APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING RADAR DATA AND RADAR SYSTEM

Abstract

The processing of radar data of a radar sensor. By adaptively adjusted assignment of the radar data to a radar cluster, the volume of radar data of the radar sensor is able to be reduced. The radar data are assigned to an already existing radar cluster, if a suitable association is detected between the radar data of the radar sensor and an already existing radar cluster. Otherwise, a new radar cluster may be created with the radar data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing radar data, comprising: a storage device configured to store radar data of at least one radar cluster; and a processing device configured to: receive radar data from a radar sensor, compare the radar data received to radar data of at least one radar cluster stored previously, assign the radar data received to a radar cluster stored previously, if a link has been detected between the radar data received and a corresponding radar cluster of the at least one radar cluster stored previously, and create a new radar cluster if no link has been detected between the radar data received and the at least one radar cluster stored previously.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the radar data include data of a spatial position and an effective radar cross-section of a target object.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each radar cluster includes radar data of a number of one or more target objects.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to sort the radar data received and/or the radar data of the at least one radar cluster stored previously, and to compare the radar data received to the radar data of the at least one radar cluster stored previously, utilizing the sorted radar data and/or the sorted radar clusters.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein in each instance, the radar data received are compared only to a subset of the sorted radar clusters.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the radar data received are compared to the radar data of the radar clusters stored previously, utilizing the respective spatial position, the effective radar cross-section and/or a measuring characteristic of a radar sensor for acquiring the radar data.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the radar data received are compared to the radar data of the at least one radar cluster stored previously, utilizing an object classification and/or external environmental information and/or a modeling of sensor surroundings.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the radar data received are compared to the radar data of the at least one radar cluster stored previously, utilizing a direction of movement and/or speed of movement.

9. A radar system, comprising: a radar sensor configured to provide radar data of objects within a sensing range of the radar sensor; and an apparatus for processing the provided radar data, the apparatus including: a storage device configured to store radar data of at least one radar cluster, and a processing device configured to: receive radar data from a radar sensor, compare the radar data received to radar data of at least one radar cluster stored previously, assign the radar data received to a radar cluster stored previously, if a link has been detected between the radar data received and a corresponding radar cluster of the at least one radar cluster stored previously, and create a new radar cluster if no link has been detected between the radar data received and the at least one radar cluster stored previously.

10. A method for processing radar data, comprising the following steps of: receiving radar data from a radar sensor; comparing the radar data received to radar data of at least one radar cluster stored previously; assigning the radar data received to a radar cluster stored previously, when a link has been detected between the radar data received and a corresponding radar cluster of the at least one radar cluster stored previously; and creating a new radar cluster when no link has been detected between the radar data received and the at least one radar cluster stored previously.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of the exemplary embodiments shown in the schematic figures.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a block diagram of a radar system having an apparatus for processing radar data according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a flowchart as underlies a method for processing radar data according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a block diagram of a radar system having an apparatus 1 for processing radar data according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. The radar system may include a radar sensor 2 as well as an apparatus 1 for processing the radar data of radar sensor 2. Radar sensor 2 may be any radar sensor, e.g., a radar sensor of a vehicle driving in completely or partially autonomous fashion. For example, radar sensor 2 may emit radar signals, which are reflected entirely or in part by an object 100. The reflected radar signals may thereupon be received by radar sensor 2 and compared to the emitted signals. On this basis, for example, radar sensor 2 is able to detect individual point targets. For instance, for each detected point target, radar sensor 2 is able to output radar data. For example, the radar data may include a spatial position, e.g., in the form of a distance as well as an angle in the form of an azimuth- and elevation angle. Naturally, any other data concerning the spatial position of a detected point target are also possible. Moreover, the radar data may include an effective radar cross-section (RCS), for example, and possibly further parameters as well, such as measurement uncertainties or information about possible ambiguities. Naturally, the radar data may also include any other suitable information about a detected point target.

[0027] The radar data determined by radar sensor 2 are then made available to apparatus 1 for the processing of radar data. For example, apparatus 1 for processing radar data may include a processing device 11 and a storage device 12. If desired, apparatus 1 may also include a transmission device 13 and potentially further components. For instance, transmission device 13 may transmit the radar data processed by apparatus 1 to a further device 5, e.g., a cloud, a data-processing center or the like. In so doing, in particular the transmission may take place in wireless fashion, e.g., with the aid of a cellular communication or the like. In principle, any other transmission paths, especially wireless or wired transmissions between apparatus 1 and further device 5 are also possible. For instance, further device 5 may evaluate the data received and, e.g., create a feature map based on the data received. However, any other evaluations and processing of the radar data received are, of course, possible as well.

[0028] Processing device 11 is able to receive the radar data provided by radar sensor 2. This radar data may be assigned by processing device 11 specifically to radar clusters. In this way, radar data, especially radar data of a plurality of point targets, may be grouped. In this case, the association or assignment of the radar data to a radar cluster may be adaptively adjusted. To that end, for example, processing device 11 may compare the radar data received from radar sensor 2, to radar clusters already stored previously. For instance, the previously stored radar clusters may be stored in storage device 12. Any suitable data format may be provided for storing the radar clusters in storage device 12.

