Patent Application
20250093493
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-149845 filed on Sep. 15, 2023. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-149845 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The disclosure relates to a target tracking apparatus and a target tracking method.
Conventionally, a radar apparatus has a function of tracking a target based on an echo data. Several kinds of techniques have been developed to prevent the capturing of an unnecessary tracking target. For example, a Japanese Patent Publication No. JP2009-47550 describes an unnecessary tracking target removal apparatus.
The unnecessary tracking target removal apparatus is a device having a function of selecting and removing the unnecessary tracking target in a tracking function of automatically tracking a target supplemented by a radar function. The unnecessary tracking target removal apparatus is provided with a tracking target position information calculation part, a tracking target peripheral area generation part, and an inclusion relation judgment control part.
The tracking target position information calculation part calculates a position information on a latitude and a longitude of the tracking target based on a tracking target distance information and a tracking target orientation information of the tracking target notified by a tracking control part and the latitude and longitude information of a radar installation position. The tracking target peripheral area generation part generates a tracking target peripheral area indicating a peripheral area based on the tracking target position calculated by the tracking target position information calculation part.
The inclusion relation determination control part determines whether or not the tracking target is an unnecessary target based on the inclusion relation between a graphic component and the tracking target peripheral area based on the features of the graphic component of an electronic diagram data corresponding to the position of the tracking target. When the inclusion relation determination control part determines that the tracking target is an unnecessary target, it performs a control processing to output a tracking stop command to the tracking control part.
However, the technology described in the Japanese Patent Application, it is desirable to have a technology that is capable of suppressing false tracking of targets in a radar apparatus.
The disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the target tracking apparatus, a target tracking method and a target tracking program capable of suppressing false tracking of targets are provided.
To solve the problems, the target tracking apparatus of the disclosure is a target tracking apparatus for tracking a target on the water, and is provided with an echo data acquiring interface which acquires echo data indicating a correspondence relationship between a position in the detection target area and a level of reflected waves reflected by electromagnetic waves transmitted through an antenna at the position, and a tracking unit for performing tracking processing which tracks the target based on the echo data.
The target tracking apparatus is further provided with a tracking restriction area setting unit for setting a tracking restriction area. The tracking restriction area setting unit specifies a region where the level of the reflected wave is equal to or greater than a threshold level on the echo data. Then, a region whose size is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is specified as a tracking restriction area. The target tracking apparatus performs the tracking processing based on the echo data where the data of the position in the tracking restriction area is excluded. That is, the tracking processor tracks the target based on the echo data in the area outside the tracking restriction area.
The target area is a region in which the level of the reflected wave is equal to or greater than a threshold level is equal to or greater than a predetermined value may be an area such as land where the target to be detected does not exist. By setting the tracking restriction area including such the target area and performing tracking processing based on the echo data where the data of the position in the tracking restriction area is excluded. The potential target coordinates of the target in the tracking restriction area can be excluded from the tracking target. Thus, a false detection of the target based on the reflected wave reflected in the tracking restriction area can be suppressed. Therefore, the false tracking of the target can be suppressed in a radar apparatus.
According to the first aspect, the tracking restriction area setting unit may approximate the target area by a polygonal reference area and set the reference area as the tracking restriction area when the reference area satisfies a predetermined condition. The tracking restriction area can be set by simple processing.
According to the second aspect, the tracking restriction area setting unit may approximate the target area by a plurality of divided reference areas connected along an azimuthal direction centered on the antenna. When the reference area consisting of the plurality of divided reference areas satisfies the predetermined condition. The tracking restriction area setting unit sets the reference area as the tracking restriction area. Since the tracking restriction area more accurately approximating the target area can be set. The target in the vicinity of the target area can be more accurately tracked.
According to the first aspect, the tracking restriction area setting unit approximates the target area by a reference area surrounded by two straight lines extending in the distance direction from the antenna and two arcs extending in the azimuthal direction around the antenna, and when the reference area satisfies a predetermined condition, the reference area may be set as the tracking restriction area. The tracking restriction area can be set by a simple process.
