Apparatus for determining displacement of radar apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10295654-B2
Application number	US-201415031483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	Oct 23, 2013
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A determination unit that determines a positional change of a radar apparatus mounted on a vehicle including a vehicle body is provided with a reference member, a displacement sensor and displacement determining means. The reference member is fixed to the vehicle body and disposed such that at least a part of the reference member is adjacent to the radar apparatus. The displacement sensor detects a displacement of the radar apparatus with respect to the reference member. The determining means determines whether or not a position of the radar apparatus has changed with respect to the vehicle body, based on the displacement detected by the displacement sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A determination unit that determines a positional change of a radar apparatus mounted on a vehicle including a vehicle body, the determination unit comprising:
a reference member fixed to the vehicle body and disposed such that at least a part of the reference member is adjacent to the radar apparatus;
a displacement sensor that detects a displacement of the radar apparatus with respect to the reference member; and
displacement determining means for determining whether or not a position of the radar apparatus has changed with respect to the vehicle body, based on the displacement detected by the displacement sensor, wherein
the radar apparatus is fixed to the vehicle body via a predetermined exterior part, and the reference member is fixed to the vehicle body other than at the exterior part, and
the reference member protrudes to the exterior part from the vehicle body.

2. The determination unit according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior part is a bumper.

3. The determination unit according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement determining means is configured to determine that the position of the radar apparatus has changed with respect to the vehicle body, when the displacement detected by the displacement sensor is a predetermined threshold or more.

4. The determination unit according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit further comprises notification means for performing a process to notify a passenger of the vehicle, when it is determined that the position of the radar apparatus has changed with respect to the vehicle body.

5. A determination unit that determines a positional change of a radar apparatus mounted on a vehicle including a vehicle body, the determination unit comprising:
a connecting member that connects the vehicle body and the radar apparatus;
a strain sensor that detects a strain of the connecting member itself; and
strain determination means for determining whether or not a position of the radar apparatus is changed with respect to the vehicle body, based on the strain detected by the strain sensor.

6. The determination unit according to claim 5 , wherein the connecting member extends to the radar apparatus from the vehicle body.

7. The determination unit according to claim 5 , wherein the strain determination means is configured to determine that the position of the radar apparatus has changed with respect to the vehicle body, when the strain detected by the strain sensor is a predetermined threshold or more.

8. A determination method for determining a positional change of a radar apparatus mounted on a vehicle including a vehicle body, the determination method comprising:
preparing a reference member and a displacement sensor that detects a displacement of the radar apparatus with respect to the reference member;
arranging the reference member to be fixed to the vehicle body such that at least a part of the reference member is adjacent to the radar apparatus;
detecting a displacement of the displacement sensor; and
determining whether or not a position of the radar apparatus has changed with respect to the vehicle body, wherein
the radar apparatus is fixed to the vehicle body via a predetermined exterior part, and the reference member is fixed to the vehicle body other than at the exterior part, and
the reference member protrudes to the exterior part from the vehicle body.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Yukumatsu Masanobu
• Goto Kenji
• Ando Takamasa

Classifications

• G01S2013/93275

  in the bumper area · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S7/40

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S7/4026 Primary

  Antenna boresight · CPC title

• G01S2013/9323

  Alternative operation using light waves · CPC title