US 12,461,218 B2
Method for classifying heights of objects by means of ultrasonic sensor technology
Wassim Suleiman, Kriftel (DE); Christopher Brown, Seligenstadt (DE); and Ahmed Hamdy Gad, Frankfurt am Main (DE)
Assigned to Continental Autonomous Mobility Germany GmbH, Ingolstadt (DE)
Appl. No. 18/255,793
Filed by Continental Autonomous Mobility Germany GmbH, Ingolstadt (DE)
PCT Filed Nov. 16, 2021, PCT No. PCT/DE2021/200189
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 2, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/117158, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 9, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 215 255.1 (DE), filed on Dec. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0061094 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. G01S 7/539 (2006.01); G01S 15/42 (2006.01); G01S 15/931 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 7/539 (2013.01) [G01S 15/42 (2013.01); G01S 15/931 (2013.01); G01S 2015/932 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for classifying the height of an object by means of at least one ultrasonic sensor of a vehicle, comprising the following steps:
emitting an ultrasonic signal by the ultrasonic sensor of the vehicle in a transmission cycle;
performing a reception cycle, wherein the reception cycle has a reception time window which makes it possible to receive echoes having a transit time which corresponds to at least double a reception range of the ultrasonic sensor;
checking whether at least a first and a second echo were received in the reception cycle, wherein the transit time of the second echo corresponds to an integer multiple of the transit time of the first echo;
classifying a detected object in a height class depending on whether at least a first and a second echo were received, wherein the transit time of the second echo is an integer multiple of the transit time of the first echo,
wherein one of
(a) the vehicle has a computer which, in addition to the height class tion method as a first method, provides at least one further, second method for classifying heights, and the height according to the second method is classified based on a weighted combination of classification results of the first meth the seco method, or
(b) based on probability values which indicate a probability that a current driving situation of the vehicle is to be assigned to a determined capturing scenario, a probability is calculated that an object is to be classed in a determined height and, based on a sum of conditional ability values, wherein the conditional probability values each indicates how high the probability is that the object is to be classed in a determined height category on a condition that a determined capturing scenario exists.