WO2025013644A1 - Information processing device, radar device, and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

An information processing device according to the present technology is provided with a radar control unit and a radar data processing unit. The radar control unit causes a transmission antenna to transmit a transmission signal of each chirp group of a first chirp group, a second chirp group having a different distance detection range from the first chirp group, a third chirp group having a different speed detection range from the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group having a different speed detection range from the second chirp group. The radar data processing unit detects the speed on the basis of a reception signal of the first chirp group and a reception signal of the third chirp group received by a reception antenna, and detects the speed on the basis of a reception signal of the second chirp group and a reception signal of the fourth chirp group received by the reception antenna.

Description

Information processing device, radar device, and information processing method

This technology relates to an information processing device, radar device, and information processing method that utilizes continuous frequency modulated waves.

Millimeter-wave radar is an essential sensor in autonomous driving systems. By installing a millimeter-wave radar in a vehicle, it is possible to detect the distance, speed, and angle of obstacles in the vicinity. Due to its high resolution, automotive millimeter-wave radar mainly uses the FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

In the FMCW method, radio waves are emitted while changing the frequency over time to detect the distance to an object and the object's relative speed. A signal whose frequency changes over time is called a chirp, and its duration is called the chirp time. In the FMCW method, there is a trade-off between increasing the chirp time to increase the speed resolution and decreasing the maximum detectable speed. Similarly, with regard to the detection distance, there is a trade-off between increasing the frequency band to increase the distance resolution and decreasing the maximum detectable distance.

Generally, commercially available radars are equipped with multiple radar irradiation modes that take these trade-offs into account, and are divided according to the application. For example, a low-resolution, long-range radar is placed at the front of the vehicle, and a high-resolution, short-range radar is placed at the four corners of the vehicle, achieving both performances. In addition, the maximum detectable speed is generally extended using the Chinese Remainder Theorem (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Special Publication No. 2022-545002

As mentioned above, current automotive radars enable object detection in real driving environments by using different modes depending on the installation position of multiple radars and by expanding speed. However, when switching between the modes of multiple radars depending on the installation position, problems arise in that the resolution decreases in areas where the viewing angles do not overlap, or the detectable distance decreases. Even when using speed expansion based on the Chinese Remainder Theorem, it cannot be applied to the speed expansion of radar modes with different detection performance.

In light of the above circumstances, the objective of this technology is to provide an information processing device, a radar device, and an information processing method that can improve the speed and distance resolution and maximum detection range in radar that uses continuous frequency modulated waves.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a radar control unit and a radar data processing unit.
The radar control unit transmits from the transmitting antenna transmission signals of each of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a distance detection range different from that of the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a velocity detection range different from that of the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a velocity detection range different from that of the second chirp group.
The radar data processing unit detects velocity based on the received signals of the first chirp group and the received signals of the third chirp group received by the receiving antenna, and detects velocity based on the received signals of the second chirp group and the received signals of the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna.

The radar control unit may transmit the transmission signals of each chirp group from the transmitting antenna in the following order: the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.

The radar control unit may cause the transmitting antenna to transmit the transmission signals of each chirp group in the following order: the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.

The radar control unit may switch between a first transmission pattern in which the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group, and a second transmission pattern in which the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.

a situation determination unit that determines a situation of a moving object on which the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna are mounted,
The radar control unit may switch between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern based on a result of the determination by the situation determination unit.

The situation determination unit may determine the situation of the moving body from detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.

the moving object is a vehicle,
The situation determination unit determines a driving scene of the vehicle,
The radar control unit may switch between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern based on the driving scene.

a situation determination unit that determines a situation of a moving object on which the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna are mounted,
The radar control unit may determine an order of transmission of the transmission signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group and the fourth chirp group from the transmitting antenna based on a result of the judgment by the situation judgment unit.

The situation determination unit may determine the situation of the moving body from detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.

the moving object is a vehicle,
The situation determination unit determines a driving scene of the vehicle,
The radar control unit may determine the transmission order based on the driving scene.

The first chirp group and the third chirp group may have different chirp times, and the second chirp group and the fourth chirp group may have different chirp times.

The first chirp group and the second chirp group may have different chirp inclinations, and the third chirp group and the fourth chirp group may have different chirp inclinations.

The radar data processing unit may detect speed by pairing detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group with detection data based on the received signals of the third chirp group, and may detect speed by pairing detection data based on the received signals of the second chirp group with detection data based on the received signals of the fourth chirp group.

the radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each chirp group for each frame in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group;
The radar data processing unit may pair detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame two frames before the specific frame.

the radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each chirp group for each frame in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group;
The radar data processing unit may pair detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame one frame before the specific frame, and may not pair detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame three frames before the specific frame.

The radar data processing unit may use the pairing to detect a maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group and a speed that exceeds the maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the third chirp group, and may use the pairing to detect a maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the second chirp group and a speed that exceeds the maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the fourth chirp group.

In order to achieve the above object, a radar device according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a radar and an information processing device.
The radar includes a transmitting antenna for transmitting radar waves and a receiving antenna for receiving radar waves.
The information processing device includes a radar control unit that causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a distance detection range different from that of the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a velocity detection range different from that of the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a velocity detection range different from that of the second chirp group, and a radar data processing unit that detects velocity based on received signals of the first chirp group and the third chirp group received by the receiving antenna, and detects velocity based on received signals of the second chirp group and the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information processing method according to one embodiment of the present technology includes a radar control unit that causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a distance detection range different from that of the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a velocity detection range different from that of the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a velocity detection range different from that of the second chirp group.
A radar data processing unit detects velocity based on the received signals of the first chirp group and the received signals of the third chirp group received by the receiving antenna, and detects velocity based on the received signals of the second chirp group and the received signals of the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna.

1 is a graph showing the waveform of an FMCW chirp. 1 is a graph showing the frequency of FMCW chirps. 1 is a graph showing waveforms of successive chirps. 1 is a graph showing the frequencies of successive chirps. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an FMCW radar. 1 is a schematic diagram of a radar device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a graph showing a first chirp group of transmission signals that are generated by a signal generating section of a radar control section of an information processing device included in the radar device. 13 is a graph showing a second chirp group of transmission signals that the radar control unit causes the signal generating unit to generate. 13 is a graph showing a third chirp group of transmission signals that the radar control unit causes the signal generating unit to generate. 13 is a graph showing a fourth chirp group of transmission signals that the radar control unit causes the signal generating unit to generate. 4 is a schematic diagram of a first transmission pattern of a transmission signal generated by the radar control unit. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a second transmission pattern of the transmission signal generated by the radar control unit. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the information processing device. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system; 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the installation positions of an outside-vehicle information detection unit and an imaging unit; FIG.

[About FMCW]
The following describes the FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) used by the radar device according to this embodiment. Fig. 1 is a graph showing the waveform of an FMCW chirp, and Fig. 2 is a graph showing the frequency of an FMCW chirp. As shown in these figures, the chirp has a waveform whose frequency increases monotonically with time. Hereinafter, the time from the start time of a chirp to the start time of the next chirp is referred to as the chirp time T _C.

