Radar target detection via multi-dimensional cluster of reflectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10018709-B2
Application number	US-201514853357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A target detection system and a method of performing radar target detection are described. The system includes a radar system to obtain radar echoes from a target with multiple point reflectors. The system also includes a processor to obtain a cluster of multi-dimensional point spread function from the radar echoes, each multi-dimensional point spread function being associated with a reflection from one of the multiple point reflectors, and also to perform object detection based on three or more dimensions of each of the multi-dimensional point spread functions of the cluster.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A target detection system, comprising:
a radar system configured to obtain radar echoes from a target with multiple point reflectors; and
a processor configured to obtain a cluster of multi-dimensional point spread function from the radar echoes, each multi-dimensional point spread function being associated with a reflection from one of the multiple point reflectors, and also configured to perform object detection based on three or more dimensions of each of the multi-dimensional point spread functions of the cluster.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each multi-dimensional point spread function includes five dimensions and the five dimensions include range, azimuth, elevation, intensity, and Doppler.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the processor performs object detection based on the five dimensions.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor performs object detection based on performing maximum likelihood estimation using the three or more dimensions of each of the multi-dimensional point spread functions.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the processor performs the maximum likelihood estimation as:
{circumflex over (Ω)}=arg max Ω ƒ( Y |Ω),

wherein
Ω is the multiple point reflectors, Y is the radar echoes, and the function is a probability distribution function.

6. A method of performing radar target detection, the method comprising:
obtaining, using a radar system, radar echoes from a target with multiple point reflectors;
obtaining, using a processor, a cluster of multi-dimensional point spread functions from the radar echoes, each multi-dimensional point spread function being associated with a reflection from one of the multiple point reflectors;
performing object detection, using the processor, based on three or more dimensions of each of the multi-dimensional point spread functions of the cluster.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the obtaining the radar echoes includes disposing the radar system in a vehicle to detect obstacles.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the obtaining the cluster of multi-dimensional point spread functions includes obtaining a cluster of five-dimensional point spread functions.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the obtaining the cluster of five-dimensional point spread functions includes obtaining spreads in five dimensions including range, azimuth, elevation, intensity, and Doppler.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the performing object detection is based on the five dimensions.

11. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the performing object detection is based on performing maximum likelihood estimation using the three or more dimensions of each of the multi-dimensional point spread functions.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the performing the maximum likelihood estimation is as:
{circumflex over (Ω)}=arg max Ω ƒ( Y |Ω),

wherein
Ω is the multiple point reflectors, Y is the radar echoes, and the function is a probability distribution function.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Bialer Oded
• Bilik Igal
• Stainvas Olshansky Inna

Classifications

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S7/411 Primary

  Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity (G01S7/415 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S7/414

  Discriminating targets with respect to background clutter · CPC title

• G01S13/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S13/04 Primary

  Systems determining presence of a target (based on relative movement of target G01S13/56) · CPC title