mmWave Radar Echo Separation for Occluded Lateral Obstacle Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mmWave radar systems struggle to accurately detect pedestrians or animals beside a vehicle due to interference from the vehicle in front, making it difficult to determine their position effectively.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing mmWave radar with echo signal models and signal separation techniques to distinguish between direct and ground-reflected echoes, employing Fourier transform, eigenvalue decomposition, and MVDR angle measurement to separate and accurately position obscured targets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mmWave radar is used to detect pedestrians beside vehicles, then pedestrian detection capability is improved, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to strong interference from front vehicle echoes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mixed echo signal into direct echo components and ground-reflected echo components through signal separation techniques. By dividing the signal processing into distinct components (direct path and reflected path), the system can independently analyze and identify pedestrian targets while filtering out vehicle interference, thereby resolving the contradiction between detection capability and detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces ground-reflected echo as an intermediary to indirectly detect pedestrians beside vehicles. Since direct line-of-sight detection is blocked by the front vehicle, the system uses ground reflections as a mediator to obtain indirect information about obscured pedestrians, enabling detection without direct visual contact while maintaining accuracy through signal separation
2Adaptability or versatility
If Doppler information is used for pedestrian detection, then detection capability is improved, but detection reliability deteriorates when pedestrians are near front vehicles due to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from relying solely on Doppler frequency information (one-dimensional) to incorporating spatial domain analysis through signal separation (multi-dimensional). By adding the dimension of signal component separation in the spatial-temporal domain, the system can distinguish between vehicle echoes and pedestrian echoes even when Doppler frequencies overlap, thereby improving detection reliability in the presence of front vehicle interference
3Measurement precision
If signal separation techniques are employed to reduce interference, then position detection accuracy is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential components needed for pedestrian detection from the complex mixed signal - specifically separating direct echo and ground-reflected echo components. By extracting and analyzing only the relevant signal portions rather than processing the entire signal spectrum, the system achieves accurate position detection while managing computational complexity through focused signal extraction
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
Enhances the safety and robustness of ADAS by accurately detecting lateral obstacles like pedestrians, reducing interference from vehicles, and preventing accidents.
Implementation Method 1
at least one first target in an invisible line of sight area of the mmWave radar module and blocked by the at least one second target
Implementation Method 2
transmitting electromagnetic wave signals and receiving reflected waves
Implementation Method 3
separating a first range profile of the at least one first target from the original range profile to eliminate an echo of the at least one second target
Implementation Method 4
employing Fourier transform, eigenvalue decomposition, and MVDR angle measurement to separate and accurately position obscured targets
Implementation Method 5
distinguish between direct and ground-reflected echoes
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an obstacle detection method, an obstacle detection system and a vehicle. An original range profile is separated to obtain a first range profile of a first target according to echo signal models, therefore a two-dimensional position coordinate of the first target is determined. The first target is in front of or beside a second target and is in an invisible line of sight of the mmWave radar, and the second target is in a direct line of sight of the mmWave radar. By adopting a signal separation method in the present invention, the first range profile can be effectively separated from an original range profile, thereby reducing interference of a range profile of the second target, and obtaining an accurate position of the first target.