Covered Ultrasonic Sensor Threshold Adaptation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Concealed ultrasonic sensors in vehicles face challenges in maintaining an optimal field of view due to temperature-dependent material properties of vehicle parts, leading to reduced sensitivity at low temperatures and increased sensitivity at high temperatures, which affects the detection of objects and noise signals.
Innovation Solution
Adapting the threshold value of the ultrasonic sensor based on the directional characteristic influenced by the vehicle part's properties, using temperature or resonant frequency relationships to adjust the threshold dynamically, ensuring reliable detection of objects regardless of ambient conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the ultrasonic sensor is concealed behind a vehicle part, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the field of view and detection sensitivity are reduced due to material properties of the vehicle part
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the threshold parameter based on temperature changes. As temperature varies, the material properties of the vehicle part change, affecting the directional characteristic. By adapting the threshold to temperature, the system compensates for the reduced sensitivity caused by the concealed installation, maintaining reliable detection while preserving aesthetic appearance.
2Device complexity
If a fixed threshold value is used for noise filtering, then device complexity is reduced, but detection reliability deteriorates under varying temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic threshold adjustment mechanism where the threshold value changes based on temperature conditions. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to varying material properties of the vehicle part at different temperatures, ensuring consistent detection reliability without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature as feedback to adjust the threshold value. By monitoring temperature changes and corresponding adjustments to the threshold, the system automatically compensates for environmental variations, maintaining optimal detection performance across different operating conditions.
3Reliability
If the threshold is lowered to improve detection sensitivity, then object detection capability is improved, but false alarms from noise signals increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the threshold parameter dynamically based on temperature conditions. At different temperatures, the material properties of the vehicle part change, affecting the directional characteristic and noise profile. By adapting the threshold to match current temperature conditions, the system optimizes the balance between detecting weak echo signals and filtering out noise, preventing false alarms while maintaining high detection sensitivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This adaptive approach enhances the ultrasonic sensor's field of view by adjusting the threshold value according to temperature changes, ensuring reliable detection of objects at both high and low temperatures, reducing false alarms and expanding the detection area.
Implementation Method 1
Through the ultrasonic sensors, a signal is sent out, the echo whose echo is returned from the ultrasonic sensors to an obstacle from the ultrasonic sensors
Implementation Method 2
the known propagation speed of the signal, the distance between the vehicle and the reflective obstacle can be calculated
Implementation Method 3
a membrane of an ultrasound generator is connected to a vehicle part such that the vehicle part and the membrane together form a oscillable system which radiates the ultrasonic signals
Implementation Method 4
determining a resonant frequency of a oscillable system formed from the membrane and the vehicle part
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor (14) of a vehicle (10), wherein the ultrasonic sensor is installed in a covered manner so that a membrane (16) of the ultrasonic sensor (14) is connected to a vehicle part (12), wherein the current properties of the vehicle part (12) influence a directional characteristic of the ultrasonic sensor (14) and wherein a threshold value for hiding interference signals is used in the case of pulse-echo measurements using the ultrasonic sensor (14). The threshold value is adapted to the directional characteristic of the ultrasonic sensor (14) specified by the current properties of the vehicle part (12). Additional aspects of the invention relate to a driver assistance system (60) comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor (14), installed in a covered manner, and a computer program product, which is designed to carry out the method.