Dual 180-Degree Radar Awareness for Low-Cost Vehicle Surround Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle surrounding awareness systems using radar sensors have limited field of view and require expensive external processing units, making them costly and unsuitable for non-autonomous driving vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-surrounding awareness system utilizing two mm-wave radar sensors with 180-degree field of view, integrated with on-board digital processing capabilities, enabling classification and alert generation without needing external domain controllers or high-speed communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If two corner radar sensors with 120-degree field of view are used, then the system cost is reduced, but the field of awareness is limited to maximum 240 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the radar coverage into two separate 180-degree fields of view from two corner sensors, which together provide comprehensive 330-degree awareness coverage. Each sensor handles a specific sector, and the segmentation allows for simplified individual sensor design while achieving overall comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the conventional 120-degree field of view arrangement to a 180-degree field of view arrangement, changing the angular dimension to achieve greater coverage. This dimensional change in the field of view parameter enables the system to overcome the 240-degree limitation while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
2Productivity
If radar sensor data is processed using external domain controllers and high-speed communication protocols, then processing capability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The radar sensors are equipped with integrated digital processing capabilities that enable them to process their own data locally without requiring external domain controllers. Each sensor performs object detection, classification, and alert generation independently, eliminating the need for complex external processing infrastructure while maintaining full processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the radar sensing functionality with digital processing capabilities into a single integrated sensor module. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate external domain controllers and high-speed communication protocols, reducing system complexity while preserving processing power for object detection and classification.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional radar sensors without on-board processing are used, then device cost is reduced, but the system cannot perform object classification and requires expensive external processing
Solution Approach 1:
The radar sensor module is designed with multi-functionality, integrating not only the basic radar detection function but also digital signal processing, object classification, and alert generation capabilities. This universal design enables the sensor to perform multiple functions including classification of objects such as vehicles, motorcycles, and pedestrians, all within a single cost-effective unit without requiring separate external processing systems.
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
Provides a maximum field of awareness exceeding 300 degrees with reduced system cost, improved safety, and comfort for drivers, while eliminating the need for expensive external processing units.
Implementation Method 1
two mm-wave radar sensor modules, each having a field of view of 180 degrees
Implementation Method 2
The transmitting antenna transmits patterned radiation to an area adjacent to the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
The proposed innovative vehicle awareness surrounding system, based on radar sensing, provides visual information to the vehicle driver, with a maximum field of awareness larger than 300 degrees, typically better than 330 degrees, an affordable total system cost, by using two radar modules, each having a 180-degree field of view, with processing on the radar module. There is no explicit need for processing on domain controllers or vehicle processing units, proposed for autonomous driving. The proposed system utilizes artificial intelligence methodology using radar point cloud data for classifying the objects around the vehicle. An artificial intelligence-backed classification is executed, being previously trained by sets of actual radar measurements annotated data. Additionally, the proposed system may issue alerts to the driver, provide information to the vehicle control system to make autonomous actions, and wirelessly send surrounding data to the cloud. Moreover, the proposed system may provide parking support.