Radar device, information processing device, and information processing method

Abstract

To provide a radar apparatus, an information processing apparatus and an information processing method that can improve a distance resolution.SOLUTION: A radar apparatus according to the present technology comprises: a transmission antenna; a reception antenna; a first chirp generation unit; a second chirp generation unit; a transmission control unit; a beat signal generation unit; a beat signal correction unit; a beat signal coupling unit; and a detection unit. The transmission control unit transmits, from the transmission antenna, a first chirp and a second chirp with a gap provided therebetween. The beat signal generation unit generates a first beat signal from a transmitted signal and a received signal of the first chirp, and generates a second beat signal from a transmitted signal and a received signal of the second chirp. The beat signal correction unit corrects errors of the first beat signal and the second beat signal derived from the gap. The beat signal coupling unit couples the error corrected first and second beat signals together to generate a third beat signal. The detection unit detects a distance with respect to a detection object on the basis of the third beat signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This technology relates to a radar device, an information processing device, and an information processing method that utilize frequency continuous modulation waves. [Background technology]

[0002] FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar is a type of radar that utilizes frequency-modulated continuous waves and is widely used in applications such as automotive radar. Some FMCW radars have been developed that utilize two different frequency bands of FMCW. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses electronic equipment that can switch between a mode in which the transmitted wave is in a first frequency band and a mode in which the transmitted wave is in a second frequency band. Patent Document 2 discloses a multiband radar device that shares angle measurement results from reception in the first frequency band and angle measurement results from reception in the second frequency band. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-190880 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-212047 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] The distance resolution of an FMCW radar is determined by the bandwidth of the FMCW, but since the bandwidth of the FMCW is limited by the performance of the antenna and signal processing circuit, it has been difficult to improve the distance resolution within a limited bandwidth.

[0005] In light of the above circumstances, the objective of this technology is to provide a radar device, an information processing device, and an information processing method that can improve distance resolution. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above object, a radar apparatus according to one embodiment of the present technology includes a transmission antenna, a reception antenna, a first chirp generation unit, a second chirp generation unit, a transmission control unit, a beat signal generation unit, a beat signal correction unit, a beat signal connection unit, and a detection unit. The transmission antenna transmits a radar wave. The reception antenna receives a radar wave. The first chirp generation unit generates a first chirp that is a chirp of a frequency continuous modulation wave. The second chirp generation unit generates a second chirp that is a chirp of a frequency continuous modulation wave and has a different center frequency from the first chirp. The transmission control unit causes the transmission antenna to transmit the first chirp and the second chirp with a gap therebetween. The beat signal generation unit generates a first beat signal from the transmission signal of the first chirp transmitted from the transmission antenna and the reception signal of the first chirp received by the reception antenna, and generates a second beat signal from the transmission signal of the second chirp transmitted from the transmission antenna and the reception signal of the second chirp received by the reception antenna. The beat signal correction unit corrects an error between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the gap. The beat signal connection unit connects the first beat signal and the second beat signal whose error has been corrected to generate a third beat signal. The detection unit detects the distance of a detection target based on the third beat signal.

[0007] The gap is a time gap, The beat signal correction unit may correct a phase difference between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the time gap.

[0008] The gap is a time gap and a frequency band gap, The beat signal correction unit described above may further correct the frequency difference between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the gap in the frequency band.

[0009] The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp may be the same.

[0010] The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp may be different.

[0011] The bandwidth of the first chirp described above is 1 GHz. The bandwidth of the second chirp described above may be 4 GHz.

[0012] The above transmitting antenna is a single transmitting antenna. The above-mentioned transmission control unit may cause the first chirp and the second chirp to be transmitted from the single transmitting antenna.

[0013] The above transmitting antenna includes a first transmitting antenna and a second transmitting antenna. The above transmission control unit causes the first chirp to be transmitted from the first transmitting antenna, and the second chirp to be transmitted from the second transmitting antenna. The first transmitting antenna and the second transmitting antenna may form a MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) virtual antenna array.

[0014] The beat signal correction unit described above may perform a Fourier transform on the first beat signal and the second beat signal in the distance and velocity directions, and then correct the error.

[0015] The beat signal correction unit described above may perform a Fourier transform on the first beat signal and the second beat signal in the velocity direction, and then correct the error.

[0016] The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp may be continuous.

[0017] The bandwidths of the first chirp and the second chirp described above may be discrete.

[0018] The bandwidth of the first chirp described above and the bandwidth of the second chirp described above may overlap.

[0019] The bandwidths of the first chirp and the second chirp described above may be in the millimeter wave bandwidth.

[0020] To achieve the above objective, an information processing device according to one embodiment of this technology comprises a first chirp generation unit, a second chirp generation unit, a transmission control unit, a beat signal correction unit, a beat signal concatenation unit, and a detection unit. The above-mentioned first chirp generation unit generates a first chirp, which is a chirp of a frequency continuous modulation wave. The second chirp generation unit described above generates a chirp of a frequency continuous modulation wave, and generates a second chirp with a different center frequency from the first chirp described above. The above-mentioned transmission control unit transmits the first chirp and the second chirp from the transmitting antenna with a gap between them. The beat signal correction unit corrects the error caused by the gap between the first beat signal, which is generated from the transmitted signal of the first chirp transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the received signal of the first chirp received by the receiving antenna, and the second beat signal, which is generated from the transmitted signal of the second chirp transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the received signal of the second chirp received by the receiving antenna. The beat signal concatenation unit described above concatenates the first beat signal, which has had the error corrected, with the second beat signal to generate a third beat signal. The detection unit detects the distance to the object to be detected based on the third beat signal.

[0021] To achieve the above objective, an information processing method relating to one form of this technology is: A first chirp, which is a chirp of a frequency continuous modulation wave, is generated. This is a chirp of a continuous frequency modulated wave, and generates a second chirp with a different center frequency from the first chirp described above. The first chirp and the second chirp described above are transmitted from the transmitting antenna with a gap between them. The error caused by the gap between the first beat signal generated from the first chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the first chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna, and the second beat signal generated from the second chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the second chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna, is corrected. The above error is corrected, and the first beat signal and the second beat signal are concatenated to generate a third beat signal. The distance to the object to be detected is determined based on the above third beat signal. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0022] [Figure 1] A branch office relating to the configuration of a radar device based on conventional technology. [Figure 2] This graph shows the chirp signals transmitted by the radar device mentioned above. [Figure 3] This graph shows the transmission signals sent by the radar device described above. [Figure 4] This graph shows the transmitted and received signals of the radar device described above. [Figure 5] This is a graph of the beat signal generated by the radar device described above. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radar device according to an embodiment of this technology. [Figure 7] This is a graph of the first chirp and the second chirp generated by the first chirp generation unit and the second chirp generation unit of the radar device described above. [Figure 8] This is a graph showing the transmission signals sent by the radar device described above. [Figure 9] This graph shows the transmitted and received signals of the radar device described above. [Figure 10] This is a graph of the first beat signal and the second beat signal generated by the beat signal generation unit of the radar device described above. [Figure 11]This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the signal processing unit of the radar device described above. [Figure 12] This is a graph of the third beat signal generated by the beat signal concatenation unit of the radar device described above. [Figure 13] This is a graph of the chirp virtually realized by the radar device described above. [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram illustrating other operations of the signal processing unit of the radar device described above. [Figure 15] This is a graph of the first chirp and the second chirp generated by the first chirp generation unit and the second chirp generation unit of the radar device described above. [Figure 16] This is a graph of the first chirp and the second chirp generated by the first chirp generation unit and the second chirp generation unit of the radar device described above. [Figure 17] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radar device equipped with two transmitting antennas according to an embodiment of this technology. [Figure 18] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing device included in a radar device according to an embodiment of this technology. [Figure 19] This block diagram shows an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system. [Figure 20] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the installation location of the external information detection unit and the imaging unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] [Configuration of radar equipment in the prior art] First, a conventional radar device will be described. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional radar device 100. As shown in the figure, the radar device 100 includes a transmitting antenna 101, a receiving antenna 102, a beat signal generation unit 103, and an information processing device 104. The information processing device 104 includes a signal generation unit 105 and a signal processing unit 106.

