IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663508

Granted Patent B2

US 12663508 · App. 18/319,326 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Signal processing apparatus

Inventors: Yusuke Akamine (Nisshin-city, JP); Takuya Takayama (Kariya-city, JP)

Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION

G01S7/354 G01S13/536 G01S13/56 G01S13/931

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12663508
App. No.: 18/319,326
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A signal processing apparatus is mounted in a moving body and performs a process for measuring an object present in a vicinity of the moving body. The apparatus sets an intensity threshold corresponding to an intensity distribution based on at least one measurement signal periodically generated, and extracts at least one target peak that is a peak that is greater than the intensity threshold in the intensity distribution, using an upper limit number set in advance as an upper limit. The apparatus stores, in a storage unit, the number of extracted peaks that is the number of the at least one target peak extracted, and sets the intensity threshold so as to suppress the number of the at least one target peak in a new intensity distribution from exceeding the upper limit number, based on the number of extracted peaks in a previous intensity distribution stored in the storage unit.

Claims (80)

1 . A signal processing apparatus that is mounted in a moving body and performs a process for measuring an object that is present in a vicinity of the moving body using at least one measurement signal based on a reflected wave of a transmission wave that is irradiated, the signal processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that cause the processor to:

set intensity thresholds, wherein each intensity threshold corresponds to an intensity distribution based on the at least one measurement signal that is periodically generated, wherein the intensity distribution is an intensity distribution that is based on (i) a distance between the object and the moving body and (ii) a relative speed between the object and the moving body;

extract at least one target peak from each intensity distribution until a number of the at least one target peak from each intensity distribution exceeds a predetermined upper limit, wherein the at least one target peak comprises a peak in each intensity distribution that is greater than a corresponding intensity threshold;

store, in a storage, the at least one target peak that is extracted from each intensity distribution; and

calculate a value predicting a number of the at least one target peak from a current intensity distribution, wherein the value is based on (i) a number of the at least one target peak from a previous intensity distribution, among the at least one target peak that is extracted and stored and (ii) a speed change amount of the moving body,

wherein each intensity threshold is set so as to suppress the number of the at least one target peak from the current intensity distribution from exceeding the predetermined upper limit, based on the number of the at least one target peak from the previous intensity distribution,

wherein a current intensity threshold that corresponds to the current intensity distribution is set to be higher when the value is equal to or higher than a predetermined peak prediction threshold, compared to when the value is less than the predetermined peak prediction threshold.

2 . The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to extract the at least one target peak from each intensity distribution in order from the at least one target peak that corresponds to a smaller relative speed.

3 . The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein each intensity distribution has a plurality of relative speed ranges, and the relative speed corresponding to each peak is included in any of the relative speed ranges,

wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

set an intensity threshold in correspondence to each relative speed range in the corresponding intensity distribution; and

extract at least one target peak for each relative speed range until a number of the at least one target peak for each relative speed range exceeds a predetermined upper limit for each relative speed range, the at least one target peak for each relative speed range comprising a peak that is greater than the intensity threshold that corresponds to the relative speed range, wherein

each intensity threshold is set such that the number of the at least one target peak for each relative speed range that is extracted exceeding the predetermined upper limit for each relative speed range is suppressed.

4 . A signal processing apparatus that is mounted in a moving body and performs a process for measuring an object that is present in a vicinity of the moving body using at least one measurement signal based on a reflected wave of a transmission wave that is irradiated, the signal processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that cause the processor to:

set an intensity threshold that corresponds to an intensity distribution based on the at least one measurement signal that is periodically generated, wherein the intensity distribution is an intensity distribution that is based on (i) a distance between the object and the moving body and (ii) a relative speed between the object and the moving body;

extract at least one target peak that is a peak that is greater than the intensity threshold in the intensity distribution, wherein the at least one target peak is extracted from the intensity distribution in order from the at least one target peak that corresponds to a smaller relative speed and using an upper limit number that is set in advance as an upper limit; and

store, in a storage, a number of extracted peaks that is a number of the at least one target peak that is extracted,

wherein the intensity threshold is set so as to suppress the number of the at least one target peak in a new intensity distribution from exceeding the upper limit number, based on the number of extracted peaks in a previous intensity distribution and stored.

5 . The signal processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to (i) set a current intensity threshold that corresponds to a current intensity distribution based on a number of extracted peaks in a preceding intensity distribution that is generated immediately before the current intensity distribution, among the number of extracted peaks that is stored, and (ii) set the intensity threshold to be higher when the number of extracted peaks in the preceding intensity distribution is equal to or greater than a predetermined peak number threshold, compared to when the number of extracted peaks in the preceding intensity distribution is less than the predetermined peak number threshold.

