# US 10,371,815 B2 · Radar module, transport apparatus, and object detection method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,815 B2 - Document ID: US10371815B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/300,379 - Filed: 2015-03-31 - Published: 2017-05-18 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-31 - Assignees: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Yuji Takada - Inventors: Yuji Takada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371815B2 ## CPC - G01S 13/931: of land vehicles - G01S 7/412: {based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values} - G01S 2013/9315: {Monitoring blind spots} - G01S 2013/93185: {Controlling the brakes} - G01S 2013/93271: {in the front of the vehicles} - G01S 2013/93272: {in the back of the 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 This radar module is provided with: a transmission antenna; a reception antenna; a signal source for generating a transmission signal; a transmission unit for transmitting a transmission signal towards a target object through the transmission antenna; a reception unit for receiving, through the reception antenna, a reflected signal produced by reflection of the transmission signal from the target object; a signal processing unit for performing signal processing on the basis of a reception signal outputted by the reception unit; and an external interface for outputting information obtained by the signal processing unit. The signal processing unit calculates an average value and a variance value of the received power of the reception signal, and uses the calculated average value and variance value to identify the target object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A radar module, comprising: a transmission antenna; a reception antenna; a signal source configured to generate a transmission signal; a transmission section configured to send the transmission signal to a target object through the transmission antenna; a reception section configured to receive a reflection signal generated by reflection of the transmission signal on the target object through the reception antenna; a signal processing section configured to perform signal processing based on a reception signal output from the reception section; and an external interface configured to output information obtained at the signal processing section, wherein the signal processing section: calculates an average value and a variance value of a reception power of the reception signal, detects the target object by use of the calculated average value and the calculated variance value, performs a comparison using the variance value and a square of the average value, and determines that the target object is a human when a determination index obtained by dividing the square of the average value by the variance value is smaller than a first reference value which is set to 1 or a value approximately equivalent to 1. ### Claim 2 A radar module, comprising: a transmission antenna; a reception antenna; a signal source configured to generate a transmission signal; a transmission section configured to send the transmission signal to a target object through the transmission antenna; a reception section configured to receive a reflection signal generated by reflection of the transmission signal on the target object through the reception antenna; a signal processing section configured to perform signal processing based on a reception signal output from the reception section; and an external interface configured to output information obtained at the signal processing section, wherein the signal processing section: calculates an average value and a variance value of a reception power of the reception signal, detects the target object by use of the calculated average value and the calculated variance value, performs a comparison using the variance value and a square of the average value, and determines that the target object is a human when a determination index obtained by subtracting the variance value from the square of the average value is smaller than a second reference value which is set to 0 or a value approximately equivalent to 0. ### Claim 3 A transport apparatus comprising: a radar module; and a safety driving support operation section configured to perform an operation for avoiding an unsafe situation or reducing a degree of the unsafe situation based on information output from the radar module, the radar module including: a transmission antenna; a reception antenna; a signal source configured to generate a transmission signal; a transmission section configured to send the transmission signal to a target object through the transmission antenna; a reception section configured to receive a reflection signal generated by reflection of the transmission signal on the target object through the reception antenna; a signal processing section configured to perform signal processing based on a reception signal output from the reception section; and an external interface configured to output information obtained at the signal processing section, wherein the signal processing section: calculates an average value and a variance value of a reception power of the reception signal, detects the target object by use of the calculated average value and the calculated variance value, and performs a comparison using the variance value and a square of the average value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The transport apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the safety driving support operation section includes a stop operation section configured to support a stop operation of the transport apparatus based on the information output from the radar module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The transport apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the safety driving support operation section includes a driving operation section configured to support a driving operation of the transport apparatus based on the information output from the radar module. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The transport apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the safety driving support operation section includes a warning section configured to issue a warning to a passenger or outside of the transport apparatus based on the information output from the radar module. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the warning section includes a display section configured to issue a warning by indication on a display. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the warning section includes a sound output section configured to issue a warning by a sound. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the warning section includes an odor generation section configured to issue a warning by outputting an odor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the warning section includes a stimulation section configured to issue a warning by changing a touch on a passenger. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the warning section includes a radio communication section configured to wirelessly send information representing a warning. ### Claim 12 An object detection method of a radar apparatus which sends a predetermined transmission signal and receives a reflection signal generated by reflection of the transmission signal on a target object, the detection method comprising: acquiring a reception power based on the reflection signal; calculating an average value of the reception power; calculating a variance value of the reception power; detecting the target object by use of the average value, the variance value, and a square of the average value, and determining that the target object is a human when a determination index obtained by dividing the square of the average value by the variance value is 1. ### Claim 13 An object detection method of a radar apparatus which sends a predetermined transmission signal and receives a reflection signal generated by reflection of the transmission signal on a target object, the detection method comprising: acquiring a reception power based on the reflection signal; calculating an average value of the reception power; calculating a variance value of the reception power; and detecting the target object by use of the average value, the variance value, and a square of the average value, and determining that the target object is a human when a determination index obtained by subtracting the variance value from the square of the average value is 0.