The tracking restriction area setting unit may approximate the target area by a divided reference area surrounded by two straight lines extending in the distance direction from the antenna and two arcs extending in the azimuthal direction around the antenna. When the reference area consisting of the plurality of divided reference areas where the straight lines overlap each other satisfies the predetermined condition, the reference area may be set as the tracking restriction area. Since the tracking restriction area which more accurately approximates the target area can be set. The target in the vicinity of the target area can be more accurately tracked.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the tracking restriction area setting unit may set the reference area as the tracking restriction area when the width of the reference area in the azimuthal direction centered on the antenna is not less than a predetermined value. An appropriate target area having a large azimuthal width can be set as the tracking restriction area.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the tracking restriction area setting unit may set the reference area as the tracking restriction area when the area of the reference area is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. The appropriate target area having a large area can be set as the tracking restriction area.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the tracking restriction area setting unit may set the reference area as the tracking restriction area when the depth length of the reference area relative to the antenna is not less than the predetermined value. The appropriate target area having a long depth length can be set as the tracking restriction area.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the tracking section may perform the tracking processing based on the echo data in which the data of the position in the area far from the boundary line of the antenna side of the tracking restriction area is excluded. The potential target coordinates of the target mark in the tracking restriction area are tracked by simple processing. The potential target coordinates of the object mark in the tracking restriction area can be removed from the tracking target by simple processing.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the echo data acquiring interface may repeatedly acquire the echo data, and the tracking processor may skip the tracking processing based on a first echo data and perform the tracking processing based on a second echo data acquired after the first echo data when the target cannot be detected based on the first echo data. For example, when the coordinates of the target to be detected deviate from the tracking target based on the tracking restriction area, and when the coordinates of the target cannot be detected based on the first echo data, the coordinates of the target can be detected and tracked based on the second echo data.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the tracking processor may detect the potential target of the target based on the echo data, and when the potential target exists in the tracking restriction area, the potential target may be removed from the tracking target in the tracking processing. The tracking target can be reduced and only the target to be tracked can be tracked, so that false tracking of the target can be suppressed and the processing load in the tracking processing can be reduced.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the tracking processor may further perform a background tracking processing for tracking the potential target removed from the tracking target in the tracking processing. The tracking processor may perform processing for displaying the tracking result of the target tracked in the tracking processing and may not perform processing for displaying the tracking result of the potential target tracked in the background tracking processing. It makes it possible to display only the tracking result of the target to be displayed while continuing tracking of the potential target existing in the tracking restriction area.
In this configuration, the tracking processor may further perform background tracking processing to track the potential target removed from the tracking target in the tracking processing. The tracking processor may perform processing to display the tracking result of the target tracked in the tracking processing and the tracking result of the potential target tracked in the background tracking processing in different manners from each other. It makes it possible to display the tracking result of the target whose display is highly necessary, and the tracking result of the potential target existing in the tracking restriction area by distinguishing them.
According to the aspects as mentioned above, the echo data acquiring interface may repeatedly acquire the echo data. When the potential target detected based on the first echo data exists in the tracking restriction area, the tracking processor may remove the potential target from the tracking target in the tracking processing based on the first echo data and the echo data acquired after the first echo data. Since it is not necessary to determine whether the potential target of the detected target exists in the tracking restriction area every time the echo data is acquired, the processing load in the tracking processing can be reduced.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the target tracking method of the disclosure includes a method for tracking a target on the water. Echo data indicating a correspondence relationship between a position in the detection tracking restriction area and a level of a reflected wave reflected by an electromagnetic wave transmitted through an antenna at the position is acquired, and tracking processing for tracking the target is performed based on the echo data. The target tracking method further includes setting a tracking restriction area including a target area in which the level of the reflected wave is equal to or greater than a threshold level on the echo data and determining whether a region whose size is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is set as a tracking restriction area. The target tracking method also includes performing the tracking processing based on the echo data where the data of the position in the tracking restriction area is excluded. That is, the target tracking method includes tracking the target based on the echo data in the area outside the tracking restriction area.
By a method of setting a tracking restriction area including such target area and performing tracking processing based on echo data in which data of a position in the tracking restriction area is excluded, a potential target of coordinates of a target in the tracking restriction area can be excluded from the tracking target. Therefore, the false detection of a target based on reflected waves reflected in the tracking restriction area can be suppressed. Therefore, the false tracking of a target can be suppressed in the radar apparatus. According to the disclosure, it is possible to suppress false tracking of a target in a radar apparatus.
Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same or corresponding portions in the drawings, and the description is not repeated. At least some of the embodiments described below may be optionally combined.
The target tracking unit 101 is an example of a target tracking apparatus. The radar unit 20 includes an antenna 21, a transmitter/receiver 22, and an echo signal processor 23. The target tracking unit 101 includes an echo data acquiring interface 11, a tracking processor 12, a tracking restriction area setting unit 13 and a memory 14.
