An aspect of the disclosure is related to an apparatus consisting of a first chip including a first waveguide and a second chip including a second waveguide. The apparatus further includes a medium to couple the first waveguide with the second waveguide. The first plane of the first chip is arranged to be perpendicular to a second plane of the second chip to enable a polarization rotation.
G02B 6/126 - Guides de lumièreDétails de structure de dispositions comprenant des guides de lumière et d'autres éléments optiques, p. ex. des moyens de couplage du type guide d'ondes optiques du genre à circuit intégré utilisant des effets de polarisation
G02B 6/12 - Guides de lumièreDétails de structure de dispositions comprenant des guides de lumière et d'autres éléments optiques, p. ex. des moyens de couplage du type guide d'ondes optiques du genre à circuit intégré
Observed environment lidar sensor data including a plurality of spatial points is received for a mobile entity. The observed environment lidar sensor data is transformed into one or more alternative observed environment candidates. A corresponding observed environment reduced representation is calculated for the observed environment lidar sensor data and each of the one or more alternative observed environment candidates. The observed environment reduced representations is correlated with reference reduced representations for different geographical locations to determine correlation results. Based on the correlation results, a current location of the mobile entity is identified.
A LiDAR system includes a first mirror (116) positioned to receive the outgoing light beam (108) from the laser; a second mirror (118) ) positioned to receive a reflected light beam from the first mirror (116) and to redirect the reflected light beam (110) onto a target, and a detector that detects return light reflected off of the target. The second mirror of the optical periscope includes a cross-sectional area sized and shaped to substantially match a cross-sectional area of the reflected light beam to improve a quality of signal detected by the detector.
In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit (i) local-oscillator light and (ii) pulses of light, where each emitted pulse of light is coherent with a corresponding portion of the local-oscillator light. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect the local-oscillator light and a received pulse of light, the received pulse of light comprising light from one of the emitted pulses of light that is scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The local-oscillator light and the received pulse of light are coherently mixed together at the receiver. The receiver includes one or more detectors configured to produce one or more respective photocurrent signals corresponding to the coherent mixing of the local-oscillator light and the received pulse of light. The receiver also includes a pulse-detection circuit configured to determine a time-of-arrival for the received pulse of light.
In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit an optical signal. The light source includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a seed optical signal and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) configured to amplify the seed optical signal to produce an amplified seed optical signal, where the emitted optical signal includes the amplified seed optical signal. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to direct the emitted optical signal into a field of regard of the lidar system and a receiver configured to detect a portion of the emitted optical signal scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target.
Amplifier input protection circuits are described. In one embodiment, a photoreceiver for a lidar system has a photodetector configured to generate an output current in response to received light. A transimpedance amplifier is configured to receive the output current and generate a voltage output corresponding to the output current in response thereto, and a diode circuit has a cathode coupled at a node between the photodetector output and the transimpedance amplifier input.
H03F 1/52 - Circuits pour la protection de ces amplificateurs
H03F 1/22 - Modifications des amplificateurs pour réduire l'influence défavorable de l'impédance interne des éléments amplificateurs par utilisation de couplage dit "cascode", c.-à-d. étage avec cathode ou émetteur à la masse suivi d'un étage avec grille ou base à la masse respectivement
H03F 3/10 - Amplificateurs comportant comme éléments d'amplification uniquement des tubes à décharge ou uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs comportant uniquement des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs avec des diodes
G01S 17/06 - Systèmes déterminant les données relatives à la position d'une cible
7.
LIDAR RECEIVER WITH MULTIPLE DETECTORS FOR RANGE-AMBIGUITY MITIGATION
In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit multiple optical signals directed into a field of regard of the lidar system. The optical signals include a first optical signal and a second optical signal, where the second optical signal is emitted a particular time interval after the first optical signal is emitted. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect a received optical signal that includes a portion of the emitted first or second optical signal that is scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The received optical signal is detected after the second optical signal is emitted. The receiver includes a first detector configured to detect a first portion of the received optical signal and a second detector configured to detect a second portion of the received optical signal.
