Continuous Wave Radar Velocity Resolution Update Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar systems for autonomous vehicles are limited by their velocity resolution and update rate, which restricts their ability to rapidly compute and update velocity measurements of objects in the driving environment, leading to slower response times compared to other sensors like lidar or cameras.
Innovation Solution
A continuous wave radar system that computes velocities based on overlapping sets of radar data, allowing for repeated velocity calculations at a higher rate without sacrificing resolution, by using a computing system to process radar returns over successive time periods and incorporating a sliding window approach for velocity updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the radar system increases the dwell time on target to improve velocity resolution, then the velocity resolution is improved, but the update rate of velocity measurements decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous velocity estimation by maintaining an ongoing integration of radar measurements rather than discrete periodic measurements. The system continuously updates the velocity estimate as new radar returns arrive, eliminating idle time between measurement cycles and maintaining constant progress toward improved velocity resolution while maximizing the update rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-integrates radar measurements as they arrive, building up the velocity estimate progressively before a complete dwell time has elapsed. By accumulating measurements in advance and continuously updating the velocity estimate based on the integrated data available at each moment, the system achieves high update rates without sacrificing the resolution that would require full dwell time integration.
2Productivity
If the radar system decreases the dwell time on target to increase update rate, then the update rate is improved, but the velocity resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous velocity estimation by processing radar returns as they arrive without interruption. Rather than waiting for complete dwell time periods, the system continuously integrates measurements and updates velocity estimates, ensuring that useful velocity information is generated at every moment while maintaining the resolution accuracy equivalent to full dwell time integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of the integration window, allowing the system to adaptively determine how much historical data to incorporate into current velocity estimates. This dynamic approach enables the system to optimize between update rate and resolution by adjusting the effective integration period based on current measurement quality and environmental conditions, achieving high update rates without sacrificing resolution.
3Device complexity
If the radar system uses conventional processing methods to compute velocity, then the system complexity is low, but the response time is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-processes and integrates radar measurements as they arrive, preparing velocity estimates in advance rather than waiting for complete data sets. By continuously integrating measurements and maintaining ready-to-use velocity estimates, the system eliminates processing delays and provides rapid response times while using computationally efficient integration methods that do not significantly increase system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system skips traditional discrete measurement cycles and continuously processes radar returns as they arrive, rushing through the data stream without interruption. This approach eliminates the time loss associated with waiting for complete dwell periods and conventional batch processing, providing rapid velocity updates with minimal computational overhead by processing measurements in real-time flow.
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 autonomous vehicle to compute velocities of objects at a higher rate than conventional radar systems while maintaining or exceeding the same velocity resolution, allowing for more timely and accurate control of mechanical systems to avoid potential collisions.
Implementation Method 1
a radar system can determine a three-dimensional position of a point on a surface of an object in the driving environment... and a velocity of an object
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous vehicle (AV) includes a radar sensor system and a computing system that computes velocities of an object in a driving environment of the AV based upon radar data that is representative of radar returns received by the radar sensor system. The AV can be configured to compute a first velocity of the object based upon first radar data that is representative of the radar return from a first time to a second time. The AV can further be configured to compute a second velocity of the object based upon second radar data that includes at least a portion of the first radar data and further includes additional radar data representative of a radar return received subsequent to the second time. The AV can further be configured to control one of a propulsion system, a steering system, or a braking system to effectuate motion of the AV based upon the computed velocities.