2 also shows the minimum frequency _fL , maximum frequency fH _, and bandwidth W of the chirp. The bandwidth W is the frequency difference between the minimum frequency _fL and the maximum frequency _fH . As an example, a millimeter wave radar uses a chirp with a minimum frequency _fL of 77 GHz, a maximum frequency _fH of 81 GHz, and a bandwidth W of 4 GHz. The slope of this chirp is "W/ _Tc ".

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the waveforms of multiple consecutive chirps, and FIG. 4 is a graph showing the frequencies of multiple consecutive chirps. As shown in these figures, the N consecutive chirps are sequentially designated as "chirp 1", "chirp 2", "chirp 3", ... "chirp N". Furthermore, the multiple chirps from chirp 1 to chirp N are designated as a "frame". The number of chirps N contained in one frame is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the chirps contained in one frame have the same shape, i.e., the same chirp time T _C and bandwidth W. If the time between the start time and the end time of one frame is designated as frame time T _f , then the frame time T _f is "NTc".

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an FMCW radar 110. As shown in the figure, the radar 110 includes a transmitting antenna 111, a receiving antenna 112, a signal generating unit 113, a signal mixing unit 114, and a signal processing unit 115.

The transmitting antenna 111 transmits radar waves based on the transmission signal supplied from the signal generating unit 113. Hereinafter, the radar waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna 111 will be referred to as "transmitted waves." The transmitted waves are FMCW (frequency continuously modulated waves) as shown in FIG. 3.

The receiving antenna 112 receives the radar waves and generates a received signal. Hereinafter, the radar waves received by the receiving antenna 112 are referred to as "received waves." The received waves are the transmission waves sent from the transmitting antenna 111 that have been reflected by some object. The receiving antenna 112 outputs the generated received signal to the signal mixing unit 114.

The signal generating unit 113 generates a transmission signal. The transmission signal generated by the signal generating unit 113 is a wave with continuous chirps as shown in FIG. 3, i.e., an FMCW signal. The signal generating unit 113 outputs the generated transmission signal to the transmitting antenna 111, and the transmission signal is transmitted from the transmitting antenna 111 as a transmission wave. When the transmission wave is reflected by an object, it is received by the receiving antenna 112 as a received wave, and a received signal is generated by the receiving antenna 112.

The signal mixing unit 114 is a mixer that mixes the transmitted signal and the received signal to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. Since the received signal has a time delay, which is a distance component, and a Doppler shift, which is a relative velocity component, compared to the transmitted signal, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal indicates the distance to an object, and the phase change of the frequency signal between chirps indicates the relative velocity to the object. The signal mixing unit 114 outputs the generated intermediate frequency signal to the signal processing unit 115.

The signal processor 115 processes the intermediate frequency signal. As the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal indicates the distance to an object as described above, the signal processor 115 can calculate the distance to each object by performing a Fourier transform on the intermediate frequency signal for each chirp and converting it into the frequency domain. This Fourier transform in the distance direction can be performed by FFT (Fast Fourier Transform), and is called distance FFT or 1D-FFT.

In addition, because the phase change of the intermediate frequency signal between chirps indicates the relative velocity with respect to an object, the signal processing unit 115 can calculate the relative velocity between the receiving antenna 112 and each object by performing a Fourier transform on the intermediate frequency signal that has been Fourier transformed in the range direction, frame by frame. This Fourier transform in the velocity direction can also be performed by FFT, and is called velocity FFT or 2D-FFT.

Furthermore, if the radar 110 has multiple receiving antennas 112, the phase difference of the intermediate frequency signals between each receiving antenna 112 indicates the angle between each receiving antenna 112 and the object. Therefore, the angle of each object relative to the receiving antenna 112 can be detected by performing a Fourier transform on all of the intermediate frequency signals that have been Fourier transformed in the velocity direction at each receiving antenna 112.

The signal processing unit 115 performs the above-mentioned processing on the intermediate frequency signal, and generates detection data from the intermediate frequency signal. The detection data is data of the three-dimensional coordinates of the detection points detected based on the intermediate frequency signal, and hereinafter this detection data will be referred to as "point cloud data."

[About speed expansion]
As described above, the velocity of an object can be detected by transmitting a chirp (see FIG. 4) N times with a chirp time T _C and observing the time change between chirps. If the resolution of the velocity that can be detected from the point cloud data of this chirp group is the velocity resolution V _res , then the velocity resolution V _res is expressed by the following (Equation 1), where "λ" is the wavelength of the intermediate frequency signal.
V _res =λ/2T _f =λ/2NT _C (Formula 1)

On the other hand, if the maximum velocity that can be detected from the point cloud data of this chirp group is the maximum detection velocity V _max , the maximum detection velocity V _max is expressed by the following (Equation 2).
V _max =λ/ _4TC (Formula 2)

In other words, there is a trade-off between increasing the chirp time T _C to increase the velocity resolution V _res and decreasing the maximum detectable velocity V _max . Similarly, there is a trade-off between increasing the frequency band to increase the distance resolution and decreasing the maximum detectable distance .

For this reason, radar performance can be improved by providing multiple radar irradiation modes that take these trade-offs into account and using them according to the application. For example, it is preferable to place a low-resolution radar for long-distance detection at the front of the vehicle and high-resolution radar for short-distance detection at the four corners of the vehicle.

Here, the maximum detectable speed _Vmax is generally expanded by the Chinese Remainder Theorem. This expansion utilizes the fact that the speed of an object that exceeds the detectable speed is detected as "(N-1)*2* _Vmax + V" due to the reflection of the radar wave. For example, the transmission wave is transmitted in two modes in which only the chirp time _Tc is slightly changed so that the maximum detectable speed _Vmax has different values, speeds _Vmax1 and _Vmax2 .

In this case, if there is an object having a velocity exceeding the velocity V _max1 or V _max2 , the velocity of the object is detected as "(N ₁ -1)*2*V _max1 +V ₁ " or "(N ₂ -1)*2*V _max2 +V ₂ " in each mode. Note that "N ₁ " and "N ₂ " are the number of chirps per frame in each mode. From this, by determining the combination of "N ₁ " and "N ₂ " using the Chinese Remainder Theorem, it is possible to derive the correct velocity of the object that exceeds the maximum detected velocity V _max , i.e., velocity expansion can be realized.

　Existing FMCW automotive radars are capable of detecting objects in real driving environments by using different modes depending on the installation position of multiple radars and expanding the speed, as described above. However, when switching between the modes of multiple radars depending on the installation position, there is a problem that the resolution decreases in areas where the viewing angles do not overlap, or the maximum detection distance decreases.

In contrast, this technology makes it possible to achieve both short-range, high-resolution detection and long-range, low-resolution detection with all installed radars, as explained below.

[Radar device configuration]
The radar device according to this embodiment will be described below. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a radar device 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the radar device 100 includes a radar 110 and an information processing device 120.

