Patent ID: 6583753
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: B60T,G01S

Abstract:
A vehicle radar system for detecting objects within a detection range defined with respect to the vehicle, the system comprising:means for illuminating the detection range with radar energy; first and second antennas for receiving radar energy reflected back toward the vehicle by objects disposed within the detection range, the first antenna being configured to produce a first output signal indicating radar energy in a long range pattern that extends to a length dimension of said detection range, and said second antenna being configured to produce a second output signal indicating radar energy in a short range pattern in proximity to the vehicle; a radar receive circuit for processing a selected one of said first and second output signals by detecting the indicated radar energy in each of a plurality of contiguous range bins within the respective antenna pattern to determine object range, said range bins having a depth dimension that is configurable on the fly; a switching device for selectively coupling one of said first and second output signals to said radar receive circuit; and control means effective in a first mode of operation for activating said switching device to couple the first output signal produced by said first antenna to said receive circuit while configuring the depth dimension of said range bins to a first value suitable to a desired range resolution for said long range pattern, and in a second mode of operation for activating said switching device to couple the second output signal produced by said second antenna to said receive circuit while configuring the depth dimension of said range bins to a second value suitable to a desired range resolution for said short range pattern.