Vehicle-borne radar system, blind-spot detection method, and vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle-borne radar system (002), a blind-spot detection method, and a vehicle. The vehicle-borne radar system comprises an antenna array (1), a phase shifter array (2) and a radar chip (31), wherein the phase shifter array (2) comprises a plurality of transmission phase shifters (21) and a plurality of reception phase shifters (22), the transmission phase shifters (21) are connected to corresponding transmission antennas (11), the reception phase shifters (22) are connected to corresponding reception antennas (12), each transmission phase shifter (21) is configured to adjust the beam direction of electromagnetic waves on the basis of the travelling condition of a vehicle, such that the electromagnetic waves are transmitted to an actual blind spot, and each reception phase shifter (22) is configured to adjust the beam direction of echo signals, such that the beam direction of the echo signals is the same as the beam direction of the electromagnetic waves; and the radar chip (31) is connected to each of the transmission phase shifters (21) and the reception phase shifters (22), and the radar chip (31) is configured to generate the electromagnetic waves, process received echo signals to obtain echo information, and transmit the echo information to a head unit system (5).

Description

Vehicle-mounted radar system, blind spot detection method, and vehicle Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of radar detection technology, and in particular to a vehicle-mounted radar system, a blind spot detection method, and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] As society progresses, the demand for automobiles continues to increase. People no longer view vehicles as simply a means of transportation; they increasingly pursue the comfort and intelligence brought by technological advancements. Blind spot monitoring radar is a relatively mature technology that uses radar to transmit and receive signals for ranging, helping drivers monitor blind spots while driving, providing timely alerts or forcing the driver to take risk-avoidance measures.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a vehicle-mounted radar system, a blind spot detection method, and a vehicle. The specific solutions are as follows:

[0005] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle-mounted radar system, comprising:

[0006] An antenna array, the antenna array comprising a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas, the transmitting antennas being configured to transmit electromagnetic waves, and the receiving antennas being configured to receive echo signals, the echo signals being signals reflected by the electromagnetic waves from a target;

[0007] a phase shifter array, the phase shifter array comprising a plurality of transmitting phase shifters and a plurality of receiving phase shifters, the transmitting phase shifters being connected to corresponding transmitting antennas, the receiving phase shifters being connected to corresponding receiving antennas, the transmitting phase shifters being configured to adjust the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave according to a driving condition of the vehicle so that the electromagnetic wave is emitted into an actual blind spot, and the receiving phase shifters being configured to adjust the beam direction of the echo signal so that the beam direction of the echo signal is the same as the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave;

[0008] A data processing unit includes a radar chip, which is respectively connected to the transmitting phase shifter and the receiving phase shifter. The radar chip is configured to generate the electromagnetic wave and process the received echo signal to obtain echo information and transmit it to the vehicle system.

[0009] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the data processing unit also includes a control chip, which is respectively connected to the transmitting phase shifter and the receiving phase shifter, and the control chip is configured to adjust the phase shift amount of the transmitting phase shifter and the receiving phase shifter according to the driving condition of the vehicle obtained from the vehicle system.

[0010] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the structure of the transmitting phase shifter and the structure of the receiving phase shifter are liquid crystal phase shifters, two-dimensional electronic bandgap phase shifters, resonant ring phase shifters or MEMS phase shifters.

[0011] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the transmitting antenna is connected to the transmitting phase shifter in a one-to-one correspondence, and the receiving antenna is connected to the receiving phase shifter in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0012] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, multiple transmitting antennas are connected to the same transmitting phase shifter, and multiple receiving antennas are connected to the same receiving phase shifter.

[0013] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the radar chip includes a microwave circuit and a digital processing circuit; wherein,

[0014] The microwave circuit includes a waveform generator, a signal separator, a power amplifier, a low-noise amplifier, a mixer, an intermediate frequency amplifier, and an analog-to-digital converter, wherein the waveform generator, the signal separator, and the power amplifier are connected in sequence, the low-noise amplifier, the mixer, the intermediate frequency amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, and the digital processing circuit are connected in sequence, and the signal separator is connected to the mixer;

[0015] The digital processing circuit includes one-dimensional Fourier transform, two-dimensional Fourier transform, peak search, constant false alarm rate and angle calculation.

[0016] Correspondingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a vehicle, comprising a vehicle body and the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, which is loaded on the vehicle body.

[0017] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicle body is equipped with the vehicle-mounted radar system at the center position of the front bumper, the center position of the rear bumper and the bottom sides of the two B-pillars.

[0018] Optionally, in a specific implementation, the above-mentioned vehicle provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes the vehicle system, steering system and alarm system, the vehicle system is connected to the radar chip and the control chip, the steering system is connected to the vehicle system, and the alarm system is connected to the vehicle system.

