Patent ID: 11368222

Abstract:
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for communicating between distributed automotive sensors, including radar sensors, wherein sensors transmit a synchronization (SYNC) signal, each SYNC signal transmitted via a substantially equal-length fiber optic link corresponding with each sensor. A central node receives the SYNC signals via the fiber optic links corresponding with each of the sensors and determines a master SYNC signal based on the received SYNC signals. The central node then transmits the master SYNC signal via the fiber optic links to the sensors, which receive the master SYNC signal and transmit, via fiber optic link, sensor data synchronized in accordance with the master SYNC signal. The synchronized sensor data are received at the central node and coherently aggregated, and transmitted to a compute node for post-processing. For radar data, the post-processing may include determination of an angular position of an object within detection range of at least two radar sensors.