A distance measuring apparatus includes a light source to emit light beams, an optical scanner to scan the light beams output from the light source over a predetermined range, a light receiver to receive reflected light obtained as a result of the light beams being reflected by a target object, and to output detection signals, and a control circuit to measure a distance to the target object based on the detection signals. The light source including a plurality of light-emitting device groups that are arranged in a scan direction of a scan performed by the optical scanner, and the control circuit being to make the plurality of light-emitting device groups emit light at respective different timings in a single scan, and to measure the distance to the target object based on a sum of the detection signals.

A laser scanner that includes a transmission path and a reception path that is spatially separate from the transmission path, at least in areas. In the laser scanner, the transmission path and the reception path meet on opposite sides of an angularly movable deflection mirror of the laser scanner. An angular position of the deflection mirror in the transmission path defines a scan angle of a laser light of the laser scanner, and the angular position in the reception path compensates for an incidence angle of a reflection of the laser light.

A laser scanner that includes a transmission path and a reception path that is spatially separate from the transmission path, at least in areas. In the laser scanner, the transmission path and the reception path meet on opposite sides of an angularly movable deflection mirror of the laser scanner. An angular position of the deflection mirror in the transmission path defines a scan angle of a laser light of the laser scanner, and the angular position in the reception path compensates for an incidence angle of a reflection of the laser light.

A sensor apparatus includes a sensor having a field of view, a sensor window through which the field of view extends; an air nozzle positioned to direct airflow across the sensor window; a surface fixed relative to the sensor window, the surface including a plurality of heat-dissipation fins; and a cover extending over the fins and including an inlet. The inlet is positioned at an opposite edge of the sensor window from the air nozzle. The air nozzle is aimed at the inlet.

A method and apparatus is provided to calibrate a LiDAR using a reflect array calibration target having a spatially varying spectral reflectance profile. A frequency modulated continuous wave LiDAR emits a beam that spans a range of wavelengths, and, therefore, spatially varying spectral features in the reflectance profile can be used as indicia of where the LiDAR beam hits the calibration target. For example, the center has one absorption wavelength and the periphery has another, such that alignment is achieved by changing the alignment direction to maximize the spectral feature at the one absorption wavelength while minimizing the spectral feature at the other absorption wavelength. Alternatively, at least one spectral feature can have a center wavelength that changes as a function of space. Thus, the LiDAR is aligned by changing the beam direction to shift the center wavelength to a value corresponding to the target center.

A method and apparatus is provided to calibrate a LiDAR using a reflect array calibration target having a spatially varying spectral reflectance profile. A frequency modulated continuous wave LiDAR emits a beam that spans a range of wavelengths, and, therefore, spatially varying spectral features in the reflectance profile can be used as indicia of where the LiDAR beam hits the calibration target. For example, the center has one absorption wavelength and the periphery has another, such that alignment is achieved by changing the alignment direction to maximize the spectral feature at the one absorption wavelength while minimizing the spectral feature at the other absorption wavelength. Alternatively, at least one spectral feature can have a center wavelength that changes as a function of space. Thus, the LiDAR is aligned by changing the beam direction to shift the center wavelength to a value corresponding to the target center.

Embodiments described herein include a method of receiving, by a moving assisting vehicle, a calibration assistance request related to a moving ego vehicle that requested assistance in collaborative calibration of a sensor deployed on the moving ego vehicle. The method further includes analyzing the calibration assistance request to extract at least one of a schedule or an assistance route associated with the requested assistance. The method includes communicating with the moving ego vehicle about a desired location relative to the position of the moving ego vehicle for the moving assisting vehicle to be in order to assist the sensor to acquire information of a target present on the moving assisting vehicle. The method includes facilitating to drive the moving assisting vehicle to reach the desired location to achieve the collaborative calibration of the sensor on the moving ego vehicle.

Embodiments described herein include a method of receiving, by a moving assisting vehicle, a calibration assistance request related to a moving ego vehicle that requested assistance in collaborative calibration of a sensor deployed on the moving ego vehicle. The method further includes analyzing the calibration assistance request to extract at least one of a schedule or an assistance route associated with the requested assistance. The method includes communicating with the moving ego vehicle about a desired location relative to the position of the moving ego vehicle for the moving assisting vehicle to be in order to assist the sensor to acquire information of a target present on the moving assisting vehicle. The method includes facilitating to drive the moving assisting vehicle to reach the desired location to achieve the collaborative calibration of the sensor on the moving ego vehicle.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for detecting an obstacle. The method may include: acquiring first point cloud data collected by a first vehicle-mounted laser radar and second point cloud data collected by a second vehicle-mounted laser radar, where a height of the first vehicle-mounted laser radar from a ground is greater than a height of the second vehicle-mounted laser radar from the ground, and a number of wiring harnesses of the first vehicle-mounted laser radar is greater than a number of wiring harnesses of the second vehicle-mounted laser radar; performing ground estimation based on the first point cloud data; filtering out a ground point in the second point cloud data according to the ground estimation result of the first point cloud data; and performing obstacle detection based on the second point cloud data after the ground point is filtered out.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for detecting an obstacle. The method may include: acquiring first point cloud data collected by a first vehicle-mounted laser radar and second point cloud data collected by a second vehicle-mounted laser radar, where a height of the first vehicle-mounted laser radar from a ground is greater than a height of the second vehicle-mounted laser radar from the ground, and a number of wiring harnesses of the first vehicle-mounted laser radar is greater than a number of wiring harnesses of the second vehicle-mounted laser radar; performing ground estimation based on the first point cloud data; filtering out a ground point in the second point cloud data according to the ground estimation result of the first point cloud data; and performing obstacle detection based on the second point cloud data after the ground point is filtered out.