JP5712644B2 - Radar equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a radar device that is mounted on a vehicle and detects a target around the vehicle.

  Conventionally, as one method for realizing a wide detection area in a radar apparatus, a first antenna (in this case, a broadside array antenna) that radiates electromagnetic waves in a direction perpendicular to the pattern formation surface of the substrate, and a substrate A second antenna (here, an endfire array antenna) that radiates electromagnetic waves in a direction parallel to the pattern forming surface is formed on the same antenna substrate (for example, a patent) Reference 1).

  A plurality of first antennas (hereinafter collectively referred to as a first antenna group) are arranged in a row on the antenna substrate, and second antennas are arranged at both ends in the arrangement direction of the first antenna group. Has been placed. The first antenna group forms a plurality of beams having different directions along the antenna arrangement direction, and the second antenna has a beam outside an area (detection area) covered by the beam of the first antenna group. Is set to face (detection area is set).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-5164 (see FIGS. 7 and 12)

  A radar device having such a wide detection area is installed at, for example, the four corners of the vehicle, and if it is the right rear corner of the vehicle, the range extending from the right rear to the right side of the vehicle is the detection area. It is possible to use it.

  In this case, the front and rear of the vehicle need to be a detection area up to a relatively long distance, but the side of the vehicle only needs to have a detection area of about the width of the road. However, for the side of the vehicle, it is desirable to be able to measure the distance with high resolution in order to accurately determine the danger of a collision or contact with another vehicle.

  Therefore, while installing the antenna board on the vehicle so that the detection area of the first antenna group is the rear of the vehicle, and the detection area of the second antenna provided at one end of the first antenna group is on the side of the vehicle, To detect a target via the second antenna, high band (UWB) modulation is used so that a high distance resolution can be obtained. For example, it can be operated as a pulse radar that uses a pulse with an extremely short pulse width. .

  However, in this case, in the target detection in the side detection area using the second antenna, it is impossible to detect the relative speed with the target in one measurement. As a result, the detected target is However, there is a problem that it is impossible to quickly determine whether the object is a stopped object (roadside object or the like) or a moving object (vehicle or the like) that needs to be tracked.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a radar apparatus that performs target detection in a plurality of detection areas including a detection area where information other than the distance to the target cannot be obtained. It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to quickly determine whether or not a detection target is a moving target even in a detection area that cannot be detected.

  The radar apparatus according to claim 1, which is an invention made to achieve the above object, is used by being mounted on a vehicle, and the backward exploration means transmits and receives an electromagnetic wave via the first antenna unit. The position and relative velocity of the target existing in the rear detection area set behind the host vehicle that is the vehicle on which the device is mounted are detected, and the side exploration means transmits and receives electromagnetic waves via the second antenna unit. Thereby, the distance with the target which exists in the side detection area set to the side of the own vehicle so that the overlapping area which overlaps with a back detection area is included is detected. Further, the speed information acquisition means acquires speed information representing the vehicle speed of the vehicle on which the radar device is mounted. Then, based on the detection result in the overlapping area by the backward search means and the speed information acquired by the vehicle speed acquisition means, the movement detection means moves the side detection target that is the target detected by the side search means. Judge whether or not.

  According to the radar apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the target detected in the overlapping area by the backward search means is highly likely to be the same target as the side detection target. By using information (such as relative speed) obtained from the exploration means, it is possible to quickly determine whether or not the side detection target is moving.

The radar apparatus according to the present invention further includes an overlapping area exploration unit that detects a target existing in the overlapping area by transmitting electromagnetic waves from the second antenna unit and receiving the electromagnetic wave from the first antenna unit, and a movement determination unit. If it is determined that the side detection target is moving, the overlap area search means is operated so that the information of the target detected by the overlap area search means can be transferred to the side detection target. that is configured to.

Therefore, since the target detected by the overlapping area searching means is surely present in the overlapping area, the determination by the movement determining means and the reliability of the information handed over to the side detection target can be improved.

The block diagram which shows the whole structure of the vehicle-mounted radar apparatus of embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows the pattern arrangement | positioning of an antenna board | substrate. Explanatory drawing which shows a back detection area, a side detection area, and an overlap area. The flowchart which shows the content of the tracking target takeover process in 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the content of the tracking target takeover process in 2nd Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the content of the tracking target takeover process in 3rd Embodiment. Explanatory drawing regarding 3rd Embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
<Overall configuration>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the on-vehicle radar device according to the embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the radar apparatus 1 includes a first transmission antenna group 31 configured by m (m is an integer of 2 or more) unit antennas SBi (i = 1 to m), and n (n is 2 or more). A first antenna unit 3 composed of a first receiving antenna group 32 composed of a plurality of unit antennas RBj (j = 1 to n), a second transmitting antenna 41 composed of a single unit antenna SE, It consists of a second receiving antenna 42 configured by a single unit antenna RE, and includes a second antenna unit 4 configured to have a different main radiation direction from the first antenna unit 3.

