Systems and methods for adaptive range coverage using LIDAR

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11340339-B2
Application number	US-201715852788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that facilitate light detection and ranging operations. An example method includes determining, for at least one light-emitter device of a plurality of light-emitter devices, a light pulse schedule. The plurality of light-emitter devices is operable to emit light along a plurality of emission vectors. The light pulse schedule is based on a respective emission vector of the at least one light-emitter device and a three-dimensional map of an external environment. The light pulse schedule includes at least one light pulse parameter and a listening window duration. The method also includes causing the at least one light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices to emit a light pulse according to the light pulse schedule. The light pulse interacts with an external environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least one substrate disposed along a vertical plane, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a plurality of angled facets along a front edge, and wherein each angled facet comprises a respective die attach location;
a plurality of light-emitter devices, wherein each light-emitter device is coupled to a respective die attach location so as to be operable to emit light along a respective emission vector such that the emitted light interacts with an external environment of the system, and wherein at least two of the emission vectors correspond to different elevation angles;
a receiver subsystem configured to provide information indicative of interactions between the emitted light and the external environment; and
a controller operable to carry out operations, the operations comprising:
determining, for at least one light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices, a light pulse schedule, wherein the light pulse schedule is based on a target resolution at an anticipated distance from the system, wherein the anticipated distance is based on a respective emission vector of the at least one light-emitter device and a three-dimensional map of the external environment, wherein the light pulse schedule comprises at least one light pulse parameter and a listening window duration, and wherein determining the light pulse schedule comprises:
determining an object and a corresponding object distance, wherein the object is located along the respective emission vector of the at least one light-emitter device in the external environment; and
determining the listening window duration based on the corresponding object distance and a speed of the light pulse; and

causing the at least one light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices to emit a light pulse according to the light pulse schedule.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light-emitting devices comprises at least one of: a laser diode, a laser bar, or a laser stack.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver subsystem comprises a plurality of light-detector devices, wherein the light-detector devices comprise at least one of: an avalanche photodiode, a single photon avalanche detector (SPAD), or a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM).

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of light-detector devices is configured to detect light comprising a wavelength of at least one of: 1550 nm or 780 nm.

5. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the listening window duration is determined based on variations of an undulating roadway.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing, wherein the plurality of light-emitter devices and the receiver subsystem are coupled to the housing, wherein the housing is configured to rotate about a rotational axis.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the listening window duration is determined based on an anticipated ground location.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises at least one of: a ground surface, a vehicle, an obstacle, or an occluding element.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light pulse parameter comprises at least one of: a desired pulse onset time, a desired wavelength, a desired pulse power, or a desired pulse duration.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
during the listening window duration, receiving information indicative of an interaction between the light pulse and the external environment; and
based on the received information, adjusting the light pulse schedule.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein adjusting the light pulse schedule comprises:
based on the received information, adjusting the three dimensional map of the external environment.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the listening window duration is adjustable within an inclusive range between 100 nanoseconds and 2 microseconds.

13. A method comprising:
determining, for at least one light-emitter device of a plurality of light-emitter devices, a light pulse schedule,
wherein the plurality of light-emitter devices is coupled to a respective die attach location of an angled facet of a plurality of angled facets,
wherein the plurality of angled facets are arranged along a front edge of at least one substrate disposed along a vertical plane,
wherein the plurality of light-emitter devices is operable to emit light along respective emission vectors such that the emitted light interacts with an external environment,
wherein at least two of the emission vectors correspond to different elevation angles,
wherein the light pulse schedule is based on a target resolution at an anticipated distance from the plurality of light-emitter devices,
wherein the anticipated distance is based on a respective emission vector of the at least one light-emitter device and a three-dimensional map of an external environment,
wherein the light pulse schedule comprises at least one light pulse parameter and a listening window duration, and
wherein determining the light pulse schedule comprises:
determining an object and a corresponding object distance, wherein the object is located along the respective emission vector of the at least one light-emitter device in the external environment; and
determining the listening window duration based on the corresponding object distance and a speed of the light pulse; and

causing the at least one light-emitter device of the plurality of light-emitter devices to emit a light pulse according to the light pulse schedule, wherein the light pulse interacts with an external environment.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
causing a housing to rotate about a rotational axis, wherein the plurality of light-emitter devices is coupled to the housing.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the listening window duration is determined based on an anticipated ground location.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the object comprises at least one of: a ground surface, a vehicle, an obstacle, or an occluding element.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
during the listening window duration, receiving information indicative of an interaction between the light pulse and the external environment, wherein the received information is indicative of a reflection of the light pulse off of an external object; and
based on the received information, adjusting the three-dimensional map of the external environment.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
based on the received information, adjusting the light pulse schedule.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the light pulse schedule comprises adjust the listening window duration within an inclusive range between 100 nanoseconds and 2 microseconds.

20. A system comprising:
at least one substrate disposed along a vertical plane, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a plurality of angled facets along a front edge, and wherein each angled facet comprises a respective die attach location;
a plurality of light-emitter devices, wherein each light-emitter device is coupled to a respective die attach location so as to be operable to emit light along a respective emission vector such that the emitted light interacts with an external environment of the system, and wherein at least two of the emission vectors correspond to different elevation angles;
a receiver subsystem configured to provide information indicative of interactions between the emitted light and the external environment; and

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Shand Mark Alexander

Classifications

• B60W2420/408

  Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar · CPC title

• G01S1/10

  using amplitude comparison of signals transmitted sequentially from antennas or antenna systems having differently-oriented overlapping directivity characteristics, e.g. equi-signal A-N type · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S17/10

  using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) · CPC title