6 . The signal processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

calculate a value predicting a number of extracted peaks in a current intensity distribution,

calculate the value based on a number of extracted peaks in the intensity distribution generated in a previous intensity distribution, among the number of extracted peaks that is stored; and

set a current intensity threshold that corresponds to the current intensity distribution to be higher when the value is equal to or higher than a predetermined peak prediction threshold, compared to when the value is less than the predetermined peak prediction threshold.

7 . A signal processing apparatus that is mounted in a moving body and performs a process for measuring an object that is present in a vicinity of the moving body using at least one measurement signal based on a reflected wave of a transmission wave that is irradiated, the signal processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that cause the processor to:

extract at least one target peak that is a peak that is greater than the intensity threshold in the intensity distribution, using an upper limit number that is set in advance as an upper limit; and

store, in a storage a number of extracted peaks that is a number of the at least one target peak that is extracted,

wherein the intensity threshold is set in correspondence to each distance range in the intensity distribution,

wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to extract, as at least one target peak for each distance range, a peak that is greater than the intensity threshold that corresponds to the distance range, among peaks included in the distance range, using an upper limit number set in advance for each distance range as the upper limit,

wherein the intensity threshold is set such that a number of the at least one target peak for each distance range that is extracted and exceeding the upper limit number is suppressed.

8 . The signal processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to extract the at least one target peak from the intensity distribution in order from the at least one target peak that corresponds to a shorter distance.

9 . The signal processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

calculate a value predicting a number of extracted peaks in a current intensity distribution;

calculate the value based on a number of extracted peaks in a previous intensity distribution, among the number of extracted peaks that is stored; and

10 . A signal processing apparatus that is mounted in a moving body and performs a process for measuring an object that is present in a vicinity of the moving body using at least one measurement signal based on a reflected wave of a transmission wave that is irradiated, the signal processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that cause the processor to:

extract at least one target peak that is a peak that is greater than the intensity threshold in the intensity distribution, using an upper limit number that is set in advance as an upper limit; and

store, in a storage, a number of extracted peaks that is a number of the at least one target peak that is extracted,

wherein the intensity distribution has a plurality of relative speed ranges, and the relative speed corresponding to the peak is included in any of the relative speed ranges,

wherein the intensity threshold is set in correspondence to each relative speed range in the intensity distribution,

wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to extract, as at least one target peak for each relative speed range, a peak that is greater than the intensity threshold that corresponds to the relative speed range, among peaks included in the relative speed range, using an upper limit number set in advance for each relative speed range as the upper limit,

wherein the intensity threshold is set such that a number of the at least one target peak for each relative speed range that is extracted and exceeding the upper limit number is suppressed.

11 . The signal processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to (i) set a current intensity threshold that corresponds to a current intensity distribution based on a number of extracted peaks in a preceding intensity distribution that is generated immediately before the current intensity distribution, among the number of extracted peaks that is stored, and (ii) set the intensity threshold to be higher when the number of extracted peaks in the preceding intensity distribution is equal to or greater than a predetermined peak number threshold, compared to when the number of extracted peaks in the preceding intensity distribution is less than the predetermined peak number threshold.

12 . A signal processing apparatus that is mounted in a moving body and performs a process for measuring an object that is present in a vicinity of the moving body using at least one measurement signal based on a reflected wave of a transmission wave that is irradiated, the signal processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that cause the processor to:

set intensity thresholds, wherein each intensity threshold corresponds to an intensity distribution based on the at least one measurement signal that is periodically generated;

store, in a storage, the at least one target peak that is extracted from each intensity distribution;

set each intensity threshold so as to suppress the number of the at least one target peak from a current intensity distribution from exceeding the predetermined upper limit, based on the number of the at least one target peak from a previous intensity distribution that is stored;

set a current intensity threshold that corresponds to the current intensity distribution based on a number of the at least one target peak from an immediately preceding intensity distribution, among the at least one target peak that is extracted and stored; and

set the current intensity threshold to be higher when the number of the at least one target peak from the immediately preceding intensity distribution is equal to or greater than a predetermined peak number threshold, compared to when the number of the at least one target peak from the immediately preceding intensity distribution is less than the predetermined peak number threshold,

wherein the predetermined peak number threshold is a value that is less than the predetermined upper limit.

13 . A signal processing apparatus that is mounted in a moving body and performs a process for measuring an object that is present in a vicinity of the moving body using at least one measurement signal based on a reflected wave of a transmission wave that is irradiated, the signal processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that cause the processor to:

set intensity thresholds, wherein each intensity threshold corresponds to an intensity distribution based on the at least one measurement signal that is periodically generated;

store, in a storage, the at least one target peak that is extracted from each intensity distribution;

calculate a value predicting a number of the at least one target peak from a current intensity distribution, wherein the value is based on a number of the at least one target peak from a previous intensity distribution, among the at least one target peak that is extracted and stored; and

wherein the predetermined peak prediction threshold is a value that is less than the predetermined upper limit.