  The radar apparatus 1 also includes a transmitter 10 that transmits electromagnetic waves (radar waves) via the first transmission antenna group 31 and the second transmission antenna 41, and a first reception antenna group 32 and a second reception antenna 42. A receiver 20 that receives electromagnetic waves (reflected waves) and a well-known microcomputer are mainly configured, and a modulation signal M, a transmission control signal CS, a reception control signal CR, which will be described later, are transmitted to the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20. The control circuit 5 is provided with pulse control signals CPs and CPr, and as a result, performs various signal processing based on the beat signal B generated by the receiver 20.

<Antenna substrate>
2A and 2B are explanatory views showing the arrangement of patterns on the antenna substrate 6 on which the first antenna unit 3 and the second antenna unit 4 are formed, in which FIG. 2A is a plan view and FIG. 2B is a side view. However, FIG. 2 shows a case where m = n = 4.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first transmitting antenna group 31 and the first receiving antenna group 32 constituting the first antenna unit 3 are arranged side by side on the antenna substrate 6, and the second antenna unit 4 includes the first antenna unit 3. It is arranged at the end of the antenna substrate 6 on the opposite side of the first receiving antenna group 32 with the transmitting antenna group 31 in between.

  The unit antennas SBi constituting the first transmitting antenna group 31 and the unit antennas RBj constituting the first receiving antenna group 32 are the first transmitting antenna group 31, the first receiving antenna group 32, and the second antenna unit 4 respectively. Are arranged in a line along the arrangement direction (hereinafter referred to as “unit antenna arrangement direction”).

  However, the unit antenna SBi is composed of a plurality of patch antennas arranged in a line at equal intervals along a direction (vertical direction in the figure) orthogonal to the unit antenna arrangement direction, and the unit antenna RBj is a unit antenna. It consists of a plurality of patch antennas arranged at equal intervals in two rows along a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction.

  That is, the first antenna unit 3 is configured as a so-called broad side beam antenna in which the direction perpendicular to the pattern formation surface of the antenna substrate 6 (hereinafter referred to as “plane direction”) is the main radiation direction.

On the other hand, in the second antenna unit 4, the second transmitting antenna 41 and the second receiving antenna 42 are arranged along a direction orthogonal to the unit antenna arrangement direction.
However, both the second transmitting antenna 41 and the second receiving antenna 42 are mainly in a direction (hereinafter referred to as “end direction”) that is parallel to the pattern forming surface of the antenna substrate 6 and orthogonal to the forming end of the first antenna unit 3. A plurality of Yagi antennas, which are patterned so as to be in the radiation direction, are arranged along the formation end of the second antenna unit 4 and are configured as so-called endfire antennas.

Note that patch antennas and Yagi antennas are wired so that signals constituting the same unit antennas SBi, RBj, SE, RE are transmitted and received in the same phase.
As shown in FIG. 3, the antenna substrate 6 configured in this manner matches the surface direction of the antenna substrate 6 described above, and the unit antenna arrangement direction matches the direction parallel to the road surface (horizontal direction). The radar apparatus is configured to detect a succeeding vehicle that travels in a lane on the right side of the own vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “right adjacent lane”), a vehicle that is running in parallel with the own vehicle in the right adjacent lane, and the like. Used for.

  Specifically, the detection area AB (hereinafter referred to as “rear detection area”) AB of the first antenna unit 3 is centered around a direction (surface direction of the antenna substrate 6) inclined by about 30 ° from the straight forward direction of the vehicle. The detection area (hereinafter referred to as “side detection area”) AS of the second antenna unit 4 is 90 from the center axis direction of the rear detection area AB. ° It is set so as to cover a range of ± about 60 ° (total of about 120 °) centering on the direction facing the front of the vehicle (the end direction of the antenna substrate 6).

That is, the rear detection area AB and the side detection area AS are set so as to partially overlap (about 30 °), and the overlapping area is hereinafter referred to as an overlapping area AW.
Further, the operation mode for detecting the target in the rear detection area AB using the first antenna unit 3 is the backward search mode, and the target detection in the side detection area AS is performed using the second antenna unit 4. The operation mode is referred to as a side search mode.

