Embodiments of the disclosure provide an optical sensing system, a range estimation system for the optical sensing system, and a method for the optical sensing system. The exemplary optical sensing system includes a transmitter configured to emit a laser pulse towards an object. The optical sensing system further includes a range estimation system configured to estimate a range between the object and the optical sensing system. The range estimation system includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) configured to generate a plurality of pulse samples based on the laser pulse returned from the object. The returned laser pulse has a substantially triangular waveform including a rising edge and a falling edge. The range estimation system further includes a processor. The processor is configured to generate synthesized pulse samples on the substantially triangular waveform based on the pulse samples. The processor is further configured to determine an arrival time of the returned laser pulse based on the ADC generated pulse samples and the synthesized pulse samples. The processor is also configured to estimate a range between the object and the optical sensing system based on the arrival time of the returned laser pulse.

A method for calculating time-of-flight on a LiDAR system is provided. The method comprises transmitting outgoing light pulses to a beam steering system that redirects the outgoing light pulses to a field of view of the LiDAR system; detecting return pulses corresponding to the outgoing light pulses; obtaining an intensity of a return pulse of the detected return pulses; determining whether the intensity of the return pulse is within an intensity threshold; and based on the determination, selecting a pulse-center based method or a pulse-edge based method for measuring a time-of-flight between the return pulse and the corresponding outgoing light pulse. The time-of-flight is a time lapse between a timing of the return pulse and a timing of the corresponding outgoing light pulse. The method further comprises measuring the time-of-flight based on the selected method.

A photoelectric sensor includes: a first signal processing chain including a first amplifier configured to amplify an output signal from a preamplifier by a first amplification factor A1 and a first binarization circuit configured to binarize an output signal from the first amplifier by a first threshold Vthl; and a second signal processing chain including a second amplifier configured to amplify an output signal from the preamplifier by a second amplification factor A2 and a second binarization circuit configured to binarize an output signal from the second amplifier by a second threshold Vth2. The first threshold and the second threshold, and the first amplification factor and the second amplification factor satisfy the following relational expression: 1 < (Vth2/Vth1) < α = (A2/A1).

A presence detection system (700) configured to detect a presence of a window (130) or a mirror (330) is disclosed. The system comprises a time-of-flight sensor (110, 310, 610) configured to detect a proximity to a target (105, 305, 605) based on reflected radiation sensed from a plurality of zones (620a-i). The system also discloses processing circuitry (750) configured to determine a presence of a mirror or window in a path from the time-of-flight sensor to the target based on one or more peaks in data corresponding to the sensed radiation reflected from each of the plurality of zones. A corresponding method of detecting a presence of a window or a mirror using the disclosed system is also disclosed.

A method of light detection and ranging comprises a displaying a first hologram of a first light pattern on a first array of light-modulating pixels and illuminating the first hologram with first pulsed light in order to project the first light pattern onto the scene. The method comprises a displaying a second hologram of a second light pattern on a second array of light-modulating pixels and illuminating the second hologram with second pulsed light in order to project the second light pattern onto the scene. At least one pulse property of the first pulsed light is different to that of the second pulsed light.

According to a method for object recognition by an active optical sensor system (2), a detector unit (2b) detects light (3b) reflected off an object (4) and generates a sensor signal (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f) on the basis thereof. A computing unit (2c) ascertains a first pulse width (D1) defined by a first limit value (G1) for the amplitude of the sensor signal (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f) as well as a second pulse width (D2) defined by a corresponding second limit value (G2). The computing unit (2c) ascertains at least one property of the object (4) according to the first pulse width (D1) and according to the second pulse width (D2).

A Lidar system is provided. The Lidar system comprise: a light source configured to emit a multi-pulse sequence to measure a distance between the Lidar system and a location in a three-dimensional environment, and the multi-pulse sequence comprises multiple pulses having a temporal profile; a photosensitive detector configured to detect light pulses from the three-dimensional environment; and one or more processors configured to: determine a coding scheme comprising the temporal profile, wherein the coding scheme is determined dynamically based on one or more real-time conditions including an environment condition, a condition of the Lidar system or a signal environment condition; and calculate the distance based on a time of flight of a sequence of detected light pulses, wherein the time of flight is determined by determining a match between the sequence of detected light pulses and the temporal profile.

A technology is described for mapping a physical environment. An example method may include receiving laser point data for laser light reflected from the physical environment and detected by a laser sensor. Points included in the laser point data can be correlated to grid cells in an environment map that represents the physical environment. Error ranges for the points correlated to the grid cells can be determined based in part on an error distribution. Occupation probabilities can then be calculated for the grid cells in the environment map using an interpolation technique and grid cell occupation probabilities for adjacent error grid cells selected based in part on the error ranges of the points, and the grid cells in the environment map can be updated with the occupation probabilities.

One example method involves a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device focusing light from a target region in a scene for receipt by a detector. The method also involves emitting a primary light pulse. The method also involves directing, via one or more optical elements, the primary light pulse toward the target region. The primary light pulse illuminates the target region according to a primary light intensity of the primary light pulse. The method also involves emitting a secondary light pulse. At least a portion of the secondary light pulse illuminates the target region according to a secondary light intensity of the secondary light pulse. The secondary light intensity is less than the primary light intensity.

An object detection device includes: a transmission unit transmitting a first transmission wave; a reception unit receiving a first reception wave reflected by an object; a signal processing unit sampling a first processing target signal according to the first reception wave and acquiring a difference signal based on a difference between the first processing target signal for at least one sample at a certain detection timing, and the first processing target signal for a plurality of samples in at least one of first and second periods; a threshold setting unit setting a threshold as a comparison target with the value of the difference signal, based on variation in the values of the first processing target signal for the plurality of samples; and a detection unit detecting information about the object at the detection timing based on a comparison result between the value of the difference signal and the threshold.