The radar 110 is an FMCW type millimeter wave radar and has the configuration described above (see FIG. 5). Each radar 110 may have multiple transmitting antennas 111 and multiple receiving antennas 112, constituting a MIMO (Multi-Input Multi-Output) radar. Also, each radar 110 may have one transmitting antenna 111 and one receiving antenna 112, and not constitute a MIMO radar.

The number of radars 110 provided in the radar device 100 is not particularly limited, and may be one or more. The radar device 100 may be mounted on a moving object such as an automobile or a drone. In this case, the entire radar device 100 may be mounted on the moving object, or only the radar 110 may be mounted on the moving object.

[Configuration of information processing device]
The information processing device 120 controls and processes data of the radar 110. As shown in Fig. 6, the information processing device 120 includes a radar control unit 121, a situation determination unit 122, a radar data acquisition unit 123, and a radar data processing unit 124. These are functional configurations realized by cooperation between hardware and software.

The radar control unit 121 and the radar data acquisition unit 123 are connected to each radar 110 provided in the radar device 100. The information processing device 120 may be mounted on a moving object together with the radar 110, or may be installed separately from the moving object and connected to each radar 110 directly or via a communication network.

The radar control unit 121 specifies the conditions for the transmission signal to the signal generation unit 113 and causes the signal generation unit 113 to generate a transmission signal. Figures 7 to 10 are schematic diagrams of the transmission signals that the radar control unit 121 causes the signal generation unit 113 to generate. The radar control unit 121 causes the signal generation unit 113 to generate four types of chirp groups as transmission signals: a first chirp group G1 shown in Figure 7, a second chirp group G2 shown in Figure 8, a third chirp group G3 shown in Figure 9, and a fourth chirp group G4 shown in Figure 10.

7, the first chirp group G1 has a plurality of first chirps C1. As shown in the figure, the N first chirps C1 in the first chirp group G1 are successively designated as "first chirp C1 ₁ ", "first chirp C1 ₂ ", "first chirp C1 ₃ ", ... "first chirp C1 _N ". The number N of first chirps C1 included in the first chirp group G1 may be 2 or more, and is not particularly limited.

As shown in Fig. 8, the second chirp group G2 has a plurality of second chirps C2. As shown in the figure, the M second chirps C2 in the second chirp group G2 are successively designated "second chirp C2 ₁ ", "second chirp C2 ₂ ", "second chirp C2 ₃ ", ... "second chirp C2 _M ". The number M of second chirps C2 included in the second chirp group G2 may be 2 or more, and may be the same as or different from the above "N".

Here, the second chirp group G2 is a chirp group with a different distance detection range from the first chirp group G1. For example, if the first chirp group G1 is a chirp group capable of distance detection of 0 to 50 m, the second chirp group G2 is a chirp group capable of distance detection of 0 to 100 m. Specifically, the second chirp group G2 has a slope "W/T _C " (see FIG. 2) that is different from the slope of the first chirp C1. In addition, the second chirp group G2 may have a bandwidth W, a minimum frequency f _L , a maximum frequency f _{H ,} etc. that are different from those of the first chirp group G1.

As shown in Fig. 9, the third chirp group G3 has multiple third chirps C3. As shown in the figure, the N third chirps C3 in the third chirp group G3 are sequentially named "third chirp C3 ₁ ", "third chirp C3 ₂ ", "third chirp C3 ₃ "... "third chirp C3 _N ". The number of third chirps C3 included in the third chirp group G3 is "N", which is the same as the number of first chirps C1 included in the first chirp group G1.

Here, the third chirp group G3 is a chirp group with a different velocity detection range from the first chirp group G1. For example, if the first chirp group G1 is a chirp group capable of detecting velocities from 0 to 5 m/sec, the third chirp group G3 is a chirp group capable of detecting velocities from 5 to 10 m/sec. Specifically, the third chirp group G3 has a different chirp time T _C from the first chirp group G1. The third chirp group G3 has the same conditions as the first chirp group G1 other than the chirp time T _C , i.e., the bandwidth W, the chirp slope "W/T _C ", the minimum frequency f _L and the maximum frequency f _H, etc.

10, the fourth chirp group G4 has a plurality of fourth chirps C4. As shown in the figure, the M fourth chirps C4 in the fourth chirp group G4 are sequentially designated as "fourth chirp C4 ₁ ", "fourth chirp C4 ₂ ", "fourth chirp C4 ₃ "... "fourth chirp C4 _M ". The number of fourth chirps C4 included in the fourth chirp group G4 is "M", which is the same as the number of second chirps C2 included in the second chirp group G2.

Here, the fourth chirp group G4 is a chirp group with a different velocity detection range from the second chirp group G2. For example, if the second chirp group G2 is a chirp group capable of detecting velocities from 0 to 5 m/sec, the fourth chirp group G4 is a chirp group capable of detecting velocities from 5 to 10 m/sec. Specifically, the fourth chirp group G4 has a different chirp time T _C from the second chirp group G2. The fourth chirp group G4 has the same conditions as the second chirp group G2 other than the chirp time T _C , i.e., the bandwidth W, the chirp slope "W/T _C ", the minimum frequency f _L and the maximum frequency f _H, etc.

The radar control unit 121 generates a transmission signal pattern (hereinafter, transmission pattern) using the above four types of chirp groups, and instructs the signal generation unit 113 to transmit the transmission pattern from the transmission antenna 111. The radar control unit 121 can generate the following two types of transmission patterns. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the first transmission pattern. As shown in the figure, the first transmission pattern includes four modes for each frame, namely "Mode 1", "Mode 2", "Mode 1#", and "Mode 2#".

"Mode 1" is a mode in which the first chirp group G1 is transmitted, and "Mode 2" is a mode in which the second chirp group G2 is transmitted. "Mode 1" and "Mode 2" are modes in which the detection performance differs depending on the difference in the chirp group. For example, "Mode 1" is a mode in which the distance detection range is narrow but the distance resolution is high, and "Mode 2" is a mode in which the distance detection range is wide but the distance resolution is low. "Mode 1#" is a speed extension mode of "Mode 1" in which the third chirp group G3 is transmitted. "Mode 2#" is a speed extension mode of "Mode 2" in which the fourth chirp group G4 is transmitted.

Therefore, in the first transmission pattern, the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna 111 in the order of the first chirp group G1, the second chirp group G2, the third chirp group G3, and the fourth chirp group G4. From the next frame 5, the above pattern is repeated, and the transmission signals of each chirp group are similarly transmitted from the transmitting antenna 111.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the second transmission pattern. As shown in the figure, the second transmission pattern includes four modes for each frame: "Mode 1", "Mode 1#", "Mode 2", and "Mode 2#". Each mode is the same as the first transmission pattern.

Therefore, in the second transmission pattern, the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna 111 in the order of the first chirp group G1, the third chirp group G3, the second chirp group G2, and the fourth chirp group G4. From the next frame 5, the above pattern is repeated, and the transmission signals of each chirp group are similarly transmitted from the transmitting antenna 111.

