1. A signal processing method for an FM-CW radar which determines a relative distance and a relative velocity with respect to a target from peak frequencies occurring in an upsweep section and a downsweep section of a triangular FM-CW wave wherein,
when said target is a target that has previously been detected, predicted values for the peak frequencies currently detected in the upsweep and downsweep sections are computed from the relative distance and relative velocity previously detected with respect to said target, and it is determined whether any of said predicted values exceeds a detection frequency range, and if there is a peak frequency that exceeds said detection frequency range, said frequency is folded and said folded frequency is taken as one of said predicted values, said method then proceeding to search the currently detected peak frequencies to determine whether there are upsweep and downsweep peak frequencies substantially equal to said predicted values, and if said substantially equal frequencies are found, said found frequencies are folded and said folded frequencies are used to determine the relative distance and the relative velocity.
2. A signal processing method for an FM-CW radar as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in the case of a peak frequency for which a predicted value is negative, said predicted value is inverted in sign and taken as one of said predicted values, said method then proceeding to search the currently detected peak frequencies to determine whether there are upsweep and downsweep peak frequencies approximately equal to said predicted values, and if said upsweep and downsweep peak frequencies are found, said found frequencies are inverted in sign and then used to determine the relative distance and the relative velocity.
3. A signal processing method for an FM-CW radar as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in the case of a peak frequency for which a predicted value exceeds an upper limit frequency of said detection frequency range, said peak frequency is folded with respect to said upper limit frequency and said folded peak frequency is taken as one of said predicted values, said method then proceeding to search the currently detected peak frequencies to determine whether there are upsweep and downsweep peak frequencies substantially equal to said predicted values, and if said upsweep and downsweep peak frequencies are found, said found frequencies are folded with respect to said upper limit frequency and said folded peak frequencies are used to determine the relative distance and the relative velocity.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A device for designing a sensor arrangement for an automated system, the device comprising
a first input unit for receiving a specification of a plurality of sensor measurements to be carried out by the sensor arrangement;
a second input unit for receiving a specification of a confidence region together with an associated confidence level for each of the specified sensor measurements;
a third input unit for receiving a specification of a target confidence level for the automated system;
a configuration unit for configuring the plurality of sensor measurements and for configuring the combination of the sensor measurements in a manner to guarantee the target confidence level for the automated system.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first input unit is
adapted for receiving a specification of a plurality of sensors each adapted to perform at least one of the sensor measurements.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first input unit is
adapted for receiving a specification of exactly one sensor adapted to perform the plurality of sensor measurements.
4. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the first input unit is adapted for receiving a specification of a plurality of sensor measurements to be carried out to detect at least one sensed parameter indicative of an operation state or an operation parameter of the automated system.
5. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the second input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of the confidence region together with a lower bound on the confidence level associated to the confidence region.
6. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the configuration unit is adapted for configuring the plurality of sensor measurements based on an evaluation whether andor to which degree the plurality of sensor measurements are dependent or independent from one another.
7. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the configuration unit is adapted for determining a number of sensor measurements necessary to guarantee the target confidence level.
8. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the configuration unit is adapted for determining a chronology, particularly a time sequence or an acquisition rate, of the sensor measurements to guarantee the target confidence level.
9. The device according to claim,
wherein the configuration unit is adapted for adjusting at least one working point of at least one sensor adapted for carrying out at least one of the sensor measurements.
10. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the configuration unit is adapted for adjusting a combination technique of combining the results of the plurality of sensor measurements to guarantee the target confidence level.
11. The device according to claim 10,
wherein the combination technique is indicative of a way of combining the plurality of sensor measurements andor the confidence levels comprising at least one of the group consisting of calculating a union, an intersection, a K-in combination, and a K-best combination.
12. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the third input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of the target confidence level indicative of a probability that the automated system fails.
13. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the configuration unit is adapted for reconfiguring the plurality of sensor measurements when a determined configuration of the plurality of sensor measurements yields an obtained confidence level which guarantees a safety of the automated system better than the specified target confidence level, wherein the reconfiguration is performed to obtain one or a plurality of the group consisting of an improved accuracy, a simpler sensor arrangement, and an obtained confidence level which is closer to the specified target confidence level.
14. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the second input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of the confidence level indicative of a probability that the value of a sensed parameter detected by a respective sensor measurement deviates from the true value of the sensed parameter by less than a value indicated by the confidence region.
15. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the second input unit is adapted for receiving the specification of a confidence interval as the confidence region in a one-dimensional scenario.
16. The device according to claim 1,
adapted for designing the sensor arrangement to provide at least one of the group consisting of control information for controlling an operation of the automated system, regulation information for regulating an operation of the automated system, and monitoring information for monitoring an operation of the automated system.
17. The device according to claim 1,
comprising a determining unit adapted for determining the confidence level and the confidence region for at least a part of the specified sensor measurements based on a respective preknown sensor characteristic and is adapted to supply the confidence level and the confidence region to the second input unit.
18. (canceled)
19. The device according to claim 1,
adapted for designing a sensor arrangement for an automated system comprising at least one of the group consisting of an emergency shut-down system, a fire and gas system, a turbine control system, a gas burner management system, a crane automatic safe-load indicator system, a guard interlocking and emergency stopping system for machinery, a medical device, a dynamic positioning system, a fly-by-wire operation of aircraft flight control surfaces system, a railway signaling system, a variable speed motor drive system, an automobile indicator lights system, an anti-lock braking and engine-management system, a remote monitoring system, an operation or programming system for a network-enabled process plant, an anti-collision traffic system, a nuclear plant, a chemical factory, a train, and an aircraft.
20. An automated system, comprising a sensor arrangement designed using a method according to claim 21.
21. A method of designing a sensor arrangement for an automated system, the method comprising
receiving a specification of a plurality of sensor measurements to be carried out by the sensor arrangement;
receiving a specification of a confidence region together with an associated confidence level for each of the specified sensor measurements;
receiving a specification of a target confidence level for the automated system;
configuring the plurality of sensor measurements and for configuring the combination of the sensor measurements in a manner to guarantee the target confidence level for the automated system.
22. (canceled)
23. (canceled)