<Transmitter>
Returning to FIG. 1, the transmitter 10 is configured around an oscillator that generates a high-frequency signal in the millimeter wave band, and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) configured such that the oscillation frequency changes according to the modulation signal M from the control circuit 5. ) 11, an amplifier 12 for amplifying the output from the VCO 11, a branch line 13 for branching the output of the amplifier 12 into a transmission signal Ss and a local signal L, and a transmission signal Ss supplied via the branch line 13 In accordance with the pulse distribution signal CPs from the control circuit 5 and the distributor 15 that distributes to the transmission lines connected to the unit antennas SB1 to SBm, SE, the transmission path from the branch line 13 to the distributor 15 is conducted and cut off. Thus, a pulse generator 14 for generating a pulse signal, and a transmission signal transmitted on each transmission line from the distributor 15 to the unit antennas SB1 to SBm, SE. s the amplitude and phase, and a signal control unit 16 for controlling in accordance with the transmission control signal CS.

  The signal control unit 16 includes a phase shifter and an amplifier for each transmission path connected to the unit antennas SB1 to SBm and SE. In the signal control unit 16, the amplifier is controlled so as to supply the transmission signal Ss to the unit antennas SB1 to SBm (first transmission antenna group 31) according to the transmission control signal CS when the operation mode is the backward search mode. At the same time, the phase shifter is controlled to form a beam having a specified radiation direction. Further, when the operation mode is the lateral search mode, the amplifier is controlled so as to supply the transmission signal Ss to the unit antenna SE (second transmission antenna 41) according to the transmission control signal CS.

  Further, the pulse generator 14 passes the transmission signal Ss as it is when the operation mode is the backward search mode, and the path from the branch line 13 to the distributor 15 when the operation mode is the side search mode. By opening and closing according to CPs, an operation is performed to generate a pulse signal having a short pulse width (about 1 ns in the present embodiment) used in high-bandwidth (UWB) modulation.

<Receiver>
The receiver 20 is configured to individually amplify the reception signals from the unit antennas RB1 to RBn and RE, and the transmission connected to the unit antennas RB1 to RBn and RE according to the reception control signal CR from the control circuit 5. Select one of the lines and output the reception signal from the selected transmission line, and the reception signal Sr from the reception switch circuit 22 is mixed with the local signal L from the branch line 13 to beat A mixer 24 that generates the signal B, an amplifier 25 that amplifies the beat signal B output from the mixer 24 and supplies the beat signal B to the control circuit 5, and a transmission path of the local signal L from the branch line 13 to the mixer 24 And a pulse generator 23 for generating a pulse-like local signal L by being turned on and off in accordance with the pulse control signal CPr.

  The reception switch circuit 22 sequentially and repeatedly selects the reception signals from the unit antennas RB1 to RBn (first reception antenna group 32) according to the reception control signal CR when the operation mode is the backward search mode. In the side search mode, the operation is performed to select only the unit antenna RE.

  Further, when the operation mode is the backward search mode, the pulse generator 23 passes the local signal L as it is. When the operation mode is the side search mode, the pulse generator 23 passes the path from the branch line 13 to the mixer 24 through the pulse control signal CPr. Is operated so as to generate a pulse signal having a desired pulse width (about 1 ns in this embodiment).

<Control circuit>
The control circuit 5 alternately switches the operation mode between the backward search mode and the lateral search mode, and detects the target in each of the backward detection area AB and the side detection area AS, Among the targets detected in the target detection process, a moving target is extracted and tracked in each of the rear detection area AB and the side detection area AS, and detected in the side detection area AS. A movement determination process for determining whether or not the target is moving is executed.

  Note that the control circuit 5 is configured to acquire speed information indicating the vehicle speed (own vehicle speed) from a vehicle on which the device 1 is mounted (not shown). And specifically, what is necessary is just to comprise so that speed information may be acquired via vehicle-mounted networks, such as CAN, for example.

<Target detection processing>
Among these, in the target detection process, the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20 are controlled to operate as FMCW radar in the backward search mode, and operate as UWB modulation pulse radar in the side search mode. To control.

  Specifically, in the backward search mode, the VCO 11 is supplied with a triangular wave-like modulation signal M for performing modulation such that the frequency linearly increases and decreases with time, and the transmission control signal CS The signal control unit 16 is controlled so that the FMCW wave is applied to the rear detection area AB through the first transmission antenna group 31. However, the rear detection area AB is scanned with the beam by sequentially changing the irradiation direction of the beam by changing the setting of the phase shifter for each period of the modulation signal M.