The situation determination unit 122 determines the situation of the moving object on which the radar device 100 is mounted. Hereinafter, the situation of the moving object determined by the situation determination unit 122 will be referred to as the "moving object situation." The situation determination unit 122 can determine the moving object situation based on the point cloud data output from the radar 110.

Specifically, if the moving object is a vehicle, the situation determination unit 122 can determine the driving scene, such as the vehicle driving in a parking lot or driving on a highway. Also, if the moving object is a drone, the situation determination unit 122 can determine the flight scene, such as the drone taking off or landing, or flying horizontally. The situation determination unit 122 can detect the speed of the moving object and the positions of obstacles in the vicinity from the point cloud data, and use this to determine the moving object situation. The situation determination unit 122 supplies the determined moving object situation to the radar control unit 121.

The radar data acquisition unit 123 acquires the point cloud data from the signal processing unit 115. When a transmission wave is transmitted from the transmitting antenna 111 according to the first transmission pattern (see FIG. 11) or the second transmission pattern (see FIG. 12) described above, the received wave reflected by an object is received by the receiving antenna 112, and a received wave is generated. The signal processing unit 115 generates point cloud data from the intermediate frequency signal of the transmitted signal and the received signal, and the radar data acquisition unit 123 acquires the point cloud data. The radar data acquisition unit 123 supplies the acquired point cloud data to the radar data processing unit 124, or stores it in a data storage unit (not shown).

The radar data processing unit 124 processes the point cloud data supplied from the radar data acquisition unit 123 or read from the data storage unit. The radar data processing unit 124 calculates the speed of the object based on the received signals of the first chirp group G1 and the third chirp group G3, and calculates the speed of the object based on the received signals of the second chirp group G2 and the fourth chirp group G4.

Specifically, the radar data processing unit 124 performs velocity expansion by pairing point cloud data based on the received signals of the first chirp group G1 with point cloud data based on the received signals of the third chirp group G3. The radar data processing unit 124 also performs velocity expansion by pairing point cloud data based on the received signals of the second chirp group G2 with point cloud data based on the received signals of the fourth chirp group G4. Note that pairing refers to identifying detection points caused by the same object between different frames.

In the case of the first transmission pattern (see FIG. 11), the first chirp group G1 is transmitted in frame 1, and the third chirp group G3 is transmitted in frame 3. Therefore, the radar data processing unit 124 performs pairing of point cloud data between frames 3 and 1, and performs velocity extension using the Chinese Remainder Theorem. This allows the radar data processing unit 124 to detect velocities that exceed the maximum detectable velocity of the first chirp group G1 and the maximum detectable velocity of the third chirp group G3.

Furthermore, the second chirp group G2 is transmitted in frame 2, and the fourth chirp group G4 is transmitted in frame 4. Therefore, the radar data processing unit 124 performs pairing between frame 4 and frame 2, and performs velocity extension using the Chinese Remainder Theorem. This allows the radar data processing unit 124 to detect velocities that exceed the maximum detectable velocity of the second chirp group G2 and the maximum detectable velocity of the fourth chirp group G4.

In this way, the radar data processing unit 124 performs velocity expansion by always pairing each frame with the point cloud data from two frames before. When pairing, in order to take into account changes in the surrounding environment over time, a correction of "2* _Tf * _Vdoppler " is added to the distance of each detection point from two frames before. " _Vdoppler " is the Doppler shift, and " _Tf " is the frame time (see FIG. 4).

As can be seen from this correction, the larger the time difference between the paired frames, the greater the correction amount becomes, and since the speed change during this period is not taken into account, pairing errors are more likely to occur. For this reason, in practical use, it is necessary to allow for a certain amount of error in the pairing conditions. Therefore, although the first transmission pattern can maintain the frame rate, it is a speed expansion method that is prone to false detection.

On the other hand, in the case of the second transmission pattern (see FIG. 12), the first chirp group G1 is transmitted in frame 1, and the third chirp group G3 is transmitted in frame 2. Therefore, the radar data processing unit 124 performs pairing of point cloud data between frames 2 and 1, and performs velocity extension using the Chinese Remainder Theorem. This allows the radar data processing unit 124 to detect velocities that exceed the maximum detectable velocity of the first chirp group G1 and the maximum detectable velocity of the third chirp group G3.

Furthermore, the second chirp group G2 is transmitted in frame 3, and the fourth chirp group G4 is transmitted in frame 4. Therefore, the radar data processing unit 124 performs pairing of point cloud data between frames 4 and 3, and performs velocity extension using the Chinese Remainder Theorem. This allows the radar data processing unit 124 to detect velocities that exceed the maximum detectable velocity of the second chirp group G2 and the maximum detectable velocity of the fourth chirp group G4.

In this second transmission pattern, a specific mode and its speed extension mode are consecutively present, so the correction amount between frames is " _Tf * _Vdoppler ", making pairing errors less likely to occur. However, the "Mode1" in the 5th frame has a large correction amount because the previous "Mode1#" is 3 frames before. To avoid this, in practice, it is necessary to pair the "Mode1#" in frame 6 with the "Mode1" in frame 5.

In this way, the radar data processing unit 124 performs speed expansion by always pairing each frame with the point cloud data from one frame before, and not pairing with the point cloud data from three frames before. Therefore, the second transmission pattern is a speed expansion method that suppresses false detections, but reduces the frame rate.

The information processing device 120 has the above-mentioned configuration. Note that the configuration of the information processing device 120 is not limited to that described above. For example, in addition to the four chirp groups described above, the radar control unit 121 can also cause the signal generation unit 113 to generate a fifth chirp group having a distance detection range different from the first chirp group G1 and the second chirp group G2, and a sixth chirp group having a speed detection range different from the fifth chirp group. The radar control unit 121 may also cause the signal generation unit 113 to generate a larger number of chirp groups.

[Operation and Effects of Radar Device]
The operation of the radar device 100 will be described. As described above, in the radar device 100, the radar control unit 121 (see FIG. 6) specifies a transmission signal to the signal generation unit 113. At this time, the radar control unit 121 acquires the moving object situation, such as a traveling scene, from the situation determination unit 122, and determines the transmission order of the first chirp group G1, the second chirp group G2, the third chirp group G3, and the fourth chirp group G4 from the transmission antenna 111 according to the moving object situation.

Specifically, the radar control unit 121 selects either the first transmission pattern (see FIG. 11) or the second transmission pattern (see FIG. 12) according to the moving object status, and instructs the signal generation unit 113 to transmit the transmission signals of each chirp group from the transmission antenna 111 according to the selected pattern.

When the received signals are output from each receiving antenna 112 and the point cloud data is output from the signal processing unit 115, the radar data processing unit 124 determines the velocity of the object based on the point cloud data of the first chirp group G1 and the point cloud data of the third chirp group G3. Specifically, the radar data processing unit 124 pairs the point cloud data of the first chirp group G1 and the point cloud data of the third chirp group G3 and performs velocity expansion using the Chinese Remainder Theorem.