A computer-implemented method of determining relative velocity between a vehicle and an object. The method includes receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors of the vehicle. The one or more sensors are configured to sense an environment through which the vehicle is moving by following a scan pattern comprising component scan lines. The method includes obtaining, by one or more processors, a point cloud frame based on the sensor data and representative of the environment and identifying, by the one or more processors, a point cloud object within the point cloud frame. The method further includes determining, by the one or more processors, that the point cloud object is skewed relative to an expected configuration of the point cloud object, and determining, by the one or more processors, a relative velocity of the point cloud object by analyzing the skew of the object.
A method in a lidar system for scanning a field of regard of the lidar system is provided. The method includes identifying, within the field of regard, a ground portion that overlaps a region of ground located ahead of the lidar system; causing a light source to emit pulses of light; scanning at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light along a scan pattern contained within the field of regard, including adjusting a scan parameter so that at least one of a resolution or a pulse energy for the ground portion of the field of regard is modified relative to another portion of the field of regard; and detecting at least a portion of the scanned pulses of light scattered by one or more remote targets.
G01S 17/02 - Systèmes utilisant la réflexion d'ondes électromagnétiques autres que les ondes radio
G02B 7/182 - Montures, moyens de réglage ou raccords étanches à la lumière pour éléments optiques pour prismesMontures, moyens de réglage ou raccords étanches à la lumière pour éléments optiques pour miroirs pour miroirs
A machine vision system comprises a camera configured to generate one or more images of a field of regard of the camera, a lidar system, and a processor. The lidar system includes a laser configured to emit light, where the emitted light is directed toward a region within the field of regard of the camera and a receiver configured to detect light returned from the emitted light. The processor is configured to receive an indication of a location based on the returned light and determine whether a solid object is present at the location based on the one or more images.
G01S 7/487 - Extraction des signaux d'écho désirés
G01S 17/10 - Systèmes déterminant les données relatives à la position d'une cible pour mesurer la distance uniquement utilisant la transmission d'ondes à modulation d'impulsion interrompues
11.
CONTROLLING VEHICLE SENSORS BASED ON DYNAMIC OBJECTS
A method for controlling at least a first vehicle sensor includes receiving sensor data generated by one or more vehicle sensors that are configured to sense an environment through which the vehicle is moving, and identifying, based on the received sensor data, one or more current and/or predicted positions of one or more dynamic objects that are currently moving, or are capable of movement, within the environment. The method also includes causing, based on the current and/or predicted positions of the dynamic objects, an area of focus of the first sensor to be adjusted, at least by causing (i) a field of regard of the first sensor, and/or (ii) a spatial distribution of scan lines produced by the first sensor, to be adjusted.
B60W 40/02 - Calcul ou estimation des paramètres de fonctionnement pour les systèmes d'aide à la conduite de véhicules routiers qui ne sont pas liés à la commande d'un sous-ensemble particulier liés aux conditions ambiantes
G05D 1/02 - Commande de la position ou du cap par référence à un système à deux dimensions
G05D 1/00 - Commande de la position, du cap, de l'altitude ou de l'attitude des véhicules terrestres, aquatiques, aériens ou spatiaux, p. ex. utilisant des pilotes automatiques
B60R 21/0134 - Circuits électriques pour déclencher le fonctionnement des dispositions de sécurité en cas d'accident, ou d'accident imminent, de véhicule comportant des moyens pour détecter les collisions, les collisions imminentes ou un renversement réagissant à un contact imminent avec un obstacle
12.
CONTROLLING AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE BASED ON INDEPENDENT DRIVING DECISIONS
A computer-readable medium stores instructions executable by one or more processors to implement an aggregate self-driving control architecture (SDCA) for controlling an autonomous vehicle. The aggregate SDCA includes a plurality of SDCAs each including a different motion planner. Each motion planner is configured to receive signals descriptive of a current state of an environment through which the autonomous vehicle is moving, and each SDCA is configured to generate candidate decisions for controlling the autonomous vehicle by using the respective motion planner to process the received signals. The aggregate SDCA also includes a decision arbiter configured to receive the candidate decisions generated by the SDCAs, generate decisions for controlling the autonomous vehicle by processing the candidate decisions, and provide signals indicative of the generated decisions to one or more operational subsystems of the vehicle to effectuate maneuvering of the vehicle.