[0024] The transmitting antenna 101 transmits radar waves based on the transmission signal supplied from the signal generation unit 105. Hereinafter, the radar waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna 101 will be referred to as "transmitted waves." Transmitted waves are FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave).

[0025] The receiving antenna 102 receives radar waves and generates a received signal. Hereinafter, the radar waves received by the receiving antenna 102 will be referred to as "received waves." The received waves are the transmitted waves sent from the transmitting antenna 101 that have been reflected by the object being detected. The receiving antenna 102 outputs the generated received signal to the beat signal generation unit 103.

[0026] The beat signal generation unit 103 is a mixer that mixes the transmitted signal output from the signal generation unit 105 with the received signal output from the receiving antenna 102 to generate a beat signal. The beat signal is also called an IF (Intermediate Frequency) signal. The beat signal generation unit 103 outputs the generated beat signal to the signal processing unit 106.

[0027] The signal generation unit 105 includes a chirp generation unit 111. The chirp generation unit 111 generates an FMCW chirp. Figure 2(a) is a graph showing the chirp waveform, and Figure 2(b) is a graph showing the chirp frequency. As shown in these figures, the chirp has a waveform in which the frequency increases monotonically with time. Hereinafter, the time during which the chirp frequency increases will be defined as the modulation time S.

[0028] Furthermore, in Figure 2(b), the lowest chirp frequency f L , highest frequency f H and center frequency f C This shows the center frequency f. C The lowest frequency is f L and frequency f H This is the center frequency. Also, in Figure 2(b), the bandwidth of the chirp, i.e., the lowest frequency f, is shown. L and the highest frequency f H The frequency difference is shown as the bandwidth W. In millimeter-wave radar, for example, the lowest frequency fL is 77 GHz, the highest frequency f H is 81 GHz, and a chirp with a bandwidth W of 4 GHz is used.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission signal generated by the signal generation unit 105. FIG. 3(a) shows the waveform of the transmission signal, and FIG. 3(b) is a graph showing the frequency of the transmission signal. As shown in FIG. 3, the transmission signal is a wave in which the chirps shown in FIG. 2 are continuous, that is, an FMCW signal. As shown in FIG. 3, each chirp is called a "burst", and is sequentially designated as "burst 1", "burst 2", "burst 3",... "burst N". Also, a plurality of bursts from burst 1 to burst N are defined as a "frame".

[0030] The signal generation unit 105 outputs the generated transmission signal (see FIG. 3) to the transmission antenna 101, and the transmission signal is transmitted from the transmission antenna 101 as a transmission wave. The transmission wave is reflected by the detection target and received by the reception antenna 102 as a reception wave, and a reception signal is generated by the reception antenna 102.

[0031] The beat signal generation unit 103 mixes the transmission signal and the reception signal to generate a beat signal. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the generation of the beat signal. FIG. 4(a) is a graph showing the frequencies of the transmission signal (solid line in the figure) and the reception signal (dashed line in the figure), and FIG. 4(b) is a graph showing the waveforms of the transmission signal (solid line in the figure) and the reception signal (dashed line in the figure). As shown in FIG. 4, a time difference corresponding to the round-trip of the radar wave occurs between the transmission signal transmitted from the transmission antenna 101 and the reception signal generated by the reception antenna 102.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the waveform of the beat signal generated by the beat signal generation unit 103. The beat signal generation unit 103 mixes the transmission signal and the reception signal to generate the beat signal shown in FIG. 5. Since the reception signal has a time delay as a distance component and a Doppler shift as a relative velocity component with respect to the transmission signal, the frequency of the beat signal indicates the distance to the detection target, and the phase change of the beat signal between chirps indicates the relative velocity to the detection target. The beat signal generation unit 103 outputs the generated beat signal to the signal processing unit 106.

[0033] The signal processing unit 106 includes a beat signal acquisition unit 121 and a detection unit 122 (see Figure 1). The beat signal acquisition unit 121 acquires a beat signal (see Figure 5) from the beat signal generation unit 103 and supplies it to the detection unit 122. The detection unit 122 detects the distance, relative velocity, and angle between the receiving antenna 102 and each object to be detected based on the beat signal.

[0034] As described above, the frequency of the beat signal indicates the distance to the object being detected. Therefore, the detection unit 122 can calculate the distance to each object by performing a Fourier transform on the beat signal for each burst to convert it into the frequency domain. This distance-direction Fourier transform can be performed using FFT (Fast Fourier Transform), which is called distance FFT or 1D-FFT.

[0035] Furthermore, since the phase change of the beat signal between chirps indicates the relative velocity with respect to the detected object, the detection unit 122 can calculate the relative velocity between the receiving antenna 102 and each detected object by performing a Fourier transform on the beat signal, which has been Fourier transformed in the distance direction, for each frame. This Fourier transform in the velocity direction can also be performed using FFT, and is called velocity FFT or 2D-FFT.

[0036] Furthermore, if the radar device 100 is equipped with multiple receiving antennas 102, the phase difference of the beat signals between each receiving antenna 102 indicates the angle between each receiving antenna 102 and the object to be detected. Therefore, by performing a Fourier transform on all the beat signals obtained by performing a Fourier transform in the velocity direction for each receiving antenna 102, the angle of each object to be detected relative to the receiving antenna 102 can be detected.

[0037] As described above, the radar device 100 can detect the distance, relative velocity, and angle of the object to be detected using FMCW.

[0038] [Configuration of the radar system according to an embodiment of this technology] Next, a radar device according to an embodiment of this technology will be described. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the radar device 200 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the radar device 200 includes a transmitting antenna 201, a receiving antenna 202, a beat signal generation unit 203, and an information processing device 204. The information processing device 204 includes a signal generation unit 205 and a signal processing unit 206. The configuration of the information processing device 204 is a functional configuration realized through the cooperation of hardware and software.

[0039] The transmitting antenna 201 transmits radar waves based on the transmission signal supplied from the signal generation unit 205. Hereinafter, the radar waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna 201 will be referred to as the "transmitted waves." The transmitted waves are FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave).

[0040] The receiving antenna 202 receives radar waves and generates a received signal. Hereinafter, the radar waves received by the receiving antenna 202 will be referred to as "received waves." Received waves are the transmitted waves sent from the transmitting antenna 201 that have been reflected by the object being detected. The receiving antenna 202 outputs the generated received signal to the beat signal generation unit 203.

[0041] The beat signal generation unit 203 is a mixer that mixes the transmitted signal output from the signal generation unit 205 with the received signal output from the receiving antenna 202 to generate a first beat signal and a second beat signal. The beat signal generation unit 203 outputs the generated first beat signal and second beat signal to the signal processing unit 206.

