Radar Horizontal Coverage Control for Obstacle Clutter Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radar accuracy in detecting objects deteriorates in environments with obstacles like walls, fences, or pillars due to multipath or clutter from electromagnetic wave reflections, leading to reduced object detection precision.
Innovation Solution
An object detection apparatus equipped with a radar, an object detector, an obstacle detector, and a horizontal coverage controller that adjusts radar coverage based on obstacle positions and separation distances to minimize interference from obstacles, using Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) or Fast Chirp Modulation (FCM) radar systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the radar radiates electromagnetic waves to detect objects in environments with obstacles, then object detection coverage is maintained, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to multipath and clutter effects from obstacle reflections
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of obstacles and their positions before conducting object detection. By identifying obstacles in advance and calculating their separation distances, the system can pre-determine appropriate radar coverage angles that avoid regions where multipath and clutter effects occur, thereby maintaining high detection accuracy without sacrificing coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The radar coverage angle is made dynamic rather than fixed. The horizontal coverage controller adjusts the coverage angle in real-time based on the detected obstacle positions and separation distances. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize detection accuracy by adapting to different environmental conditions while maintaining effective object detection coverage
2Measurement precision
If the radar coverage is reduced to avoid obstacles, then multipath and clutter effects are minimized, but object detection coverage is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the radar coverage angle based on real-time obstacle detection. When obstacles are present, the coverage angle is reduced to avoid multipath and clutter effects. When obstacles are absent or at safe distances, the coverage angle is maximized to ensure comprehensive object detection. This dynamic approach ensures optimal balance between accuracy and coverage for each detection scenario
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the radar coverage parameter (horizontal angle) based on obstacle separation distance. By establishing relationships between obstacle distance and optimal coverage angles, the system can adjust the coverage parameter to maintain high detection accuracy while preserving maximum possible detection area for each specific environmental condition
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 object detection accuracy in environments with obstacles by reducing multipath and clutter effects, allowing precise detection of objects, including pedestrians, even when they are close to obstacles.
Implementation Method 1
a radar (1) adapted to radiate an electromagnetic wave from a vehicle and to output a reception signal by receiving a reflected wave propagated by reflection of the electromagnetic wave
Implementation Method 2
the radar is affected by a phenomenon such as multipath or clutter due to reflection of electromagnetic waves from the obstacles
Data Source
AI summary
An object detection apparatus includes a radar that radiates an electromagnetic wave from a vehicle and outputs a reception signal by receiving a reflected wave propagated by reflection of the electromagnetic wave, an object detector that detects, based on the reception signal, a position and a speed of an object present in an environment in which the vehicle travels, an obstacle detector that detects positions of respective obstacles on opposite sides of a route along which the vehicle travels and a separation distance that is a distance between the obstacles, and a horizontal coverage controller that controls a coverage of the radar in a horizontal direction based on the positions of the respective obstacles on the opposite sides of the route and the separation distance.