the second temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature threshold, the window is heated by a third preset heating mode, wherein the third preset heating mode is used to heat the window by driving the hot airflow inside the vehicle radar.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heating process of the window using a first preset heating mode includes: The heating wire is controlled to heat at a first heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a first speed; The heating process of the window using the second preset heating mode includes: The heating wire is controlled to heat at a second heating power, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a second speed; wherein the second heating power is less than the first heating power, and the second speed is greater than the first speed; The heating process of the window using the third preset heating mode includes: The heating wire is controlled to stop heating, and the rotating mirror of the vehicle radar is controlled to rotate at a third speed, wherein the third speed is greater than the first speed.

9. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: Obtain the heating time of the window; If the heating time is less than a preset time threshold, determine whether the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold, and determine whether to stop heating the window based on the determination result; If the heating time is greater than or equal to a preset time threshold, the heating process on the window is stopped.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of determining whether to stop the heating process of the window based on the judgment result includes: If the energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy threshold, the window will continue to be heated. If the energy value is less than the preset energy threshold, the heating process on the window will be stopped.

11. A radar window heating device, characterized in that, include: An acquisition unit is used to acquire the energy value of the echo signal from the vehicle-mounted radar of the target vehicle and the environmental information of the target vehicle; wherein, the environmental information includes the rainfall value in the environment where the target vehicle is located. A heating unit is used to heat the window of the vehicle-mounted radar when the energy value is greater than or equal to a preset energy threshold and the rainfall value is less than or equal to a preset rainfall threshold.

12. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes the vehicle-mounted radar as described in claim 5 and the radar window heating device as described in claim 11.

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