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DE-102024132771-A1 - Method for operating a sensor device

DE102024132771A1DE 102024132771 A1DE102024132771 A1DE 102024132771A1DE-102024132771-A1

Abstract

The method relates to a method for operating a sensor device (100) based on radar technology, preferably UWB radar technology, for various vehicle functions outside and/or inside a vehicle (F), wherein a radar measurement (CIR) provides time-of-flight information from which a location (Tap) of a potential target (Z) can be derived, wherein successive radar measurements (CIRs) provide changes in time-of-flight information from which a movement, e.g. a speed, of a potential target (Z) at a location (Tap) can be derived.

Inventors

  • Etienne COSTA-PATRY
  • Vivek Bakul Maru
  • Piyush Shukla

Assignees

  • HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241111

Claims (14)

  1. Method for operating a sensor device (100) based on radar technology, preferably UWB radar technology, for various vehicle functions outside and/or inside a vehicle (F), where a radar measurement (CIR) provides time-of-flight information from which a location (Tap) of a potential target (Z) can be derived, wherein successive radar measurements (CIRs) provide changes in time-of-flight information from which a movement, e.g., a speed, of a potential target (Z) at a location (Tap) can be derived, and wherein the method comprises: - Selecting a location (Tap) in a radar measurement (CIR), - Acquiring successive radar measurements (CIRs) for the selected location (Tap). - Determining a significance value (SW) for the selected location (Tap) in the successive radar measurements (CIRs), - Assessing the selected location (Tap) as significant (true) or not significant (false) for further analysis, e.g., to determine movement of a potential target (Z) at this selected location (Tap), depending on the significance value (SW).
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the procedure is performed iteratively for different locations (taps), and/or wherein the acquisition of successive radar measurements (CIRs) for the specified location (tap) is performed up to a specified number (n) of successive radar measurements (CIRs).
  3. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the significance value (SW) is formed in such a way that it is possible to distinguish between ordinary background noise and certain temporal sequences in the successive radar measurements (CIRs), and/or wherein the significance value (SW) is determined as a function of or as a ratio between a variation of data values in the successive radar measurements (CIRs) and a variation of differences of data values in the successive radar measurements (CIRs).
  4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method, in particular comprising the determination of the significance value (SW) and/or the assessment of the selected location (Tap) as significant (true) or not significant (false) for further analysis, is carried out using a machine learning method.
  5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a further analysis is carried out at a, preferably best, location (Tap) that has been judged to be significant (true).
  6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein up to four locations (taps) are selected as significant (true) to perform further analysis.
  7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method selects so many locations (taps) as significant (true) that the amount of data for further analysis is reduced to up to 10% of the data obtained using successive radar measurements (CIRs).
  8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a threshold value (SW*) for the significance value (SW) is determined, depending on which the selected location (Tap) is judged to be significant (true) or not significant (false).
  9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein when assessing the selected location (Tap) as significant (true) or not significant (false) for a desired vehicle function inside and/or outside the vehicle (F), a position of a potential target (Z) in Relation to the vehicle (F) is taken into account, which may be located inside or outside the vehicle (F), and/or where, for vehicle functions inside the vehicle (F), potential targets outside the vehicle (F) may be neglected.
  10. A method according to any of the preceding claims, whereby the method for tracking objects, e.g., vehicles and/or persons, is carried out outside and/or inside the vehicle (F), and/or wherein, for vehicle functions outside the vehicle (F), potential targets inside the vehicle (F) can be disregarded, and/or wherein, when tracking objects outside the vehicle (F), a malfunction of an object is detected, a measure is initiated, e.g., an external camera is activated, a light is switched on, an alarm is issued, etc., and/or wherein, when tracking an object from outside the vehicle (F) into a vehicle interior, an identification check is initiated.
  11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the method is carried out to operate multiple sensor devices (100), in which, in particular, information from the multiple sensor devices (100) is combined to provide various vehicle functions outside and/or inside a vehicle (F).
  12. Computer program product comprising instructions which, when the computer program product is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any of the preceding claims.