[0029] For instance, processing device 11 may associate the effective radar cross-section and the spatial position, e.g., in the form of distance as well as azimuth- and elevation angle, with the information of the radar clusters already identified. If a suitable connection is determined between the radar data received from radar sensor 2 and an already existing radar cluster, then the corresponding radar data may be added to the respective radar cluster. Alternatively, if no radar cluster is able to be connected to the current radar data received, a new radar cluster may be created, into which the received radar data are integrated. The augmented or newly created radar cluster may then be stored in storage device 12.

[0030] Any suitable information may be utilized for associating the received radar data with the radar clusters. In particular, the association between radar data and radar clusters may be adaptively adjusted. For instance, information about the measuring characteristic of radar sensor 2 may be utilized for that purpose. For example, the association between radar data and radar clusters may take into account that with increasing measuring distance, the angular resolution of radar sensor 2 leads to greater radial measurement uncertainties, or that certain attributes like, e.g., the RCS, are dependent on the viewing angle and the distance.

[0031] Moreover, the association between radar data and radar clusters may also take into account that different object classes have different RCS values. Thus, for instance, punctiform objects like, e.g., a post in a top view, have a high RCS value, while extended objects like, e.g., curbs or the like, have a rather low RCS value.

[0032] In addition, the direction of movement as well as the speed of movement of the radar sensor in relation to the surroundings may also be taken into account. Particularly in sensing a vehicular environment of a moving vehicle, a large number of objects may possibly have an alignment parallel to the direction of travel and therefore parallel to the roadway. For example, guard rails or curbs, but also house façades very often run along the direction of travel. Likewise, an instantaneous speed of the radar sensor, e.g., the speed of the ego vehicle having radar sensor 2, may have an effect on measurement inaccuracies. Particularly at relatively low speeds, for example, a static environment can no longer be resolved very well spatially. This may also be utilized in adjusting the parameters for associating the radar parameters with a radar cluster.

[0033] Moreover, information of other sensors like, e.g., a camera or ultrasonic sensors, which likewise sense the area surrounding a radar sensor, may also be utilized for assigning the radar data to a radar cluster.

[0034] In addition, model data may also be included in the association of the radar data with radar clusters. For instance, an already previously-known model of an area surrounding radar sensor 2 may be utilized to optimize the assignment of the radar data to a radar cluster. However, dynamic modeling of the area surrounding radar sensor 2, especially in real time, is also possible in order to provide additional information for associating the radar data with the radar clusters.

[0035] It is possible to compare all radar data of radar sensor 2 to all radar clusters already existing, in order to attain a suitable association. However, to further optimize the comparison and the association of the radar data with the radar clusters, the radar data and/or the radar clusters already existing may be sorted in suitable manner. After the radar data and/or the radar clusters are available in sorted form, it may be sufficient to compare only a subset of the radar clusters to radar data. Namely, one radar-data record or a subset of the radar data provided by radar sensor 2 may be compared to a suitable subgroup of the sorted radar clusters. In principle, any suitable feature is possible for the sorting and assignment of suitable radar data to suitable subsets of radar clusters. For instance, the radar data and/or the radar clusters may be sorted on the basis of the spatial position, e.g., distance and/or azimuth- and elevation angle. However, sorting on the basis of the RCS values is possible, as well. Moreover, it is also possible to sort the already-existing radar clusters on the basis of a suitable object classification, according to its spatial extension or any other suitable criteria.

[0036] After the radar data and/or the radar clusters have been sorted in suitable manner, in each case an appropriate subset of radar clusters may be determined for a record of radar data. For example, from the sorted list of radar clusters, those radar clusters may be selected whose characteristics move within a predetermined value range according to the corresponding characteristics of the radar data. Thus, it is sufficient to compare only the corresponding subset of radar clusters to the respective radar data in order to permit a suitable association of the radar data with the radar clusters. As a result, the processing speed may be increased and the computing power for associating the radar data with the radar clusters may be reduced.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a flowchart as underlies a method for processing radar data according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. In principle, the method for processing the radar data may include any steps as have already been described previously in connection with the radar system. Analogously, the radar system may also have any given components in order to carry out operations as described in the following in connection with the method.

[0038] In step S1, radar data are received from a radar sensor 2. In step S2, the radar data received are compared to radar data of at least one radar cluster stored previously. Subsequently, in step S3, the radar data received may be assigned to a radar cluster stored previously, if a link has been detected between the radar data received and the corresponding radar cluster stored previously. Alternatively, in step S4, a new radar cluster may be created if no link has been detected between the radar data received and the at least one radar cluster stored previously.

[0039] In summary, the present invention relates to the processing of radar data of a radar sensor. By adaptively adjusted assignment of the radar data to a radar cluster, the volume of radar data of the radar sensor may be reduced. In particular, it is provided to assign the radar data to an already existing radar cluster, if a suitable association is detected between the radar data of the radar sensor and an already existing radar cluster. Otherwise, a new radar cluster may be created with the radar data.