Vehicular radar system with multi-mode sensor having 3D antenna array

A vehicular radar sensing system, the vehicular radar sensing system comprising:

• a radar sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular radar sensing system, the radar sensor sensing exterior of the vehicle;
• wherein the radar sensor is operable to capture radar data;
• wherein the radar sensor comprises (i) a plurality of transmitters that transmit radio signals and (ii) a plurality of receivers that receive radio signals;
• an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software;
• wherein radar data captured by the radar sensor is transferred to the ECU;
• wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises a data processor;
• wherein the ECU is operable to process radar data captured by the radar sensor and transferred to the ECU;
• wherein the radar sensor comprises three facets, and wherein each facet of the three facets has (i) an inboard surface facing toward the vehicle and (ii) an outboard surface facing away from the vehicle;
• wherein the outboard surface of each facet of the three facets is arranged at an obtuse angle relative to the outboard surface of an adjacent facet of the three facets, and wherein each facet of the three facets has (i) a respective transmitter of the plurality of transmitters disposed thereat and (ii) a respective receiver of the plurality of receivers disposed thereat;
• wherein the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of each facet of the three facets operate to have a respective field of sensing, and wherein each respective field of sensing has a respective principal sensing axis, and wherein each respective principal sensing axis is perpendicular to the outboard surface of the respective facet;
• wherein a first field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of a first facet of the three facets is (i) different from a second field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of a second facet of the three facets adjacent to the first facet and (ii) different from a third field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of a third facet of the three facets adjacent to the first facet;
• wherein the second field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of the second facet is different from the third field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of the third facet adjacent to the second facet;
• wherein the radar sensor comprises a printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the radar sensor comprises a waveguide coupling port at the inboard surface of one of the facets, and wherein the waveguide coupling port couples radio signals between the three facets and the PCB;
• wherein the vehicular radar sensing system, via processing at the data processor of radar data captured by the radar sensor, simultaneously (i) determines presence of a first object within the first field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of the first facet and (ii) determines presence of a second object within the second field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of the second facet;
• and
• wherein the vehicular radar sensing system, responsive to determining presence of the first object and the second object, controls a system of the vehicle based on the determined presence of the first object and the second object.

A vehicular radar sensing system, the vehicular radar sensing system comprising:

• a radar sensor disposed at a corner region of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular radar sensing system, the radar sensor sensing exterior of the vehicle;
• wherein the radar sensor is operable to capture radar data;
• wherein the radar sensor comprises (i) a plurality of transmitters that transmit radio signals and (ii) a plurality of receivers that receive radio signals;
• an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software;
• wherein radar data captured by the radar sensor is transferred to the ECU;
• wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises a data processor;
• wherein the ECU is operable to process radar data captured by the radar sensor and transferred to the ECU;
• wherein the radar sensor comprises a plurality of facets, and wherein each facet of the plurality of facets has (i) an inboard surface facing toward the vehicle and (ii) an outboard surface facing away from the vehicle;
• wherein the outboard surface of each facet of the plurality of facets is arranged at an obtuse angle relative to the outboard surface of an adjacent facet of the plurality of facets, and wherein each facet of the plurality of facets has (i) a respective transmitter of the plurality of transmitters disposed thereat and (ii) a respective receiver of the plurality of receivers disposed thereat;
• wherein the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of each facet of the plurality of facets operate to have a respective field of sensing, and wherein each respective field of sensing has a respective principal sensing axis, and wherein each respective principal sensing axis is perpendicular to the outboard surface of the respective facet, and wherein a combined field of sensing of each of the plurality of facets is greater than 180 degrees;
• wherein the respective field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of a first facet of the plurality of facets is different from the respective field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of a second facet of the plurality of facets adjacent to the first facet;
• wherein the vehicular radar sensing system, via processing at the data processor of radar data captured by the radar sensor, simultaneously (i) determines presence of a first object within the respective field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of the first facet and (ii) determines presence of a second object within the respective field of sensing of the respective transmitter and the respective receiver of the second facet;
• and
• wherein the vehicular radar sensing system, responsive to determining presence of the first object and the second object, controls a system of the vehicle based on the determined presence of the first object and the second object.