  13. Electronic control unit (ECU) comprising a storage unit in which a code is stored and a computing unit, wherein when the code is executed by the computing unit, the method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 11 is carried out, wherein in particular, when the method is carried out to operate several sensor devices (100), a control unit (ECU) of one sensor device (100) has a master function of the several sensor devices (100) or several control units (ECUs) each have an evaluation function to combine information from the several sensor devices (100).
  14. Sensor device (100), in particular a UWB sensor device, comprising a control unit (ECU) according to the preceding claim.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a sensor device based on radar technology, preferably UWB radar technology. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding computer program, a corresponding control unit, and a corresponding sensor device, in particular a UWB sensor device, for carrying out a corresponding method. UWB sensor devices with radar capabilities, mounted both inside the vehicle (typically one unit per row of seats, but any number is possible) and outside the vehicle (typically one unit at each corner), can be used for various vehicle functions, both inside and/or outside the vehicle. Possible vehicle functions include, for example, intrusion detection, contactless opening of a vehicle hatch or tailgate, tracking of objects (e.g., vehicles and/or people) outside the vehicle, and detection of objects (e.g., children and/or animals) inside the vehicle. In general, UWB sensor devices can be used to detect, locate, track, and classify the movements of passive objects (people, animals, vehicles, etc.). These objects do not need to communicate with the UWB sensor device, but they can. UWB radar measurements can be described in terms of fast time. A radar measurement can be analyzed, providing time-of-flight information, to derive a location (often called a tap) based on this information. UWB radar measurements can also be described in terms of slow time. This involves analyzing multiple consecutive radar measurements (channel impulse response, or CIR) to determine changes in the signal at each location. Fast time analysis can be used to determine a location, while slow time analysis can be used to detect movement. The standard approach for slow-time analysis is to transfer the analysis to the frequency domain, for example, using the so-called Fast Fourier Transform. To accurately determine the dominant frequencies, and thus the velocities, in radar measurements, this analysis requires a high sampling rate and a large number of data points, both of which may not be available in UWB radar applications. Furthermore, the subsequent computational operations are numerically intensive. It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome at least one of the disadvantages described above, at least partially. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for operating a sensor device based on radar technology, preferably UWB radar technology. Preferably, it is an object of the invention to develop a simple, fast, and efficient analysis of motion to determine whether relevant slow-time information is available at a specific location and needs to be processed. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a corresponding computer program, a corresponding control unit, and a corresponding sensor device, in particular a UWB sensor device, for carrying out such a method. The object of the invention is achieved by a method with the features of the independent method claim. Furthermore, the object of the invention is achieved by a corresponding computer program product, a corresponding control unit, and a corresponding sensor device, in particular a UWB sensor device, with the features of the dependent claims. Features and details described in connection with the different embodiments and/or aspects of the invention naturally also apply in connection with the other embodiments and/or aspects, and vice versa, so that the disclosure relating to the individual embodiments and/or aspects always includes, or can include, reciprocal references. The invention provides: a method for operating a sensor device based on radar technology, preferably UWB radar technology, which can serve for various vehicle functions outside and/or inside a vehicle. Inside the vehicle, at least one or more sensor devices can be installed per row of seats. Outside the vehicle, at least one or more sensor devices can be installed at each corner and/or on each side of the vehicle. Possible vehicle functions include, for example, intrusion detection, contactless opening of a vehicle flap, e.g., a door or tailgate, and tracking of objects, e.g., vehicles. and/or persons outside the vehicle, detection of objects, e.g. children and/or animals, inside the vehicle, etc. The sensor device allows multiple radar measurements to be performed sequentially. A radar measurement can include transmitting a signal (e.g., a UWB signal pulse) and/or receiving a signal, for example, reflected from a potential target. A detected target can be an object. Possible objects outside the vehicle include, for example, cars, bicycles, scooters, people, etc. Possible objects inside the vehicle include, for example, people, children, animals, etc. A radar measurement can provide time-of-flight information, from which the location (often referred to as a tap, where 1 tap can be approximately 15 cm) of a potential target can be derived. Successive radar measurements can provide changes in time-of-flight inform