A variety of methods, controllers and algorithms are described for identifying the back of a particular vehicle (e.g., a platoon partner) in a set of distance measurement scenes and/or for tracking the back of such a vehicle. The described techniques can be used in conjunction with a variety of different distance measuring technologies including radar, LIDAR, camera based distance measuring units and others. The described approaches are well suited for use in vehicle platooning and/or vehicle convoying systems including tractor-trailer truck platooning applications. In another aspect, technique are described for fusing sensor data obtained from different vehicles for use in the at least partial automatic control of a particular vehicle. The described techniques are well suited for use in conjunction with a variety of different vehicle control applications including platooning, convoying and other connected driving applications including tractor-trailer truck platooning applications.

A radio detection and ranging (radar) operating apparatus includes: radar sensors configured to receive signals reflected from an object; and a processor configured to generate Doppler maps for the radar sensors based on the reflected signals and estimate a time difference between the radar sensors based on the generated Doppler maps.

A radio detection and ranging (radar) operating apparatus includes: radar sensors configured to receive signals reflected from an object; and a processor configured to generate Doppler maps for the radar sensors based on the reflected signals and estimate a time difference between the radar sensors based on the generated Doppler maps.

A radar system includes transmitters and receivers. The transmitters transmit radio signals. The receivers receive radio signals that include the transmitted radio signals reflected from objects in an environment. Each receiver has a controller, a buffer, and a post-buffer processor. The receiver processes the received radio signals and stored data samples in the buffer. The buffer operates in a plurality of modes defined by the controller. Modes of operation are selected for each of the respective buffers. Each buffer's mode of operation is selected to perform a desired processing on respective data samples. Each of the post-buffer processors receive their respective data samples from the respective buffers and performs further data processing on the respective data samples.

A radar system includes transmitters and receivers. The transmitters transmit radio signals. The receivers receive radio signals that include the transmitted radio signals reflected from objects in an environment. Each receiver has a controller, a buffer, and a post-buffer processor. The receiver processes the received radio signals and stored data samples in the buffer. The buffer operates in a plurality of modes defined by the controller. Modes of operation are selected for each of the respective buffers. Each buffer's mode of operation is selected to perform a desired processing on respective data samples. Each of the post-buffer processors receive their respective data samples from the respective buffers and performs further data processing on the respective data samples.

A radio detection and ranging (radar) operating apparatus includes: radar sensors configured to receive signals reflected from an object; and a processor configured to generate Doppler maps for the radar sensors based on the reflected signals and estimate a time difference between the radar sensors based on the generated Doppler maps.

A radio detection and ranging (radar) operating apparatus includes: radar sensors configured to receive signals reflected from an object; and a processor configured to generate Doppler maps for the radar sensors based on the reflected signals and estimate a time difference between the radar sensors based on the generated Doppler maps.

A first method includes receiving a first reflected radar signal from a target in a first field of view and receiving a second reflected radar signal from a target in a second field of view offset from the first field of view by a predetermined distance; transforming the first and second reflected radar signals to obtain first and second sets of frequency coefficients, from which a frequency-dependent phase difference is obtained; and calculating a time-delay from the slope of the frequency dependence. A second method includes obtaining summed difference values between the first and second radar responses, where each of the summed difference values corresponds to different time shifts between the first and second radar response, and deriving from the summed difference values a time-delay associated with the target's motion from the first field of view to the second field of view. A third method combines the time-delays or associated speeds obtained from independent estimators.

A first method includes receiving a first reflected radar signal from a target in a first field of view and receiving a second reflected radar signal from a target in a second field of view offset from the first field of view by a predetermined distance; transforming the first and second reflected radar signals to obtain first and second sets of frequency coefficients, from which a frequency-dependent phase difference is obtained; and calculating a time-delay from the slope of the frequency dependence. A second method includes obtaining summed difference values between the first and second radar responses, where each of the summed difference values corresponds to different time shifts between the first and second radar response, and deriving from the summed difference values a time-delay associated with the target's motion from the first field of view to the second field of view. A third method combines the time-delays or associated speeds obtained from independent estimators.

A radar sensing system includes a plurality of transmitters configured to transmit radio signals and a plurality of receivers configured to receive radio signals. First and second transmitters of the plurality of transmitters are configured to generate radio signals defined by first and second spreading code chip sequences, respectively. A first receiver of the plurality of receivers processes received radio signals as defined by a plurality of spreading code chip sequences that includes at least the first and second spreading code chip sequences. The radar sensing system also includes a code generator for generating the spreading code chip sequences.