Patent Publication Number: US-2021192233-A1

Title: Radar blind driveway assistant

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a system and method for detecting obstructed moving objects approaching an end of a driveway. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Objects near a driveway can obstruct a view of a road, making it difficult for a vehicle to pull out from the driveway or back out onto the road from the driveway. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system for detecting a moving object blocked by a visual obstruction according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, includes, among other possible things, a remote radar located at an intersection of an end of a driveway and a road that is near a visual obstruction. The remote radar includes a sensor to detect data about the moving object in a radar field of view and a first transceiver that sends the data obtained by the sensor about the moving object to a second transceiver. The system includes a master device including the second transceiver and a control unit that communicates with the second transceiver. The data sent to the second transceiver is sent to the control unit to obtain information about the moving object. 
     In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the moving object is a vehicle. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the visual obstruction is a tree, a wall, or a parked car. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object is shown on a display. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the display is a phone or a tablet. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the display is a vehicle display of a vehicle. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object is at least one of a distance of the moving object, a speed of the moving object, and a time until the moving object will cross the remote infrastructure radar. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object is a visual symbol. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving object supplements GPS information. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the control unit sends a first signal to the second transceiver of the master device, the second transceiver of the master device sends a second signal to the first transceiver of the remote radar, and the first transceiver of the remote radar sends a third signal to the sensor to activate the sensor to obtain the data about the moving object. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the control unit generates at least one of an audible warning, a visual warning, and a tactical warning when the moving object is detected. 
     Another system for detecting a moving vehicle blocked by a visual obstruction according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible things, a remote radar located at an intersection of an end of a driveway and a road that is near a visual obstruction. The remote radar includes a sensor to detect data about the moving vehicle in a radar field of view and a first transceiver that sends the data obtained by the sensor about the moving vehicle to a second transceiver. The system includes a master device including the second transceiver, a control unit that communicates with the second transceiver, and a display. The data sent to the second transceiver is sent to the control unit to obtain information about the moving vehicle that is shown on the display, the control unit sends a first signal to the second transceiver, the second transceiver sends a second signal to the first transceiver, and the first transceiver sends a third signal to the sensor to the sensor to activate the sensor to obtain the data about the moving vehicle. 
     In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the visual obstruction is a tree, a wall, or a parked car. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the display is a phone, a tablet or vehicle display of a vehicle. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving vehicle is at least one of a distance of the moving vehicle, a speed of the moving vehicle, and a time until the moving vehicle will cross the remote infrastructure radar. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving vehicle is a visual symbol. In a further embodiment of the foregoing system, the information about the moving vehicle supplements GPS information. 
     A method for detecting a moving object blocked by a visual obstruction according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible things, sending a signal from a control unit to a remote radar to activate a sensor, wherein the remote radar is located at an intersection of an end of a driveway and a road and near a visual obstruction, obtaining data about the moving object from the sensor when the moving object passes through a radar field of view, sending the data from the sensor to the control unit to obtain information about the moving object, and displaying the information about the moving object. 
     These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a radar driveway assistant system including a remote infrastructure radar located near an intersection of a driveway and a road in a rural or residential area to detect a moving object blocked by an obstruction; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a radar driveway assistant system including a high mount remote infrastructure radar located near an intersection of a driveway and a road with on-street parking in an urban area to detect a moving object over a parked vehicle; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic overhead view of the radar driveway assistant system including a master device and the remote infrastructure radar communicating with each other; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a method of detecting a moving object blocked by an obstruction; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a display showing data relating to a moving object detected by the remote infrastructure radar; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a display showing data relating to a moving object detected by the remote infrastructure radar integrated with a vehicle navigation display. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a radar driveway assistant system  10  to detect a moving object  12  blocked by a visual obstruction  14 . The moving object  12  is located in a radar field of view  38 . The moving object  12  can be a vehicle, a bicycle, an animal, or any object. 
     The radar driveway assistant system  10  includes a remote infrastructure radar  16  located near an end of a driveway  18  leaving a building  19 . The remote infrastructure radar  16  can be positioned near the obstruction  14 . In one example, the remote infrastructure radar  16  is an inexpensive automotive radar. The remote infrastructure radar  16  runs and broadcasts a radar object environment to a master device  20 , such as a smart device (for example, a phone or tablet) or a vehicle computer of a vehicle  40 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , the driveway  18  is a residential or rural driveway, and the building  19  is a home in a residential or rural area. The remote infrastructure radar  16  is positioned at an end of a driveway  18  at a location where the driveway  18  meets a road  32 . In the example shown, the obstruction  14  is a tree or a wall, but the obstruction  14  can be any type of object. 