  At this time, the receiver 20 controls the reception switch circuit 22 by the reception control signal CR so that the reception signal from the first reception antenna group 32 is supplied to the mixer 24 in a time division manner. The control circuit 5 takes in the signal level of the output beat signal B through A / D conversion. Note that the switch in the reception switch circuit 22 is switched in synchronism with the modulation signal M so that the number of data necessary for the frequency analysis process executed in the target detection process can be obtained in one cycle. Done quickly.

  The beat signal B obtained for each unit antenna RBj constituting the first receiving antenna group 32 is subjected to frequency analysis, and the distance and relative velocity with respect to the target are obtained using a well-known method in the FMCW radar. Based on the phase difference between the beat signals B generated when the positions of the unit antennas RBj constituting the one receiving antenna group 32 are different in the horizontal direction, the direction in which the target exists is detected.

That is, in the backward search mode, at least the position (distance, azimuth) and relative speed of the target are obtained as information regarding the target existing in the rear detection area AB.
On the other hand, in the side search mode, a modulation signal M having a constant signal level is supplied to the VCO 11 so that a transmission signal Ss having a constant frequency is generated, and an electromagnetic wave is maximized in the radar apparatus 1 by the pulse control signal CPs. A pulse-like transmission signal Ss is generated by conducting the transmission path for a certain time (for example, 1 ns) at certain time intervals set to be longer than the time required for reciprocating the detection distance. Further, the signal control unit 16 is controlled by the transmission control signal CS so that the pulse wave is irradiated to the side detection area AS via the second transmission antenna 41.

  At this time, the receiver 20 controls the reception switch circuit 22 so that the reception signal from the second reception antenna 42 is supplied to the mixer 24 by the reception control signal CR, and the pulse wave is generated by the pulse control signal CPr. The pulse generator 23 is controlled so as to generate a pulsed local signal L having the same pulse width every time it is transmitted. However, the pulsed local signal L is synchronized with the transmission timing of the pulse wave, and the generation timing is delayed by the pulse width every time the transmission of the pulse wave is repeated.

  In other words, since the beat signal is generated when the transmitted wave and the received wave overlap, the pulse wave is reflected from the local signal generation timing when the strongest beat signal (maximum correlation value) is obtained. A known process in the pulse radar for calculating the distance to the target is executed.

In such a side search mode, the distance to the target is obtained as information on the target existing in the side detection area AS.
<Tracking process>
The tracking process is performed separately in the rear detection area AB and the side detection area AS, and in the tracking process in the rear detection area AB, among the targets detected from the detection results in the detected backward search mode, Using a target with speed (target whose relative speed ≠ own vehicle speed) as a tracking target, the target estimated to be the same from the information (position, relative speed) obtained for that tracking target Track in series. Note that tracking of a target based on such a position and relative speed is a well-known technique in an in-vehicle radar device, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In the tracking processing in the side detection area AS, although high distance accuracy can be obtained as information regarding the target, only distance information can be obtained. Whether it is a moving target cannot be determined. For example, it is difficult to determine which side wall is a vehicle or a guard rail from distance information alone. Therefore, the tracking process is executed for the target for which it is determined that the detection target in the side detection area is moving by the detection result of the backward search mode and the movement determination process using the antenna, which will be described later.

<Movement determination process>
Next, details of the movement determination process will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
This process is started each time a process result in the target detection process based on the measurement results in both operation modes (side search mode and backward search mode) is obtained.

When this process is activated, it is first determined whether or not there is a target being tracked in the side detection area AS (S110). If it exists (S110: YES), this process is terminated as it is.
If the target being tracked does not exist (S110: NO), it is determined whether or not the target has been detected by the target detection process based on the measurement result in the side search mode (S120). If this is the case (S120: NO), this process is terminated. Hereinafter, the target detected based on the assumed result in the side search mode is referred to as a side detection target.

  If the side detection target is detected (S120: YES), it is determined whether the target is detected in the overlapping area AW by the target detection process based on the measurement result in the backward search mode (S130), If no target is detected in the overlapping area AW (S130: NO), this process is terminated as it is.

  If the target is detected in the overlapping area AW (S130: YES), it is determined whether or not the target is a stop depending on whether or not the relative speed of the target matches the own vehicle speed. If it is a stop object (S140) (S140: YES), a side detection target will be registered as a stop object (S160), and this process will be complete | finished.