The radar data processing unit 124 also determines the velocity of the object based on the point cloud data of the second chirp group G2 and the point cloud data of the fourth chirp group G4. Specifically, the signal processing unit 115 pairs the point cloud data of the second chirp group G2 and the point cloud data of the fourth chirp group G4 and performs velocity expansion using the Chinese Remainder Theorem.

In this case, the frame interval for pairing differs between the first and second transmission patterns, and the first transmission pattern allows detection with emphasis on frame rate, while the second transmission pattern allows detection with emphasis on detection accuracy. Therefore, by the radar control unit 121 switching between the first and second transmission patterns depending on the mobile object situation, it is possible to achieve short-distance, high-resolution detection and long-distance, low-resolution detection with all radars 110.

When the moving conditions of the moving object change, such as from driving on a highway to driving in a parking lot, the condition determination unit 122 supplies the new moving object condition to the radar control unit 121, and the radar control unit 121 switches between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern according to the new moving object condition. This enables adaptive detection that takes into account the actual environment. Note that the radar control unit 121 may transmit a transmission signal in either the first transmission pattern or the second transmission pattern, regardless of the moving object condition. The radar control unit 121 can also switch between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern at regular intervals.

[Hardware configuration of information processing device]
A description will now be given of a hardware configuration capable of realizing the functional configuration of the information processing device 120. Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing this hardware configuration.

As shown in the figure, the information processing device 120 incorporates a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1001 and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 1002. An input/output interface 1006 is connected to the CPU 1001 and GPU 1002 via a bus 1005. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 1003 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 1004 are connected to the bus 1005.

Connected to the input/output interface 1006 are an input unit 1007 consisting of input devices such as a keyboard and mouse through which the user inputs operation commands, an output unit 1008 which outputs a processing operation screen and images of the processing results to a display device, a storage unit 1009 consisting of a hard disk drive or the like for storing programs and various data, and a communication unit 1010 consisting of a LAN (Local Area Network) adapter and the like for executing communication processing via a network such as the Internet. Also connected is a drive 1011 which reads and writes data to a removable storage medium 1012 such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory.

The CPU 1001 executes various processes according to a program stored in the ROM 1003, or a program read from a removable storage medium 1012 such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, installed in the storage unit 1009, and loaded from the storage unit 1009 to the RAM 1004. The RAM 1004 also stores data necessary for the CPU 1001 to execute various processes, as appropriate. The GPU 1002 executes calculations necessary for image drawing under the control of the CPU 1001.

In the information processing device 120 configured as above, the CPU 1001 loads a program stored in the storage unit 1009, for example, into the RAM 1004 via the input/output interface 1006 and the bus 1005, and executes the program, thereby performing the series of processes described above.

The program executed by the information processing device 120 can be provided, for example, by recording it on a removable storage medium 1012 such as a package medium. The program can also be provided via a wired or wireless transmission medium such as a local area network, the Internet, or digital satellite broadcasting.

Furthermore, in the information processing device 120, the program can be installed in the storage unit 1009 via the input/output interface 1006 by attaching the removable storage medium 1012 to the drive 1011. The program can also be received by the communication unit 1010 via a wired or wireless transmission medium and installed in the storage unit 1009. In addition, the program can be pre-installed in the ROM 1003 or the storage unit 1009.

The program executed by the information processing device 120 may be a program in which processing is performed chronologically in the order described in this disclosure, or may be a program in which processing is performed in parallel or at the required timing, such as when a call is made.

Furthermore, the entire hardware configuration of the information processing device 120 does not have to be installed in one device, and the information processing device 120 may be configured by multiple devices. Also, part of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 120 may be installed in multiple devices connected via a network.

[Application example]
The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to various products. For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may be realized as a device mounted on any type of moving body, such as an automobile, an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a personal mobility device, an airplane, a drone, a ship, a robot, a construction machine, or an agricultural machine (tractor).

14 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a vehicle control system 7000, which is an example of a mobile object control system to which the technology disclosed herein can be applied. The vehicle control system 7000 includes a plurality of electronic control units connected via a communication network 7010. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the vehicle control system 7000 includes a drive system control unit 7100, a body system control unit 7200, a battery control unit 7300, an outside vehicle information detection unit 7400, an inside vehicle information detection unit 7500, and an integrated control unit 7600. The communication network 7010 connecting these multiple control units may be, for example, an in-vehicle communication network conforming to any standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), LAN (Local Area Network), or FlexRay (registered trademark).

Each control unit includes a microcomputer that performs arithmetic processing according to various programs, a storage unit that stores the programs executed by the microcomputer or parameters used in various calculations, and a drive circuit that drives various devices to be controlled. Each control unit includes a network I/F for communicating with other control units via a communication network 7010, and a communication I/F for communicating with devices or sensors inside and outside the vehicle by wired or wireless communication. In FIG. 14, the functional configuration of the integrated control unit 7600 includes a microcomputer 7610, a general-purpose communication I/F 7620, a dedicated communication I/F 7630, a positioning unit 7640, a beacon receiving unit 7650, an in-vehicle device I/F 7660, an audio/image output unit 7670, an in-vehicle network I/F 7680, and a storage unit 7690. Other control units also include a microcomputer, a communication I/F, a storage unit, and the like.

The drive system control unit 7100 controls the operation of devices related to the drive system of the vehicle according to various programs. For example, the drive system control unit 7100 functions as a control device for a drive force generating device for generating a drive force for the vehicle, such as an internal combustion engine or a drive motor, a drive force transmission mechanism for transmitting the drive force to the wheels, a steering mechanism for adjusting the steering angle of the vehicle, and a braking device for generating a braking force for the vehicle. The drive system control unit 7100 may also function as a control device such as an ABS (Antilock Brake System) or ESC (Electronic Stability Control).

The drive system control unit 7100 is connected to a vehicle state detection unit 7110. The vehicle state detection unit 7110 includes at least one of a gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity of the axial rotational motion of the vehicle body, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle, or a sensor for detecting the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal, the amount of operation of the brake pedal, the steering angle of the steering wheel, the engine speed, or the rotation speed of the wheels, etc. The drive system control unit 7100 performs arithmetic processing using the signal input from the vehicle state detection unit 7110, and controls the internal combustion engine, the drive motor, the electric power steering device, the brake device, etc.

The body system control unit 7200 controls the operation of various devices installed in the vehicle body according to various programs. For example, the body system control unit 7200 functions as a control device for a keyless entry system, a smart key system, a power window device, or various lamps such as headlamps, tail lamps, brake lamps, turn signals, and fog lamps. In this case, radio waves or signals from various switches transmitted from a portable device that replaces a key can be input to the body system control unit 7200. The body system control unit 7200 accepts the input of these radio waves or signals and controls the vehicle's door lock device, power window device, lamps, etc.