In one embodiment, a laser system includes: a seed laser diode configured to produce a free-space seed-laser beam; a seed-laser lens configured to collimate the seed-laser beam; a pump laser diode configured to produce a free-space pump-laser beam; a pump-laser lens configured to collimate the pump-laser beam; an optical-beam combiner configured to combine the collimated seed-laser and pump-laser beams into a combined free-space beam; a focusing lens configured to focus the combined beam; and an optical gain fiber that includes an input end configured to receive the focused beam. The laser system also includes a mounting platform, where one or more of the seed laser, the seed-laser lens, the pump laser, the pump-laser lens, the combiner, the focusing lens, and the input end of the gain fiber are mechanically attached to the platform.
G01S 17/10 - Systèmes déterminant les données relatives à la position d'une cible pour mesurer la distance uniquement utilisant la transmission d'ondes à modulation d'impulsion interrompues
G02B 27/09 - Mise en forme du faisceau, p. ex. changement de la section transversale, non prévue ailleurs
H01S 3/00 - Lasers, c.-à-d. dispositifs utilisant l'émission stimulée de rayonnement électromagnétique dans la gamme de l’infrarouge, du visible ou de l’ultraviolet
To decrease the likelihood of a false detection when detecting light from light pulses scattered by remote targets in a lidar system, a receiver in the lidar system includes a photodetector and a pulse-detection circuit having a gain circuit with a varying amount of gain over time. The gain circuit operates in a low-gain mode for a time period T1 beginning with time t0 when a light pulse is emitted to prevent the receiver from detecting return light pulses during the threshold time period T1. Upon expiration of the threshold time period T1, the gain circuit operates in a high-gain mode to begin detecting return light pulses until a subsequent light pulse is emitted.
G01S 7/489 - Récepteurs le gain du récepteur variant automatiquement pendant la période de récurrence des impulsions
G01S 17/10 - Systèmes déterminant les données relatives à la position d'une cible pour mesurer la distance uniquement utilisant la transmission d'ondes à modulation d'impulsion interrompues
To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses provided by the light pulse. Triggering events may include exceeding a threshold speed, being within a threshold distance of a person or other object, an atmospheric condition, etc. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.
A lidar system includes a transmitter that encodes successive transmit pulses with different pulse characteristics and a receiver that detects the pulse characteristics of each received (scattered or reflected) pulse and that distinguishes between the received pulses based on the detected pulse characteristics. The lidar system thus resolves range ambiguities by encoding pulses of scan positions in the same or different scan periods to have different pulse characteristics, such as different pulse widths or different pulse envelope shapes. The receiver includes a pulse decoder configured to detect the relevant pulse characteristics of the received pulse and a resolver that determines if the pulse characteristics of the received pulse matches the pulse characteristics of the current scan position or that of a previous scan position.
A lidar system operates as an active short-wave infrared (SWIR) camera system to determine a four-dimensional image at each point in a two-dimensional field of regard. The camera system includes a short-wave infrared spectrum scanner that transmits a pulse of light at a particular position or coordinate in a two-dimensional field of regard and a receiver that detects return pulses scattered from a target in the field of regard coincident with the particular position. The receiver includes a detector that detects the returned pulse, a range determination unit that determines, based on the timing of the returned pulse, a distance to the target at the particular position, and an intensity measurement unit that determines the magnitude, amplitude, or intensity of the returned pulse, which information provides an indication of the relative, or in some cases, absolute reflectivity of the target at the particular point in the field of regard.
A lidar system includes a light source configured to emit light pulses and a receiver configured to detect light from some of the light pulses scattered by remote targets. The receiver includes an avalanche photodiode operating in the linear mode for detecting the light pulses. To prevent damage to the linear mode avalanche photodiode a quench circuit is coupled to the avalanche photodiode, where the quench circuit reduces a bias voltage applied to the avalanche photodiode, when an avalanche event occurs at the avalanche photodiode.