[0019] Accordingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a blind spot detection method for a vehicle-mounted radar system, comprising:

[0020] Control the radar chip to generate electromagnetic waves;

[0021] controlling the transmitting phase shifter to adjust the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave according to the driving condition of the vehicle;

[0022] Controlling the transmitting antenna to transmit the electromagnetic waves after the beam direction is adjusted to the actual blind spot;

[0023] Controlling the receiving antenna to receive the echo signal reflected by the target and transmit it to the receiving phase shifter;

[0024] The radar chip is controlled to process the received echo signal to obtain echo information and transmit the echo information to the vehicle system.

[0025] Optionally, in a specific implementation, the blind spot detection method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes:

[0026] In response to the vehicle's driving process, the vehicle computer system determines a current steering angle of the vehicle according to a steering degree of the vehicle's steering system;

[0027] Determining a current driving voltage of the transmitting phase shifter corresponding to the current steering angle according to a steering angle-driving voltage lookup table pre-stored in the control chip;

[0028] driving the transmitting phase shifter according to the current driving voltage so that the beam of the electromagnetic wave output by the radar chip after passing through the transmitting phase shifter points to the actual blind spot corresponding to the current steering angle;

[0029] If the radar chip detects a target in the actual blind spot, the radar chip transmits the determined echo information to the vehicle system, and the vehicle system controls the vehicle's alarm system to issue a danger warning of the target.

[0030] Optionally, in a specific implementation, the blind spot detection method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes:

[0031] In response to a vehicle startup process, the vehicle system determines an expected driving action of the vehicle according to a gear operation of the vehicle;

[0032] The vehicle-mounted radar system is controlled by the vehicle-mounted radar system to detect the direction of the expected driving action;

[0033] If the radar chip detects a target, the radar chip transmits the determined echo information to the vehicle system, and the vehicle system controls the vehicle's alarm system to issue a danger warning of the target;

[0034] If the radar chip does not detect the target, the vehicle-mounted radar system is controlled to perform beam control scanning at various steering angles according to a steering angle-driving voltage lookup table pre-stored in the control chip.

[0035] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the blind spot detection method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the steering angle-driving voltage lookup table is obtained according to the following method:

[0036] The vehicle's steering angle is divided into multiple categories based on the number of turns of the steering system;

[0037] determining an actual blind spot corresponding to each of the steering angles;

[0038] Determine the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to each actual blind area;

[0039] determining a phase shift amount of the transmitting phase shifter according to the beam pointing;

[0040] The driving voltage of the transmitting phase shifter is determined according to the phase shift amount to obtain a driving voltage lookup table corresponding to each steering angle.

[0041] Optionally, in a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned blind spot detection method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the echo information includes the distance, relative speed and orientation information between the target and the vehicle.

[0042] Optionally, in a specific implementation, the above-mentioned blind spot detection method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes: in response to the straight-line driving process of the vehicle, controlling the vehicle-mounted radar system loaded at the center position of the front bumper and the center position of the rear bumper of the vehicle to start detection of the actual blind spot, and determining whether there is a target in the actual blind spot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle-mounted radar system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0044] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of another vehicle-mounted radar system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a liquid crystal phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0046] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a stacked structure of a radar chip, a liquid crystal phase shifter, and an antenna array provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of another phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0048] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of another phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0049] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of another phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a radar chip provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a digital processing circuit provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0052] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of another vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] FIG12 is a flow chart of a blind spot detection method for a vehicle-mounted radar system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0055] FIG13 is a flow chart of another blind spot detection method for a vehicle-mounted radar system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0056] FIG14 is a schematic flow chart of the blind spot detection method corresponding to FIG13 ;

[0057] FIG15 is a flow chart of another blind spot detection method for a vehicle-mounted radar system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0058] FIG16 is a schematic flow chart of the blind spot detection method corresponding to FIG15 ;

[0059] FIG17 is a flow chart of another blind spot detection method for a vehicle-mounted radar system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0060] FIG18 is a schematic diagram of a process for four on-board radar systems on a vehicle to perform blind spot detection when the vehicle turns, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. And in the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0062] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the usual meanings understood by persons of ordinary skill in the field to which this disclosure belongs. The words “include” or “comprise” and the like used in this disclosure mean that the elements or objects preceding the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The words “connect” or “connected” and the like are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. “Inside”, “outside”, “upper”, “lower”, etc. are only used to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0063] It should be noted that the sizes and shapes of the figures in the accompanying drawings do not reflect the actual scale and are only for the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure. The same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions.

[0064] As society progresses, the demand for automobiles continues to increase. People no longer view vehicles as simply a means of transportation; they increasingly pursue the comfort and intelligence brought by technological advancements. Blind spot monitoring radar is a relatively mature technology that uses radar to transmit and receive signals for ranging, helping drivers monitor blind spots while driving, providing timely alerts or forcing the driver to take risk-avoidance measures.

[0065] While there are currently various implementation methods for blind spot monitoring automotive radar systems, they primarily rely on the coordinated spatial coverage of multiple radars. This means each radar is responsible for a specific area, and the radar coverage range is fixed. Typically, a dual or triple radar configuration is employed, installed on the left and right sides of the rear of the vehicle, or on the left, center, and right sides. This approach of increasing the number of radars for blind spot / distance monitoring has drawbacks such as high cost and difficult installation. Furthermore, the monitoring area is relatively fixed relative to the vehicle body, making it difficult to dynamically and flexibly monitor the vehicle's driving state. For example, when the vehicle is in a corner or other unusual driving situation, the blind spot can change, and in this case, the radar monitoring is no longer the true blind spot.

