The light wave distance meter is disclosed, including: a distance measuring light-emitting unit; a light-receiving signal generating unit; and a control arithmetic unit. A light-receiving signal includes a first intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a first distance measuring light, a second intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a second distance measuring light, a third intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a third distance measuring light, and a fourth intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a fourth distance measuring light. The control arithmetic unit executes an error determination control to acquire a shift signal generated by shifting at least a phase of any one of the first to fourth intermittent light-receiving signals by 2π.Math.n−π/2 or 2π.Math.n+π/2, and compares the phase of the shift signal and the phase of the intermittent light-receiving signal at least between either the first frequencies or between the second frequencies.

The light wave distance meter is disclosed, including: a distance measuring light-emitting unit; a light-receiving signal generating unit; and a control arithmetic unit. A light-receiving signal includes a first intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a first distance measuring light, a second intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a second distance measuring light, a third intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a third distance measuring light, and a fourth intermittent light-receiving signal corresponding to a fourth distance measuring light. The control arithmetic unit executes an error determination control to acquire a shift signal generated by shifting at least a phase of any one of the first to fourth intermittent light-receiving signals by 2π.Math.n−π/2 or 2π.Math.n+π/2, and compares the phase of the shift signal and the phase of the intermittent light-receiving signal at least between either the first frequencies or between the second frequencies.

A method for scanning a transmitted beam through a 360° FOV in a LIDAR system using no moving parts. The method includes directing a laser beam at a first frequency to an SPPR device and directing the laser beam from the SPPR device onto a conical mirror to direct the laser beam at a certain angle therefrom depending on the first frequency of the laser beam. The method further includes shifting the optical frequency of the laser beam to a second frequency to change the angle that the transmitted beam is directed from the conical mirror and intensity modulating the laser beam at the second frequency using a first intensity modulation frequency for a predetermined period of time. The method further includes receiving a reflected beam from the target and estimating a round trip time of the transmitted beam and the reflected beam using the modulation of the laser beam.

A dual mode ladar system includes a laser transmitter having a wavelength of operation and a modulator connected thereto to impose a modulation thereon. The modulator is configured to impose amplitude modulation and/or frequency modulation. Diffusing optics illuminate a field of view and an array of light sensitive detectors each produce an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of the laser light output.

A circuit for filtering a signal corresponding to a time of flight (TOF) of light from a laser reflected off an object to a photo detector, the circuit includes a preamplifier, a DC cancelation loop, and an AC cancelation loop. The preamplifier may be configured to receive the signal from the photo detector corresponding to an output of the laser reflected off an object remote from the laser and photo detector. The DC cancelation loop includes a current feedback DC servo loop. The AC cancelation loop includes a feedback network driven by a floating class AB output stage, and the preamplifier configured to drive the floating class AB output stage, wherein the preamplifier is driven by an error signal of the feedback network and creates an AC signal path with the feedback network and floating class AB output stage.

A light detection and ranging system can have a controller connected to a light beam emitter. To provide enhanced resolution compared to frequency modulated continuous wave light detection and ranging systems, the controller may be configured to provide coherent light detection and ranging by utilizing pixel-based phase modulated continuous wave light emission from the emitter.

A light detection and ranging system can have a controller connected to a light beam emitter. To provide enhanced resolution compared to frequency modulated continuous wave light detection and ranging systems, the controller may be configured to provide coherent light detection and ranging by utilizing pixel-based phase modulated continuous wave light emission from the emitter.

Method and apparatus for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In some embodiments, an emitter is used to emit a set of pulses to impinge a target, and a detector is used to detect a corresponding set of reflected pulses. Range information associated with the target is extracted using the reflected pulses. To compensate for doppler shift and enable more emitted pulses to be in-flight between the system and the target, a maximum expected doppler shift is determined, and the emitted pulses are provided with differential frequency intervals that are greater than the determined maximum expected doppler shift, such as a multiple (e.g., 2×) of the maximum expected doppler shift. In some cases, each in-flight pulse will have a unique frequency separated from all other pulse frequencies by at least the maximum expected doppler shift. Adaptive adjustments can be made such as increasing the differential frequency intervals for long distance targets.

Method and apparatus for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In some embodiments, an emitter is used to emit a set of pulses to impinge a target, and a detector is used to detect a corresponding set of reflected pulses. Range information associated with the target is extracted using the reflected pulses. To compensate for doppler shift and enable more emitted pulses to be in-flight between the system and the target, a maximum expected doppler shift is determined, and the emitted pulses are provided with differential frequency intervals that are greater than the determined maximum expected doppler shift, such as a multiple (e.g., 2×) of the maximum expected doppler shift. In some cases, each in-flight pulse will have a unique frequency separated from all other pulse frequencies by at least the maximum expected doppler shift. Adaptive adjustments can be made such as increasing the differential frequency intervals for long distance targets.

A method for classifying an object in a point cloud includes computing first and second classification statistics for one or more points in the point cloud. Closest matches are determined between the first and second classification statistics and a respective one of a set of first and second classification statistics corresponding to a set of N classes of a respective first and second classifier, to estimate the object is in a respective first and second class. If the first class does not correspond to the second class, a closest fit is performed between the point cloud and model point clouds for only the first and second classes of a third classifier. The object is assigned to the first or second class, based on the closest fit within near real time of receiving the 3D point cloud. A device is operated based on the assigned object class.