[0042] The signal generation unit 205 includes a first chirp generation unit 211, a second chirp generation unit 212, and a transmission control unit 213. The first chirp generation unit 211 generates a first chirp, which is a chirp of FMCW, and the second chirp generation unit 212 generates a second chirp, which is a chirp of FMCW. Figure 7(a) is a graph showing the waveforms of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2, and Figure 7(b) is a graph showing the frequencies of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2. As shown in these figures, the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 have waveforms in which the frequency increases monotonically with time. As shown in Figure 7(b), the slope of the first chirp C1 and the slope of the second chirp C2 are equal, meaning that the rate of increase of frequency with respect to time is the same for both the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2.

[0043] Furthermore, in Figure 7(b), the lowest frequency of the first chirp C1 is the first lowest frequency f1. L The first highest frequency f1 is the highest frequency of the first chirp C1. H and the first center frequency f1, which is the center frequency of the first chirp C1. C This shows the first center frequency f1. C The first lowest frequency is f1 L and the first highest frequency f1 H This is the center frequency. Furthermore, in Figure 7(b), the second lowest frequency f2 is the lowest frequency of the second chirp C2. L The second highest frequency f2 is the highest frequency of the second chirp C2. H and the second center frequency f2, which is the center frequency of the second chirp C2. C This shows the second center frequency f2. C The second lowest frequency is f2 L and the second highest frequency f2 H This is the central frequency.

[0044] The first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 are chirps with different center frequencies, and the first chirp has a center frequency of f1. C and the second center frequency f2 C They are different. The first highest frequency f1 H and the second lowest frequency f2 LThese are the same frequency. Furthermore, in Figure 7(b), the bandwidth of the first chirp C1, i.e., the first lowest frequency f1 L and the first highest frequency f1 H The frequency difference is shown as the first bandwidth W1. Also, the bandwidth of the second chirp C2, i.e., the second lowest frequency f2, is shown. L and the second highest frequency f2 H The frequency difference between the first and second bandwidths is shown as the second bandwidth W2. The first bandwidth W1 and the second bandwidth W2 are different; for example, the first bandwidth W1 can be 1 GHz and the second bandwidth W2 can be 4 GHz. Alternatively, the first bandwidth W1 and the second bandwidth W2 may be the same, and both the first bandwidth W1 and the second bandwidth W2 can be 1 GHz. The frequencies of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 are preferably in the millimeter wave band (30 GHz to 300 GHz).

[0045] The transmission control unit 213 generates a transmission signal by creating a gap between the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2, and transmits it from the transmitting antenna 201. As shown in Figure 7(b), the transmission control unit 213 creates a temporal gap T between the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2. Hereafter, the time from the start of the first chirp C1 to the end of the second chirp C2 is defined as the modulation time R. Figure 8 is a graph showing the frequency of the transmission signal generated by the transmission control unit 213. As shown in the figure, the transmission signal has a waveform in which the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 shown in Figure 7 are repeated. As shown in the figure, a set of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 is called a "burst," and these are referred to in order as "burst 1," "burst 2," "burst 3," ... "burst N." Also, multiple bursts from burst 1 to burst N are called a "frame."

[0046] The transmission signal generated by the transmission control unit 213 is output to the transmission antenna 201 and transmitted from the transmission antenna 201 as a transmitted wave. The transmitted wave is reflected by the object to be detected and received by the receiving antenna 202 as a received wave, and a received signal is generated.

[0047] The beat signal generation unit 203 generates the first beat signal and the second beat signal by mixing the transmitted signal and the received signal for the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2, respectively. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the generation of the first beat signal and the second beat signal. In the figure, the transmitted signal (solid line) of the first chirp C1 is the first transmitted signal C1 T The received signal of the first chirp C1 (dashed line) is the first received signal C1 R The transmission signal (solid line) of the second chirp C2 is the second transmission signal C2 T The received signal of the second chirp C2 (dashed line) is the second received signal C2 R As shown in the figure, the first transmission signal C1 T and the first received signal C1 R This results in a time difference equivalent to the round trip of the radar wave, affecting the second transmitted signal C2. T and the second received signal C2 R This also results in a time difference due to the round-trip distance of the radar wave.

[0048] The beat signal generation unit 203 generates the first transmission signal C1 T and the first received signal C1 R The first beat signal is generated by mixing these signals, and the second transmission signal C2 T and the second received signal C2 R The two signals are mixed to generate a second beat signal. Figure 10 is a graph showing the waveforms of the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 generated in the beat signal generation unit 203. Figure 10(a) shows the waveforms of the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 when the relative velocity of the object to be detected with respect to the receiving antenna 202 is 0, and Figure 10(b) shows the waveforms of the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 when the relative velocity of the object to be detected with respect to the receiving antenna 202 is not 0.

[0049] As shown in Figure 10(a), when the relative velocity of the detected object is 0, the first beat signal B1 (dashed line) and the second beat signal B2 (solid line) are in phase across the gap T (see Figure 7). On the other hand, as shown in Figure 10(b), when the relative velocity of the detected object is not 0, the phase of the first beat signal B1 (dashed line) and the second beat signal B2 (solid line) changes across the gap T, and the amount of this change varies depending on the relative velocity of the detected object. This phase change is corrected by the signal processing unit 206.

[0050] The signal processing unit 206 (see Figure 6) comprises a first beat signal acquisition unit 221, a second beat signal acquisition unit 222, a beat signal correction unit 223, a beat signal coupling unit 224, and a detection unit 225. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the signal processing unit 206. The first beat signal acquisition unit 221 acquires the first beat signal B1 from the beat signal generation unit 203 and supplies it to the beat signal correction unit 223. The second beat signal acquisition unit 222 acquires the second beat signal B2 from the beat signal generation unit 203 and supplies it to the beat signal correction unit 223.

[0051] The beat signal correction unit 223 corrects the error between the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 caused by the gap T. Specifically, the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 have a phase difference caused by the gap T as described above. As shown in Figure 11, the beat signal correction unit 223 performs a Fourier transform (St211) on the first beat signal B1 in the velocity direction and distance direction. The beat signal correction unit 223 can perform a Fourier transform on the first beat signal B1 in the velocity direction and distance direction by performing an FFT (2D-FFT) on the first beat signal B1 in the distance direction and velocity direction. The beat signal correction unit 223 generates a distance-velocity map from this Fourier transformation.

[0052] Next, the beat signal correction unit 223 extracts the first beat signal B1 for each speed (St212) and performs an inverse Fourier transform (St213) for each speed. The inverse Fourier transform can be performed using the inverse FFT. After the inverse Fourier transform, the beat signal correction unit 223 repeats the operation from extraction (St212) for the number of speed bins. The beat signal correction unit 223 supplies the first beat signal B1 that has undergone the above processing to the beat signal coupling unit 224.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the beat signal correction unit 223 performs a Fourier transform (St221) on the second beat signal B2 in the velocity direction and distance direction. The beat signal correction unit 223 can perform a Fourier transform on the second beat signal B2 in the velocity direction and distance direction by performing a distance direction and velocity direction FFT (2D-FFT) on the second beat signal B2. The beat signal correction unit 223 generates a distance-velocity map from this Fourier transformation.

[0054] Next, the beat signal correction unit 223 extracts the second beat signal B2 for each speed (St222) and performs an inverse Fourier transform (St223) for each speed. The inverse Fourier transform can be performed using the inverse FFT. After the inverse Fourier transform, the beat signal correction unit 223 corrects the phase difference in the speed direction of the second beat signal B2 (see Figure 10(b)) (St224) and repeats for each speed bin. The beat signal correction unit 223 supplies the second beat signal B2 that has undergone the above processing to the beat signal coupling unit 224.

