Vehicle Seat Occupancy Radar Using a Refractive Transmit Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radar-based occupancy detection systems for vehicle seats are complex and expensive, requiring multiple antennas to accurately detect and classify occupants across multiple seats, which increases complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A radar-based occupancy detection system using a transmit array with structured metallic layers and dielectric layers to refract electromagnetic signals, allowing for efficient detection with a single antenna arrangement, reducing the need for multiple antennas and simplifying system design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If MIMO radar systems with multiple transmit and receive antennas are used to detect multiple vehicle seats, then occupancy detection reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection space into multiple sectors, each assigned to a specific receive antenna. The transmit array is segmented into multiple transmit sections, each responsible for illuminating specific sectors. This segmentation allows a single receive antenna to effectively monitor one seat position, achieving reliable detection without requiring multiple receive antennas for each seat.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different functional characteristics to different parts of the antenna system. Each receive antenna is optimized for receiving signals from specific angular sectors corresponding to particular seat positions. The transmit array elements are configured with specific radiation patterns tailored to their assigned sectors, improving detection reliability while reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If MIMO radar systems with multiple transmit and receive antennas are used to detect multiple vehicle seats, then occupancy detection reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radar system into specialized functional units: a transmit array with multiple elements and a smaller number of receive antennas. Each receive antenna is assigned to specific angular sectors, reducing the total number of receive antennas needed compared to a full MIMO system. This segmentation maintains detection reliability while reducing component count and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the transmit array elements serve multiple functions: they illuminate multiple sectors simultaneously and work with different receive antennas to detect multiple seat positions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated transmit-receive pairs for each seat, lowering the overall antenna count and system cost while maintaining reliable detection.
3Device complexity
If a single radar sensor is used to observe multiple vehicle seats, then system simplicity is improved, but measurement precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces angular dimensionality to the detection problem by arranging receive antennas at different angular positions and assigning them to different angular sectors. This angular separation allows a single transmit array to illuminate multiple seats while maintaining precise measurement capability for each seat through the spatial distribution of receive antennas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by configuring each receive antenna with a specific angular sensitivity profile optimized for its assigned sector. This localized optimization ensures that each antenna provides precise measurement for its designated seat position, maintaining overall measurement precision across multiple seats while using a single radar sensor system.
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 accurate and cost-effective occupancy detection and classification across multiple vehicle seats with reduced complexity and cost, achieving detection accuracy comparable to more complex MIMO systems using fewer antennas.
Implementation Method 1
the transmit array is adapted to refract at least one of the transmission field and the response field
Implementation Method 2
occupancy detection systems have also been implemented with a radar sensor which is mounted at the ceiling of the car
Implementation Method 3
radar sensors which measure Doppler frequency shifts can provide information on the movement of the target
Data Source
AI summary
An occupancy detection system for at least one vehicle seat includes: an antenna arrangement having an antenna; a control device that applies a radio-frequency transmission signal to, and receives a response signal from, the antenna arrangement; and a transmit array having a plurality of structured metallic layers disposed above each other and extending laterally, each two neighbouring metallic layers isolated from each other by an intermediate dielectric layer. The antenna arrangement transmits a radio-frequency transmission field through the transmit array onto the vehicle seat in response to the transmission signal and receives a radio-frequency response field through the transmit array to generate the response signal. The transmit array is adapted to refract at least one of the transmission field and the response field. The transmit array has a receive section that focuses a response field from a position of a vehicle seat to a position of a receive antenna.