Target prediction and collision warning system

A target prediction and collision warning system for detecting targets in a spatial region about a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a signal transmitter providing at least first and second detection signals to the spatial region, the at least first and second detection signals at least partially reflecting off at least one object within the spatial region thereby generating at least partially reflected first and second detection signals, each of the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals being indicative of at least one characteristic of the at least one object within the spatial region;
• a signal receiver operatively coupled to the signal transmitter, the signal receiver receiving each of the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals, each of the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals corresponding to first and second object parameter signals;
• and
• a target tracker circuit operatively coupled to the signal receiver, the target tracker circuit comprises a Kalman filter circuit, the Kalman filter circuit further comprising:
• a recursive vector determination circuit operatively coupled to the signal receiver, the recursive vector determination circuit being responsive to the second object parameter signal and generating a recursive vector determination circuit output signal in response thereto;
• a first recursive mixer circuit operatively coupled to the recursive vector determination circuit, the first recursive mixer circuit being responsive to the recursive vector determination circuit output signal and regression parameter signal, the first recursive mixer circuit effectively combining the recursive vector determination circuit output signal and an initial regression parameter signal and providing a first recursive mixer circuit output signal in response thereto;
• a first recursive combiner circuit operatively coupled to the first recursive mixer circuit and being responsive to the first recursive mixer circuit output signal, the first recursive combiner circuit also being operatively coupled to the signal receiver and being responsive to the first object parameter signal, the first recursive combiner circuit effectively combining the first recursive mixer circuit output signal and the first object parameter signal and providing a first recursive combiner circuit output signal in response thereto;
• a processing circuit operatively coupled to the recursive vector determination circuit and being responsive to the recursive vector determination circuit output signal and providing a processing circuit output signal in response thereto;
• a second recursive mixer circuit operatively coupled to the first recursive combiner circuit and the processing circuit, the second recursive mixer circuit being responsive to and combining the first combiner circuit output signal and the processing circuit output signal, the second mixer circuit providing an output signal in response thereto;
• and
• a second recursive combiner circuit operatively coupled to the second recursive mixer circuit, the second recursive combiner circuit being responsive to and combining the second recursive mixer circuit output signal and the regression parameter signal and providing an output signal indicative of an updated regression parameter signal corresponding to an output signal of the Kalman filter circuit, the Kalman filter circuit being responsive to at least one of the first and second object parameter signals and providing a regression parameter signal indicative of at least one of a past, current and future value of the at least one characteristic of the at least one object within the spatial region whereby the present and future position of a target within a spatial region may be predicted and imminent collision with the vehicle indicated.

A target prediction and collision warning system for detecting targets in a spatial region about a vehicle comprising:

• a) a signal transmitter providing at least first and second detection signals to the spatial region, the at least first and second detection signals at least partially reflecting off at least one object within the spatial region thereby generating at least partially reflected first and second detection signals, each of the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals being indicative of at least one characteristic of the at least one object within the spatial region;
• (b) a signal receiver operatively coupled to the signal transmitter, the signal receiver receiving each of the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals, each of the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals corresponding to the first and second object parameter signals;
• c) a target tracker circuit operatively coupled to the signal receiver, the target tracker circuit comprises a direct least squares determination circuit, the direct least squares determination circuit further comprising:
• a direct vector determination circuit operatively coupled to the signal receiver, the direct vector determination circuit being responsive to at least one of the second object parameter signals and generating a direct vector determination circuit output signal in response thereto;
• a matrix determination circuit operatively coupled to the signal receiver and being responsive to at least one of the first object parameter signals and generating a matrix determination output signal in response thereto;
• a matrix transposition circuit operatively coupled to the matrix determination circuit and receiving the matrix determination circuit output signal and generating a matrix transposition circuit output signal in response thereto corresponding to a transpose function of the matrix determination circuit output signal;
• a first direct mixer circuit operatively coupled to the matrix determination circuit and the matrix transposition circuit, the first direct mixer circuit effectively combining the matrix determination circuit output signal and the matrix transposition circuit output signal and providing a first direct mixer output signal in response thereto;
• a second direct mixer circuit operatively coupled to the direct vector determination circuit and the matrix transposition circuit, the second direct mixer circuit being responsive to and combining the direct vector determination circuit output signal and the matrix transposition circuit output signal and providing a second direct mixer circuit output signal in response thereto;
• an inverse determination circuit operatively coupled to the first direct mixer circuit and being responsive to the first direct mixer circuit output signal, the inverse determination circuit generating and providing an output signal corresponding to an inverse matrix function of the first direct mixer circuit output signal in response thereto;
• a third direct mixer circuit operatively coupled to the inverse determination circuit and the second direct mixer circuit, the third direct mixer circuit being responsive to and combining the second direct mixer circuit output signal and the inverse determination circuit output signal and providing a third direct mixer circuit output signal in response thereto, the third direct mixer circuit output signal corresponding to a direct least squares determination circuit signal, the least squares determination circuit being responsive to at least one of the first and second object parameter signals and providing a regression parameter signal indicative of at least one of a past, current and future value of the at least one characteristic of the at least one object within the spatial region, whereby the present and future position of a target within a spatial region may be predicted and imminent collision warning indicated.

A method of detecting and tracking motion of objects in a spatial region proximate to a vehicle for collision avoidance, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) transmitting at least first and second detection signals for at least partial reflection by at least one object in the spatial region thereby generating at least partially reflected first and second detection signals;
• b) detecting the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals, the at least partially reflected first and second detection signals corresponding to first and second object parameter signals;
• c) combining the first and second parameter signals to generate a regression parameter signal indicative of at least one of a post, current and future characteristic of the at least one object by the further steps of:
• 1) obtaining at least three sample value signals for each of the first and second object parameter signals;
• 2) generating a direct least squares signal utilizing the at least three sample value signals for each of the first and second object parameter signals, the direct least squares signal corresponding to an initial estimate of the regression parameter signal;
• 3) obtaining at least a fourth sample value signal for each of the first and second object parameter signals;
• 4) generating a recursive least squares signal utilizing the direct least squares signal, the at least three sample value signals and the at least fourth sample value signal for each of the first and second object parameter signals, the recursive least squares signal corresponding to the regression parameter signal, the generation of the recursive least squares signal further comprising the steps of:
• A) generating a first object parameter vector signal utilizing the at least three sample value signals and the at least fourth sample value signal for the first object parameter signal;
• B) mixing the first object parameter vector signal and the direct least squares signal to provide a first mixed signal;
• C) generating a second object parameter vector signal utilizing the at least three sample value signals and the at least fourth sample value signal for the first object parameter signal;
• D) combining the first mixed signal and the second object parameter vector signal;
• E) generating a difference signal indicative of a difference between the at least three sample value signals of the first and second object parameter signals and the at least fourth sample value signal of the first and second object parameter signals;
• F) mixing the difference signal and the first combiner circuit output signal to provide a second mixed signal;
• and
• G) combining the second mixed signal and the direct least squares signal to provide the recursive least squares signal, the recursive least squares signal indicative of at least one of the present and future position of a target within a spatial region whereby imminent collision warning may be indicated to facilitate collision avoidance.