The target tracking unit 101 is an example of a tracking part. Some or all of the transmitter/receiver 22, the signal processing module 23, the echo data acquiring interface 11, the tracking processor 12, and tracking restriction area setting unit 13 are implemented, for example, by a processing circuit that includes one or more processors. The memory 14 is, for example, a nonvolatile memory included in the processing circuit.
The target tracking unit 101 tracks the target S of other vessels in the detection target area Ta and displays an echo image indicating the position of the target S on a display apparatus not shown. For example, the detection target area Ta is an area inside a circle of a predetermined size centered on the vessel 1.
Radar section-the radar unit 20 generates divided echo data EdD. The divided echo data EdD is echo data Ed indicating a correspondence relationship between a position in the divided target area Da and an echo level at the position based on the reflected wave reflected by the electromagnetic wave transmitted through the antenna 21. The divided target area Da is a sector-shaped area in which the detection target area Ta is divided into N parts along an azimuthal direction. N is an integer of 2 or more. The echo level at each position of the divided echo data EdD indicates the level of the reflected wave reflected at that position. For example, the radar unit 20 generates the divided echo data EdD at a generation timing following a predetermined generation period.
More specifically, the transmitter/receiver 22 transmits an electromagnetic wave via the antenna 21 and receives a reflected wave reflected by the transmitted electromagnetic wave via the antenna 21 during a sweep period T of predetermined length. The transmitter/receiver 22 generates digital data Dd by digitally converting an echo data indicating the received reflected wave. The transmitter/receiver 22 repeats transmission of the electromagnetic wave and generation of digital data Dd while rotating the antenna 21 so that the azimuth angle in the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave changes by a predetermined angle every sweep period T. Each time the transmitter/receiver 22 generates digital data Dd, it outputs the generated digital data Dd to signal processing module 23.
The signal processing module 23 generates divided echo data EdD based on a plurality of digital data Dd received from the transmitter/receiver 22. For example, the signal processing module 23 generates divided echo data EdD in which echo levels at a plurality of positions of the divided target area Da are binarized. More specifically, divided echo data EdD is generated in which the value of the echo level at a position where the echo level is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold Th1 among a plurality of positions of the divided target area Da is converted to “1” and the value of the echo level at a position where the echo level is less than the threshold Th1 is converted to “0”. Each time the signal processing module 23 generates divided echo data EdD, it transmits the generated divided echo data EdD to the target tracking unit 101.
Target tracking unit-the echo data acquiring interface 11 in the target tracking unit 101 repeatedly acquires concatenated echo data EdC which is echo data Ed indicating the correspondence relationship between the position in the detection target area and the echo level at the position.
More specifically, the echo data acquiring interface 11 receives the divided echo data EdD from the signal processing module 23 and stores the received divided echo data EdD in the memory 14. Each time the divided echo data EdD stored in the memory 14 reaches N, the echo data acquiring interface 11 acquires N divided echo data EdD from the memory 14 and concatenates them to generate the concatenated echo data EdC. The echo data acquiring interface 11 stores the generated concatenated echo data EdC in the memory 14.
The tracking processor 12 performs a tracking process for tracking the target S based on the echo data Ed. More specifically, when the echo data acquiring interface 11 stores the concatenated echo data EdC in memory 14, the tracking processor 12 specifies coordinates indicating the current position of the target S based on the concatenated echo data EdC. The tracking processor 12 calculates a predicted speed vector Vc of the target S based on the coordinates indicating the current position of the specified target S and the velocity vector inferred from the coordinates of the target S in the past sweep period T.
For example, when the target S cannot be detected based on the echo data Ed, the tracking processor 12 skips the tracking processing based on the echo data Ed and performs the tracking processing based on the other echo data Ed generated after the echo data Ed. More specifically, when the coordinate indicating the current position of the target S cannot be determined based on the concatenated echo data EdC, the tracking processor 12 waits for the echo data acquiring interface 11 to store the new concatenated echo data EdC in memory 14. Then, the tracking processor 12 determines the coordinate indicating the current position of the target S and calculates the predicted speed vector Vc based on the newly stored concatenated echo data EdC.
Based on the echo data Ed, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets a tracking restriction area Fa including an echo area Ea whose echo level is equal to or greater than a threshold value Th1 and whose magnitude is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The echo area Ea is an example of a target area. More specifically, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 detects the echo area Ea based on the echo level indicated by the multiple divided echo data EdD in memory 14. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the tracking restriction area Fa containing the detected echo area Ea. For example, echo area Ea is a land area. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 stores configuration information indicating the coordinates of the configured tracking restriction area Fa in memory 14. The details of the procedure for setting the tracking restriction area Fa by the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 will be described later.