  If the target detected in the overlap area AW is not a stop object (S140: NO), the side detection target is registered as a tracking target (ie, a moving object) in the side detection area AS, and the rear The information (position, relative speed, etc.) of the target detected in the overlap area AW based on the measurement result in the search mode is transferred to the registered side target (S150), and this process is terminated.

<Effect>
As described above, in the radar apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the moving target (in the overlapping area AW based on the measurement result in the backward search mode, simultaneously with the side detection target based on the measurement result in the side search mode). (Hereinafter referred to as “overlapping area moving target”), the side detection target is registered as the tracking target in the side detection area AS, and the overlapping area is included in the registered tracking target. It is designed to take over information on moving targets.

  Therefore, according to the radar apparatus 1, even if the target is a side detection target that cannot obtain information other than the distance to the target, the target can be obtained by using the information in the overlapping area AW in the backward search mode. It is possible to quickly determine whether or not the user is moving, and thus whether or not tracking is necessary. Furthermore, the accuracy of the tracking process in the side detection area AS can be improved by handing over the information detected in the backward search mode to the registered tracking target.

<Correspondence with Invention>
In this embodiment, the operation in the backward search mode and the target detection process based on the measurement result are the backward search means, the operation in the lateral search mode, and the target detection process based on the measurement result is the lateral search means. The configuration for the control circuit 7 to acquire the speed information representing the vehicle speed of the vehicle on which the radar device 1 is mounted corresponds to the speed information acquisition means, and the movement determination process corresponds to the movement determination means.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
In the present embodiment, the operation mode is the case of the first embodiment except that the overlapping search mode exists in addition to the backward search mode and the side search mode, and that the contents of the movement determination process are partially different. Therefore, the differences will be mainly described.

<Duplicate exploration mode>
The overlap search mode is an operation mode in which the second transmission antenna 41 and the first reception antenna group 32 are used to detect a target in the overlap area AW.

  In this overlapping search mode, a triangular modulation signal M is supplied to the VCO 11 (similar to that in the backward search mode), and the FMCW wave is transmitted from the side detection area AS via the second transmission antenna 41 by the transmission control signal CS. The signal controller 16 is controlled so as to be irradiated.

  At this time, similarly to the backward search mode, the receiver 20 controls the reception switch circuit 22 so that the reception signal from the first reception antenna group 32 is supplied to the mixer 24 in a time division manner by the reception control signal CR. Thus, the signal level of the beat signal B output from the receiver 20 is A / D converted and captured. It should be noted that the switch in the reception switch circuit 22 is switched quickly so that the necessary number of data can be obtained in the frequency analysis process executed by the target detection process in one cycle in synchronization with the modulation signal M. Well done.

  In the target detection process executed based on the measurement result obtained in the overlap search mode, the beat signal B obtained is subjected to frequency analysis, and the distance from the target using a well-known method in the FMCW radar, While calculating | requiring a relative velocity, based on the phase difference between the beat signals B which arise when the position of unit antenna RBj which comprises the 1st receiving antenna group 32 differs in a horizontal direction, the direction in which a target exists is detected.

<Movement determination process>
Next, the contents of the movement determination process will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
Note that S210 to S230 are the same as in the first embodiment, there is no target being tracked in the side detection area AS (S210: NO), and the side is based on the measurement result in the side search mode. When a detected target is detected (S220: YES) and an overlapping area target is detected based on the measurement result in the backward search mode (S230: YES), the transmitter 10 and the receiver 20 are operated in the overlapping search mode. And a process of detecting the target based on the measurement result is executed (S240).

  Then, it is determined whether or not the relative speed of the target detected in the overlapping search mode matches the own vehicle speed (S250), and if it matches (S250: YES), the side detection target is set as the stop object. (S270) and the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if they do not match (S250: NO), the side detection target is registered as a tracking target target (that is, a moving object) in the side detection area AS, and the target detected in the overlapping search mode is registered. Information (position, relative speed, etc.) is transferred to the registered tracking target (S260), and this process is terminated.

<Effect>
As described above, according to the radar apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the information of the target detected from the measurement result in the overlapping search mode is used as information to be transferred to the tracking target target in the side detection area AS. Since it is used, it is possible to prevent the target information existing outside the overlapping area AW from being taken over by mistake, and the reliability of the tracking process in the side detection area AS can be improved.

