Radar Object Classification via Phase Change Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar devices cannot determine the type of front objects, such as vehicles or pedestrians, based on received echoes, and struggle to distinguish between different types of objects due to phase changes exceeding π, leading to incorrect object classification.
Innovation Solution
A radar device with a transmitting and receiving system, change amount calculation, probability distribution memory, and judgment mechanism that adjusts the wavelength and observation period to calculate the change in signal intensity and phase, allowing for accurate object type identification by analyzing the probability distribution of signal fluctuations from various objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional radar devices use standard wavelength and observation period, then basic detection function is maintained, but object type classification accuracy deteriorates due to phase changes exceeding π
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the wavelength and observation period parameters to ensure that phase changes remain within a controllable range (not exceeding π), thereby enabling accurate object type classification while maintaining detection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts the observation period based on the calculated phase changes, allowing the radar to optimize its detection window to capture meaningful signal variations without exceeding phase ambiguity thresholds
2Measurement precision
If radar devices increase detection sensitivity to identify object types, then classification capability improves, but false detection probability increases due to clutter interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the detected phase change patterns are continuously compared against expected patterns for different object types, allowing the system to distinguish true objects from clutter while maintaining high classification accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces phase change analysis as an intermediary measurement that bridges basic detection and object type classification, enabling the system to filter out clutter signals that do not exhibit characteristic phase change patterns of actual objects
3Device complexity
If conventional radar devices use fixed observation period, then system complexity is reduced, but ability to capture accurate signal intensity changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The observation period is made dynamic rather than fixed, allowing the radar system to adapt the measurement window based on the specific detection scenario and phase change characteristics, thereby improving signal intensity change accuracy without requiring complex additional hardware
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
Enables the radar device to accurately identify and differentiate between types of front objects, such as vehicles and pedestrians, improving safety features by providing precise object classification for vehicle control systems.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitting and receiving means for emitting radar waves and for receiving echoes of signals of the radar waves which are reflected by various types of objects as detection targets
Implementation Method 2
echoes of signals of the radar waves which are reflected by various types of objects
Implementation Method 3
a detection means for detecting a signal intensity of each arrival echo on the basis of the received signals of the arrival echo received by the transmitting and receiving means
Implementation Method 4
a change amount calculation means for calculating a change amount of the signal intensity of the current arrival echo with respect to a previous arrival echo
Data Source
AI summary
A signal processing unit in a radar device calculates a change amount Y (=log(P)−log(Pb)) between a power P of a current arrival echo and a power of a previous arrival echo arrived before an observation period TSW. A memory unit in the radar device stores, every type of objects, a probability distribution of the change amount Y calculated from the arrival echo from the object. On the basis of the calculated change amount Y and the probability distribution, the signal processing unit determines a probability Pr to obtain the change amount Y every type of object, and determines that the object having the maximum probability Pr is the object which transmits the current arrival echo.