[0066] In view of this, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle-mounted radar system, as shown in FIG1 and FIG2 , including:

[0067] Antenna array 1, which includes multiple transmitting antennas 11 (N for example) and multiple receiving antennas 12 (N for example). Transmitting antennas 11 are configured to transmit electromagnetic waves, and receiving antennas 12 are configured to receive echo signals, where the echo signals are signals reflected by the electromagnetic waves from target 4;

[0068] Phase shifter array 2, which includes multiple transmitting phase shifters 21 (M for example) and multiple receiving phase shifters 22 (M for example). The transmitting phase shifters 21 are connected to corresponding transmitting antennas 11, and the receiving phase shifters 22 are connected to corresponding receiving antennas 12. The transmitting phase shifters 21 are configured to adjust the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave according to the driving condition of the vehicle so that the electromagnetic wave is transmitted to the actual blind spot. The receiving phase shifters 22 are configured to adjust the beam direction of the echo signal so that the beam direction of the echo signal is the same as the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave.

[0069] The data processing unit 3 includes a radar chip 31 , which is respectively connected to the transmitting phase shifter 21 and the receiving phase shifter 22 . The radar chip 31 is configured to generate electromagnetic waves and process the received echo signals to obtain echo information and transmit it to the vehicle system 5 .

[0070] The above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, by adding a phase shifter array between the antenna array and the data processing unit, can change the direction of the beam of the electromagnetic wave by adjusting the phase shift amount of the phase shifter array when the driving condition of the vehicle changes and causes the position of the blind spot to change, so that the electromagnetic wave is emitted to the actual blind spot. If a target (obstacle) is detected in the actual blind spot, the electromagnetic wave is emitted and reflected back by the target, and is obtained by the receiving antenna. After processing by the radar chip, the echo information is fed back to the vehicle system for warning or intervention operations. Therefore, the present disclosure can monitor the blind spots of the vehicle, and can cooperate with the vehicle system to dynamically adjust the radar monitoring area according to the real-time status of the vehicle, truly realizing blind spot monitoring under all vehicle conditions.

[0071] Optionally, the electromagnetic waves generated by the radar chip in the embodiments of the present disclosure are linear frequency modulated continuous wave signals, such as millimeter wave electromagnetic waves. Millimeter wave radar systems can distinguish and identify very small targets and multiple targets simultaneously, offering advantages such as strong detection capabilities and a compact size. Of course, the electromagnetic waves generated by the radar chip in the embodiments of the present disclosure may also be electromagnetic waves in other bands.

[0072] In a specific implementation, in the vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 , data processing unit 3 further includes a control chip 32, which is connected to transmit phase shifter 21 and receive phase shifter 22, respectively. Control chip 32 is configured to adjust the phase shift amounts of transmit phase shifter 21 and receive phase shifter 22 based on the vehicle's driving conditions obtained from vehicle-mounted system 5. Specifically, vehicle-mounted system 5 is no longer a simple response terminal, but instead interacts with data processing unit 3 through information and commands. When the vehicle is driving normally (such as in a straight line), the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave is set to the conventional blind spot (diagonally in front and diagonally behind) that the driver cannot see. At this time, the radar system of the embodiment of the present disclosure has a similar effect to the traditional radar system; when the vehicle is in a special condition (such as turning), the driver's attention is still focused on the front of the vehicle, but the blind spot has become the side of the vehicle. The vehicle system 5 will determine the driving condition of the vehicle according to the steering degree of the steering system 6 (steering wheel) and feedback to the control chip 32. The control chip 32 controls the phase shift amount of the phase shifter array 2, and finally changes the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave to the side of the vehicle, truly realizing blind spot monitoring under all vehicle conditions.

[0073] In a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the antenna array 1 generally adopts the form of a microstrip patch, and the number N of transmitting antennas 11 and receiving antennas 12 can be comprehensively considered based on the detection distance and beam width to achieve more ideal beam coverage.

[0074] In a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the structure of the transmitting phase shifter 21 and the structure of the receiving phase shifter 22 can be liquid crystal phase shifters. As shown in Figure 3, the liquid crystal phase shifter includes: a first substrate 10 and a second substrate 20 arranged opposite to each other, a liquid crystal layer 30 arranged between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20, a first electrode 40 arranged on the side of the first substrate 10 facing the liquid crystal layer 30, a second electrode 50 arranged on the side of the second substrate 20 facing the liquid crystal layer 30, a first driving line 60 arranged on the side of the first substrate 10 facing the liquid crystal layer 30 and electrically connected to the first electrode 40, and a second driving line 70 arranged on the side of the second substrate 20 facing the liquid crystal layer 30 and electrically connected to the second electrode 50. When a voltage is applied to the first electrode 40 and the second electrode 50 via the first driving line 60 and the second driving line 70, the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 30 is deflected. The degree of deflection varies, and the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal changes. Therefore, the electrically adjustable dielectric constant of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 30 is utilized to achieve the phase shifting effect of the phase shifter, thereby achieving the phase change of the electromagnetic wave. Therefore, when the driving condition of the vehicle changes, the present invention changes the phase of the electromagnetic wave through the phase shifter, so that the electromagnetic wave can be directed to the real blind spot in real time.