     In the example of  FIG. 2 , the driver of the vehicle  40  exits the driveway  18 , and the building  19  is a garage or any type of building in an urban area. The remote infrastructure radar  16  is positioned at an end of a driveway  18  or exit to the building  19  at a location where the driveway  18  meets the road  32 . In this example, the remote infrastructure radar  16  is highly mounted due to the possibility of obstructions  14  such as street parked vehicles. 
     As the remote infrastructure radar  16  is fixed, the radar driveway assistant system  10  can adaptively learn a curvature of the road  32  (and expected trajectories of inbound moving objects  12 , enabling and accurate rendering of a dynamic environment). In another example, weather or lighting limitations can be taken into account in determining the location of a moving object  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the remote infrastructure radar  16  includes a blind-drive sensor  22  that obtains data about a moving object  12  and communicates with a transceiver  24 . In one example, a camera or lidar can be used to obtain data about the moving object  12 . The remote infrastructure radar  16  may also include a control unit. 
     The master device  20  includes a transceiver  26  that communicates with the transceiver  24  of the remote infrastructure radar  16  and a control until  28  that communicates with the transceiver  26 . The control unit  28  can compile the data obtained from the sensor  22  and provide this information to be shown on a display  30  of the master device  20 . The master device  20  can include a processing unit (not shown). 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a flow diagram of a method  50  of detecting a moving object  12  in the radar field of view  38  blocked by an obstruction  14 . When the vehicle  20  is within range of the remote infrastructure radar  16 , the control unit  28  of the master device  20  sends a connection request to the remote infrastructure radar  16  at step  52 . During this step, the control unit  28  transmits a signal to the transceiver  26  of the control unit  20 , which transmits the signal to the transceiver  24  of the remote infrastructure radar  16 , which transmits the signal to the sensor  22 . The sensor  22  activates, wakes-up, or turns-on when the connection request is received from the control unit  28 . 
     At step  54 , when a moving object  12  enters the radar field of view  38 , the sensor  22  detects the moving object  12  and sends a signal including data about the moving object  12  to the transceiver  24  of the remote infrastructure radar  16 . At step  56 , the transceiver  24  of the remote infrastructure radar  16  then sends a signal including the data about the moving object  12  in the radar field of view  38  to the transceiver  26  of the master device  20 . At step  58 , the transceiver  26  of the master device  20  sends a signal including the data about the moving object  12  in the radar field of view  38  to the control unit  28  of the master device  20 . Finally, in step  60 , the control unit  28  compiles the data about the moving object  12  in the radar field of view  38  and displays information and/or a visual about the moving object  12  on the display  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , when the control unit  28  obtains the data about the moving object  12 , information  42  or a notification can then be shown on the display  30 , such as a phone, a tablet, or a vehicle display in the vehicle  40 . The information  42  can include audible, visual, and/or tactical warnings about a moving object  12 . The information  42  can also include a message and/or information about the moving object  12 , such as the distance, the speed, and the time until the moving object  12  will cross the remote infrastructure radar  16  (time to crossing or TTC). A visual alert  44 , such as a pre-designated symbol, can also be shown on the display  30  to indicate that a moving object  12  is in the radar field of view  38 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a GPS style interface can also be shown on the display  30 . The radar driveway assistant system  10  can enhance an arbitrary navigation system including GPS information  48  with an overlay of information  42  relating to an inbound moving object  12  on the display  30 . In this example, the information  42  about the moving object  12  can supplement the GPS information  48  already displayed as part of a GPS system on the display  30 . The radar driveway assistant system  10  can be configured with a GPS location and broadcast a basic safety message (BSM) regarding a moving object  12 , working through vehicle to vehicle (V2V) (such as Dedicated Short Range Communications or DSRC) capabilities of the vehicle  40 . 
     In one example, the control unit  28  or system controller can include a processor, memory, and one or more input and/or output (I/O) device interface(s) that are communicatively coupled via a local interface. The local interface can include, for example but not limited to, one or more buses and/or other wired or wireless connections. The controller may be a hardware device for executing software, particularly software stored in memory. The controller can be a custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the computing device, a semiconductor based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set) or generally any device for executing software instructions. 
     The memory can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, VRAM, etc.)) and/or nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CD-ROM, etc.). The software in the memory may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The controller can be configured to execute software stored within the memory, to communicate data to and from the memory, and to generally control operations of the computing device pursuant to the software. Software in memory, in whole or in part, is read by the processor, perhaps buffered within the processor, and then executed. 
     The foregoing description is only exemplary of the principles of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than using the example embodiments which have been specifically described. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.