Use of motion data in the processing of automotive radar image processing
View Patent ↗In an example method, a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode could have a radar system used to aid in vehicle guidance. The method could include a plurality of antennas configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals. The method may also include a one or more sensors configured to measure a movement of the vehicle. A portion of the method may be performed by a processor configured to: i) determine adjustments based on the movement of the vehicle; ii) calculate distance and direction information for received electromagnetic signals; and iii) recover distance and direction information for received electromagnetic signals with the adjustments applied. The processor may be further configured to adjust the movement of the autonomous vehicle based on the distance and direction information with adjustments applied.
1. A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, from a radar unit of the vehicle, first radar data corresponding to distance and direction information for movement of an object in an environment of the vehicle;
after receiving the first radar rata, changing a speed of the vehicle such that a front portion of the vehicle begins to pitch towards a ground surface;
after the pitching begins, receiving, from the radar unit, second radar data that does not provide distance and direction information for the object; determining a movement parameter corresponding to degree of the pitching;
comparing the movement parameter to a threshold value associated with a width of a radar beam; and
based on the comparison, temporarily ignoring the determination that the second radar data does not provide distance and direction information for the object when controlling the vehicle.
2. They method of claim 1 , wherein the width of the radar beam is defined in a direction corresponding to a direction of the pitching towards the ground surface.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when temporarily ignoring the determination that the second radar data does not provide distance and direction information for the object, estimating updated distance and direction information for the object by adjusting the distance and direction information from the first radar data.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the adjusted distance and direction information for the object corresponds to a location of the object within the width of the radar beam prior to the pitching of towards the ground surface.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the speed corresponds to a temporary acceleration of the vehicle.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the speed corresponds to a temporary deceleration of the vehicle.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusted distance and direction information indicates that the object is stationary.
8. A system for controlling a vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive, from a radar unit of the vehicle, first radar data corresponding to distance and direction information for movement of an object in an environment of the vehicle;
after receiving the first radar rata, changing a speed of the vehicle such that a front portion of the vehicle begins to pitch towards or away from a ground surface;
after the pitching begins, receive, from the radar unit, second radar data that does not provide distance and direction information for the object;
determine a movement parameter corresponding to degree of the pitching;
compare the movement parameter to a threshold value associated with a width of a radar beam; and
based on the comparison, temporarily ignore the determination that the second radar data does not provide distance and direction information for the object when controlling the vehicle.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the width of the radar beam is defined in a direction corresponding to a direction of the pitching towards the ground surface.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when temporarily ignoring the determination that the second radar data does not provide distance and direction information for the object, estimate updated distance and direction information for the object by adjusting the distance and direction information from the first radar data.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the adjusted distance and direction information for the object corresponds to a location of the object within the width of the radar beam prior to the pitching of towards the ground surface.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein change in speed corresponds to a temporary acceleration of the vehicle.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein change in speed corresponds to a temporary deceleration of the vehicle.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the adjusted distance and direction information indicates that the object is stationary.
15. The system of claim 8 , further comprising the vehicle.
16. The system of claim 8 , further comprising the radar unit.
17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, from a radar unit of the vehicle, first radar data corresponding to distance and direction information for movement of an object in an environment of the vehicle;
after receiving the first radar rata, decreasing a speed of the vehicle such that a front portion of the vehicle begins to pitch towards or away from a ground surface;
after the pitching begins, receiving, from the radar unit, second radar data that does not provide distance and direction information for the object;
determining a movement parameter corresponding to degree of the pitching;
comparing the movement parameter to a threshold value associated with a width of a radar beam; and
based on the comparison, temporarily ignoring the determination that the second radar data does not provide distance and direction information for the object when controlling the vehicle.
18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the width of the radar beam is defined in a direction corresponding to a direction of the pitching towards the ground surface.
19. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises, when temporarily ignoring the determination that the second radar data does not provide distance and direction information for the object, estimating updated distance and direction information for the object by adjusting the distance and direction information from the first radar data.