<Correspondence with Invention>
In this embodiment, the operation in the overlap area search mode and the target detection process based on the measurement result correspond to the overlap area search means.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described.
Note that this embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in part of the contents of the movement determination process, and this difference will be mainly described.

<Movement determination process>
The contents of the movement determination process will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
Note that S310 to S320 are the same as in the first embodiment, there is no target being tracked in the side detection area AS (S310: NO), and the side is based on the measurement result in the side search mode. When the detected target is detected (S320: YES), it is determined whether or not the side detected target is present in the adjacent lane based on the distance from the side detected target (S330).

  If the side detection target does not exist in the adjacent lane (S330: NO), this process is terminated, and if the side detection target exists in the adjacent lane (S330: YES), the backward search is performed. Based on the measurement result in the mode, it is determined whether or not a moving target is detected behind the adjacent lane (S340).

  If the moving target is not detected behind the adjacent lane (S340: NO), this process is terminated. If the moving target is detected behind the adjacent lane (S340: YES), the side detection target is detected. Is registered as a tracking target in the side detection area AS (S350), and this process is terminated.

<Effect>
As described above, in the radar device 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, when a target (side detection target) is detected in the side detection area AS, If a moving target is detected behind the same lane (behind an adjacent lane), the side detection target is not a stop object but is likely to be a moving object, and the side detection target is tracked. It is registered as a target. That is, if the side detection target is a stop object, a moving object located behind the adjacent lane should avoid the stop object, and thus such an estimation is established.

  As described above, according to the radar apparatus 1, the detection result in the backward search mode is used to determine whether or not the side detection target is moving, and thus whether or not to be tracked in the side detection area AS. Can be determined promptly.

[Other Embodiments]
Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the Yagi antenna is used as the element antenna constituting the second antenna unit 4, but not limited to this, it can be configured on the same substrate as the first antenna unit 3, and It is only necessary that the main radiation direction faces the end direction. For example, a tapered slot antenna or the like may be used.

  In the first and second embodiments, there is no target being tracked in the side detection area AS (S110 / S210: NO), and the side detection target is detected based on the measurement result in the side search mode. (S120 / S220: YES), when an overlapping area target is detected based on the measurement result in the backward search mode (S130 / S230: YES), based on the measurement result in the backward search mode or the overlapping search mode. In addition to determining whether the side detection target should be tracked (whether it should be registered as a target to be tracked) or not, information based on the measurement results in the duplicate search mode should be passed on to the side tracking target. However, when the tracking target in the rear detection area AB enters the overlap area AW, the side detection target detected at the same time is registered as the tracking target in the side detection area AS. detection It may be to take over information tracked target object in the rear AB.

In the above embodiment, the FMCW wave is used in the backward search mode and the overlapping search mode, but a CW wave (unmodulated continuous wave) may be used.
Although the case where the antenna board 6 is installed in the right rear corner of the vehicle has been described in the above embodiment, it may be installed in any of the four corners of the vehicle, or may be installed at a plurality of locations at the same time.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Radar apparatus 3 ... 1st antenna part 4 ... 2nd antenna part 5 ... Control circuit 6 ... Antenna board 10 ... Transmitter 12, 25 ... Amplifier 13 ... Branch line 14, 23 ... Pulse generator 15 ... Divider 16 ... Signal control unit 20 ... receiver 21 ... amplifying unit 22 ... reception switch circuit 24 ... mixer 31 ... first transmission antenna group 32 ... first reception antenna group 41 ... second transmission antenna 42 ... second reception antenna

Claims (1)

A radar device mounted on a vehicle,
Backward exploration means for detecting the position and relative velocity of a target existing in a rear detection area set behind the host vehicle, which is a vehicle on which the device is mounted, by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves via the first antenna unit When,
By transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves via the second antenna unit, the distance to the target existing in the side detection area set to the side of the host vehicle is detected so as to include the overlapping area overlapping the rear detection area. Side exploration means to perform,
Overlapping area exploration means for detecting a target existing in the overlapping area by transmitting electromagnetic waves from the second antenna unit and receiving at the first antenna unit;
Speed information acquisition means for acquiring speed information representing the vehicle speed of the vehicle on which the radar device is mounted;
Based on the detection result in the overlapping area by the backward exploration means and the speed information acquired by the speed information acquisition means, the side detection target that is the target detected by the side exploration means moves. And when it is determined that the side detection target is moving, the overlap area search means is operated, and the target information detected by the overlap area search means is Movement determination means to be handed over to the direction detection target,
A radar apparatus comprising:

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