[0075] In a specific implementation, as shown in FIG3 , the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 use glass as a substrate to achieve packaging and regulation of the liquid crystal layer 30 , and PCB, COP, PI, etc. may also be used as a substrate.

[0076] In specific implementation, air feeding or metal via direct feeding can be used between the antenna array 1 and the phase shifter array 2, and between the phase shifter array 2 and the radar chip 31. The stacked structure is shown in Figure 4. The radar chip 31 feeds electromagnetic waves to the transmitting phase shifter 21 through a coupling feeder 90 that penetrates the dielectric substrate 80, and then feeds it to the transmitting antenna 11 through coupling. The electromagnetic waves are reflected back after passing through the target (echo signal), pass through the receiving phase shifter 22, and then are fed to the radar chip 31 through a coupling feeder. The radar chip 31 processes the echo signal to obtain echo information, and then sends it to the vehicle system from the data interface 100. The vehicle system notifies the alarm system to perform an alarm or intervention operation based on the echo information.

[0077] Optionally, as shown in FIG4 , the dielectric substrate 80 may be a low-loss rigid printed circuit board (PCB), or a flexible dielectric such as LCP, PI, etc.

[0078] Optionally, the embodiment of the present disclosure takes a liquid crystal phase shifter as an example, but is certainly not limited thereto. A two-dimensional electronic bandgap phase shifter, a resonant ring phase shifter or a MEMS phase shifter may also be used to implement the phase shifting function.

[0079] Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, Figure 5 shows a two-dimensional electronic bandgap phase shifter, which includes a substrate 200 and a transmission line 300, a first electrode 400, an electronic bandgap 500, and a second electrode 600 disposed on the substrate 200. By designing a two-dimensional electronic bandgap 500 perturbation microstructure unit on the transmission line 300, which is equivalent to a periodic variable capacitor, phase shifting is performed. The phase shift principle is as follows: microwave signals are transmitted along the transmission line 300 as quasi-TEM waves, and the two-dimensional electronic bandgap 500 acts as a variable capacitor structure. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes (400 and 600) on both sides of the electronic bandgap 500, the number of carriers in the electronic bandgap 500 changes, which in turn affects the capacitance value, achieving the phase shift function.

[0080] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, Figure 6 is a resonant ring phase shifter. By designing a resonant ring structure 800 on the transmission line 300, which is equivalent to a periodic variable inductor, phase shifting is performed. The phase shift is as follows: the electromagnetic wave signal is transmitted along the transmission line 300 as a quasi-TEM wave, and the presence or absence of the variable inductance is realized by turning on and off the switch tube 700, thereby achieving the effect of the periodic variable inductor and realizing the phase shift function.

[0081] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, Figure 7 is a MEMS phase shifter, including: a substrate 201, a coplanar waveguide signal line 202 arranged on the substrate 201, a coplanar waveguide ground line 203 arranged on the substrate 201 and on both sides of the coplanar waveguide signal line 202, an isolation layer 204 arranged on the coplanar waveguide signal line 202 and covering the coplanar waveguide signal line 202, and a metal film bridge 205 electrically connected to the coplanar waveguide ground line 203 and spanning the coplanar waveguide signal line 202, with an air gap 206 formed between the metal film bridge 205 and the substrate 201. A radio frequency MEMS switch can be used to form a periodic variable capacitance structure on the coplanar waveguide signal line 202 for phase shifting. The specific principle is: by applying a bias voltage between the metal film bridge 205 and the coplanar waveguide signal line 202 to change the height of the metal film bridge 205, when the bias voltage is not connected, the metal film bridge 205 remains in a normal state, and there is no phase change when the high-frequency signal passes through the MEMS phase shifter. When the bias voltage is connected, the height of the metal film bridge 205 changes under the electrostatic adsorption effect of the bias voltage, thereby changing the distributed capacitance of the coplanar waveguide signal line 202, forming the effect of periodically loading the coplanar waveguide signal line 202 in parallel with the variable capacitance, thereby achieving phase change.

[0082] In a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the number of phase shifters can be equal to the number of antennas. As shown in FIG2 , the transmitting antenna 11 can be connected to the transmitting phase shifter 21 in a one-to-one correspondence, and the receiving antenna 12 can be connected to the receiving phase shifter 22 in a one-to-one correspondence, that is, M and N are the same. Of course, the number of phase shifters can also be less than the number of antennas. For example, multiple transmitting antennas 11 can be connected to the same transmitting phase shifter 21, and multiple receiving antennas 12 can be connected to the same receiving phase shifter 22.

