# US 10,871,776 B2 · Method for identifying objects in a traffic space > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,776 B2 - Document ID: US10871776B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/354,589 - Filed: 2019-03-15 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-28 - Assignees: Aptiv Technologies AG - Applicants: Aptiv Technologies Limited - Inventors: Dariusz Borkowski; Dominik Sasin; Pawel Markiewicz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871776B2 ## CPC - G01S 13/931: of land vehicles - G01S 7/411: {Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity (G01S7/415 takes precedence)} - G01S 7/4808: {Evaluating distance, position or velocity data} - G01S 13/89: for mapping or imaging - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) - G05D 1/0231: {using optical position detecting means (position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16)} - G05D 1/0257: {using a radar (radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931)} - G01S 2013/9323: {Alternative operation using light waves} - 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 - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A method for identifying objects in a traffic space by means of a sensor system arranged at or in a host vehicle comprises the steps of determining the positions of a plurality of object surface spots detected by the sensor system in a vehicle coordinate system, assigning the determined positions of object surface spots to at least one detection group by means of a clustering algorithm, wherein the clustering algorithm uses clustering regions defining threshold distances, and identifying at least one object by determining that positions of object surface spots belonging to the same detection group form part of a single object. The determined positions of object surface spots are transformed in a transformation process and the clustering algorithm is applied to the transformed positions of object surface spots. The transformation process includes a directional scaling step that renders the clustering regions non-circular in the vehicle coordinate system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for identifying objects in a traffic space by means of a sensor system arranged at or in a host vehicle, said method comprising the steps: determining the positions of a plurality of object surface spots detected by the sensor system in a vehicle coordinate system; assigning the determined positions of object surface spots to at least one detection group by means of a clustering algorithm, wherein the clustering algorithm uses clustering regions defining threshold distances; and identifying at least one object by determining that positions of object surface spots belonging to the same detection group form part of a single object, wherein the determined positions of object surface spots are transformed in a transformation process and the clustering algorithm is applied to the transformed positions of object surface spots, wherein the transformation process includes a directional scaling step that renders the clustering regions non-circular in the vehicle coordinate system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the directional scaling step renders the clustering regions elliptical in the vehicle coordinate system, wherein longitudinal axes of the elliptical clustering regions respectively extend along a longitudinal axis of the host vehicle or along an assumed driving direction of the host vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the clustering algorithm is applied to the transformed positions of object surface spots using circular clustering regions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the positions of object surface spots respectively include a first and a second Cartesian coordinate, wherein the first and the second Cartesian coordinates are scaled differently in the directional scaling step. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein in the directional scaling step, the first Cartesian coordinates of the positions of object surface spots are divided by a scale factor greater than 1. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the first Cartesian coordinates correspond to a coordinate axis that extends along a longitudinal axis of the host vehicle or a driving direction of the host vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is determined and the scale factor is selected dependent on the determined vehicle speed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the scale factor is defined as a function of the determined vehicle speed, wherein the function of the determined vehicle speed, at least sectionally, increases with increasing vehicle speed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) A method in accordance with any one of claim 5, wherein the scale factor is selected dependent on the distance of the respective position from the host vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the scale factor is defined as a function of the distance, wherein the function of the distance, at least sectionally, increases with increasing distance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transformation process includes a straightening step that shifts the positions in a transverse direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the host vehicle such that curves in a lane of the traffic space are straightened. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the straightening step is based on a constant radius of curvature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the straightening step is based on a coordinate transformation from a curvi-linear coordinate system to a Cartesian coordinate system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A system for the recognition of objects from a motor vehicle, wherein the system includes a sensor system to be arranged at or in the motor vehicle and an electronic processing device for processing output signals of the sensor system, and the electronic processing device is configured for carrying out a method in accordance with claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) A non-transitory computer program product including executable program code which, when executed, carries out a method in accordance with claim 2.