In one embodiment, a system includes a first lidar sensor, which includes a first scanner configured to scan first pulses of light along a first scan pattern and a first receiver configured to detect scattered light from the first pulses of light. The system also includes a second lidar sensor, which includes a second scanner configured to scan second pulses of light along a second scan pattern and a second receiver configured to detect scattered light from the second pulses of light. The first scan pattern and the second scan pattern are at least partially overlapped. The system further includes an enclosure, where the first lidar sensor and the second lidar sensor are contained within the enclosure. The enclosure includes a window configured to transmit the first pulses of light and the second pulses of light.
G01S 17/10 - Systèmes déterminant les données relatives à la position d'une cible pour mesurer la distance uniquement utilisant la transmission d'ondes à modulation d'impulsion interrompues
20.
LIDAR SYSTEM WITH DISTRIBUTED LASER AND MULTIPLE SENSOR HEADS AND PULSED LASER FOR LIDAR SYSTEM
A lidar system includes a light source, multiple optical links, and multiple sensor heads. Each optical link couples the light source to a corresponding sensor head, and each optical link conveys emitted pulses of light to the corresponding sensor head. Each sensor head includes a scanner and a detector. A laser system includes a seed laser and a first fiber-optic amplifier to amplify the seed pulses. The laser system further includes an optical filter to remove an amount of amplified spontaneous emission from the output of the first amplifier. The laser system also includes a second fiber-optic amplifier to receive the amplified seed pulses from the first optical filter. The output pulses have characteristics that include: a repetition frequency less than or equal to 100 MHz; a duration less than or equal to 20 nanoseconds; and a duty cycle less than or equal to 1%.
G01C 3/08 - Utilisation de détecteurs électriques de radiations
G01B 11/26 - Dispositions pour la mesure caractérisées par l'utilisation de techniques optiques pour mesurer des angles ou des cônesDispositions pour la mesure caractérisées par l'utilisation de techniques optiques pour tester l'alignement des axes
A lidar system may have a light source configured to emit a pulse of light and a scanner that scans a field of view of the light source in a forward-scanning direction across a plurality of pixels located downrange from the lidar system. The scanner can direct the pulse of light toward the second pixel and scan a field of view of a first detector. The first-detector field of view can be offset from the light-source field of view in a direction opposite the forward-scanning direction. When the pulse is emitted, the first-detector field of view can at least partially overlap the first pixel and the light-source field of view can at least partially overlap the second pixel. The first detector can be configured to detect a portion of the pulse of light scattered by a target located at least partially within the second pixel.
09 - Appareils et instruments scientifiques et électriques
Produits et services
Optical and proximity sensors; Sensor systems comprised of optical and proximity sensors for scanning terrain, objects, persons, and atmospheric components; Computer hardware systems for laser scanning or 3D scanning for customization by users; Software for use in operating optical and proximity sensor systems and hardware; Software for creating topographical maps and high-resolution digital elevation maps; Motor vehicle collision avoidance system, namely, an electronic alert system that detects and reacts to road conditions and other motor vehicles, comprised primarily of distance and optical sensors, distance measuring, warning and speed measuring apparatus
The systems and methods described herein include a device that can scan the surrounding environment and construct a 3D image, map, or representation of the surrounding environment using, for example, invisible light projected into the environment. In some implementations, the device can also project into the surrounding environment one or more visible radiation pattern patterns (e.g., a virtual object, text, graphics, images, symbols, color patterns, etc.) that are based at least in part on the 3D map of the surrounding environment.
The systems and methods described herein include a device that can scan the surrounding environment and construct a 3D image, map, or representation of the surrounding environment using, for example, invisible light projected into the environment. In some implementations, the device can also project into the surrounding environment one or more visible radiation pattern patterns (e.g., a virtual object, text, graphics, images, symbols, color patterns, etc.) that are based at least in part on the 3D map of the surrounding environment.