The battery control unit 7300 controls the secondary battery 7310, which is the power supply source for the drive motor, according to various programs. For example, information such as the battery temperature, battery output voltage, or remaining capacity of the battery is input to the battery control unit 7300 from a battery device equipped with the secondary battery 7310. The battery control unit 7300 performs calculations using these signals, and controls the temperature regulation of the secondary battery 7310 or a cooling device or the like equipped in the battery device.

The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 detects information outside the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000. For example, at least one of the imaging unit 7410 and the outside vehicle information detection unit 7420 is connected to the outside vehicle information detection unit 7400. The imaging unit 7410 includes at least one of a ToF (Time Of Flight) camera, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, an infrared camera, and other cameras. The outside vehicle information detection unit 7420 includes at least one of an environmental sensor for detecting the current weather or climate, or a surrounding information detection sensor for detecting other vehicles, obstacles, pedestrians, etc., around the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000.

The environmental sensor may be, for example, at least one of a raindrop sensor that detects rain, a fog sensor that detects fog, a sunshine sensor that detects the level of sunlight, and a snow sensor that detects snowfall. The surrounding information detection sensor may be at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, and a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) device. The imaging unit 7410 and the outside vehicle information detection unit 7420 may each be provided as an independent sensor or device, or may be provided as a device in which multiple sensors or devices are integrated.

Here, FIG. 15 shows an example of the installation positions of the imaging unit 7410 and the outside vehicle information detection unit 7420. The imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, 7916, and 7918 are provided, for example, at least one of the front nose, side mirrors, rear bumper, back door, and the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7910 provided on the front nose and the imaging unit 7918 provided on the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle cabin mainly acquire images of the front of the vehicle 7900. The imaging units 7912 and 7914 provided on the side mirrors mainly acquire images of the sides of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7916 provided on the rear bumper or back door mainly acquires images of the rear of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7918, which is installed on the top of the windshield inside the vehicle, is primarily used to detect preceding vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, traffic signals, traffic signs, lanes, etc.

Note that FIG. 15 shows an example of the imaging ranges of the imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916. Imaging range a indicates the imaging range of the imaging unit 7910 provided on the front nose, imaging ranges b and c indicate the imaging ranges of the imaging units 7912 and 7914 provided on the side mirrors, respectively, and imaging range d indicates the imaging range of the imaging unit 7916 provided on the rear bumper or back door. For example, an overhead image of the vehicle 7900 viewed from above is obtained by superimposing the image data captured by the imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916.

External information detection units 7920, 7922, 7924, 7926, 7928, and 7930 provided on the front, rear, sides, corners, and upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle 7900 may be, for example, ultrasonic sensors or radar devices. External information detection units 7920, 7926, and 7930 provided on the front nose, rear bumper, back door, and upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle 7900 may be, for example, LIDAR devices. These external information detection units 7920 to 7930 are primarily used to detect preceding vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, etc.

Returning to FIG. 14, the explanation will be continued. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 causes the imaging unit 7410 to capture an image outside the vehicle, and receives the captured image data. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 also receives detection information from the connected outside-vehicle information detection unit 7420. If the outside-vehicle information detection unit 7420 is an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, or a LIDAR device, the outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 transmits ultrasonic waves or electromagnetic waves, and receives information on the received reflected waves. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 may perform object detection processing or distance detection processing for people, cars, obstacles, signs, or characters on the road surface, based on the received information. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 may perform environmental recognition processing for recognizing rainfall, fog, road surface conditions, etc., based on the received information. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 may calculate the distance to an object outside the vehicle based on the received information.

The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 may also perform image recognition processing or distance detection processing to recognize people, cars, obstacles, signs, or characters on the road surface based on the received image data. The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 may perform processing such as distortion correction or alignment on the received image data, and may also generate an overhead image or a panoramic image by synthesizing image data captured by different imaging units 7410. The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 may also perform viewpoint conversion processing using image data captured by different imaging units 7410.

The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 detects information inside the vehicle. The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 is connected to, for example, a driver state detection unit 7510 that detects the state of the driver. The driver state detection unit 7510 may include a camera that captures an image of the driver, a biosensor that detects the driver's biometric information, or a microphone that collects sound inside the vehicle. The biosensor is provided, for example, on the seat or steering wheel, and detects the biometric information of a passenger sitting in the seat or a driver gripping the steering wheel. The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 may calculate the degree of fatigue or concentration of the driver based on the detection information input from the driver state detection unit 7510, or may determine whether the driver is dozing off. The in-vehicle information detection unit 7500 may perform processing such as noise canceling on the collected sound signal.

The integrated control unit 7600 controls the overall operation of the vehicle control system 7000 according to various programs. The input unit 7800 is connected to the integrated control unit 7600. The input unit 7800 is realized by a device that can be operated by the passenger, such as a touch panel, a button, a microphone, a switch, or a lever. Data obtained by voice recognition of a voice input by a microphone may be input to the integrated control unit 7600. The input unit 7800 may be, for example, a remote control device using infrared or other radio waves, or an externally connected device such as a mobile phone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) that supports the operation of the vehicle control system 7000. The input unit 7800 may be, for example, a camera, in which case the passenger can input information by gestures. Alternatively, data obtained by detecting the movement of a wearable device worn by the passenger may be input. Furthermore, the input unit 7800 may include, for example, an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on information input by a passenger or the like using the input unit 7800 and outputs the signal to the integrated control unit 7600. The passenger or the like operates the input unit 7800 to input various data to the vehicle control system 7000 and to instruct processing operations.

The memory unit 7690 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores various programs executed by the microcomputer, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that stores various parameters, calculation results, sensor values, etc. The memory unit 7690 may also be realized by a magnetic memory device such as a HDD (Hard Disc Drive), a semiconductor memory device, an optical memory device, or a magneto-optical memory device, etc.

The general-purpose communication I/F 7620 is a general-purpose communication I/F that mediates communication between various devices present in the external environment 7750. The general-purpose communication I/F 7620 may implement cellular communication protocols such as GSM (registered trademark) (Global System of Mobile communications), WiMAX (registered trademark), LTE (registered trademark) (Long Term Evolution) or LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), or other wireless communication protocols such as wireless LAN (also called Wi-Fi (registered trademark)) and Bluetooth (registered trademark). The general-purpose communication I/F 7620 may connect to devices (e.g., application servers or control servers) present on an external network (e.g., the Internet, a cloud network, or an operator-specific network) via, for example, a base station or an access point. In addition, the general-purpose communication I/F 7620 may connect to a terminal located near the vehicle (e.g., a driver's, pedestrian's, or store's terminal, or an MTC (Machine Type Communication) terminal) using, for example, P2P (Peer To Peer) technology.

The dedicated communication I/F 7630 is a communication I/F that supports a communication protocol developed for use in vehicles. The dedicated communication I/F 7630 may implement a standard protocol such as WAVE (Wireless Access in Vehicle Environment), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications), or a cellular communication protocol, which is a combination of the lower layer IEEE 802.11p and the higher layer IEEE 1609. The dedicated communication I/F 7630 typically performs V2X communication, which is a concept that includes one or more of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, vehicle-to-home communication, and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication.