[0083] In specific implementations, for target monitoring, the radar chip mainly transmits a linear frequency modulated continuous wave signal (such as a millimeter wave electromagnetic wave). When the signal encounters the target, it will be reflected back. According to the frequency difference between the transmission and reception, combined with the linear frequency modulation slope, the round-trip propagation time of the electromagnetic wave can be obtained. Because the wave propagates at the speed of light, the relative distance between the panel and the vehicle can be obtained. In the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the radar chip 31 includes a microwave circuit 311 and a digital processing circuit 312; wherein,

[0084] The microwave circuit 311 includes a waveform generator 301, a signal separator 302, a power amplifier 303, a low-noise amplifier 304, a mixer 305, an intermediate frequency amplifier 306, and an analog-to-digital converter 307. The waveform generator 301, the signal separator 302, and the power amplifier 303 are connected in sequence, the low-noise amplifier 304, the mixer 305, the intermediate frequency amplifier 306, the analog-to-digital converter 307, and the digital processing circuit 312 are connected in sequence, and the signal separator 302 is connected to the mixer 305. The waveform generator 301 generates a linear frequency modulated continuous wave signal (electromagnetic wave), which is then transmitted outward by the transmitting antenna after the beam direction is adjusted by the phase shifter. The emitted electromagnetic wave reflects back an echo signal when it encounters a target. The echo signal is received by the receiving antenna and converted into echo information through the low-noise amplifier 304, the mixer 305, the intermediate frequency amplifier 306, and the analog-to-digital converter 307.

[0085] The digital processing circuit 312 includes a one-dimensional Fourier transform 308, a two-dimensional Fourier transform 309, a peak search 3010, a constant false alarm rate 3011, and an angle calculation 3012. Specifically, the digital processing circuit 312 performs a 1D FFT 308 (one-dimensional Fourier transform) on the echo information to obtain distance information, and a 2D FFT 309 (two-dimensional Fourier transform) to obtain velocity information. The digital processing circuit 312 then sequentially performs a peak search 3010, a constant false alarm rate 3011, and an angle calculation 3012 to obtain direction information. The digital processing circuit 312 then transmits the distance, velocity, and direction information as metadata to the vehicle-mounted system 5. The vehicle-mounted system 5 then notifies the warning system based on the distance, velocity, and direction information to initiate an alert or intervention.

[0086] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a vehicle, as shown in Figures 10 and 11 , comprising a vehicle body 001 and the aforementioned on-board radar system 002 provided in embodiments of the present disclosure, mounted on vehicle body 001. The present disclosure can be used in conjunction with a vehicle computer system to dynamically adjust the radar monitoring area based on the vehicle's real-time status, truly enabling blind spot monitoring in all vehicle conditions.

[0087] In a specific implementation, in the above-mentioned on-vehicle radar system provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, on-vehicle radar systems 002 are installed at the center of the front bumper, the center of the rear bumper, and the bottom of both B-pillars of the vehicle body 001. Specifically, the on-vehicle radar systems 002 at the front and rear bumpers can achieve beam steering at different angles by adjusting the different phase shift amounts of the phase shifters, that is, achieve front and rear target monitoring through phase scanning time-sharing multiplexing. The on-vehicle radar system 002 at the bottom of the B-pillar can monitor targets to the side, achieving side and oblique front / rear detection.

[0088] In a specific implementation, the vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 10, and 11, further includes a vehicle-mounted system 5, a steering system 6, and an alarm system 7. The vehicle-mounted system 5 is connected to the radar chip 31 and the control chip 32, the steering system 6 is connected to the vehicle-mounted system 5, and the alarm system 7 is connected to the vehicle-mounted system 5. Specifically, when the vehicle-mounted system 5 detects the steering angle of the steering system 6, the steering angle information is transmitted to the control chip 32. The control chip 32 controls the phase shifter to adjust the phase shift amount so that the beam of the electromagnetic wave points to the actual blind spot when the vehicle turns, thereby achieving blind spot detection. If a target is detected in the blind spot, the echo signal of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the target is sent to the radar chip 31 after passing through the phase shifter. The radar chip 31 processes the echo signal to obtain echo information and sends it to the vehicle-mounted system 5. The vehicle-mounted system 5 notifies the alarm system 7 based on the echo information to perform a warning or intervention operation.

[0089] Based on the same inventive concept, the present disclosure also provides a blind spot detection method for a vehicle-mounted radar system, as shown in FIG12 , including:

[0090] S1201, controlling the radar chip to generate electromagnetic waves;

[0091] S1202: Controlling a transmitting phase shifter to adjust a beam direction of the electromagnetic wave according to a driving condition of the vehicle;

[0092] S1203: Control the transmitting antenna to transmit the electromagnetic wave with the beam direction adjusted to the actual blind spot;

[0093] S1204, controlling the receiving antenna to receive the echo signal reflected by the target and transmit it to the receiving phase shifter;

[0094] S1205: Control the radar chip to process the received echo signal to obtain echo information and transmit it to the vehicle system.