[0055] The beat signal coupling unit 224 generates a third beat signal by coupling (St231) the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 supplied from the beat signal correction unit 223. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the coupling of the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2. As shown in the figure, the beat signal coupling unit 224 couples the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 in that order to generate a third beat signal B3. As described above, the phase difference between the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 caused by the gap T is corrected (St224), so the phases at the coupling point of the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 coincide. The beat signal coupling unit 224 supplies the generated third beat signal B3 to the detection unit 225.

[0056] The detection unit 225 performs detection (St232) based on the third beat signal B3. The detection unit 225 can detect the distance and relative velocity between the object to be detected and the receiving antenna 202 from the third beat signal B3. Since the frequency of the third beat signal B3 indicates the distance to the object to be detected, the detection unit 225 can calculate the distance to each object to be detected by performing a Fourier transform on the third beat signal B3 for each velocity bin to convert it into the frequency domain. This distance-direction Fourier transform can be performed using distance FFT (or 1D-FFT).

[0057] Furthermore, since the phase change of the third beat signal B3 between bursts indicates the relative velocity with respect to the detected object, the detection unit 225 can calculate the relative velocity between the receiving antenna 202 and each detected object by performing a Fourier transform on the third beat signal B3, which has been performed in the distance direction, for each frame. This Fourier transform in the velocity direction can be performed by velocity FFT (or 2D-FFT).

[0058] Furthermore, if the radar device 200 is equipped with multiple receiving antennas 202, the phase difference of the third beat signal B3 between each receiving antenna 202 indicates the angle between each receiving antenna 202 and the object to be detected. Therefore, by performing a Fourier transform on all of the third beat signals B3 obtained by performing a Fourier transform in the velocity direction for each receiving antenna 202, the angle of each object to be detected relative to the receiving antenna 202 can be detected.

[0059] [Effects of radar equipment] The effects of the radar device 200 will now be explained. As described above, the radar device 200 transmits two chirps, a first chirp C1 and a second chirp C2 (see Figure 7), from the transmitting antenna 201 with a gap T between them. Then, two beat signals, a first beat signal B1 and a second beat signal B2, are generated from the transmitted signal and the received signal generated by the receiving antenna 202. Furthermore, after correcting the error between the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2, the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 are concatenated to generate a third beat signal B3 (see Figure 12). The third beat signal B3 can be handled in the same way as a general beat signal, and it is possible to detect the distance, relative velocity, and angle of the object to be detected based on the third beat signal B3.

[0060] In this way, the radar device 200 can treat the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 as a single virtual chirp by performing the above processing. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the third chirp C3 formed by the linking of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2. As shown in the figure, if the bandwidth of the third chirp C3 is the third bandwidth W3, then the third bandwidth W3 is the sum of the first bandwidth W1 and the second bandwidth W2. For example, if the first bandwidth W1 is 1 GHz and the second bandwidth W2 is 4 GHz, then the third bandwidth W3 will be 5 GHz. In an FMCW radar, the distance resolution is defined by the following (Equation 1). Rres=c / (2×W)...(Formula 1) Here, Rres is the distance resolution, c is the speed of light, and W is the chirp bandwidth. As is clear from (Equation 1), the wider the bandwidth W, the finer the distance resolution becomes.

[0061] The bandwidth of the chirp defines the distance resolution of the FMCW radar. However, the radar device 200 can virtually generate a third chirp C3 having a third bandwidth W3 that is wider than the first bandwidth W1 and second bandwidth W2 of the chirp actually transmitted from the transmitting antenna 201. Therefore, the radar device 200 can improve the distance resolution beyond hardware limitations. Furthermore, even if the usable bandwidth is limited by laws such as the Radio Law, it is possible to improve the distance resolution beyond those limitations.

[0062] [Regarding other beat signal correction methods] The beat signal correction unit 223 can correct the phase difference between the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 by the method described above (see Figure 11), but it is also possible to correct the phase difference between the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 by the following method. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the signal processing unit 206, including this correction method.

[0063] As shown in Figure 14, the beat signal correction unit 223 performs a Fourier transform (St251) on the first beat signal B1 in the velocity direction. In the method shown in Figure 11, the Fourier transform in the distance direction was performed first, but if the Fourier transform in the velocity direction can be performed first, the processing shown in Figure 14 is also possible. When using the method shown in Figure 14, the inverse Fourier transform steps shown in St213 and St223 in Figure 11 are unnecessary. The beat signal correction unit 223 can perform a Fourier transform on the first beat signal B1 in the velocity direction by performing an FFT on the first beat signal B1. The beat signal correction unit 223 generates a raw-velocity map from this Fourier transformation. The beat signal correction unit 223 supplies the first beat signal B1, which has undergone the above processing, to the beat signal coupling unit 224.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, the beat signal correction unit 223 performs a Fourier transform (St261) on the second beat signal B2 in the velocity direction. The beat signal correction unit 223 can perform a Fourier transform on the second beat signal B2 in the velocity direction by performing an FFT on the second beat signal B2 in the velocity direction. The beat signal correction unit 223 generates a raw-velocity map from this Fourier transformation.

[0065] Next, the beat signal correction unit 223 extracts the second beat signal B2 for each speed (St262). Then, the beat signal correction unit 223 corrects the phase difference in the speed direction of the second beat signal B2 (see Figure 10(b)) (St263) and repeats the process for each speed. The beat signal correction unit 223 supplies the second beat signal B2 that has undergone the above processing to the beat signal coupling unit 224.

[0066] The beat signal concatenation unit 224 concatenates the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2 supplied from the beat signal correction unit 223 (St271) to generate a third beat signal B3 (see Figure 12) and supplies it to the detection unit 225. The detection unit 225 can detect the distance, relative velocity, and angle of the object to be detected (St272) based on the third beat signal B3, similar to the detection step described above (St242, see Figure 11).

[0067] In this correction method, only the velocity-direction Fourier transform is performed before the generation of the third beat signal, and the distance-direction Fourier transform is performed only at the end, enabling high-speed correction processing. On the other hand, in the correction method described above, the distance-direction Fourier transform is performed simultaneously with the generation of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2, making it possible to extract only a specific region of frequency in the distance direction, compress the information, and pass it to the subsequent processing stage in real time. This method is particularly advantageous in systems where the signal processing system is divided into a poor processing system in the front stage and a rich processing system in the back stage, and where it is necessary to perform the acquisition of chirp signals and distance / velocity Fourier transforms in the poor processing system in the front stage, and then pass the data after reducing the amount of data transmitted to the rich processing system in the back stage, as it can reduce the amount of data transmitted.

[0068] [Regarding the bandwidth of the first and second chirps] The first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 have a first highest frequency f1 as shown in Figure 7(b). H and the second lowest frequency f2 L The frequencies may be the same, and the bandwidths of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 may be continuous.

[0069] Furthermore, the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 may have discrete bandwidths. Figure 15 is a graph showing the frequencies of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 with discrete bandwidths. As shown in the figure, the first highest frequency f1 H and the second lowest frequency f2 L Since the two are at different frequencies, a frequency band gap G exists between the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2. In this case, a frequency difference occurs in addition to the phase difference between the first beat signal B1 and the second beat signal B2, so the beat signal correction unit 223 corrects the frequency difference along with the phase difference in the correction step (St224 (Figure 11), St263 (Figure 14)).

