# US 2013/0154871 A1 · Tilt sensing system for automotive radar

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- Number: US 2013/0154871 A1
- Document ID: US20130154871A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/325,085
- Filed: 2011-12-14
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Scott Howard Gaboury
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154871A1

## CPC

- G01S 7/4026: {Antenna boresight}
- G01S 13/86: Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
- G01S 7/4034: {in elevation, i.e. in the vertical plane}
- 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

The present disclosure describes a method of aligning a forward looking radar module mounted to a vehicle. The forward looking radar module includes a radar, a tilt sensor, attached to the radar module, and a tilt sensor output. The method uses the tilt sensor output to check the radar's alignment with the vehicle's horizontal thrust direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of aligning a forward looking radar module, the forward looking radar module including:
a radar;
a tilt sensor, and
a tilt sensor output,
the method comprising:
using the radar tilt sensor output to check the radar's alignment with the vehicle's horizontal thrust direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of:
using the radar tilt sensor output to continuously check the radar's alignment with the vehicle's horizontal thrust direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further includes attaching the radar to a vehicle using the radar tilt sensor output by aligning the radar with the vehicle's horizontal thrust direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tilt sensor is a low-g inclinometer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising an on/off switch to turn the radar on and off.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein a controller is connected between the on/off switch and the tilt sensor, and operates to turn off the radar when the radar module tilts beyond a pre-determined threshold.

### Claim 7

A forward looking radar module adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, the radar module comprising:
a radar;
a tilt sensor; and
a controller connected to the tilt sensor to report radar tilt.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The radar module according to claim 7, wherein the tilt sensor is a low-g inclinometer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The radar module according to claim 7 further comprising an on/off switch to turn the radar on and off.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The radar module according to claim 9, wherein the controller is connected between the on/off switch and the tilt sensor, and operates to turn off the radar when the radar module tilts beyond a pre-determined threshold.

### Claim 11

A diagnostic system for a radar module in a vehicle, the system comprising:
a radar;
a sensor, coupled to the radar module, to continuously sense radar tilt as compared to the vehicle's horizontal thrust direction; and
a controller configured to report radar tilt based on an output received from the sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 further comprising an on/off switch to turn the radar on and off.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is connected between the on/off switch and the sensor, and operating to turn off the system when the radar module tilts beyond a pre-determined threshold.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is a low-g inclinometer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the radar module is a forward looking radar module.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller reports the radar tilt through at least one of:
a digital display;
an analog display; and
a cpu register.