G01S7/4876

Distance measuring device, distance measuring method, and signal processing method

According to an embodiment, a distance measuring device is a signal processing device that performs processing on time-series luminance signals of each of frames acquired on the basis of reflected lights of laser lights irradiated in order in a plurality of predetermined directions for each of the frames. The distance measuring device includes a storage circuit and a selection circuit. The storage circuit stores information concerning a distance value obtained on the basis of a time-series luminance signal of a preceding frame. The selection circuit selects a peak based on the distance value as a candidate of the distance value out of peaks in the time-series luminance signal in a present frame.

REMOVING REFLECTION FROM SCANNED DATA
20230153967 · 2023-05-18 ·

A system includes a three-dimensional (3D) scanner, a camera, and one or more processors coupled with the 3D scanner and the camera. The processors capture a frame that includes a point cloud comprising plurality of 3D scan points and a 2D image. A 3D scan point represents a distance of a point in a surrounding environment from the 3D scanner. A pixel represents a color of a point in the surrounding environment. The processors identify, using a machine learning model, a subset of pixels that represents a reflective surface in the 2D image. Further, for each pixel in the subset of pixels, one or more corresponding 3D scan points is determined. An updated point cloud is created in the frame by removing the corresponding 3D scan points from the point cloud.

Optical device

An optical device comprises: a line sensor having a plurality of light reception elements that receive incident light including reflection light resulting from laser light having been emitted from a light source and reflected by an object, and including ambient light; a diffraction grating that guides the incident light to the plurality of light reception elements by diffracting the incident light to a direction depending on the wavelength; and a control unit that detects the reflection light on the basis of the light reception amounts of the light reception elements. The diffraction grating is configured to guide, to one of the plurality of light reception elements, a wavelength within a predetermined range that includes the wavelength of the laser light emitted from the light source.

LIDAR devices

The present application discloses improvements that can be implemented in a laser detection and ranging (LiDAR) device to achieve accurate obstacle detection and to reduce measurement errors. A LiDAR device uses laser beams to scan a surrounding region to detect and identify objects. In one embodiment, the LiDAR control system is configured to refine a scanning region based on scanning results. The LiDAR control system may divide a scanning region into multiple sub-areas for differentiated scanning efforts. For example, the LiDAR control system may select a sub-area for enhanced scanning, e.g., with increased resolution. Methods for achieving scanning accuracy, increasing signal robustness, and reducing reflective noises are also disclosed.

DRONE INTERCEPTION
20230204774 · 2023-06-29 · ·

The present disclosure provides a system for intercepting a rogue drone, the system comprising: a broad-angle electromagnetic radiation emitter for illuminating a cone of sky with coded electromagnetic radiation; and an air vehicle. The air vehicle comprises: an electromagnetic radiation detector for receiving coded electromagnetic radiation reflected from a rogue drone operating in the cone of sky, the detector comprising a notch filter for selecting the coded electromagnetic radiation and for disregarding light from other sources; and a controller for determining the position of the rogue drone based on the received coded electromagnetic radiation. The present invention also provides an air vehicle for intercepting a rogue drone and a method of intercepting a rogue drone.

LIDAR CONTROL METHOD, TERMINAL APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

The present application is applicable to the technical field of a LiDAR, and provides a LiDAR control method, a terminal apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium. The LiDAR control method includes the following steps: acquiring first echo data; when an oversaturated region is determined to exist according to the first echo data, controlling LiDAR to measure a scanning region according to a second preset scanning mode to obtain second echo data; performing data fusion processing based on the first echo data and the second echo data to obtain target data. The LiDAR is controlled to measure according to the first preset scanning mode and a second preset scanning mode, and then fusion is performed based on the measured first echo data and second echo data, thereby effectively eliminating a problem of signal crosstalk caused by too high reflection energy of an object with high reflectivity, and effectively improving measurement accuracy.

INTEGRATED LIDAR IMAGE-SENSOR DEVICES AND SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS OF OPERATION

A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) apparatus includes a detector having a first pixel and a second pixel configured to output respective detection signals responsive to light incident thereon, and receiver optics configured to collect the light over a field of view and direct first and second portions of the light to the first and second pixels, respectively. The first pixel includes one or more time of flight (ToF) sensors, and the second pixel includes one or more image sensors. At least one of the receiver optics or arrangement of the first and second pixels in the detector is configured to correlate the first and second pixels such that depth information indicated by the respective detection signals output from the first pixel is correlated with image information indicated by the respective detection signals output from the second pixel. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed.

METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING AN OPTICAL CROSSTALK OF A LIDAR SENSOR AND LIDAR SENSOR
20230194665 · 2023-06-22 ·

A method for ascertaining an optical crosstalk of a lidar sensor. The method includes: emitting a laser light of the lidar sensor, receiving a signal of a light detector of the lidar sensor representing components of the laser light reflected or scattered. The light detector has a first receive region, the extension and position of which on the light detector corresponds to an extension and position of the laser light imaged onto the light detector when a scattering of the laser light is equal to or less than a predefined threshold value. The light detector has a second receive region directly adjoining the first receive region and which detects components of the laser light imaged onto the light detector when the scattering of the laser light is greater than the predefined threshold value.

LIDAR Device, System and Method
20230194711 · 2023-06-22 ·

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device having a sensor for detecting input signals and an emitter for emitting output signals. A controller controls the emitter to emit output signals and reads the input signals from the sensor during a plurality of scan cycles. Each scan cycle is separated by a spacer period, and the controller is configured to vary the length of the spacer periods between the plurality of scan cycles. The LIDAR device may form part of a LIDAR system. Methods for reducing interference in a LIDAR system, and methods and software for controlling a LIDAR device are also disclosed.

MULTI-WAVELENGTH ARRAY LIDAR
20170350982 · 2017-12-07 ·

A multi-wavelength array lidar system and a method of designing an array lidar system include arranging a plurality of lasers in an array to transmit a respective plurality of beams, arranging a lens to disperse the plurality of beams at a respective plurality of angles, and arranging a band pass filter to filter a plurality of reflections received at a respective plurality of incident angles resulting from the plurality of beams transmitted by the plurality of lasers at a respective plurality of transmit angles. Selecting a transmit wavelength of each of the plurality of beams is based on the respective plurality of transmit angles to ensure that a receive wavelength of each of the plurality of reflections is within a narrower range than a range of the transmit wavelengths.