[0095] The blind spot detection method of the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted radar system provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure controls the transmitting phase shifter to adjust the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave according to the driving condition of the vehicle, and finally changes the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave so that the electromagnetic wave is emitted to the actual blind spot. The vehicle can be monitored for blind spots, and can be coordinated with the vehicle-mounted system to dynamically adjust the radar monitoring area according to the real-time status of the vehicle, thereby truly realizing blind spot monitoring under all vehicle conditions.

[0096] In a specific implementation, the blind spot detection method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG13 , further includes:

[0097] S1301: In response to the vehicle startup process, the vehicle computer system determines an expected driving action of the vehicle according to the vehicle gear operation;

[0098] S1302: The vehicle computer system controls the vehicle-mounted radar system to perform detection in the expected driving direction;

[0099] S1303: If the radar chip detects a target, the radar chip transmits the confirmed echo information to the vehicle computer system, and the vehicle computer system controls the vehicle's warning system to issue a warning of the danger of the target;

[0100] S1304: If the radar chip does not detect the target, the vehicle-mounted radar system is controlled to perform beam control scanning at various steering angles according to a steering angle-driving voltage lookup table pre-stored in the control chip.

[0101] Specifically, as shown in Figure 14, Figure 14 is a flow chart of the blind spot detection performed by the vehicle-mounted radar system corresponding to Figure 13. When the vehicle is in the starting state (vehicle start), the vehicle-mounted radar system determines whether a gear operation is performed. If not, the vehicle-mounted radar system does not perform blind spot detection (end); if so, the vehicle's expected action (forward / backward) is obtained, and the vehicle-mounted radar system is started to perform blind spot detection in the preset direction (front / rear) (radar start detection); if a target (obstacle) is detected, it is directly fed back to the vehicle-mounted radar system for warning; if no target is detected in the preset direction, beam control scanning is performed at various angles according to the stored steering angle-drive voltage lookup table. If a target (obstacle) is detected during the scan, the echo information of the target is directly fed back to the vehicle-mounted radar system. If the echo information is within a safe range, the blind spot detection is directly ended. If the echo information is within a dangerous range, the vehicle-mounted radar system notifies the alarm system for warning. If beam control at all angles is not completed, beam control will continue according to the lookup table, that is, the phase shifter array will be driven to control the scanning of the beam at all angles to complete all-round monitoring around the vehicle body to ensure safe startup, which can replace the current manual confirmation that requires a full circle around the vehicle body.

[0102] In a specific implementation, the blind spot detection method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG15 , further includes:

[0103] S1501: In response to the vehicle's driving process, the vehicle computer system determines a current steering angle of the vehicle according to a steering degree of the vehicle's steering system;

[0104] S1502: Determine the current driving voltage of the transmitting phase shifter corresponding to the current steering angle according to a steering angle-driving voltage lookup table pre-stored in the control chip;

[0105] S1503: driving the transmitting phase shifter according to the current driving voltage so that the beam of the electromagnetic wave output by the radar chip after passing through the transmitting phase shifter points to the actual blind spot corresponding to the current steering angle;

[0106] S1504. If the radar chip detects a target in the actual blind spot, the radar chip transmits the confirmed echo information to the vehicle computer system, and the vehicle computer system controls the vehicle's alarm system to issue a dangerous warning of the target.

[0107] Specifically, as shown in Figure 16, Figure 16 is a flowchart of the blind spot detection performed by the vehicle-mounted radar system corresponding to Figure 15. When the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the radar system of the present disclosure coincides with the direction of the traditional directional radar, primarily monitoring the blind spots diagonally in front and behind. It then determines whether the vehicle's steering wheel has turned. If not, the vehicle-mounted radar system continues detecting according to the detection angle during straight-line driving. If so, the vehicle-mounted system determines the vehicle's current steering angle (obtains the steering angle) based on the steering degree of the vehicle's steering system (steering wheel turning). It then finds the driving voltage corresponding to the current steering angle from a lookup table, drives the phase shifter, and controls the beam direction to point to the true blind spot corresponding to the turning process, completing the detection of the true blind spot on the side of the vehicle. If a target is detected in the true blind spot (yes), the radar chip transmits the determined echo information to the vehicle-mounted system, which controls the vehicle's warning system to issue a dangerous warning of the target. If no target is detected (no), it continues to determine whether the vehicle's steering wheel has turned, and performs a series of subsequent operations to achieve blind spot avoidance.

[0108] In specific implementation, in the blind spot detection method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG17 , the steering angle-driving voltage lookup table is obtained according to the following method:

[0109] S1701, dividing the vehicle's steering angle into multiple groups according to the number of rotations of the steering system;

[0110] Specifically, the beam width of the radar signal is about 30°, so the beam position corresponding to 4 to 5 steering angles can achieve the detection of a surface. For example, when the steering system rotates half a circle, the steering angle of the vehicle is 30 degrees, and 0-30 degrees corresponds to a blind spot; for example, when the steering system rotates 1 circle, the steering angle of the vehicle is 60 degrees, and 30-60 degrees corresponds to a blind spot; for example, when the steering system rotates 1.5 circles, the steering angle of the vehicle is 90 degrees, and 60-90 degrees corresponds to a blind spot; and so on.