[0070] Furthermore, the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 may overlap in some frequency bands. Figure 16 is a graph showing the frequencies of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 with some overlapping frequency bands. As shown in the figure, the second lowest frequency f2 L The first highest frequency is f1 H The frequencies are lower, and the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 may overlap in part of their bandwidths.

[0071] Tables 1 and 2 below show examples of the bandwidths of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 for the cases of continuous bandwidth, discrete bandwidth, and overlapping bandwidth, respectively.

[0072] [Table 1]

[0073] [Table 2]

[0074] The first bandwidth W1 and the second bandwidth W2 may be different as shown in [Table 1], or they may be the same as shown in [Table 2]. Furthermore, the first bandwidth W1 may be larger than the second bandwidth W2. In addition, the bandwidths and ranges of the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 can be arbitrarily selected as long as their center frequencies are different.

[0075] [About virtual antenna arrays] In the above description, the transmission signals for the first chirp C1 and the second chirp C2 are assumed to be transmitted from one transmitting antenna 201 (see Figure 6), but these transmission signals may be transmitted from two transmitting antennas 201. Figure 17 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radar device 200 equipped with two transmitting antennas 201. As shown in the figure, the transmitting antenna 201 includes a first transmitting antenna 201a and a second transmitting antenna 201b. The first transmitting antenna 201a and the second transmitting antenna 201b, together with the receiving antenna 202, form a MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) virtual antenna array.

[0076] In this configuration, the transmission control unit 213 outputs the transmission signal of the first chirp C1 to the first transmitting antenna 201a and the transmission signal of the second chirp C2 to the second transmitting antenna 201b. The beat signal generation unit 203 generates a first beat signal B1 from the transmission signal of the first chirp C1 and the received signal generated by the receiving antenna 202, and generates a second beat signal B from the transmission signal of the second chirp C2 and the received signal generated by the receiving antenna 202. Note that the receiving antenna 202 may also include multiple receiving antennas, and multiple transmitting antennas 201 and multiple receiving antennas 202 may form a MIMO virtual antenna array.

[0077] [Hardware configuration of information processing equipment] This section describes a hardware configuration that enables the functional configuration of the information processing device 204. Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing this hardware configuration.

[0078] As shown in the figure, the information processing device 204 incorporates a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1001 and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 1002. An input / output interface 1006 is connected to the CPU 1001 and GPU 1002 via a bus 1005. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 1003 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 1004 are connected to the bus 1005.

[0079] The input / output interface 1006 is connected to an input unit 1007 consisting of input devices such as a keyboard and mouse for the user to input operation commands, an output unit 1008 that outputs the processing operation screen and images of the processing results to a display device, a storage unit 1009 consisting of a hard disk drive for storing programs and various data, and a communication unit 1010 consisting of a LAN (Local Area Network) adapter for performing communication processing via a network such as the Internet. In addition, a drive 1011 is connected to a removable storage medium 1012 such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory for reading and writing data.

[0080] The CPU 1001 reads programs stored in the ROM 1003, or from removable storage media 1012 such as magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, or semiconductor memory, and installs them in the storage unit 1009. It then executes various processes according to the programs loaded from the storage unit 1009 into the RAM 1004. The RAM 1004 also stores data necessary for the CPU 1001 to execute various processes as appropriate. The GPU 1002, under the control of the CPU 1001, executes the calculation processes necessary for image rendering.

[0081] In the information processing device 204 configured as described above, the CPU 1001 loads, for example, a program stored in the memory unit 1009 into the RAM 1004 via the input / output interface 1006 and the bus 1005, and executes it, thereby performing the series of processes described above.

[0082] The program executed by the information processing device 204 can be provided by recording it on a removable storage medium 1012, such as a packaged media. The program can also be provided via wired or wireless transmission media, such as a local area network, the internet, or digital satellite broadcasting.

[0083] Furthermore, in the information processing device 204, programs can be installed in the storage unit 1009 via the input / output interface 1006 by inserting the removable storage medium 1012 into the drive 1011. Alternatively, programs can be received by the communication unit 1010 via a wired or wireless transmission medium and installed in the storage unit 1009. In addition, programs can be pre-installed in the ROM 1003 or the storage unit 1009.

[0084] The program executed by the information processing device 204 may be a program that is processed chronologically in the order described in this disclosure, or it may be a program that is processed in parallel or at necessary times, such as when a call is made.

[0085] Furthermore, the hardware configuration of the information processing device 204 does not necessarily have to be mounted on a single device; the information processing device 204 may be composed of multiple devices. Alternatively, some of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 204 may be mounted on multiple devices connected via a network.

[0086] [Application Examples] The technology disclosed herein can be applied to a variety of products. For example, the technology disclosed herein may be implemented as a device mounted on any type of mobile vehicle, such as automobiles, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, personal mobility devices, airplanes, drones, ships, robots, construction machinery, or agricultural machinery (tractors).

[0087] Figure 19 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a vehicle control system 7000, which is an example of a mobile control system to which the technology described herein can be applied. The vehicle control system 7000 comprises a plurality of electronic control units connected via a communication network 7010. In the example shown in Figure 19, the vehicle control system 7000 comprises a drive system control unit 7100, a body system control unit 7200, a battery control unit 7300, an external information detection unit 7400, an internal information detection unit 7500, and an integrated control unit 7600. The communication network 7010 connecting these plurality of control units may be an in-vehicle communication network conforming to any standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), LAN (Local Area Network), or FlexRay®.

[0088] Each control unit comprises a microcomputer that performs calculations according to various programs, a storage unit that stores programs executed by the microcomputer or parameters used in various calculations, and a drive circuit that drives various controlled devices. Each control unit is equipped with a network interface for communication with other control units via the communication network 7010, and a communication interface for communication with devices or sensors inside or outside the vehicle via wired or wireless communication. Figure 19 illustrates the functional configuration of the integrated control unit 7600, which includes a microcomputer 7610, a general-purpose communication interface 7620, a dedicated communication interface 7630, a positioning unit 7640, a beacon receiver 7650, an in-vehicle equipment interface 7660, an audio / image output unit 7670, an in-vehicle network interface 7680, and a storage unit 7690. Other control units similarly include a microcomputer, a communication interface, and a storage unit.

[0089] The drivetrain control unit 7100 controls the operation of devices related to the vehicle's drivetrain according to various programs. For example, the drivetrain control unit 7100 functions as a control device for generating driving force for the vehicle, such as an internal combustion engine or a drive motor; a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the wheels; a steering mechanism for adjusting the steering angle of the vehicle; and a braking device for generating braking force for the vehicle. The drivetrain control unit 7100 may also function as a control device such as ABS (Antilock Brake System) or ESC (Electronic Stability Control).

[0090] A vehicle state detection unit 7110 is connected to the drivetrain control unit 7100. The vehicle state detection unit 7110 includes, for example, a gyro sensor for detecting the angular velocity of the vehicle's axial rotational motion, an acceleration sensor for detecting the vehicle's acceleration, or at least one of the sensors for detecting the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal, the amount of operation of the brake pedal, the steering angle of the steering wheel, the engine speed, or the rotational speed of the wheels. The drivetrain control unit 7100 performs calculations using signals input from the vehicle state detection unit 7110 and controls the internal combustion engine, drive motor, electric power steering system, brake system, etc.

[0091] The body system control unit 7200 controls the operation of various devices mounted on the vehicle body according to various programs. For example, the body system control unit 7200 functions as a control device for a keyless entry system, a smart key system, a power window system, or various lamps such as headlights, reverse lights, brake lights, turn signals, or fog lights. In this case, the body system control unit 7200 may receive radio waves transmitted from a portable device that replaces a key or signals from various switches. The body system control unit 7200 receives these radio waves or signals and controls the vehicle's door lock system, power window system, lamps, etc.

