An object detection apparatus in a vehicle is provided. The object detection apparatus includes one or more sensors configured to detect at least one object located on at least three rows of seats in the vehicle, the one or more sensors being positioned on a ceiling of the vehicle. The object detection apparatus further includes a circuit configured to determine whether or not the at least one object detected is a living-object. A number of the one or more sensors is less than a number of the at least three rows of seats.

An object detection apparatus in a vehicle is provided. The object detection apparatus includes one or more sensors configured to detect at least one object located on at least three rows of seats in the vehicle, the one or more sensors being positioned on a ceiling of the vehicle. The object detection apparatus further includes a circuit configured to determine whether or not the at least one object detected is a living-object. A number of the one or more sensors is less than a number of the at least three rows of seats.

A system in a vehicle includes a radar system with a uniform linear array (ULA) of antenna elements and a uniform rectangular array (URA) of antenna elements to receive the reflected signals resulting from the emitted radio frequency energy. The ULA is arranged perpendicular to the URA. Processing circuitry estimates one or more elevation angles using the reflected signals received by the ULA of antenna elements and estimates an azimuth angle corresponding to each of the one or more elevation angles using the one or more elevation angles and the reflected signals received by the URA of antenna elements. Each of the one or more elevation angles and the corresponding one of the azimuth angles is referred to as an angle of arrival (AOA) of the reflected signals from an object. Control of an operation of the vehicle is based on each AOA of each object.

A system in a vehicle includes a radar system with a uniform linear array (ULA) of antenna elements and a uniform rectangular array (URA) of antenna elements to receive the reflected signals resulting from the emitted radio frequency energy. The ULA is arranged perpendicular to the URA. Processing circuitry estimates one or more elevation angles using the reflected signals received by the ULA of antenna elements and estimates an azimuth angle corresponding to each of the one or more elevation angles using the one or more elevation angles and the reflected signals received by the URA of antenna elements. Each of the one or more elevation angles and the corresponding one of the azimuth angles is referred to as an angle of arrival (AOA) of the reflected signals from an object. Control of an operation of the vehicle is based on each AOA of each object.

An axial displacement angle estimation device repeatedly calculates an axial displacement angle based on the detection result of the radar apparatus. The axial displacement angle estimation device extracts the axial displacement angle included in a predetermined extraction angle range among a plurality of axial displacement angles, and calculate an average value and a median value of the extracted plurality of axial displacement angles to be an axial displacement angle average value and an axial displacement median value. The axial displacement angle estimation device determines, based on the axial displacement angle average value and the axial displacement angle median value, whether a predetermined allowable condition is met. The axial displacement angle estimation device utilizes, when determined that the predetermined allowable condition is met, the axial displacement angle average value as an estimation result of the axial displacement angle.

An axial displacement angle estimation device repeatedly calculates an axial displacement angle based on the detection result of the radar apparatus. The axial displacement angle estimation device extracts the axial displacement angle included in a predetermined extraction angle range among a plurality of axial displacement angles, and calculate an average value and a median value of the extracted plurality of axial displacement angles to be an axial displacement angle average value and an axial displacement median value. The axial displacement angle estimation device determines, based on the axial displacement angle average value and the axial displacement angle median value, whether a predetermined allowable condition is met. The axial displacement angle estimation device utilizes, when determined that the predetermined allowable condition is met, the axial displacement angle average value as an estimation result of the axial displacement angle.

An occupant detection device (e.g., sensor) may include an occupant detection circuit (e.g., a radar occupant detection circuit) and a control circuit. The occupant detection circuit may determine the location of an occupant in a space with reference to a global coordinate associated with the detection circuit and the control circuit may transform the location of the occupant into a local coordinate system associated with a region of interest in the space. The control circuit may use the location information to determine whether the occupant has entered or left the region of interest and adjust an occupant count for the region of interest based on the determination. The control circuit may acquire knowledge about the region of interest during a configuration or commissioning procedure.

Methods and systems to provide location and navigation information to a user within a building. In an embodiment, low power radars may be used to locate and track a user. Moreover, the systems and methods described herein may take advantage of the known layout of a building, or may ascertain the layout using the radar devices. This information may be used to direct a user from a current location to a desired destination. In some contexts, such as stores, radio frequency ID (RFID) tags may be used to identify a particular destination, such as a particular product in a particular aisle in a store. Multiple persons may be tracked as they move about the building, so that the more frequently used paths may be identified for moving from point to point. These identified paths may then be used in constructing a path for a user who needs directions.

Methods and systems to provide location and navigation information to a user within a building. In an embodiment, low power radars may be used to locate and track a user. Moreover, the systems and methods described herein may take advantage of the known layout of a building, or may ascertain the layout using the radar devices. This information may be used to direct a user from a current location to a desired destination. In some contexts, such as stores, radio frequency ID (RFID) tags may be used to identify a particular destination, such as a particular product in a particular aisle in a store. Multiple persons may be tracked as they move about the building, so that the more frequently used paths may be identified for moving from point to point. These identified paths may then be used in constructing a path for a user who needs directions.

An RFID tag reading system and method estimate bearings of RFID tags. When the RSSI of a primary and/or secondary RFID receive signal is below a threshold, a primary receive beam is steered in a limited scan to an array of locations distributed around the location at which the RSSI of the primary receive signal is a maximum, and the RSSI of the primary receive signal is recorded at each location. The recorded RSSIs are processed to determine an effective weighted center of distribution of the recorded RSSIs, and the bearing for the tag based on the weighted center of distribution is thus estimated.