An optical assembly that includes at least one polarizing filter assembly and at least one sensor. The polarizing filter assembly is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by a sun and transmit at least three different portions of EMR towards the at least one sensor, each portion filtered based on a different polarization orientation. A processor device is configured to receive sensor data generated by the at least one sensor in response to receipt of the at least three different portions of EMR, and determine an elevation angle of the sun with respect to a horizon from a geographic location of the optical assembly.

A detector for optical detection of at least one object includes: at least one longitudinal optical sensor including at least one sensor region, and configured to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by a light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the sensor region includes at least one thermoelectric unit configured, upon illumination of the sensor region or a part thereof by the light beam, to generate the longitudinal sensor signal resulting from at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of a temperature in the thermoelectric unit; and at least one evaluation device configured to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal.

A detector for optical detection of at least one object includes: at least one longitudinal optical sensor including at least one sensor region, and configured to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by a light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the sensor region includes at least one thermoelectric unit configured, upon illumination of the sensor region or a part thereof by the light beam, to generate the longitudinal sensor signal resulting from at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of a temperature in the thermoelectric unit; and at least one evaluation device configured to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal.

Example methods and systems for calibrating sensors using road map data are provided. An autonomous vehicle may use various vehicle sensors to assist in navigation. Within examples, the autonomous vehicle may calibrate vehicle sensors through performing a comparison or analysis between information about the environment received by sensors with similar information provided by map data (e.g., a road map). The autonomous vehicle may compare object locations as provided by the sensors and as shown by map data. Based on the comparison, the autonomous vehicle may adjust various sensors to accurately reflect the information as provided by the road map. In some instances, the autonomous vehicle may adjust the position, height, orientation, direction-of-focus, scaling, or other parameters of a sensor based on the information provided by a road map.

An optical encoder configuration comprises a scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output structured illumination to the scale. The scale extends along a measuring axis direction and is configured to output scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the measuring axis direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction as the scale grating displaces along the measuring axis direction. The photodetector configuration is configured to detect a displacement of the high and low intensity bands along the detected fringe motion direction and provide respective spatial phase displacement signals that are indicative of the scale displacement.

An optical encoder configuration comprises a scale, an illumination source, and a photodetector configuration. The illumination source is configured to output structured illumination to the scale. The scale extends along a measuring axis direction and is configured to output scale light that forms a detector fringe pattern comprising periodic high and low intensity bands that extend over a relatively longer dimension along the measuring axis direction and are relatively narrow and periodic along a detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction. The high and low intensity bands move along the detected fringe motion direction transverse to the measuring axis direction as the scale grating displaces along the measuring axis direction. The photodetector configuration is configured to detect a displacement of the high and low intensity bands along the detected fringe motion direction and provide respective spatial phase displacement signals that are indicative of the scale displacement.

The present invention is a standalone motion tracking device using Linear Optical Sensor Arrays (LOSA). The invention constitutes a tracker module and an active marker, which communicate with each other wirelessly. The motion tracking device uses optical tracking along with inertial sensing to estimate the position and attitude of the active marker relative to the tracker module. The system determines the position of the active marker using stereovision triangulation through multiple views emanating from different LOSA modules. The present invention also features novel use of a multi-slit aperture for LOSA sensors in order to increase the field of view and resolution of the position estimates. The system uniquely leverages the structural geometry of the active marker, along with inertial sensing, to estimate the attitude of the active marker relative to the tracker module without relying on magnetic sensing that may often be unreliable.

The present invention is a standalone motion tracking device using Linear Optical Sensor Arrays (LOSA). The invention constitutes a tracker module and an active marker, which communicate with each other wirelessly. The motion tracking device uses optical tracking along with inertial sensing to estimate the position and attitude of the active marker relative to the tracker module. The system determines the position of the active marker using stereovision triangulation through multiple views emanating from different LOSA modules. The present invention also features novel use of a multi-slit aperture for LOSA sensors in order to increase the field of view and resolution of the position estimates. The system uniquely leverages the structural geometry of the active marker, along with inertial sensing, to estimate the attitude of the active marker relative to the tracker module without relying on magnetic sensing that may often be unreliable.

A system for detecting a direction of a source of a laser beam includes a pixelated sensor that is sensitive to the laser beam. A mask is disposed between the source of a laser beam and the pixelated sensor. The mask includes an opaque portion that is opaque to the laser beam and a window portion that is at least translucent to the laser beam. When the laser impinges upon the mask an image of the window portion is projected onto the pixelated sensor. A processor determines an angle of incidence of the laser beam with respect to the mask by determining a number of pixels that the image of the window is offset from where the image of the window would be if the laser beam had been normal to the mask.

A system for detecting a direction of a source of a laser beam includes a pixelated sensor that is sensitive to the laser beam. A mask is disposed between the source of a laser beam and the pixelated sensor. The mask includes an opaque portion that is opaque to the laser beam and a window portion that is at least translucent to the laser beam. When the laser impinges upon the mask an image of the window portion is projected onto the pixelated sensor. A processor determines an angle of incidence of the laser beam with respect to the mask by determining a number of pixels that the image of the window is offset from where the image of the window would be if the laser beam had been normal to the mask.