# US 12,601,812 B2 · Vehicle body structure quality evaluation device and vehicle body structure quality evaluation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,601,812 B2 - Document ID: US12601812B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/063,657 - Filed: 2022-12-08 - Published: 2023-06-15 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-09 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Daiki Haratake; Kento Takaoka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601812B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/41: using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section - G01S 13/86: Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder - G01S 13/931: 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 An evaluation device (1) evaluates a quality of a bumper (3) in a vehicle including a radar (2) that detects a target (T) by irradiating an outside of a vehicle body (B) with an electromagnetic wave along an optical axis and the bumper (3) that shields the radar (2). The evaluation device (1) includes an intensity parameter measurer (11) that measures an intensity parameter value of the reflected wave passing through the bumper (3) and received from the target (T) by the radar (2), an angle information acquirer (12) that acquires angle information on an angle of a direction of arrival of the reflected wave from the target (T) with respect to the optical axis; and a quality evaluator (15) that evaluates the quality of the bumper (3), based on the intensity parameter value, a predetermined reference value for the intensity parameter value, and the angle information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bumper quality evaluation device that evaluates a quality of a bumper in a vehicle including a detector that detects a target by irradiating an outside of a vehicle body with an electromagnetic wave along an optical axis and receiving a reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave from the target and the bumper that is provided on the vehicle body to shield the detector from the target, the bumper quality evaluation device comprising: an intensity parameter measurer that measures an intensity parameter value of the reflected wave passing through the bumper and received from the target by the detector; an angle information acquirer that acquires angle information on an angle of a direction of arrival of the reflected wave from the target with respect to the optical axis; and a quality evaluator that compensates the intensity parameter value based on the angle information to calculate a compensation value, evaluates that the bumper is normal when a difference value between the compensation value and a predetermined reference value is less than a predetermined threshold, and evaluates that the bumper is abnormal when the difference value is equal to or more than the threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the quality evaluator evaluates the quality of the bumper during running of the vehicle using a moving object, a traffic participant, or an object existing around the vehicle as the target. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value to a larger value as an absolute value of an elevation angle or an azimuth angle of the direction of arrival with respect to the optical axis increases. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value to a larger value as an absolute value of an elevation angle or an azimuth angle of the direction of arrival with respect to the optical axis increases. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature information acquirer that acquires temperature information on a temperature of the detector, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value based on the angle information and the temperature information to calculate the compensation value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 5, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value to a larger value when the temperature of the detector is higher than a reference temperature, and compensates the intensity parameter value to a smaller value when the temperature of the detector is lower than the reference temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 5, further comprising a distance information acquirer that acquires distance information on a distance from the vehicle to the target, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value based on the angle information and the distance information to calculate the compensation value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature information acquirer that acquires temperature information on a temperature of the detector, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value based on the angle information and the temperature information to calculate the compensation value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 8, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value to a larger value when the temperature of the detector is higher than a reference temperature, and compensates the intensity parameter value to a smaller value when the temperature of the detector is lower than the reference temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 8, further comprising a distance information acquirer that acquires distance information on a distance from the vehicle to the target, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value based on the angle information and the distance information to calculate the compensation value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a distance information acquirer that acquires distance information on a distance from the vehicle to the target, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value based on the angle information and the distance information to calculate the compensation value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a distance information acquirer that acquires distance information on a distance from the vehicle to the target, wherein the quality evaluator compensates the intensity parameter value based on the angle information and the distance information to calculate the compensation value. ### Claim 13 A bumper quality evaluation method of evaluating a quality of a bumper in a vehicle including a detector that detects a target by irradiating an outside of a vehicle body with an electromagnetic wave along an optical axis and receiving a reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave from the target and the bumper that is provided on the vehicle body to shield the detector from the target, the bumper quality evaluation method comprising: a step of measuring an intensity parameter value of the reflected wave passing through the bumper and received from the target by the detector; a step of acquiring angle information on an angle of a direction of arrival of the reflected wave from the target with respect to the optical axis; a step of calculating a compensation value by compensating the intensity parameter value based on the angle information; a step of evaluating the bumper is normal when a difference value between the compensation value and a predetermined reference value is less than a predetermined threshold; and a step of evaluating the bumper is abnormal when the difference value is equal to or more than the threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The bumper quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the bumper includes a base member and a paint layer or an adhesive substance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The bumper quality evaluation method according to claim 13, wherein the bumper includes a base member and a paint layer or an adhesive substance.