Radar based mapping and localization for autonomous vehicles
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 transmitting at least two signal pulses. The method further includes, for each transmitted signal pulse, receiving a reflection signal associated with reflection of the respective transmitted signal pulse. Each reflection signal may be received when the apparatus is in a different respective location. Additionally, the method includes processing the received reflection signals to determine target information relating to one or more targets in an environment of the vehicle. Also, the method includes correlating the target information with at least one object of a predetermined map of the environment of the vehicle to provide correlated target information. Yet further, the method includes storing the correlated target information for the at least one object in an electronic database.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a radar unit coupled to a vehicle and comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit at least two signal pulses in a direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle;
a receiver configured to receive, for each transmitted signal pulse, a reflection signal associated with a reflection of each of the respective transmitted signal pulse; and
a processing unit coupled to the vehicle and configured to:
process the received reflection signals to determine target information relating to one or more targets in an environment of the vehicle;
correlate the target information with predetermined target information to provide correlated target information, and wherein the predetermined target information comprises radar data indexed with information from a predetermined map that represents one or more roadside features in the environment of the vehicle;
determine a location of the vehicle based on the correlated target information; and
control the vehicle based on the determined location.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the radar unit is configured to transmit the at least two signal pulses in a direction of a passenger side of the vehicle.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the radar unit is configured to transmit the at least two signal pulses in a direction of a roadside.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to correlate the target information by associating the target information with respective target locations of the predetermined map.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:
generate an image based on the received reflection signals, and
correlate the image to predetermined target information to provide correlated target information.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to correlate the target information by associating the target information with respective target locations of the predetermined map.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to operate in a synthetic aperture radar processing mode.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing further comprising processing in a synthetic aperture radar processing mode.
9. A method, comprising:
transmitting, by a radar unit of a vehicle, at least two signal pulses in a direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle;
for each transmitted signal pulse, receiving, by the radar unit, a reflection signal associated with a reflection of the respective transmitted signal pulse;
processing, by a computing device, the received reflection signals to determine target information relating to one or more targets in an environment of the vehicle;
correlating the target information with predetermined target information of a predetermined map of the environment of the vehicle to provide correlated target information, wherein the predetermined map represents one or more roadside features in the environment of the vehicle; and
determining a location of the vehicle based on the correlated target information.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transmitting the at least two signal pulses is performed in a direction on a passenger side of the vehicle.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transmitting the at least two signal pulses is performed in a direction of a roadside.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising to correlating the target information by associating the target information with respective target locations of the predetermined map.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
generating an image based on the received reflection signals, and
correlating the image to predetermined target information to provide correlated target information.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising correlating the target information by associating the target information with respective target locations of the predetermined map.
15. An apparatus comprising:
a radar unit coupled to a vehicle and comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit at least two signal pulses in a direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle;
a receiver configured to receive, for each transmitted signal pulse, a reflection signal associated with reflection of each of the respective transmitted signal pulse;
a processing unit configured to:
process the received reflection signals in to determine target information relating to one or more targets in an environment of the vehicle;
correlate the target information with predetermined target information to provide correlated target information, wherein the one or more targets correspond to one or more objects, and wherein predetermined target information comprises radar data indexed with information from a predetermined map that represents one or more roadside features in the environment of the vehicle; and
storing the correlated target information as radar data indexed with information from the predetermined map for the at least one object in an electronic database.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the radar unit is configured to transmit the at least two signal pulses in a direction of a passenger side of the vehicle.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to correlate the target information by associating the target information with respective target locations of the predetermined map.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the transmitter comprises at least one antenna array.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the receiver comprises at least one antenna array.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to operate in a synthetic aperture radar processing mode.