An image capture control device includes a recognition unit that determines whether a peripheral situation corresponds to a predetermined situation based on image data, and a controller that controls an infrared light irradiation unit to increase a pulse number of transmission pulses to be emitted to a target, when the recognition unit determines that the peripheral situation corresponds to the predetermined situation.

An image capture control device includes a recognition unit that determines whether a peripheral situation corresponds to a predetermined situation based on image data, and a controller that controls an infrared light irradiation unit to increase a pulse number of transmission pulses to be emitted to a target, when the recognition unit determines that the peripheral situation corresponds to the predetermined situation.

A distance measuring device includes a light emitter; a light receiver; a protection cover that is located on an optical path between the light emitter and the light receiver; a mode switch that switches between a first mode and a second mode; a distance calculator that calculates a distance from a target object based on a difference between a time when light is emitted from the light emitter and a time when reflected light is received by the light receiver in the first mode; and an LD light emission intensity adjuster that adjusts a light emission intensity of the light emitter. The adjustment is performed such that a light emission intensity of the light emitter in the second mode is lower than a light emission intensity of the light emitter in the first mode.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an image sensor. An example apparatus includes an image sensor including one or more pixels. Each pixel of the one or more pixels includes a photodetector, and the photodetector includes a photosensitive surface including germanium. In some implementations, the photodetector includes a photodiode including an intrinsic silicon layer doped with germanium or including germanium crystals. The intrinsic layer may be between a p− layer and an n− layer not including germanium. The intrinsic layer may be configured to absorb photons of the light received at the intrinsic layer. The light may include one or more reflections of an emitted light for active depth sensing. For example, the emitted light may be frequency modulated and having a first wavelength for indirect time-of-flight depth sensing. Sampling circuits may generate voltages indicating a phase difference between the emitted light and a reflection of the emitted light.

Disclosed herein is a system and method for facilitating estimation of a spatial profile of an environment based on a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) based technique. By repurposing the optical energy for communications needs, the present disclosure facilitates spatial profile estimation by optical means while facilitating free-space optical communication.

A pulsed light emitting element emits pulsed light that is linearly polarized in a first polarization direction, the pulsed light passes through a polarizing beam splitter and a lens in this order and is radiated onto a target object, reflected light passes through the lens and the polarizing beam splitter in this order, is linearly polarized in a second polarization direction that is different from the first polarization direction, and is concentrated on a light receiving element, the pulsed light emitting element and the light receiving element are provided on a focal plane of the lens, and the optical axis of the pulsed light and the optical axis of the reflected light overlap.

A pulsed light emitting element emits pulsed light that is linearly polarized in a first polarization direction, the pulsed light passes through a polarizing beam splitter and a lens in this order and is radiated onto a target object, reflected light passes through the lens and the polarizing beam splitter in this order, is linearly polarized in a second polarization direction that is different from the first polarization direction, and is concentrated on a light receiving element, the pulsed light emitting element and the light receiving element are provided on a focal plane of the lens, and the optical axis of the pulsed light and the optical axis of the reflected light overlap.

A method, apparatus, and system for filtering obstacle candidates determined based on outputs of a LIDAR device in an autonomous vehicle is disclosed. A point cloud comprising a plurality of points is generated based on outputs of the LIDAR device. One or more obstacle candidates are determined based on the point cloud. The one or more obstacle candidates are filtered to remove a first set of obstacle candidates in the one or more obstacle candidates that correspond to noise based at least in part on characteristics associated with points that correspond to each of the one or more obstacle candidates. One or more recognized obstacles comprising the obstacle candidates that have not been removed are determined. Operations of an autonomous vehicle are controlled based on the recognized obstacles.

A method, apparatus, and system for filtering obstacle candidates determined based on outputs of a LIDAR device in an autonomous vehicle is disclosed. A point cloud comprising a plurality of points is generated based on outputs of the LIDAR device. One or more obstacle candidates are determined based on the point cloud. The one or more obstacle candidates are filtered to remove a first set of obstacle candidates in the one or more obstacle candidates that correspond to noise based at least in part on characteristics associated with points that correspond to each of the one or more obstacle candidates. One or more recognized obstacles comprising the obstacle candidates that have not been removed are determined. Operations of an autonomous vehicle are controlled based on the recognized obstacles.

A control device (100) can communicate with a first sensor (300) for detecting an object around a first vehicle and is equipped on the first vehicle (500). The control device (100) includes a first acquisition unit, a second acquisition unit, a detection unit, and a determination unit. The first acquisition unit acquires a sensing result being a result of detecting an object around the first vehicle (500) from the first sensor (300) equipped on the first vehicle (500). The second acquisition unit acquires positional information of a specified object being an object for performance measurement of the first sensor (300). The detection unit detects the specified object existing within a reference distance from the first vehicle (500), by use of positional information of the first vehicle (500) and positional information of the specified object. The determination unit determines performance of the first sensor (300), based on the sensing result of the specified object by the first sensor (300).