CN-122003621-A - Target detection device and target detection method

Abstract

An object detection device (1) includes a transmit signal generator (103), a transmit array (10), a switch (104), and a controller (101). The transmit signal generator (103) is configured to generate a transmit signal. A transmitting array (10) comprising a plurality of transmitting elements (11) configured to convert the transmitted signal into a transmitted wave. The transmitting array (10) has at least a start transmitting element (11 a) and an end transmitting element (11 b). The switch (104) is configured to sequentially provide the transmission signals to the plurality of transmission elements (11) from the start transmission element (11 a) to the end transmission element (11 b). The controller (101) is configured to control a scan time of the switch (104). The scan time is a time from providing the transmit signal to the start transmit element to providing the transmit signal to the end transmit element.

Inventors

• IWATA KOHEI
• NISHIMORI YASUSHI

Assignees

• 古野电气株式会社

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20240313

Priority Date

20231113

Claims (11)

1. 1. An object detection device (1), comprising: a transmission signal generator (103) configured to generate a transmission signal; -a transmitting array (10) comprising a plurality of transmitting elements (11) configured to convert the transmitting signal into a transmitting wave, the transmitting array (10) having at least a beginning transmitting element (11 a) and an ending transmitting element (11 b); a switch (104) configured to sequentially supply the transmission signals from the start transmission element (11 a) to the end transmission element (11 b) to the plurality of transmission elements (11), and A controller (101) configured to control a scan time of the switch (104), the scan time being a time from providing the transmit signal to the start transmit element (11 a) to providing the transmit signal to the end transmit element (11 b).
2. 2. The object detection device (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The scan time sets an angular range over which the transmitted wave is transmitted.
3. 3. The object detection device (1) according to claim 2, wherein, The controller (101) extends the scan time to increase the angular range.
4. 4. A target detection device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising: A user interface (108) for use by a user to input a value corresponding to the scan time or the angular range.
5. 5. The object detection device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The controller (101) is further configured to control the frequency of the transmit signal.
6. 6. The object detection device (1) according to claim 5, wherein, The frequency setting of the transmission signal transmits a center direction of an angular range of the transmission wave.
7. 7. The object detection device (1) according to claim 6, wherein, At a first timing, the controller (101) is configured to set the frequency of the transmission signal to a first frequency, transmit the transmission wave with a first direction as the center direction, and At a second timing subsequent to the first timing, the controller (101) is configured to set the frequency of the transmission signal to a second frequency different from the first frequency, and transmit the transmission wave in a second direction different from the first direction as the center direction.
8. 8. The object detection device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: A receiving array (20) comprising at least one receiving element (21), the at least one receiving element (21) being configured to receive reflected waves generated by reflection of the transmitted waves on a target and to convert the reflected waves into received signals, and A processing circuit (106) configured to extract frequency components of the received signal and determine a direction of arrival of the reflected wave.
9. 9. The object detection device (1) according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The object detection device (1) is a sonar configured to detect an underwater object.
10. 10.A target detection method comprising: Performing a sequential supply of a transmission signal (S102) from a start transmission element (11 a) to an end transmission element (11 b) to a plurality of transmission elements (11), the plurality of transmission elements (11) converting the transmission signal into a transmission wave, and -Controlling (S106, S107) a scan time from the time of providing the transmit signal to the start transmit element (11 a) to the time of providing the transmit signal to the end transmit element (11 b).
11. 11. A program including instructions to be executed by a controller of an object detection device, the program comprising: Performing a sequential supply of a transmission signal (S102) from a start transmission element (11 a) to an end transmission element (11 b) to a plurality of transmission elements (11), the plurality of transmission elements (11) converting the transmission signal into a transmission wave, and -Controlling (S106, S107) a scan time from the time of providing the transmit signal to the start transmit element (11 a) to the time of providing the transmit signal to the end transmit element (11 b).

Description

Target detection device and target detection method Technical Field The present disclosure relates to an object detection apparatus, an object detection method, and a program for transmitting a transmission wave and detecting an object based on the reflection wave. Background In general, an object detection apparatus for transmitting an emission wave and detecting an object based on the reflection wave is known. In such an object detection apparatus, for example, a configuration in which a source of a transmission wave is moved in one direction to change the frequency of the transmission wave transmitted into water can be used. For example, a plurality of emitting elements (ultrasonic oscillators) are arranged in one direction to form an emitting array. The transmission signals are sequentially supplied to the transmission elements in the arrangement direction. As a result, the source of the emitted wave moves in the arrangement direction. The doppler effect caused by such movement changes the frequency of the transmitted wave transmitted into the water within the angular range of the arrangement direction. A plurality of receiving elements (ultrasonic oscillators) are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the transmitting elements to form a receiving array. In response to the above-described transmission from the transmitting element, a reception signal is output from each receiving element. From these received signals, frequency components corresponding to each of the above-described angle ranges are extracted by a band-limiting filter. Thus, the received signal included in the equal frequency surface of each angle is acquired. Further, the received signal in the angular direction along the corresponding equal frequency surface is acquired by beamforming the received signal in each equal frequency surface. In this way, the echo-based reception signal is acquired at a predetermined angular resolution based on the band-limiting filter and the beamforming in the angular range (detection range) of the arrangement direction of the transmission element and the arrangement direction of the reception element. Echo intensity data (volume data) three-dimensionally distributed in a detection range is acquired from the received signal. By imaging the intensity data (volume data), an image showing the state of the target within the detection range can be obtained. Patent document 1 discloses such an object detection apparatus. List of references Patent literature Patent document 1 WO2021/019858 In the object detection device as described above, the search range in which an object can be searched is limited by the bandwidth specific to the device. Such bandwidth limitations are based on, for example, the operating bandwidth of the transmitting element or the receiving element. Thus, when the search range needs to be adjusted, the device-specific bandwidth needs to be adjusted. However, this adjustment cannot be easily performed because it involves hardware changes. The present disclosure has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide an object detection device, an object detection method, and a program capable of easily adjusting a searchable angle range of a device having a limited bandwidth. Disclosure of Invention A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to an object detection apparatus. The object detection device according to this aspect includes a transmit signal generator, a transmit array, a switch, and a controller. The transmit signal generator is configured to generate a transmit signal. The transmit array includes a plurality of transmit elements configured to convert a transmit signal into a transmit wave. The transmit array has at least a start transmit element and an end transmit element. The switch is configured to sequentially provide the transmit signals to the plurality of transmit elements from the start transmit element to the end transmit element. The controller is configured to control a scan time of the switch. The scan time is a time from providing the transmit signal to the start transmit element to providing the transmit signal to the end transmit element. According to the object detection device of the first aspect, for a device having a limited bandwidth, by changing the scanning time of the switch, the searchable angle range corresponding to the arrangement direction (scanning direction) of the emitting elements can be changed. Thus, the searchable angular range of a device having a limited bandwidth can be easily adjusted. In the object detection device according to the embodiment, the scanning time may set an angle range in which the emission wave is emitted. The controller may extend the scan time to increase the angular range. By controlling the scanning time, the angular range of the emitted emission wave can be adjusted. Thus, the searchable angle range for target detection can be changed by sim