Systems and methods for prioritizing detected objects in a vehicular radar system
Systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicular radar system by prioritizing objects detected by the radar system. The radar system can prioritize objects in the environment around the vehicle based on several factors such as the time to closest point of approach, the distance to closest point of approach, the grounded velocity of the object and the radial velocity of the object. The radar system can generate a score for each object that is associated with that object's threat priority. Based on the object's threat priority score, a determination can be made as to whether the collection of additional information about the detected object is desirable. If additional information about the detected object is to be collected, either a different radar scan pattern having different waveforms can be generated or a different resolution of processing may be applied to the object.
1 . A radar system for a vehicle comprising:
a front end configured to detect one or more objects in an environment surrounding the vehicle with electromagnetic radiation, the front end comprising one or more antenna systems configured to emit and receive electromagnetic radiation;
a control system configured to control operation of the one or more antenna systems of the front end, the control system comprising:
a processor;
a memory device storing control logic, the control logic comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
provide a first set of waveforms having specified emission parameters for emission by the one or more antenna systems of the front end;
analyze, with a processing algorithm, return signals received by the one or more antennas in response to the emission of the first set of waveforms;
identify one or more objects in the environment surrounding the vehicle from the analysis of the return signals from the first set of waveforms;
generate one or more parameters associated with each identified object based on the analysis of the return signals from the first set of waveforms, wherein the one or more parameters include a time to closest point of approach to the identified object, a distance to closest point of approach to the identified object, a grounded velocity for the identified object and a radial velocity for the identified object;
determine priority factor values based on the time to closest point of approach, the distance to closest point of approach, the grounded velocity, and the radial velocity;
calculate a priority score for each identified object using the determined priority factor values;
determine whether the respective priority score for each identified object is greater than a predetermined threshold score; and
provide a second set of waveforms having different specified emission parameters from those of the first set of waveforms for emission by the one or more antennas in response to the determined priority score for at least one identified object being greater than the predetermined threshold score.
2 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
generate a list of identified objects having corresponding priority scores for each identified object; and
provide the list of identified objects to a resolution manager, wherein the resolution manager changes the processing algorithm for at least one identified object in the list of identified objects based on the corresponding priority scores for the identified objects.
3 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more parameters include a range to the identified object and an azimuth angle of the identified object; and
the logic further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
designate a focus zone based on the first set of waveforms;
determine whether each identified object is located with the designated focus determine priority factor values for each identified object within the designated focus zone based on the range and azimuth angle for the corresponding identified object; and
calculate the priority score for each identified object within the designated focus zone using the determined priority factor values based on the range and azimuth angle for the corresponding identified object.
4 . The radar system of claim 3 , wherein the logic further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
designate a plurality of sub-focus zone having different configurations; and
form the designated focus zone from the plurality of sub-focus zones.
5 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine a category for each identified object based on the determined priority factor values based on the time to closest point of approach, a distance to closest point of approach, the radial velocity and the grounded velocity for the corresponding identified object;
determine a plurality of priority score parameters for each identified object based on the determined category for the corresponding identified object; and
calculate the priority score for each identified object using the determined plurality of priority score parameters for the corresponding identified object.
6 . The radar system of claim 5 , wherein the logic further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine whether the identified object is one of a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist; and adjust a priority score parameter for the corresponding identified object based on the determination that the identified object is one of a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist.
7 . The radar system of claim 5 , wherein the logic further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to compare, for each identified object, the determined priority factor values for the corresponding identified object to corresponding threshold values to determine the category for the corresponding identified object.
8 . The radar system of claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine a collision priority factor value for each identified object based on the time to closest point of approach and the distance to closest point of approach for the corresponding identified object; and
compare the collision priority factor value for each identified object to a collision threshold, wherein the calculated priority score for the corresponding identified object is based on the comparison of the collision priority factor to the collision threshold.
9 . A method of prioritizing objects detected by a vehicular radar system, the method comprising:
providing a front end configured to detect one or more objects in an environment surrounding a vehicle with electromagnetic radiation, the front end comprising one or more antenna systems configured to emit and receive electromagnetic radiation;
receiving return signals by the one or more antenna systems in response to an emission of a first set of waveforms having specified emission parameters by the one or more antenna systems;
analyzing, with a processing algorithm, the return signals from the first set of waveforms received by the one or more antenna systems;
identifying one or more objects in the environment surrounding the vehicle from the analysis of the return signals from the first set of waveforms;
generating one or more parameters associated with each identified object based on the analysis of the return signals from the first set of waveforms, wherein the one or more parameters include a time to closest point of approach to the identified object, a distance to closest point of approach to the identified object, a grounded velocity and a radial velocity for the identified object;
determining priority factor values based on the time to closest point of approach, the distance to closest point of approach, the grounded velocity and the radial velocity for each identified object;
calculating the priority score for each identified object using the determined priority factor values;
determining whether the respective priority score for each identified object is greater than a predetermined threshold score based on the respectively generated one or more parameters associated with the identified object; and
providing a second set of waveforms having different specified emission parameters from those of the first set of waveforms for emission by the one or more antennas in response to the determined priority score for at least one identified object being greater than the predetermined threshold score.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
generating a list of identified objects having corresponding priority scores for each identified object; and
providing the list of identified objects to a resolution manager, wherein the resolution manager changes the processing algorithm for at least one identified object in the list of identified objects based on the corresponding priority scores for the identified objects.
11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
the one or more parameters further include a range to the identified object and an azimuth angle of the identified object;
designating a focus zone based on the first set of waveforms;
determining whether each identified object is located with the designated focus zone;
determining a priority score for each identified object further includes:
determining priority factor values for each identified object within the designated focus zone based on the range and azimuth angle for the corresponding identified object; and
calculating the priority score for each identified object within the designated focus zone using the determined priority factor values based on the range and azimuth angle for the corresponding identified object.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
designating a plurality of sub-focus zones, wherein each sub-focus zone has a different configuration; and
forming the designated focus zone from the plurality of sub-focus zones.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining a priority score for each identified object further includes:
determining a category for each identified object with the determined priority factor values based on the time to closest point of approach, a distance to closest point of approach, the radial velocity and the grounded velocity for the corresponding identified object;
determining a plurality of priority score parameters for each identified object based on the determined category for the corresponding identified object; and calculating the priority score for each identified object using the determined plurality of priority score parameters for the corresponding identified object.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein determining a priority score for each identified object further includes:
determining whether each identified object is one of a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist; and
adjusting a priority score parameter of the plurality of priority score parameters for the corresponding identified object based on the determination that the identified object is one of a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein determining a priority score for each identified object further includes comparing the determined priority factor values for the corresponding identified object to corresponding threshold values to determine the category for the identified object.
16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining a priority score for each identified object further includes:
determining a collision priority factor value for each identified object based on the time to closest point of approach and the distance to closest point of approach for the corresponding identified object; and
comparing the collision priority factor value for the corresponding identified object to a collision threshold, wherein the calculated priority score for the corresponding identified object is based on the comparison of the collision priority factor to the collision threshold.