The positioning unit 7640 performs positioning by receiving, for example, GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites (for example, GPS signals from GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites), and generates position information including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the vehicle. The positioning unit 7640 may determine the current position by exchanging signals with a wireless access point, or may obtain position information from a terminal such as a mobile phone, PHS, or smartphone that has a positioning function.

The beacon receiver 7650 receives, for example, radio waves or electromagnetic waves transmitted from radio stations installed on the road, and acquires information such as the current location, congestion, road closures, and travel time. The functions of the beacon receiver 7650 may be included in the dedicated communication I/F 7630 described above.

The in-vehicle device I/F 7660 is a communication interface that mediates the connection between the microcomputer 7610 and various in-vehicle devices 7760 present in the vehicle. The in-vehicle device I/F 7660 may establish a wireless connection using a wireless communication protocol such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), or WUSB (Wireless USB). The in-vehicle device I/F 7660 may also establish a wired connection such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), or MHL (Mobile High-definition Link) via a connection terminal (and a cable, if necessary) not shown. The in-vehicle device 7760 may include, for example, at least one of a mobile device or wearable device owned by a passenger, or an information device carried into or attached to the vehicle. The in-vehicle device 7760 may also include a navigation device that searches for a route to an arbitrary destination. The in-vehicle device I/F 7660 exchanges control signals or data signals with these in-vehicle devices 7760.

The in-vehicle network I/F 7680 is an interface that mediates communication between the microcomputer 7610 and the communication network 7010. The in-vehicle network I/F 7680 transmits and receives signals in accordance with a specific protocol supported by the communication network 7010.

The microcomputer 7610 of the integrated control unit 7600 controls the vehicle control system 7000 according to various programs based on information acquired through at least one of the general-purpose communication I/F 7620, the dedicated communication I/F 7630, the positioning unit 7640, the beacon receiving unit 7650, the in-vehicle device I/F 7660, and the in-vehicle network I/F 7680. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may calculate the control target value of the driving force generating device, the steering mechanism, or the braking device based on the acquired information inside and outside the vehicle, and output a control command to the drive system control unit 7100. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may perform cooperative control for the purpose of realizing the functions of an ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), including vehicle collision avoidance or impact mitigation, following driving based on the distance between vehicles, vehicle speed maintenance driving, vehicle collision warning, vehicle lane departure warning, etc. In addition, the microcomputer 7610 may control the driving force generating device, steering mechanism, braking device, etc. based on the acquired information about the surroundings of the vehicle, thereby performing cooperative control for the purpose of autonomous driving, which allows the vehicle to travel autonomously without relying on the driver's operation.

The microcomputer 7610 may generate three-dimensional distance information between the vehicle and objects such as surrounding structures and people based on information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I/F 7620, the dedicated communication I/F 7630, the positioning unit 7640, the beacon receiving unit 7650, the in-vehicle equipment I/F 7660, and the in-vehicle network I/F 7680, and may create local map information including information about the surroundings of the vehicle's current position. The microcomputer 7610 may also predict dangers such as vehicle collisions, the approach of pedestrians, or entry into closed roads based on the acquired information, and generate warning signals. The warning signals may be, for example, signals for generating warning sounds or turning on warning lights.

The audio/image output unit 7670 transmits at least one of audio and image output signals to an output device capable of visually or audibly notifying the vehicle occupants or the outside of the vehicle of information. In the example of FIG. 14, an audio speaker 7710, a display unit 7720, and an instrument panel 7730 are illustrated as output devices. The display unit 7720 may include, for example, at least one of an on-board display and a head-up display. The display unit 7720 may have an AR (Augmented Reality) display function. The output device may be other devices such as headphones, wearable devices such as glasses-type displays worn by the occupants, projectors, or lamps other than these devices. When the output device is a display device, the display device visually displays the results obtained by various processes performed by the microcomputer 7610 or information received from other control units in various formats such as text, images, tables, graphs, etc. Also, if the output device is an audio output device, the audio output device converts an audio signal consisting of reproduced voice data or acoustic data, etc., into an analog signal and outputs it audibly.

In the example shown in FIG. 14, at least two control units connected via the communication network 7010 may be integrated into one control unit. Alternatively, each control unit may be composed of multiple control units. Furthermore, the vehicle control system 7000 may include another control unit not shown. In the above description, some or all of the functions performed by any of the control units may be provided by the other control units. In other words, as long as information is transmitted and received via the communication network 7010, a specified calculation process may be performed by any of the control units. Similarly, a sensor or device connected to any of the control units may be connected to another control unit, and multiple control units may transmit and receive detection information to each other via the communication network 7010.

Note that a computer program for implementing each function of the information processing device 120 according to this embodiment described with reference to FIG. 6 can be implemented in any of the control units, etc. Also, a computer-readable recording medium on which such a computer program is stored can also be provided. The recording medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, etc. Also, the above computer program may be distributed, for example, via a network, without using a recording medium.

In the vehicle control system 7000 described above, the information processing device 120 according to this embodiment described using FIG. 6 can be applied to the integrated control unit 7600 of the application example shown in FIG. 14. For example, the radar control unit 121, the situation determination unit 122, the radar data acquisition unit 123, and the radar data processing unit 124 of the information processing device 120 correspond to the microcomputer 7610, the memory unit 7690, and the in-vehicle network I/F 7680 of the integrated control unit 7600.

Furthermore, at least some of the components of the information processing device 120 described using FIG. 6 may be realized in a module (e.g., an integrated circuit module configured on a single die) for the integrated control unit 7600 shown in FIG. 14. Alternatively, the information processing device 120 described using FIG. 6 may be realized by multiple control units of the vehicle control system 7000 shown in FIG. 14.

[About this disclosure]
The effects described in this disclosure are merely examples and are not limited thereto, and other effects may also be present. The description of multiple effects above does not necessarily mean that these effects are exhibited simultaneously. It means that at least one of the above effects can be obtained depending on conditions, etc., and effects not described in this disclosure may also be exhibited. In addition, at least two of the characteristic parts described in this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined.