[0111] S1702: Determine the actual blind spot corresponding to each steering angle;

[0112] Specifically, the actual blind spots corresponding to steering angles of 0-30 degrees, 30-60 degrees, 60-90 degrees, ... are determined.

[0113] S1703. Determine the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to each actual blind spot;

[0114] Specifically, the beam directions of the electromagnetic waves corresponding to the actual blind areas corresponding to the steering angles of 0-30 degrees, 30-60 degrees, 60-90 degrees, ... are determined.

[0115] S1704. Determine the phase shift amount of the transmitting phase shifter according to the beam pointing direction;

[0116] Specifically, the phase shift amounts of the transmitting phase shifter corresponding to steering angles of 0-30 degrees, 30-60 degrees, 60-90 degrees, . . . are determined.

[0117] S1705: Determine a driving voltage of the transmitting phase shifter according to the phase shift amount to obtain a driving voltage lookup table corresponding to each steering angle;

[0118] Specifically, the driving voltage of the transmitting phase shifter corresponding to the steering angles of 0-30 degrees, 30-60 degrees, 60-90 degrees, ... is determined to obtain a driving voltage lookup table corresponding to the steering angles of 0-30 degrees, 30-60 degrees, 60-90 degrees, ....

[0119] In specific implementations, in the blind spot detection method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the echo information may include the distance, relative speed, and orientation of the target and the vehicle. Specifically, the method for calculating the echo information can be found in the description of the aforementioned vehicle-mounted radar system and will not be described in detail here.

[0120] In a specific implementation, the blind spot detection method provided in the disclosed embodiment further includes: in response to the vehicle's straight-line driving, controlling the on-board radar system installed at the center of the vehicle's front and rear bumpers to initiate detection of the actual blind spot to determine whether there is a target in the actual blind spot. Specifically, while the vehicle is driving straight, the radar beam direction is set to the same direction in the normal blind spot (diagonally in front and diagonally behind) that is invisible to the driver.

[0121] The following describes a method for detecting blind spots when the vehicle turns using four onboard radar systems provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0122] As shown in Figure 18, the radar system initiates detection. The vehicle computer system obtains the steering wheel angle based on the steering degree of the vehicle's steering system. Based on a lookup table, it finds the driving voltage corresponding to the phase shifter in each radar system for the current steering angle (driving voltage corresponding to the steering angle * M). Multiple radar systems then perform beam detection at each angle according to their respective lookup tables, controlling the beam direction to point toward the true blind spot corresponding to the turning process, completing detection of the true blind spot on the side of the vehicle. A determination is made as to whether a target is detected in the blind spot. If so, a corresponding warning action is taken. If not, a determination is made as to whether beam detection at each angle by all radar systems is complete. If not, multiple radar systems continue to perform beam detection at each angle according to their respective lookup tables. If so, detection at each angle ends.

[0123] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a vehicle-mounted radar system, a blind spot detection method, and a vehicle. By adding a phase shifter array between the antenna array and the data processing unit, when the driving condition of the vehicle changes and the position of the blind spot changes, the phase shift amount of the phase shifter array can be adjusted to ultimately change the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave so that the electromagnetic wave is emitted to the actual blind spot. If a target (obstacle) is detected in the actual blind spot, the electromagnetic wave is emitted and reflected back by the target, obtained by the receiving antenna, processed by the radar chip, and the echo information is fed back to the vehicle system for warning or intervention operations. Therefore, the present disclosure can monitor the blind spots of the vehicle, and can cooperate with the vehicle system to dynamically adjust the radar monitoring area according to the real-time status of the vehicle, truly realizing blind spot monitoring under all vehicle conditions.

[0124] Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present disclosure fall within the scope of the claims of the present disclosure and their equivalents, the present disclosure is intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted radar system, wherein: include: An antenna array, the antenna array comprising a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas, the transmitting antennas being configured to transmit electromagnetic waves, and the receiving antennas being configured to receive echo signals, the echo signals being signals reflected by the electromagnetic waves from a target; a phase shifter array, the phase shifter array comprising a plurality of transmitting phase shifters and a plurality of receiving phase shifters, the transmitting phase shifters being connected to corresponding transmitting antennas, the receiving phase shifters being connected to corresponding receiving antennas, the transmitting phase shifters being configured to adjust the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave according to a driving condition of the vehicle so that the electromagnetic wave is emitted into an actual blind spot, and the receiving phase shifters being configured to adjust the beam direction of the echo signal so that the beam direction of the echo signal is the same as the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave; A data processing unit, the data processing unit includes a radar chip, the radar chip is respectively connected to the transmitting phase shifter and the receiving phase shifter, the radar chip is configured to generate the electromagnetic wave and process the received echo signal to obtain echo information and transmit it to the vehicle system.

