# US 10,310,064 B2 · Saliency based beam-forming for object detection

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- Number: US 10,310,064 B2
- Document ID: US10310064B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/236,748
- Filed: 2016-08-15
- Published: 2018-02-15
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-15
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Somdeb Majumdar; Ernest Ozaki; Richard Anthony Calle
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310064B2

## CPC

- G01S 13/04: Systems determining presence of a target (based on relative movement of target G01S13/56)
- G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning}
- G01S 13/426: {Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar (G01S13/66 takes precedence)}
- G01S 13/931: of land vehicles
- G01S 17/04: Systems determining the presence of a target
- G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46)
- G01S 17/931: of land vehicles
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

A scanning device generally produces an image having a uniform resolution throughout a target region. To improve radar scanning/lidar scanning, an efficient scan approach to enable a radar device/lidar device to adoptively perform a scan of a target region based on interested regions and/or an adjustable resolution. The apparatus may be a scanning device for scanning. The apparatus performs a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region. The apparatus generates a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples. The apparatus determines a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map. The apparatus performs at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of scanning by a scanning device, comprising:
performing a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;
generating a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;
determining a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and
performing at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the at least one second scan comprises:
performing at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and
wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
performing a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;
generating an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;
determining an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and
performing at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and
wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.

### Claim 11

A scanning device for scanning, comprising:
means for performing a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;
means for generating a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;
means for determining a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and
means for performing at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the means for performing the at least one second scan is configured to:
perform at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The scanning device of claim 12, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The scanning device of claim 12, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The scanning device of claim 11, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and
wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The scanning device of claim 11, further comprising:
means for performing a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;
means for generating an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;
means for determining an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and
means for performing at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and
wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The scanning device of claim 11, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The scanning device of claim 19, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.

### Claim 21

A scanning device for scanning, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
perform a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;
generate a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;
determine a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and
perform at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor configured to perform the at least one second scan is configured to:
perform at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The scanning device of claim 22, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The scanning device of claim 22, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The scanning device of claim 21, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and
wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
perform a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;
generate an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;
determine an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and
perform at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and
wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The scanning device of claim 21, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The scanning device of claim 29, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.

### Claim 31

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for a scanning device for scanning, comprising code to:
perform a first scan over a target region to obtain a plurality of first scan samples at a plurality of locations within the target region;
generate a saliency map of the target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of first scan samples;
determine a salient region within the target region based on the saliency map; and
perform at least one second scan over the salient region to obtain at least one second scan sample in the salient region, wherein the at least one second scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the at least one second scan over the salient region.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the code to perform the at least one second scan comprises code to:
perform at least one of a high speed scan over the salient region or a high resolution scan over the salient region.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the high speed scan over the salient region is performed with a same number of scan samples per area as a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the high resolution scan over the salient region is performed with a higher number of scan samples per area than a number of scan samples per area for the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 35 (depends on 31)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein a number of scan samples per area for the first scan and a number of scan samples per area for the at least one second scan are based on at least one of a number of receiver elements of the scanning device or a scan frequency.

### Claim 36 (depends on 31)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the salient region is determined based on at least one high intensity area within the target region, and
wherein the at least one high intensity area corresponds to a location of at least one of the first scan samples with a signal intensity greater than an intensity threshold.

### Claim 37 (depends on 31)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprises code to:
perform a reset scan over a second target region to obtain a plurality of reset scan samples at a plurality of locations within the second target region when a threshold number of scans have been performed over the salient region after the first scan;
generate an updated saliency map of the second target region based on signal intensities of the plurality of reset scan samples;
determine an updated salient region based on the updated saliency map; and
perform at least one third scan over the updated salient region to obtain at least one third scan sample in the salient region.

### Claim 38 (depends on 31)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the scanning device is for at least one of radio-based scanning or laser-based scanning, and
wherein the radio-based scanning includes radar scanning and the laser-based scanning includes lidar scanning.

### Claim 39 (depends on 31)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the first scan is performed using beamforming to digitally steer a direction of the first scan over the target region.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the beamforming is performed by adjusting phase values for a plurality of receivers of the scanning device.