[0092] The battery control unit 7300 controls the secondary battery 7310, which is the power source for the drive motor, according to various programs. For example, the battery control unit 7300 receives information such as battery temperature, battery output voltage, or remaining battery capacity from the battery device equipped with the secondary battery 7310. The battery control unit 7300 uses these signals to perform calculations and controls the temperature of the secondary battery 7310 or the cooling device provided in the battery device.

[0093] The external information detection unit 7400 detects information from outside the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000. For example, at least one of the imaging unit 7410 and the external information detection unit 7420 is connected to the external information detection unit 7400. The imaging unit 7410 includes at least one of the following: a ToF (Time Of Flight) camera, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, an infrared camera, and other cameras. The external information detection unit 7420 includes at least one of the following: an environmental sensor for detecting the current weather or climate, or an ambient information detection sensor for detecting other vehicles, obstacles, or pedestrians around the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000.

[0094] The environmental sensor may be at least one of the following: a raindrop sensor for detecting rain, a fog sensor for detecting fog, a sunshine sensor for detecting the degree of sunlight, and a snow sensor for detecting snowfall. The ambient information detection sensor may be at least one of the following: an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, and a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) device. These imaging unit 7410 and external information detection unit 7420 may be provided as independent sensors or devices, or as a device in which multiple sensors or devices are integrated.

[0095] Here, Figure 20 shows examples of the installation locations of the imaging unit 7410 and the external information detection unit 7420. The imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, 7916, and 7918 are installed, for example, at least one of the following locations on the vehicle 7900: the front nose, side mirrors, rear bumper, back door, and the upper part of the windshield inside the passenger compartment. The imaging unit 7910 installed on the front nose and the imaging unit 7918 installed on the upper part of the windshield inside the passenger compartment mainly acquire images of the front of the vehicle 7900. The imaging units 7912 and 7914 installed on the side mirrors mainly acquire images of the sides of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7916 installed on the rear bumper or back door mainly acquires images of the rear of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7918 installed on the upper part of the windshield inside the passenger compartment is mainly used for detecting preceding vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, traffic lights, traffic signs, or lanes.

[0096] Figure 20 shows an example of the imaging range of each imaging unit 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916. Imaging range a shows the imaging range of imaging unit 7910 located on the front nose, imaging ranges b and c show the imaging ranges of imaging units 7912 and 7914 located on the side mirrors, respectively, and imaging range d shows the imaging range of imaging unit 7916 located on the rear bumper or back door. For example, by superimposing the image data captured by imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916, an overhead view image of the vehicle 7900 can be obtained.

[0097] The external information detection units 7920, 7922, 7924, 7926, 7928, and 7930, which are installed on the front, rear, sides, corners, and the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle 7900, may be, for example, ultrasonic sensors or radar devices. The external information detection units 7920, 7926, and 7930, which are installed on the front nose, rear bumper, back door, and the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle 7900, may be, for example, LIDAR devices. These external information detection units 7920 to 7930 are mainly used to detect preceding vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles.

[0098] Returning to Figure 19, the explanation continues. The external information detection unit 7400 causes the imaging unit 7410 to capture images of the area outside the vehicle and receives the captured image data. The external information detection unit 7400 also receives detection information from the connected external information detection unit 7420. If the external information detection unit 7420 is an ultrasonic sensor, radar device, or LIDAR device, the external information detection unit 7400 emits ultrasonic waves or electromagnetic waves and receives information on the received reflected waves. Based on the received information, the external information detection unit 7400 may perform object detection processing such as detecting people, vehicles, obstacles, signs, or characters on the road surface, or distance detection processing. Based on the received information, the external information detection unit 7400 may perform environmental recognition processing to recognize rainfall, fog, or road surface conditions. Based on the received information, the external information detection unit 7400 may calculate the distance to an object outside the vehicle.

[0099] Furthermore, the external information detection unit 7400 may perform image recognition processing or distance detection processing to recognize people, vehicles, obstacles, signs, or characters on the road surface based on the received image data. The external information detection unit 7400 may perform distortion correction or alignment processing on the received image data, and may also synthesize image data captured by different imaging units 7410 to generate an overhead view image or a panoramic image. The external information detection unit 7400 may also perform viewpoint transformation processing using image data captured by different imaging units 7410.

[0100] The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 detects information inside the vehicle. The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 is connected to, for example, a driver status detection unit 7510 that detects the driver's state. The driver status detection unit 7510 may include a camera that images the driver, a biosensor that detects the driver's biometric information, or a microphone that collects sounds inside the vehicle. The biosensor is installed, for example, on the seat or steering wheel and detects the biometric information of a passenger sitting in the seat or a driver holding the steering wheel. Based on the detection information input from the driver status detection unit 7510, the in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 may calculate the driver's level of fatigue or concentration, or determine whether the driver is dozing off. The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 may perform processing such as noise cancellation on the collected audio signals.

[0101] The integrated control unit 7600 controls the overall operation of the vehicle control system 7000 according to various programs. An input unit 7800 is connected to the integrated control unit 7600. The input unit 7800 is implemented by a device that can be operated by the passenger, such as a touch panel, buttons, a microphone, a switch, or a lever. The integrated control unit 7600 may also receive data obtained by voice recognition of voice input from the microphone. The input unit 7800 may be a remote control device using infrared or other radio waves, or an external device such as a mobile phone or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) that is compatible with the operation of the vehicle control system 7000. The input unit 7800 may be a camera, in which case the passenger can input information by gesture. Alternatively, data obtained by detecting the movement of a wearable device worn by the passenger may be input. Furthermore, the input unit 7800 may include, for example, an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on the information input by the passenger using the above input unit 7800 and outputs it to the integrated control unit 7600. Passengers and others can input various data or instruct the vehicle control system 7000 to perform processing operations by operating this input unit 7800.

[0102] The memory unit 7690 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing various programs executed by a microcomputer, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) for storing various parameters, calculation results, or sensor values. The memory unit 7690 may also be implemented using a magnetic storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a semiconductor storage device, an optical storage device, or a magneto-optical storage device.

[0103] The general-purpose communication interface 7620 is a general-purpose communication interface that mediates communication between the vehicle and various devices present in the external environment 7750. The general-purpose communication interface 7620 may implement cellular communication protocols such as GSM (Global System of Mobile communications), WiMAX (registered trademark), LTE (registered trademark) (Long Term Evolution), or LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), or other wireless communication protocols such as wireless LAN (also known as Wi-Fi (registered trademark)) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The general-purpose communication interface 7620 may connect to devices (e.g., application servers or control servers) located on an external network (e.g., the Internet, a cloud network, or a carrier-specific network) via, for example, a base station or access point. The general-purpose communication interface 7620 may also connect to terminals located near the vehicle (e.g., terminals for drivers, pedestrians, or shops, or MTC (Machine Type Communication) terminals) using, for example, P2P (Peer To Peer) technology.

[0104] The Dedicated Communication I / F 7630 is a communication interface that supports communication protocols developed for use in vehicles. The Dedicated Communication I / F 7630 may implement standard protocols such as WAVE (Wireless Access in Vehicle Environment), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications), or cellular communication protocols, which are combinations of lower-layer IEEE 802.11p and upper-layer IEEE 1609. The Dedicated Communication I / F 7630 typically performs V2X communication, a concept that includes one or more of the following: vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, vehicle-to-home communication, and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication.