The tracking processor 12 performs tracking processing based on the echo data Ed from which the data of the position in the tracking restriction area Fa is excluded. More specifically, when a potential target Cs of the coordinates of the target S detected based on the concatenated echo data EdC exists outside the tracking restriction area Fa, the tracking processor 12 determines that the potential target Cs are coordinates indicating the current position of the target S and performs tracking processing. Specifically, the tracking processor 12 calculates the predicted speed vector Vc of the target S based on the determined coordinates indicating the current position of the target S and the velocity vector inferred from the coordinates of the target S in the past sweep period T.
On the other hand, when the potential target Cs of the coordinates of the target S detected based on the concatenated echo data EdC exists in the tracking restriction area Fa, the tracking processor 12 determines that the potential target Cs is not the coordinates indicating the current position of the target S and removes the potential target Cs from the tracking target in the tracking processing.
For example, when the potential target Cs detected based on the concatenated echo data EdC exists in the tracking restriction area Fa, the tracking processor 12 removes the potential target Cs from the tracking target in the tracking processing based on the concatenated echo data EdC and other concatenated echo data EdC generated after the concatenated echo data EdC.
More specifically, when the potential target Cs exists in the tracking restriction area Fa in the concatenated echo data EdC initially generated after the activation of the target tracking unit 101, the tracking processor 12 keeps the potential target Cs out of the tracking target even when the potential target Cs is located outside the tracking restriction area Fa in other concatenated echo data EdC generated after the concatenated echo data EdC.
For example, the tracking processor 12 further performs background tracking processing to track potential target Cs that have been removed from the tracking target in the tracking processing. While the tracking processor 12 performs processing to display the tracking result of target S as described above, the tracking result of potential target Cs that have been tracked in the background tracking processing are not processed.
In addition to the tracking result of target S, the tracking processor 12 may be configured to perform processing to display the tracking result of potential target Cs that have been tracked in the background tracking processing. In this case, for example, the tracking processor 12 performs processing to display the tracking result of target S that has been tracked in the tracking processing and the tracking result of potential target Cs that has been tracked in the background tracking processing in different ways. Specifically, the tracking processor 12 performs processing to display the icon indicating target S and the icon indicating potential target Cs in different colors.
For example, the tracking processor 12 performs tracking processing based on echo data Ed in which data of the position in the area far from the boundary line of antenna 21 side of tracking restriction area Fa is excluded. More specifically, the tracking processor 12 detects the boundary line of antenna 21 side of tracking restriction area Fa based on the latest setting information in memory 14. The tracking processor 12 performs tracking processing based on the echo level in the area on the antenna side of the boundary line among the echo levels indicated by the connected echo data EdC.
Setting example 1 of the tracking restriction area—
Referring to
The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the reference area Ra1 as the tracking restriction area Fa when the approximate reference area Ra1 satisfies a predetermined condition. More specifically, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines whether the reference area Ra1 satisfies the condition A in which the width W1 in the azimuthal direction around the antenna 21 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines whether the reference area Ra1 satisfies the condition B in which the area S1 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines whether the condition C in which the depth length L1 of the reference area Ra1 with respect to the antenna 21 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value is satisfied.
When the reference area Ra1 satisfies all of the conditions A, B, and C, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the reference area Ra1 as the tracking restriction area Fa. When the reference area Ra1 satisfies at least one of the conditions A, B, and C, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 may be configured to set the reference area Ra1 as the tracking restriction area Fa.
For example, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 updates the echo area Ea in the detection target area Ta and approximates the updated echo area Ea by the reference area Ra1 each time the echo data acquiring interface 11 stores the divided echo data EdD in memory 14. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 waits for the echo data acquiring interface 11 to store the new divided echo data EdD in memory 14 without setting the tracking restriction area Fa when the approximated reference area Ra1 does not satisfy some or all of the conditions A, B, and C.
On the other hand, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the reference area Ra1 as the tracking restriction area Fa, when the approximated reference area Ra1 satisfies all of the conditions A, B, and C. Then, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 updates the setting information in the memory 14 to the setting information indicating the coordinates of the newly set tracking restriction area Fa.
Example 2 of setting the tracking restriction area—
Referring to
The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the reference area Ra2 of a polygon consisting of a plurality of divided reference area DRa as the tracking restriction area Fa when the reference area Ra2 satisfies a predetermined condition.
