Methods for detecting sensor degradation in distance sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9684068-B2
Application number	US-201314440774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2013
Priority date	Nov 8, 2012
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A method for detecting a sensor degradation in distance sensors, having the following: a) sending out at least one transmit pulse; b) acquisition of a sensor signal at least in a decay interval; and c) determination of a degree of degradation based on a frequency response of the acquired sensor signal. Also described is a computer program product, a distance sensor unit, and a driver assistance system for carrying out such methods.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for detecting a sensor degradation in distance sensors, the method comprising:
a) sending out at least one transmit pulse;
b) acquiring a sensor signal in at least one decay interval; and
c) determining a degree of degradation based on a frequency response of the acquired sensor signal,
wherein the degree of degradation is validated, in an additional task d), through a variation of the transmit pulse length.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal is acquired in each decay interval that follows a transmit interval.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frequency response of the acquired sensor signal is determined from intervals of at least a quarter wavelength.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frequency response of the acquired sensor signal includes at least three intervals, a first and a third interval containing at least one extremum, and a second interval being situated between a last extremum of the first interval and a first extremum of the third interval.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the degree of degradation is determined based on the frequency response in the second interval.

6. A method for detecting a sensor degradation in distance sensors, the method comprising:
a) sending out at least one transmit pulse;
b) acquiring a sensor signal in at least one decay interval; and
c) determining a degree of degradation based on a frequency response of the acquired sensor signal,
wherein the frequency response of the acquired sensor signal includes at least three intervals, a first and a third interval containing at least one extremum, and a second interval being situated between a last extremum of the first interval and a first extremum of the third interval,
wherein a mean value is determined from the frequency response in the second interval, and the degree of degradation is determined from the mean value and a specified target value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal is acquired in a decay interval and in a transmit interval.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the degree of degradation results from the envelope of the frequency response.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the degree of degradation is validated, in an additional task d), through a variation of the transmit pulse length.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein echo signals in the decay interval are recognized based on a decay time.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:
a program code arrangement having program code for detecting a sensor degradation in distance sensors, by performing the following:
a) sending out at least one transmit pulse;
b) acquiring a sensor signal in at least one decay interval; and
c) determining a degree of degradation based on a frequency response of the acquired sensor signal,
wherein the degree of degradation is validated, in an additional task d), through a variation of the transmit pulse length.

12. A distance sensor unit, comprising:
a receive unit for detecting a sensor degradation in distance sensors, and which is configured to perform the following:
a) sending out at least one transmit pulse;
b) acquiring a sensor signal in at least one decay interval; and
c) determining a degree of degradation based on a frequency response of the acquired sensor signal,
wherein the degree of degradation is validated, in an additional task d), through a variation of the transmit pulse length.

13. A driver assistance system for detecting a sensor degradation in distance sensors, comprising:
at least one distance sensor for sending out at least one transmit pulse;
at least one acquiring component for acquiring a sensor signal in at least one decay interval; and
at least one determining component for determining a degree of degradation based on a frequency response of the acquired sensor signal,
wherein the degree of degradation is validated, in an additional task d), through a variation of the transmit pulse length.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Schumann Michael
• Roka Andras

Classifications

• G01S15/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S15/88

  Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications (seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00) · CPC title

• G01S2007/52009

  of sensor obstruction, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating · CPC title

• G01S7/52004 Primary

  Means for monitoring or calibrating (short-range imaging G01S7/5205) · CPC title

• G01S15/87

  Combinations of sonar systems · CPC title