Patent ID: 8441394

Claim:
A ground vehicle radar system configured to be installed on a ground vehicle, said system comprising: an antenna configured to be installed at an antenna location on the ground vehicle for detecting objects about the ground vehicle, said antenna configured to detect objects in a first direction characterized as being substantially parallel to a horizontal plane about the ground vehicle, and detect objects in a second direction characterized as being toward a location on a roadway surface proximate to the ground vehicle; and a controller configured to be coupled to the antenna effective to receive a first antenna signal indicative of a first radar reflection from an object located in the first direction, and a second antenna signal indicative of a second radar reflection from an object located in the second direction, wherein said controller is further configured to determine when the first direction is blocked by an obstruction proximate to the antenna location based on the second antenna signal, wherein said controller is further configured to determine a first signal absorption factor of an obstruction based on a second signal amplitude.