2. The vehicle-mounted radar system according to claim 1, wherein: The data processing unit also includes a control chip, which is connected to the transmitting phase shifter and the receiving phase shifter respectively. The control chip is configured to adjust the phase shift amount of the transmitting phase shifter and the receiving phase shifter according to the driving condition of the vehicle obtained from the vehicle system.

3. The vehicle-mounted radar system according to claim 1, wherein: The structures of the transmitting phase shifter and the receiving phase shifter are liquid crystal phase shifters, two-dimensional electronic bandgap phase shifters, resonant ring phase shifters or MEMS phase shifters.

4. The vehicle-mounted radar system according to claim 1, wherein: The transmitting antennas are connected to the transmitting phase shifters in a one-to-one correspondence, and the receiving antennas are connected to the receiving phase shifters in a one-to-one correspondence.

5. The vehicle-mounted radar system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of transmitting antennas are connected to the same transmitting phase shifter, and the plurality of receiving antennas are connected to the same receiving phase shifter.

6. The vehicle-mounted radar system according to claim 1, wherein: The radar chip includes a microwave circuit and a digital processing circuit; wherein, The microwave circuit includes a waveform generator, a signal separator, a power amplifier, a low-noise amplifier, a mixer, an intermediate frequency amplifier, and an analog-to-digital converter, wherein the waveform generator, the signal separator, and the power amplifier are connected in sequence, the low-noise amplifier, the mixer, the intermediate frequency amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, and the digital processing circuit are connected in sequence, and the signal separator is connected to the mixer; The digital processing circuit includes one-dimensional Fourier transform, two-dimensional Fourier transform, peak search, constant false alarm rate and angle calculation.

7. A vehicle, wherein: The vehicle-mounted radar system comprises a vehicle body and the vehicle-mounted radar system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 loaded on the vehicle body.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein: The vehicle-mounted radar system is installed at the center of the front bumper, the center of the rear bumper and the bottom of the two B-pillars of the vehicle body.

9. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein: It also includes the vehicle system, steering system and alarm system. The vehicle system is connected to the radar chip and the control chip, the steering system is connected to the vehicle system, and the alarm system is connected to the vehicle system.

10. A blind spot detection method for a vehicle-mounted radar system, wherein: include: Control the radar chip to generate electromagnetic waves; controlling the transmitting phase shifter to adjust the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave according to the driving condition of the vehicle; Controlling the transmitting antenna to transmit the electromagnetic waves after the beam direction is adjusted to the actual blind spot; Controlling the receiving antenna to receive the echo signal reflected by the target and transmit it to the receiving phase shifter; The radar chip is controlled to process the received echo signal to obtain echo information and transmit the echo information to the vehicle system.

11. The blind spot detection method according to claim 10, wherein: Also includes: In response to the vehicle's driving process, the vehicle computer system determines a current steering angle of the vehicle according to a steering degree of the vehicle's steering system; Determining a current driving voltage of the transmitting phase shifter corresponding to the current steering angle according to a steering angle-driving voltage lookup table pre-stored in the control chip; driving the transmitting phase shifter according to the current driving voltage so that the beam of the electromagnetic wave output by the radar chip after passing through the transmitting phase shifter points to the actual blind spot corresponding to the current steering angle; If the radar chip detects a target in the actual blind spot, the radar chip transmits the determined echo information to the vehicle system, and the vehicle system controls the vehicle's alarm system to issue a danger warning of the target.

12. The blind spot detection method according to claim 10, wherein: Also includes: In response to a vehicle startup process, the vehicle system determines an expected driving action of the vehicle according to a gear operation of the vehicle; The vehicle-mounted radar system is controlled by the vehicle-mounted radar system to detect the direction of the expected driving action; If the radar chip detects a target, the radar chip transmits the determined echo information to the vehicle system, and the vehicle system controls the vehicle's alarm system to issue a danger warning of the target; If the radar chip does not detect the target, the vehicle-mounted radar system is controlled to perform beam control scanning at various steering angles according to a steering angle-driving voltage lookup table pre-stored in the control chip.

13. The blind spot detection method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The steering angle-driving voltage lookup table is obtained according to the following method: The vehicle's steering angle is divided into multiple categories based on the number of turns of the steering system; determining an actual blind spot corresponding to each of the steering angles; Determine the beam direction of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to each actual blind area; determining a phase shift amount of the transmitting phase shifter according to the beam pointing; The driving voltage of the transmitting phase shifter is determined according to the phase shift amount to obtain a driving voltage lookup table corresponding to each steering angle.

14. The blind spot detection method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein: The echo information includes the distance, relative speed and direction information between the target and the vehicle.

15. The blind spot detection method according to claim 10, wherein: It also includes: in response to the vehicle's straight-line driving process, controlling the vehicle-mounted radar system installed at the center position of the front bumper and the center position of the rear bumper of the vehicle to start detecting the actual blind spot and determine whether there is a target in the actual blind spot.

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