[0105] The positioning unit 7640 performs positioning by receiving GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites (for example, GPS signals from GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites) and generates location information including the vehicle's latitude, longitude, and altitude. The positioning unit 7640 may also determine its current location by exchanging signals with a wireless access point, or it may acquire location information from a terminal such as a mobile phone, PHS, or smartphone that has a positioning function.

[0106] The beacon receiver 7650 receives radio waves or electromagnetic waves transmitted from, for example, a radio station installed on a road, and obtains information such as the current location, traffic congestion, road closures, or travel time. The functions of the beacon receiver 7650 may also be included in the dedicated communication interface 7630 described above.

[0107] The In-Vehicle Equipment I / F 7660 is a communication interface that mediates connections between the microcomputer 7610 and various in-vehicle equipment 7760 located inside the vehicle. The In-Vehicle Equipment I / F 7660 may establish a wireless connection using wireless communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, NFC (Near Field Communication), or WUSB (Wireless USB). Furthermore, the in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660 may establish a wired connection such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (Registered Trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), or MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) via connection terminals (and, if necessary, cables) not shown. The in-vehicle equipment 7760 may include, for example, at least one of the following: a mobile device or wearable device owned by a passenger, or an information device brought into or installed in the vehicle. The in-vehicle equipment 7760 may also include a navigation device that performs route searching to any destination. The in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660 exchanges control signals or data signals with these in-vehicle equipment 7760s.

[0108] The in-vehicle network interface 7680 is an interface that mediates communication between the microcomputer 7610 and the communication network 7010. The in-vehicle network interface 7680 transmits and receives signals and other data in accordance with a predetermined protocol supported by the communication network 7010.

[0109] The microcomputer 7610 of the integrated control unit 7600 controls the vehicle control system 7000 according to various programs based on information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I / F 7620, dedicated communication I / F 7630, positioning unit 7640, beacon receiver 7650, in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660, and in-vehicle network I / F 7680. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may calculate control target values ​​for the drive force generator, steering mechanism, or braking device based on acquired in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle information and output control commands to the drive system control unit 7100. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may perform coordinated control aimed at realizing ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) functions, including vehicle collision avoidance or impact mitigation, following driving based on distance between vehicles, maintaining vehicle speed, vehicle collision warning, or vehicle lane departure warning. Furthermore, the microcomputer 7610 may perform cooperative control for purposes such as autonomous driving, where the vehicle drives autonomously without driver intervention, by controlling the drive force generating device, steering mechanism, or braking device, etc., based on the acquired information about the vehicle's surroundings.

[0110] The microcomputer 7610 may generate three-dimensional distance information between the vehicle and surrounding structures, people, and other objects based on information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I / F 7620, dedicated communication I / F 7630, positioning unit 7640, beacon receiver 7650, in-vehicle equipment I / F 7660, and in-vehicle network I / F 7680, and create local map information including surrounding information of the vehicle's current location. Furthermore, the microcomputer 7610 may predict dangers such as vehicle collision, proximity of pedestrians, or entry into a closed road based on the acquired information, and generate a warning signal. The warning signal may, for example, be a signal to generate a warning sound or illuminate a warning lamp.

[0111] The audio-image output unit 7670 transmits at least one of audio and image output signals to an output device capable of visually or audibly notifying the vehicle's occupants or those outside the vehicle. In the example in Figure 19, the output devices are exemplified as an audio speaker 7710, a display unit 7720, and an instrument panel 7730. The display unit 7720 may include, for example, at least one of an onboard display and a head-up display. The display unit 7720 may also have an AR (Augmented Reality) display function. The output device may be other devices besides these, such as headphones, wearable devices such as glasses-type displays worn by occupants, projectors, or lamps. If the output device is a display device, the display device visually displays the results obtained from various processes performed by the microcomputer 7610 or information received from other control units in various formats such as text, images, tables, and graphs. If the output device is an audio output device, the audio output device converts the audio signal, consisting of reproduced audio data or sound data, into an analog signal and outputs it audibly.

[0112] In the example shown in Figure 19, at least two control units connected via the communication network 7010 may be integrated into a single control unit. Alternatively, each control unit may be composed of multiple control units. Furthermore, the vehicle control system 7000 may include other control units not shown. Also, in the above description, some or all of the functions performed by one control unit may be assigned to other control units. In other words, as long as information is transmitted and received via the communication network 7010, predetermined calculation processing may be performed by any of the control units. Similarly, a sensor or device connected to one control unit may be connected to another control unit, and multiple control units may transmit and receive detection information to each other via the communication network 7010.

[0113] Furthermore, the computer programs for realizing each function of the information processing device 204 according to this embodiment, as described with reference to Figure 6, can be implemented in any control unit or the like. Alternatively, a computer-readable recording medium containing such a computer program can be provided. Examples of recording media include magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, and flash memory. The computer programs described above may also be distributed, for example, via a network, without using a recording medium.

[0114] In the vehicle control system 7000 described above, the information processing device 204 according to this embodiment, as described with reference to Figure 6, can be applied to the integrated control unit 7600 of the application example shown in Figure 19. For example, the signal generation unit 205 and the signal processing unit 206 of the information processing device 204 correspond to the microcomputer 7610, memory unit 7690, and in-vehicle network interface 7680 of the integrated control unit 7600.

[0115] Furthermore, at least some of the components of the information processing device 204 described with reference to Figure 6 may be implemented in a module for the integrated control unit 7600 shown in Figure 19 (for example, an integrated circuit module consisting of a single die). Alternatively, the information processing device 204 described with reference to Figure 6 may be implemented by multiple control units of the vehicle control system 7000 shown in Figure 19.

[0116] [About this disclosure] The effects described in this disclosure are merely illustrative and not limiting, and other effects may also occur. The description of multiple effects above does not necessarily mean that they will necessarily occur simultaneously. It means that at least one of the effects described above may be obtained depending on the conditions, and effects not described in this disclosure may also occur. Furthermore, it is possible to arbitrarily combine at least two of the feature elements described in this disclosure.