The present technology can also be configured as follows.
(1)
a radar control unit that causes a transmission antenna to transmit transmission signals of each of the following chirp groups: a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves; a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different distance detection range from the first chirp group; a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different speed detection range from the first chirp group; and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different speed detection range from the second chirp group;
and a radar data processing unit that detects speed based on the received signals of the first chirp group and the received signals of the third chirp group received by a receiving antenna, and detects speed based on the received signals of the second chirp group and the received signals of the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna.
(2)
The information processing device according to (1),
The radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit the transmission signals of each chirp group in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.
(3)
The information processing device according to (1),
The radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each chirp group in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.
(4)
The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (3),
The radar control unit switches between a first transmission pattern in which the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group, and a second transmission pattern in which the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.
(5)
The information processing device according to (4) above,
a situation determination unit that determines a situation of a moving object on which the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna are mounted,
The radar control unit switches between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern based on a result of the determination by the situation determination unit.
(6)
The information processing device according to (5) above,
The information processing device, wherein the situation determination unit determines a situation of the moving object from detection data based on received signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.
(7)
The information processing device according to (5) or (6),
the moving object is a vehicle,
The situation determination unit determines a driving scene of the vehicle,
The radar control unit switches between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern based on the driving scene.
(8)
The information processing device according to (1),
a situation determination unit that determines a situation of a moving object on which the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna are mounted,
The radar control unit determines an order of transmission of the transmission signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group from the transmitting antenna based on a result of the determination by the situation determination unit.
(9)
The information processing device according to (8),
The information processing device, wherein the situation determination unit determines a situation of the moving object from detection data based on received signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group.
(10)
The information processing device according to (8) or (9),
the moving object is a vehicle,
The situation determination unit determines a driving scene of the vehicle,
The radar control unit determines the transmission order based on the driving scene.
(11)
The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (10) above,
The first chirp group and the third chirp group have different chirp times, and the second chirp group and the fourth chirp group have different chirp times.
(12)
The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (10) above,
The first chirp group and the second chirp group have different chirp inclinations, and the third chirp group and the fourth chirp group have different chirp inclinations.
(13)
The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (12) above,
The radar data processing unit detects velocity by pairing detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group with detection data based on the received signals of the third chirp group, and detects velocity by pairing detection data based on the received signals of the second chirp group with detection data based on the received signals of the fourth chirp group.
(14)
The information processing device according to (13),
the radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each chirp group for each frame in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group;
The radar data processing unit pairs detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame two frames before the specific frame.
(15)
The information processing device according to (13),
the radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each chirp group for each frame in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group;
the radar data processing unit pairs detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame one frame before the specific frame, and does not pair detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame three frames before the specific frame.
(16)
The information processing device according to (13),
The radar data processing unit detects, by the pairing, a maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group and a speed that exceeds the maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the third chirp group, and detects, by the pairing, a maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the second chirp group and a speed that exceeds the maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the fourth chirp group.
(17)
a radar including a transmitting antenna for transmitting radar waves and a receiving antenna for receiving the radar waves;
a radar control unit that causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different distance detection range than the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range than the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range than the second chirp group; and a radar data processing unit that detects velocity based on reception signals of the first chirp group and the third chirp group received by the receiving antenna, and detects velocity based on reception signals of the second chirp group and the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna.
(18)
the radar control unit transmits from the transmitting antenna transmission signals of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different distance detection range from the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range from the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range from the second chirp group,
An information processing method, in which a radar data processing unit detects velocity based on the received signals of the first chirp group and the received signals of the third chirp group received by a receiving antenna, and detects velocity based on the received signals of the second chirp group and the received signals of the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 radar device 110 radar 111 transmitting antenna 112 receiving antenna 113 signal generating section 114 signal mixing section 115 signal processing section 120 information processing device 121 radar control section 122 situation determination section 123 radar data acquisition section 124 radar data processing section

Claims (18)

a radar control unit that causes a transmission signal of each of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of a continuous frequency modulated wave, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of a continuous frequency modulated wave and having a different distance detection range from the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of a continuous frequency modulated wave and having a different velocity detection range from the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of a continuous frequency modulated wave and having a different velocity detection range from the second chirp group, from a transmitting antenna;
and a radar data processing unit that detects speed based on the received signals of the first chirp group and the received signals of the third chirp group received by a receiving antenna, and detects speed based on the received signals of the second chirp group and the received signals of the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
The radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit the transmission signals of each chirp group in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
The radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit the transmission signals of each chirp group in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
The radar control unit switches between a first transmission pattern in which the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group, and a second transmission pattern in which the transmission signals of each chirp group are transmitted from the transmitting antenna in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group. 5. The information processing device according to claim 4,
a situation determination unit that determines a situation of a moving object on which the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna are mounted,
The radar control unit switches between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern based on a result of the determination by the situation determination unit. 6. The information processing device according to claim 5,
The information processing device, wherein the situation determination unit determines a situation of the moving object from detection data based on received signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group. 6. The information processing device according to claim 5,
the moving object is a vehicle,
The situation determination unit determines a driving scene of the vehicle,
The radar control unit switches between the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern based on the driving scene. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
a situation determination unit that determines a situation of a moving object on which the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna are mounted,
The radar control unit determines an order of transmission of the transmission signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group from the transmitting antenna based on a result of the determination by the situation determination unit. 9. The information processing device according to claim 8,
The information processing device, wherein the situation determination unit determines a situation of the moving object from detection data based on received signals of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group. 9. The information processing device according to claim 8,
the moving object is a vehicle,
The situation determination unit determines a driving scene of the vehicle,
The radar control unit determines the transmission order based on the driving scene. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
The first chirp group and the third chirp group have different chirp times, and the second chirp group and the fourth chirp group have different chirp times. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
The first chirp group and the second chirp group have different chirp inclinations, and the third chirp group and the fourth chirp group have different chirp inclinations. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
The radar data processing unit detects velocity by pairing detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group with detection data based on the received signals of the third chirp group, and detects velocity by pairing detection data based on the received signals of the second chirp group with detection data based on the received signals of the fourth chirp group. The information processing device according to claim 13,
the radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each chirp group for each frame in the order of the first chirp group, the second chirp group, the third chirp group, and the fourth chirp group;
The radar data processing unit pairs detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame two frames before the specific frame. The information processing device according to claim 13,
the radar control unit causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each chirp group for each frame in the order of the first chirp group, the third chirp group, the second chirp group, and the fourth chirp group;
the radar data processing unit pairs detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame one frame before the specific frame, and does not pair detection data based on a received signal of a specific frame with detection data based on a received signal of a frame three frames before the specific frame. The information processing device according to claim 13,
The radar data processing unit detects, by the pairing, a maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the first chirp group and a speed that exceeds the maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the third chirp group, and detects, by the pairing, a maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the second chirp group and a speed that exceeds the maximum speed detectable from detection data based on the received signals of the fourth chirp group. a radar including a transmitting antenna for transmitting radar waves and a receiving antenna for receiving the radar waves;
a radar control unit that causes the transmitting antenna to transmit transmission signals of each of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different distance detection range than the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range than the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range than the second chirp group; and a radar data processing unit that detects velocity based on reception signals of the first chirp group and the third chirp group received by the receiving antenna, and detects velocity based on reception signals of the second chirp group and the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna. the radar control unit transmits from the transmitting antenna transmission signals of a first chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves, a second chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different distance detection range from the first chirp group, a third chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range from the first chirp group, and a fourth chirp group including a plurality of chirps of continuous frequency modulated waves and having a different velocity detection range from the second chirp group,
An information processing method, in which a radar data processing unit detects velocity based on the received signals of the first chirp group and the received signals of the third chirp group received by a receiving antenna, and detects velocity based on the received signals of the second chirp group and the received signals of the fourth chirp group received by the receiving antenna.

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