RADAR APPARATUS, METHOD FOR INSPECTING AXIS DEVIATION THEREOF, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM WITH PROGRAM RECORDED THEREON

摘要

A radar apparatus generates a spectrum distribution where frequencies in a beat signal are associated with intensities of respective frequency components. Based on a plurality of spectrum distributions generated over a predetermined number of measurement cycles prescribed in advance, the radar apparatus generates a reflection intensity distribution where frequencies are associated with road surface reflection intensities of the radar wave from a road surface at each frequency. In the reflection intensity distribution, the radar apparatus detects an intensity peak indicating a frequency that maximizes the road surface reflection intensity. Based on the detected intensity peak, the radar apparatus determines at least whether or not the radar apparatus is in an axis deviation state that is taken as a state where a reference axis of the radar apparatus has an inclination of not less than a prescribed angle in a vehicle height direction relative to a horizontal axis prescribed to a vehicle.

主权项

1. A radar apparatus that is mounted to a vehicle, the radar apparatus comprising:
transmitting means that transmits a radar wave composed of continuous waves at each prescribed measurement cycle; receiving means that receives a reflected wave of the radar wave transmitted by the transmitting means by a receiving antenna having vertical directivity, and mixes the received reflected wave with a radar wave transmitted by the transmitting means to generate a beat signal at each measurement cycle; analyzing means that frequency-analyzes the beat signal, each time the receiving means generates a beat signal, and generates a spectrum distribution in which the frequency included in the beat signal is associated with intensity of frequency components; generating means that generates a reflection intensity distribution in which the frequency is associated with road surface reflection intensity indicating a reflection intensity of the radar wave from a road surface at each frequency, on the basis of a plurality of spectrum distributions generated by the analyzing means over a prescribed number of measurement cycles prescribed in advance; detecting means that detects an intensity peak indicating a frequency that maximizes the road surface reflection intensity, in the reflection intensity distribution generated by the generating means; and deviation determining means that determines at least whether or not the radar apparatus is in an axis deviation state on the basis of the intensity peak detected by the detecting means, where the axis deviation state is taken to be a state where a reference axis of the radar apparatus has an inclination of not less than a prescribed angle in a vehicle height direction relative to a horizontal axis prescribed to the vehicle.