Methods and systems for reducing vehicle sensor interference

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11275174-B2
Application number	US-201916554500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2019
Priority date	Aug 28, 2019
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A method is provided that includes a vehicle receiving data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect the environment of the vehicle. The at least one other vehicle may include at least one sensor. The method also includes determining a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle and the sensor of the vehicle. The method also includes initiating an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle responsive to the determination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radar planning system comprising:
a communication interface configured to communicate with a plurality of vehicles;
a memory configured to store data related to the plurality of vehicles, wherein the data includes vehicle position data; and
a processing system configured to:
determine potential radar interference between first and second radar units associated with at least one vehicle in communication with the radar planning system,
determine, based on the potential radar interference, first and second radar channel assignments, wherein the first radar channel assignment comprises a first sequence of channels for transmission by the first radar unit, and the second radar channel assignment comprises a second sequence of channels for transmission by the second radar unit, and
provide the determined first and second radar channel assignments to the at least one vehicle in communication with the radar planning system.

2. The radar planning system of claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store sensor orientation data for the plurality of vehicles.

3. The radar planning system of claim 2 , wherein the processing system is further configured to determine potential radar interference based on both an orientation of a given sensor and a position of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

4. The radar planning system of claim 3 , wherein the processing system is further configured to determine potential radar interference based on both the orientation of the given sensor and an orientation of a second sensor.

5. The radar planning system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to provide a time synchronization signal to the plurality of vehicles by way of the communication interface.

6. The radar planning system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second radar channel assignments are associated with transmission during a first block of time, and wherein the processing system is further configured to:
determine, based on the potential radar interference, third and fourth radar channel assignments, wherein the third radar channel assignment comprises a third sequence of channels for transmission by the first radar unit during a second block of time, and the fourth radar channel assignment comprises a fourth sequence of channels for transmission by the second radar unit during the second block of time; and
provide the determined third and fourth radar channel assignments to the at least one vehicle in communication with the radar planning system.

7. A method comprising:
determining, potential radar interference between first and second radar units associated with at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in communication with a radar planning system by way of a communication interface;
determining, based on the potential radar interference, first and second radar channel assignments, wherein the first radar channel assignment comprises a first sequence of channels for transmission by the first radar unit, and the second radar channel assignment comprises a second sequence of channels for transmission by the second radar unit; and
providing the determined first and second radar channel assignments to the at least one vehicle in communication with the radar planning system.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving location data from the at least one vehicle, and
wherein the determining of the potential radar interference is based on the location data.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining potential radar interference based on stored sensor orientation data stored in a memory of the radar planning system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the processing system is further configured to determine potential radar interference based on both the orientation of the given radar unit and an orientation of a second radar unit.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising providing a time synchronization signal to the plurality of vehicles by way of the communication interface.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first and second radar units are both located on a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first and second radar units are located on two different vehicles of the plurality of vehicles.

14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining potential radar interference based on:
a location of a first vehicle,
a location of a second vehicle,
an orientation of a radar unit of the first vehicle, and
an orientation of a radar unit of the second vehicle.

15. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining radar channel assignments for the first and second radar units wherein the respective radar channel assignments are different channel assignments.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining radar channel assignments for the first and second radar units wherein the respective radar channel assignments are assigned so that the channel assignments are non-adjacent channels.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
determining potential radar interference between first and second radar units associated with at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in communication with a radar planning system by way of a communication interface;
determining, based on the potential radar interference, first and second radar channel assignments, wherein the first radar channel assignment comprises a first sequence of channels for transmission by the first radar unit, and the second radar channel assignment comprises a second sequence of channels for transmission by the second radar unit; and
providing the determined first and second radar channel assignments to the at least one vehicle in communication with the radar planning system.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions for:
receiving location data from the least one vehicle and wherein determining potential radar interference is based on the location data.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions for determining potential radar interference based on both the orientation of the given radar unit and an orientation of a second radar unit.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions for determining radar channel assignments for the first and second radar units wherein the respective radar channel assignments are different channel assignments.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Smith Larry
• Perich Filip
• Campbell Timothy
• Marx Michael

Classifications

• G01S2013/932

  using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction · CPC title

• G06V20/58

  Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads · CPC title

• G01S13/931 Primary

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S2013/9316

  combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations · CPC title

• G01S7/023

  Interference mitigation, e.g. reducing or avoiding non-intentional interference with other HF-transmitters, base station transmitters for mobile communication or other radar systems, e.g. using electro-magnetic interference [EMI] reduction techniques (auxiliary means for detecting or identifying radar signals or the like G01S7/021; means for anti-jamming G01S7/36) · CPC title