A failure detection apparatus (10) acquires, as target data, sensor data output in a past reference period by a sensor (31), such as a millimeter wave radar or LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), mounted on a moving body (100). The failure detection apparatus (10) determines whether detected data indicating a characteristic of a detected object indicated by normal data, which is sensor data output when the sensor (31) is normal, is included in the acquired detected data in the past reference period. In this way, the failure detection apparatus (10) determines whether a failure has occurred in the sensor (31).

An assembly includes an optical element having a light-shaping region. A light emitter is aimed into the optical element along an internal reflective path. The internal reflective path extends across the light-shaping region. A photodetector is positioned along the internal reflective path. Integrity of the optical element is determined based on detection of light from the light emitter along the internal reflective path by the photodetector.

An example method includes receiving, from a light detector, information indicative of a light intensity of a field of view of an optical system. The optical system includes one or more optical components and a light detector configured to receive light from a field of view of an environment of the optical system by way of the one or more optical components. The optical system also includes an occlusion-detection camera configured to capture images of the one or more optical components. The example method also includes adjusting, based on the received information, at least one operating parameter of the occlusion-detection camera. The example method also includes causing the occlusion-detection camera to capture at least one image of the one or more optical components according to the at least one adjusted operating parameter.

An apparatus for detecting pollution in a window cover of a LiDAR sensor includes: a laser signal transmitter that transmits laser signals having a same amplitude and wavelength to one or more pollution detecting regions on the window cover; a reflected signal receiver that receives reflected signals that have been reflected and returned from the one or more pollution detecting regions; a memory that stores one or more instructions; and a processor that executes the one or more instructions stored in the memory to sense pollution on the window cover based on the reflected signals.

A LIDAR sensor includes a fiber laser configured to emit an electromagnetic pulse through a fiber cable, and a fiber cable splitter to split the fiber cable into a first fiber cable and a second fiber cable. The electromagnetic pulse is split into an output pulse that propagates through the first fiber cable and a calibration pulse that propagates through the second fiber cable. The LIDAR sensor includes a pulse receiving sensor configured to detect the calibration pulse and a second pulse corresponding to the output pulse being reflected by a surface external from the LiDAR sensor. A processor is included to receive information from the pulse receiving sensor indicating a position of the surface relative to the LiDAR sensor. The processor further measures an intensity of the calibration pulse and determines a reflectance of the surface based at least in part on the intensity of the calibration pulse.

A dynamic sensor model is implemented by a vehicle to adapt sensor behavior to vehicle modifications and transformations. Responsive to impairment of a feature of the vehicle due to initial conditions for a target sensor being outside a range of current readings and further to receiving signals indicative of a upfit to the vehicle, an upfit zone of the vehicle is identified. The upfit zone corresponds to the target sensor. One or more reconfigurations of sensors of the vehicle within the upfit zone are performed to address the impairment of the feature.

A contamination sensor for an optical sensor observation window includes a source, two prisms, a detector, and a controller. The source can emit a collimated light beam at an incident angle that is greater than a critical angle of an interface between a fluid and the window. The window has a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the fluid. The prisms can direct the collimated light beam within the window such that the collimated light beam reflects within a contamination detection zone of the window. The detector can receive the collimated light beam. The controller can communicate with the source and detector. The controller can calculate an emission/detection ratio defined by a difference between an amount of light emitted by the source and an amount of light that passes from the source to the detector by a total internal reflectance of the window.

An optoelectronic sensor (10) for detecting objects comprises a light transmitter (12) for transmitting a light beam (16), a rotatable deflection unit (18) for periodically deflecting the light beam (16), an angle measuring unit (30) for determining an angular position of the deflection unit (18), a light receiver (26) for generating a reception signal from a reflected light beam (22), wherein the angle measuring unit (30) comprises an image sensor (32) moving with the deflection unit and arranged in the direction of a stationary part (44, 46) of the sensor (10), or a stationary image sensor (32) arranged in the direction of the deflection unit (18), further comprising a computing unit (36) to determine a relative movement of the deflection unit (18) with respect to the sensor (10) from a signal of the image sensor (32).

Systems and methods for detecting blockages for light detection and ranging (“LiDAR”) devices are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) blockage detection method includes emitting, by an active channel of a plurality of channels of a LiDAR device, an optical signal toward a configured position on a housing of the LiDAR device. A passive listening channel of the plurality of channels receives a return signal originating from the optical signal. Based on a comparison of data derived from the return signal and data derive from a reference signal, a determination is made as to whether a blockage is present at the configured position on the housing.

The present disclosure relates to optical systems and methods of their operation. An example optical system includes an optical component and one or more light sources configured to emit a light signal. The light signal interacts with the optical component so as to provide an interaction light signal. The optical system also includes a detector configured to detect at least a portion of the interaction light signal as a detected light signal. The optical system additionally includes a controller configured to carry out operations including causing the one or more light sources to emit the light signal and receiving the detected light signal from the detector. The operations also include determining, based on the detected light signal, that one or more defects are associated with the optical component.