Dual-Frequency Sensor System for Vehicle Collision Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pre-crash triggered safety systems for motor vehicles face challenges in reliability due to the risk of inadvertent deployment of pyrotechnic devices, which can be costly and result in undesirable effects, especially when relying solely on single radar sensor signals for anticipating collisions.
Innovation Solution
A sensor system comprising a primary radar arrangement and a confirmation detection arrangement, including a microwave motion target detector, which provides redundant data for more accurate collision detection, with the primary radar operating at higher frequencies (e.g., 24GHz or 79GHz) and the confirmation sensor operating at lower frequencies (e.g., 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz) to enhance reliability and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single radar sensor signal is used for pre-crash detection, then the system complexity is reduced, but the reliability of collision detection decreases due to risk of inadvertent deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a primary radar arrangement operating at higher frequencies (24GHz or 79GHz) with a confirmation detection arrangement operating at lower frequencies (2.4GHz or 5.8GHz). This merging of two different sensor systems allows cross-validation of detection signals, where the confirmation sensor verifies signals from the primary radar, thereby reducing false positives and improving reliability without requiring a single overly complex sensor system
Solution Approach 2:
The confirmation detection arrangement acts as an intermediary verification layer between the primary radar detection and the safety device deployment decision. The electronic control module evaluates both radar and confirmation detection outputs before producing a deployment signal, using the confirmation sensor as a mediator to validate whether a detected object represents a true collision threat or a false alarm
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
The dual-frequency sensor system significantly increases the reliability of determining impending collisions, reducing the likelihood of inadvertent deployments and enhancing the effectiveness of pre-crash triggered safety systems by combining radar range, velocity, and reflectivity measurements with proximity detection data.
Implementation Method 1
a primary radar arrangement carried by the vehicle for detecting at a first frequency to provide radar output based on a plurality of radar measurements including a radar range measurement, an angular position and a radar closing velocity of an object with respect to the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a confirmation detection arrangement including a microwave motion target detector positioned on the vehicle for detecting at a second frequency in the microwave frequency range which is lower than the first frequency within a proximity space adjacent to the vehicle
Data Source
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AI summary
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a sensor system for detecting an impending collision of a vehicle is provided. The sensor system comprises a primary radar arrangement providing the assessment of the severity of an impending impact and the time left before the impact. A separate confirmation detection arrangement including a confirmation sensor is for detecting within a proximity space adjacent to the vehicle to provide a confirmation output. In communication with the primary radar and confirmation detection arrangements is an electronic control module. The module is configured to produce a deployment signal for a safety device which is dependent upon evaluation of the primary radar and confirmation detection outputs.