IP Library Granted Patent US 11,852,714
Granted Patent B2
US 11,852,714 · App. 17/116,589 · Granted Dec 26, 2023

Stationary status resolution system

Inventors: Mohamed Helwa (Toronto, CA); Mohammad Sharif Siddiqui (Toronto, CA); Veronica Marin (Toronto, CA)
Assignee: THALES CANADA INC.
G01S13/52G01S13/931G01S2013/93271
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,852,714
App. No.
17/116,589
Granted
Dec 26, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes instructions to identify, based upon Doppler-speed determination from one or more radars, radar targets within a hitbox for determining a first stationary status of a vehicle based on tracking Doppler-speed radar targets in a hitbox region. The medium also includes instructions to identify, based upon the Doppler speed determination from the one or more radars, field-of-view (FOV) radar targets for determining a second stationary status based on a substantial number and a distribution of Doppler-speed determinations for the FOV radar targets. The medium also includes instructions to confirm, based on detecting a change in either of the first or the second stationary status of the vehicle, an acceleration sensed by an inertial measurement unit onboard the vehicle.

Claims (56)

1. A method comprising:

filtering hitbox radar targets from field of view (FOV) radar targets, the FOV radar targets detected by one or more radars operably coupled to a body of a vehicle, the hitbox radar targets filtered based on a range and an azimuth angle, the hitbox radar targets being within a a predetermined area in front of the vehicle;

filtering the hitbox radar targets to select substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets;

tracking the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets to verify whether positions of the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets are constant;

determining a number and distribution of the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets; and

determining a vehicle first stationary status based on whether the number of substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets are moving in synchronization.

2. The method of claim h further comprising:

determining substantially zero-Doppler-speed FOV radar targets outside of a hitbox;

determining a number and distribution of substantially zero-Doppler-speed filtered FOV radar targets;

determining whether the number of the substantially zero-Doppler-speed FOV radar targets outside of the hitbox are greater than or equal to a predetermined number; and

determining whether the substantially zero-Doppler-speed FOV radar targets outside of the hitbox are synchronized in detected movement to determine a vehicle second stationary status.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining the vehicle first stationary status and the vehicle second stationary status for each radar of the one or more radars.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

cross-comparing each radar vehicle first stationary status and each vehicle second stationary status to detect potential failures in the one or more radars.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

detecting drift of the vehicle at speeds lower than a numerical speed resolution of the one or more radars by detecting changes in position of the hitbox radar targets or the FOV radar targets over a period of time.

6. The method of claim further comprising:

identifying the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets or the substantially zero-Doppler-speed FOV radar targets outside of the hitbox where the drift is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim k further comprising:

identifying whether longitudinal acceleration is detected indicating a transition from a stationary status, based on data from one or more inertial measurement units (IMU).

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining a unified stationary status indication, based on the vehicle first stationary status and the vehicle second stationary status.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the unified stationary status indication is determined further based on a detected drift of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

changing the unified stationary status indication based on a plurality of consecutive status indications from the vehicle first stationary status, the vehicle second stationary status or the detected drift of the vehicle indicating a status change over a predetermined time period.

11. A stationary status resolution system (SSRS) comprising:

a vehicle for use on a guideway;

one or more radars operably coupled to a body of the vehicle;

one or more processors operably coupled to the one or more radars; and

memory operably coupled to the one or more processors, the memory configured to store executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a plurality of hitbox targets located within a predetermined area in front of the vehicle that have a constant range based upon returned radar signals;

determine a plurality of field of view (FOV) targets that have a zero-Doppler-speed based upon the returned radar signals;

select hitbox radar targets having a substantially zero-Doppler-speed;

track the selected substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets;

determine whether positions of the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets are substantially constant;

determine substantially zero-Doppler-speed FOV radar targets outside of a hitbox; and

determine a hitbox-based stationary status and a FOV-based stationary status based upon the returned radar signals.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a first stationary status of the vehicle based upon zero-Doppler-speed determination and constant range evaluation from the plurality of hitbox targets.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a second stationary status of the vehicle based on a substantial number and a distribution of zero-Doppler-speed determinations for the plurality of FOV targets.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising one or more inertial measurement units (IMU) operably coupled to a center point of the vehicle body.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to confirm, through a diverse sensor technology, a change in either of the first or second stationary status of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to record the first stationary status and the second stationary status over a period of time.

17. A method comprising:

filtering radar targets detected by one or more radars operably coupled to a body of a vehicle based on a range and an azimuth angle;

filtering hitbox radar targets within a hitbox in front of the vehicle from field of view (FOV) radar targets;

filtering the hitbox radar targets that have substantially zero-Doppler-speed;

tracking the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets to determine whether positions of the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets are substantially constant;

determining whether the substantially zero-Doppler-speed hitbox radar targets are moving in synchronization to determine a vehicle first stationary status;

filtering FOV radar targets that are outside of the hitbox, detected by the one or more radars, based on the substantially zero-Doppler-speed;

determining a number and distribution of the filtered FOV radar targets to determine a stationary status;

determining whether the number of the filtered FOV radar targets are greater than or equal to a predetermined number; and

determining whether the filtered FOV radar targets are synchronized in detected movement to determine a vehicle second stationary status.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining the vehicle first stationary status and the vehicle second stationary status for each radar of the one or more radars.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising cross-comparing each first and second stationary status to detect potential failures in each radar of the one or more radars.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising detecting, at speeds lower than a numerical speed resolution of the one or more radars, drift of the vehicle by detecting changes in positions of the hitbox radar targets or the filtered FOV radar targets over a period of time.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 6, 2024
From: GROUND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CANADA INC.
To: HITACHI RAIL GTS CANADA INC.
Reel/Frame 068829/0478 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2023
From: THALES CANADA INC
To: GROUND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CANADA INC.
Reel/Frame 065566/0509 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2020
From: HELWA, MOHAMED; SIDDIQUI, MOHAMMAD SHARIF; MARIN, VERONICA
To: THALES CANADA INC
Reel/Frame 054596/0550 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62945670 · Dec 9, 2019
Related Publication 20210173071A1 · Jun 10, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,656,475