More specifically, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines whether or not the reference area Ra2 satisfies the condition A in which the width W2 in the azimuthal direction around the antenna 21 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines whether or not the reference area Ra2 satisfies the condition B in which the area S2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines whether or not the condition C in which the depth length L2 of the reference area Ra2 with respect to the antenna 21 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is satisfied. When the reference area Ra2 satisfies all of the conditions A, B, and C, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the reference area Ra2 as the tracking restriction area Fa. When the reference area Ra2 satisfies at least one of the conditions A, B, and C, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 may be configured to set the reference area Ra2 as the tracking restriction area Fa.
For example, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 updates the echo area Ea in the detection target area Ta each time the divided echo data EdD is stored in the memory 14 by the echo data acquiring interface 11 and approximates the updated echo area Ea by a plurality of divided reference area DRa. The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 waits for the echo data acquiring interface 11 to store the new divided echo data EdD in the memory 14 without setting the tracking restriction area Fa when the reference area Ra2 consisting of the approximated plurality of divided reference area DRa does not satisfy some or all of the conditions A, B, C.
On the other hand, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the reference area Ra2 as the tracking restriction area Fa when all of the conditions A, B, and C are satisfied by the reference area Ra2 consisting of the plurality of divided reference areas DRa. Then, the tracking restriction area setting unit13 updates the setting information in the memory 14 to the setting information indicating the coordinates of the newly set tracking restriction area Fa.
In this way, with the configuration in which the reference area Ra2 consisting of a plurality of divided reference areas DRa is set as the tracking restriction area Fa, the target S in front of the echo area Ea can be more accurately tracked from the viewpoint of the vessel 1 than with the configuration in which the reference area Ra1 is set as the tracking restriction area Fa.
Flow of operation—A radar apparatus, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, is provided with a computer including a memory, and a processor such as a central processing unit CPU in the computer reads and executes a program including part or all of the steps of the following flowchart from the memory. The program of the apparatus can be installed externally. The program of the apparatus is distributed in a state stored in a recording medium or through a communication line.
Referring to
Next, the tracking processor 12 in the target tracking unit 101 updates the echo area Ea in the detection target area Ta based on the divided echo data EdD, and approximates the updated echo area Ea by the reference area Ra1 step S13.
Next, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the reference area Ra1 as the tracking restriction area Fa when, for example, the approximated reference area Ral satisfies all the conditions A, B, and C step S14.
Next, the tracking processor 12 updates the setting information in the memory 14 to the setting information indicating the coordinates of the newly set tracking restriction area Fa step S15.
Next, the target tracking unit 101 detects the potential target Cs of the coordinates of the target S based on the concatenated echo data EdC step S16.
Next, when the potential target Cs of the coordinates of the target S exists outside the tracking restriction area Fa NO in step S17, the target tracking unit 101 determines that the potential target Cs is a coordinate indicating the current position of the target S and performs tracking processing. More specifically, the tracking processor 12 calculates the predicted speed vector Vc of the target S based on the coordinate indicating the current position of the target S and the velocity vector estimated from the coordinate of the target S in the past sweep period T step S18.
Next, the tracking processor 12 waits for a new generation timing NO in step S11.
On the other hand, when the potential target Cs of the coordinates of the target S exists in the tracking restriction area Fa YES in step S17, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines that the potential target Cs is not a coordinate indicating the current position of the target S and removes the potential target Cs from the tracking target step S19.
Next, the target tracking unit 101 waits for a new generation timing NO in step S11.
Referring to
Next, the tracking processor 12 updates the echo area Ea in the detection target area Ta based on the divided echo data EdD and approximates the updated echo area Ea by a plurality of divided reference area DRa step S23.
Next, the tracking restriction area setting unit sets the reference area Ra2 as the tracking restriction area Fa when, for example, the reference area Ra2 consisting of the approximated plurality of divided reference area DRa satisfies all the conditions A, B, and C step S24.
Next, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 updates the setting information in the memory 14 to the setting information indicating the coordinates of the newly set tracking restriction area Fa step S25.
Next, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 detects the potential target Cs of the coordinates of the target S based on the concatenated echo data EdC step S26.
Next, when the potential target Cs of the coordinates of the target S exists outside the tracking restriction area Fa NO in step S27, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines that the potential target Cs is a coordinate indicating the current position of the target S and performs tracking processing. More specifically, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 calculates the predicted speed vector Vc of the target S based on the coordinate indicating the current position of the target S and the velocity vector estimated from the coordinate of the target S in the past sweep period T step S28.
