# US 12,007,473 B2 · Sounding signal for object detection in a radar system

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- Number: US 12,007,473 B2
- Document ID: US12007473B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/097,925
- Filed: 2023-01-17
- Published: 2023-05-25
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-17
- Assignees: Bdcm A2 LLC
- Applicants: Bdcm A2 LLC
- Inventors: Maha Achour
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007473B2

## CPC

- G01S 13/931: of land vehicles
- G01S 13/02: Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
- H01Q 3/245: {in the focal plane of a focussing device}
- G01S 2013/0245: {Radar with phased array antenna}
- G01S 2013/9316: {combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations}
- 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
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

Examples disclosed herein relate to an antenna system in a radar system for object detection with a sounding signal. The antenna system includes a radiating array of elements configured to transmit a reference signal and an antenna controller coupled to the radiating array of elements. The antenna controller is configured to detect a set of reflections of the reference signal from an object. The antenna is configured to determine a location of the object and a mobility status from the set of reflections. The antenna controller is also configured to generate signaling indicating the location and mobility status of the object as output to identify a target object different from the object. Other examples disclosed herein relate to a radar system and a method of object detection with the radar system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sounding signal system, comprising:
an antenna configured to transmit a sounding signal into an environment; and
an antenna controller coupled to the antenna and configured to:
control beam forming and beam steering of the antenna for a determined direction;
initiate transmission of the sounding signal in the determined direction;
detect a first reflection of the sounding signal from a first reflection point in the environment;
determine a location of the first reflection point from the reflection of the sounding signal at a first time;
determine the first reflection point is within a direct line of sight from the antenna;
detect a second reflection of the sounding signal from a second reflection point at a second time after the first time;
determine the second reflection point is not within the direct line of sight from the antenna;
store the first and second reflections as a reflection set associated with the sounding signal transmitted at a first transmission time; and
determine a location of at least one object as a function of comparing multiple reflection sets, wherein the first reflection point deflects the sounding signal to the second reflection point.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sounding signal system of claim 1, wherein the antenna controller is further configured to identify a stationary object as having a zero velocity value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sounding signal system of claim 2, wherein the antenna controller is further configured to store information of a plurality of reflection sets in memory.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sounding signal system of claim 3, wherein the antenna controller is further configured to compare the information of the plurality of reflection sets to track detected objects.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The sounding signal system of claim 4, wherein the antenna controller is further configured to create a real time landscape of the environment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sounding signal system of claim 1, wherein the sounding signal system is part of a vehicular control system and the sounding signal is transmitted from a radar module.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sounding signal system of claim 1, wherein the environmental landscape profile identifies a location of a stationary object in an environment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sounding signal system of claim 1, wherein the antenna controller is further configured to:
receive analog data from the antenna;
perform an object recognition from the analog data, the object recognition including identification of the location, a velocity or a type of object detected.

### Claim 9

A method for a sounding signal, comprising:
configuring an antenna to transmit a sounding signal into an environment;
controlling beam forming and beam steering of the antenna for a determined direction;
transmitting the sounding signal in the determined direction;
detecting a first reflection of the sounding signal from a first reflection point in the environment;
determining a location of the first reflection point from the reflection of the sounding signal at a first time;
determining the first reflection point is within a direct line of sight from the antenna;
detecting a second reflection of the sounding signal from a second reflection point at a second time after the first time;
determining the second reflection point is not within the direct line of sight from the antenna;
storing the first and second reflections as a reflection set associated with the sounding signal transmitted at a first transmission time; and
determining a location of at least one object as a function of comparing multiple reflection sets, wherein the first reflection point deflects the sounding signal to the second reflection point.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising distinguishing between a plurality of objects, and wherein the sounding signal is a frequency modulated continuous wave signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the set of reflections from the plurality of objects have approximately a same angle of arrival, and wherein the method further comprises compiling individual reflection times from the set of reflections.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the sounding signal has a boresight direction of a main reference beam and side lobe beams having angles having angular directions with respect to the boresight direction, wherein the boresight is the line of sight to a first object and the angles are directed at other objects in the environment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein at least one object is in a non-line of sight area.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising scanning the sounding signal over an angular range based at least on different phase shifts applied to the reference signal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the sounding signal is transmitted from a vehicle and the method further comprises:
identifying a path of the vehicle; and
identifying one or more other objects in the path of the vehicle as a moving target object or a stationary target object.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
generating a landscape layout of the vehicle to the first object based on the set of reflections; and
identifying objects in a path of the vehicle from the landscape layout.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the landscape layout is generated in real time.

### Claim 18

A processing system, comprising:
a memory storage unit; and
at least one processing unit configured to:
control beam forming and beam steering of the antenna for a determined direction;
initiate transmission of the sounding signal in the determined direction;
detect a first reflection of the sounding signal from a first reflection point in the environment;
determine a location of the first reflection point from the reflection of the sounding signal at a first time;
determine the first reflection point is within a direct line of sight from the antenna;
detect a second reflection of the sounding signal from a second reflection point at a second time after the first time;
determine the second reflection point is not within the direct line of sight from the antenna;
store the first and second reflections as a reflection set associated with the sounding signal transmitted at a first transmission time; and
determine a location of at least one object as a function of comparing multiple reflection sets wherein the first reflection point deflects the sounding signal to the second reflection point.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The processing system of claim 18, wherein the sounding signal comprises a frequency modulated continuous wave signal.