[0117] Furthermore, this technology can also be configured as follows. (1) A transmitting antenna that transmits radar waves, A receiving antenna that receives radar waves, A first chirp generation unit that generates a first chirp, which is a chirp of a frequency continuous modulated wave signal, A second chirp generation unit generates a chirp of a frequency continuous modulated wave signal, which has a different center frequency from the first chirp described above. A transmission control unit that transmits from the transmitting antenna with a gap between the first chirp and the second chirp, A beat signal generation unit generates a first beat signal from the first chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the first chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna, and generates a second beat signal from the second chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the second chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna. A beat signal correction unit that corrects the error between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the above gap, A beat signal concatenation unit that concatenates the first beat signal and the second beat signal, after correcting the above error, to generate a third beat signal, A detection unit that detects the distance to the object to be detected based on the above third beat signal. A radar device equipped with the following. (2) The radar device described in (1) above, The gap in the picture is a temporal gap, The beat signal correction unit corrects the phase difference between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the time gap. Radar device. (3) The radar device described in (2) above, The above gaps are temporal gaps and frequency band gaps. The beat signal correction unit further corrects the frequency difference between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the gap in the frequency band. Radar device. (4) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (3) above, The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp are the same. Radar device. (5) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (3) above, The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp are different. Radar device. (6) The radar device described in (5) above, The bandwidth of the first chirp described above is 1 GHz. The bandwidth of the second chirp mentioned above is 4 GHz. Radar device. (7) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (6) above, The above transmitting antenna is a single transmitting antenna. The above-mentioned transmission control unit causes the first chirp and the second chirp to be transmitted from the single transmitting antenna. Radar device. (8) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (6) above, The above transmitting antenna includes a first transmitting antenna and a second transmitting antenna. The above transmission control unit causes the first chirp to be transmitted from the first transmitting antenna, and the second chirp to be transmitted from the second transmitting antenna. The first transmitting antenna and the second transmitting antenna described above form a MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) virtual antenna array. Radar device. (9) The radar device described in (1) above, The beat signal correction unit performs a Fourier transform on the first beat signal and the second beat signal in the distance and velocity directions, and then corrects the error. Radar device. (10) The radar device described in (1) above, The beat signal correction unit performs a Fourier transform on the first beat signal and the second beat signal in the velocity direction, and then corrects the error for each velocity. Radar device. (11) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (10) above, The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp are continuous. Radar device. (12) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (10) above, The bandwidths of the first chirp and the second chirp are discrete. Radar device. (13) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (10) above, A portion of the bandwidth of the first chirp described above and a portion of the bandwidth of the second chirp described above overlap. Radar device. (14) A radar device described in any one of (1) to (13) above, The bandwidths of the first and second chirps described above are in the millimeter wave bandwidth. Radar device. (15) A first chirp generation unit that generates a first chirp, which is a chirp of a frequency continuous modulated wave signal, A second chirp generation unit generates a chirp of a frequency continuous modulated wave signal, which has a different center frequency from the first chirp described above. A transmission control unit that transmits from a transmitting antenna with a gap between the first chirp and the second chirp described above, A beat signal correction unit that corrects the error caused by the gap between the first beat signal generated from the first chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the first chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna, and the second beat signal generated from the second chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the second chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna. A beat signal concatenation unit that concatenates the first beat signal and the second beat signal, after correcting the above error, to generate a third beat signal, A detection unit that detects the distance to the object to be detected based on the above third beat signal. An information processing device equipped with the following. (16) A first chirp, which is a chirp of a frequency-continuously modulated wave signal, is generated. This is a chirp of a frequency-continuous modulated wave signal, and generates a second chirp with a different center frequency from the first chirp described above. The first chirp and the second chirp described above are transmitted from the transmitting antenna with a gap in between them. The error caused by the gap between the first beat signal generated from the first chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the first chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna, and the second beat signal generated from the second chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the second chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna, is corrected. The first beat signal and the second beat signal, with the above error corrected, are concatenated to generate a third beat signal. The distance to the object to be detected is determined based on the third beat signal described above. Information processing methods. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0118] 200... Radar equipment 201... Transmitting antenna 202... Receiving antenna 203...Beat signal generation unit 204… Information Processing Equipment 205... Signal generation unit 206... Signal Processing Unit 211...First chirp generation unit 212...Second chirp generation unit 213...Transmission Control Unit 221...First beat signal acquisition unit 222...Second beat signal acquisition unit 223...Beat signal correction unit 224... Beat signal connection section 225...Detection unit

Claims

1. A transmitting antenna that transmits radar waves, A receiving antenna that receives radar waves, A first chirp generation unit that generates a first chirp, which is a chirp of a continuous frequency modulated wave, A second chirp generation unit generates a chirp of a frequency continuous modulation wave, the second chirp having a different center frequency from the first chirp, A transmission control unit that causes the first chirp and the second chirp to transmit from the transmitting antenna with a gap between them, A beat signal generation unit generates a first beat signal from the transmission signal of the first chirp transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the reception signal of the first chirp received by the receiving antenna, and generates a second beat signal from the transmission signal of the second chirp transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the reception signal of the second chirp received by the receiving antenna. A beat signal correction unit that performs a Fourier transform on the first beat signal and the second beat signal in the velocity direction, and then corrects the second beat signal so that the phase difference in the velocity direction between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the gap is eliminated. A beat signal coupling unit that couples the first beat signal and the second beat signal, whose phase difference in the velocity direction has been eliminated, to generate a third beat signal, A detection unit that detects the distance of the object to be detected based on the third beat signal, A radar device equipped with the following.

2. A radar device according to claim 1, The aforementioned gap is a temporal gap, The beat signal correction unit corrects the phase difference between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the temporal gap. Radar device.

3. A radar device according to claim 2, The gaps mentioned above are temporal gaps and frequency band gaps. The beat signal correction unit further corrects the frequency difference between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the gap in the frequency band. Radar device.

4. A radar device according to claim 1, The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp are the same. Radar device.

5. A radar device according to claim 1, The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp are different. Radar device.

6. A radar device according to claim 5, The bandwidth of the first chirp is 1 GHz. The bandwidth of the second chirp is 4 GHz. Radar device.

7. A radar device according to claim 1, The aforementioned transmitting antenna is a single transmitting antenna, The transmission control unit causes the first chirp and the second chirp to be transmitted from the one transmitting antenna. Radar device.

8. A radar device according to claim 1, The aforementioned transmitting antenna includes a first transmitting antenna and a second transmitting antenna. The transmission control unit causes the first chirp to be transmitted from the first transmitting antenna and the second chirp to be transmitted from the second transmitting antenna. The first transmitting antenna and the second transmitting antenna form a MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) virtual antenna array. Radar device.

9. A radar device according to claim 1, The bandwidth of the first chirp and the bandwidth of the second chirp are continuous. Radar device.

10. A radar device according to claim 1, The bandwidths of the first chirp and the second chirp are discrete. Radar device.

11. A radar device according to claim 1, A portion of the bandwidth of the first chirp and a portion of the bandwidth of the second chirp overlap. Radar device.

12. A radar device according to claim 1, The bandwidths of the first and second chirps are in the millimeter wave bandwidth. Radar device.

13. A first chirp generation unit that generates a first chirp, which is a chirp of a continuous frequency modulated wave, A second chirp generation unit generates a chirp of a frequency continuous modulation wave, the second chirp having a different center frequency from the first chirp, A transmission control unit that transmits from a transmitting antenna with a gap between the first chirp and the second chirp, A beat signal correction unit performs a Fourier transform in the velocity direction on the first beat signal and the second beat signal, which are generated from the first chirp transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the first chirp reception signal received by the receiving antenna, and corrects the second beat signal so as to eliminate the phase difference in the velocity direction between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the gap. A beat signal coupling unit that couples the first beat signal and the second beat signal, whose phase difference in the velocity direction has been eliminated, to generate a third beat signal, A detection unit that detects the distance of the object to be detected based on the third beat signal, An information processing device equipped with the following.

14. A first chirp, which is a chirp of a continuous frequency modulated wave, is generated. This generates a chirp of a continuous frequency modulated wave, a second chirp with a different center frequency from the first chirp, The first chirp and the second chirp are transmitted from the transmitting antenna with a gap between them. A first beat signal generated from the transmission signal of the first chirp transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the reception signal of the first chirp received by the receiving antenna, and a second beat signal generated from the transmission signal of the second chirp transmitted from the transmitting antenna and the reception signal of the second chirp received by the receiving antenna, are subjected to a Fourier transform in the velocity direction of the first beat signal and the second beat signal, and then the second beat signal is corrected so as to eliminate the phase difference in the velocity direction between the first beat signal and the second beat signal caused by the gap. The first beat signal and the second beat signal, whose phase difference in the velocity direction has been eliminated, are coupled together to generate a third beat signal. The distance to the object to be detected is detected based on the third beat signal. Information processing methods.

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