Next, the tracking processor 12 waits for a new generation timing NO in step S21. On the other hand, when a potential target Cs for the coordinates of the target S exists in the tracking restriction area Fa YES in step S27, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 determines that the potential target Cs is not a coordinate indicating the current position of the target S and removes the potential target Cs from the tracking target step S29.
Next, the tracking processor 12 waits for a new generation timing NO in step S21.
In the target tracking unit 101 according to the embodiment of the disclosure, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 approximates the echo area Ea by the reference area Ra1 or a plurality of divided reference areas DRa, and sets the reference area Ra2 consisting of the reference area Ra1 or a plurality of divided reference areas DRa as the tracking restriction area Fa, but is not limited thereto.
The tracking restriction area setting unit 13 may be configured to set the tracking restriction area Fa without approximating the echo area Ea by the reference area Ra1 or a plurality of divided reference areas DRa. More specifically, for example, the tracking restriction area setting unit 13 sets the tracking restriction area Fa having a shape along the outer edge of the echo area Ea based on the digital data Dd generated by the transmitter/receiver 22 for each sweep period T.
It is to be understood that not necessarily all objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment described herein. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain embodiments may be configured to operate in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of the processes described herein may be embodied in, and fully automated via, software code modules executed by a computing system that includes one or more computers or processors. The code modules may be stored in any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all the methods may be embodied in specialized computer hardware.
Many other variations than those described herein will be apparent from this disclosure. For example, depending on the embodiment, certain acts, events, or functions of any of the algorithms described herein can be performed in a different sequence, can be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., not all described acts or events are necessary for the practice of the algorithms). Moreover, in certain embodiments, acts or events can be performed concurrently, e.g., through multi-threaded processing, interrupt processing, or multiple processors or processor cores or on other parallel architectures, rather than sequentially. In addition, different tasks or processes can be performed by different machines and/or computing systems that can function together.
The various illustrative logical blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiment disclosed herein can be implemented or performed by a machine, such as a processor. A processor can be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor can be a controller, microcontroller, or state machine, combinations of the same, or the like. A processor can include electrical circuitry configured to process computer-executable instructions. In another embodiment, a processor includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable device that performs logic operations without processing computer-executable instructions. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although described herein primarily with respect to digital technology, a processor may also include primarily analog components. For example, some or all of the signal processing algorithms described herein may be implemented in analog circuitry or mixed analog and digital circuitry. A computing environment can include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system based on a microprocessor, a mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, a portable computing device, a device controller, or a computational engine within an appliance, to name a few.
Conditional language such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, are otherwise understood within the context as used in general to convey those certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any embodiment.
Disjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, or Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to present that an item, term, etc., may be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and/or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z to each be present.
Any process descriptions, elements or blocks in the flow diagrams described herein and/or depicted in the attached figures should be understood as potentially representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or elements in the process. Alternate implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein in which elements or functions may be deleted, executed out of order from that shown, or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved as would be understood by those skilled in the art.
Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as “a” or “an” should generally be interpreted to include one or more described items. Accordingly, phrases such as “a device configured to” are intended to include one or more recited devices. Such one or more recited devices can also be collectively configured to carry out the stated recitations. For example, “a processor configured to carry out recitations A, B and C” can include a first processor configured to carry out recitation A working in conjunction with a second processor configured to carry out recitations B and C. The same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce embodiment recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced embodiment recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.).
For expository purposes, the term “horizontal” as used herein is defined as a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the floor of the area in which the system being described is used or the method being described is performed, regardless of its orientation. The term “floor” can be interchanged with the term “ground” or “water surface”. The term “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just defined. Terms such as “above,” “below,” “bottom,” “top,” “side,” “higher,” “lower,” “upper,” “over,” and “under,” are defined with respect to the horizontal plane.
As used herein, the terms “attached,” “connected,” “mated,” and other such relational terms should be construed, unless otherwise noted, to include removable, movable, fixed, adjustable, and/or releasable connections or attachments. The connections/attachments can include direct connections and/or connections having intermediate structure between the two components discussed.
Unless otherwise explicitly stated, numbers preceded by a term such as “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” as used herein include the recited numbers, and also represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, unless otherwise explicitly stated, the terms “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of the stated amount. Features of embodiments disclosed herein preceded by a term such as “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” as used herein represent the feature with some variability that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result for that feature.
The above embodiments should be considered illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure be indicated by the claims rather than the above description and include all changes within the meaning and scope of the claims and equivalence.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-149845 | Sep 2023 | JP | national |
