Patent ID: 8217830
Filing Date: 2012-07-10
Classification: B60T,G01S,G08G

Abstract:
1. A forward facing sensing system for a vehicle, the vehicle having a windshield, said forward facing sensing system comprising: a windshield electronics module, said windshield electronics module disposed in the interior cabin of the vehicle at and behind the windshield of the vehicle; a radar sensor device disposed within said windshield electronics module and wherein said radar sensor device has a sensing direction forward of the vehicle; a forward facing image sensor disposed within said windshield electronics module and having a forward field of view; wherein both said radar sensor device and said image sensor are disposed behind or adjacent to an upper region of the vehicle windshield; a control comprising an image processor, said image processor operable to analyze images captured by said forward facing image sensor in order to, at least in part, detect an object present forward of the vehicle in its direction of forward travel; wherein at least one of (a) said radar sensor device utilizes at least one of beam aiming and beam selection, (b) said radar sensor device utilizes digital beam forming, (c) said radar sensor device utilizes digital beam steering, (d) said radar sensor device comprises an array antenna; (e) said radar sensor device comprises a phased array antenna and (f) said forward facing image sensor comprises a pixelated imaging array sensor; and wherein said radar sensor device comprises a silicon germanium radar sensor.