Aggregating pixel data associated with multiple distances to improve image quality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11604262-B2
Application number	US-202016829156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2020
Priority date	Sep 26, 2017
Publication date	Mar 14, 2023
Grant date	Mar 14, 2023

Abstract

In some embodiments, a LIDAR system may include at least one processor configured to control at least one light source for projecting light toward a field of view and receive from at least one first sensor first signals associated with light projected by the at least one light source and reflected from an object in the field of view, wherein the light impinging on the at least one first sensor is in a form of a light spot having an outer boundary. The processor may further be configured to receive from at least one second sensor second signals associated with light noise, wherein the at least one second sensor is located outside the outer boundary; determine, based on the second signals received from the at least one second sensor, an indicator of a magnitude of the light noise; and determine, based on the indicator the first signals received from the at least one first sensor and, a distance to the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A LIDAR system, comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
control at least one LIDAR light source in a manner enabling light flux to vary over a plurality of scans of a field of view, the field of view including a foreground area and a background area;
receive from at least one detector a plurality of input signals indicative of light reflected from the field of view, wherein a representation of a portion of the field of view associated with a plurality of pixels is constructible from the plurality of input signals wherein the plurality of input signals are associated with a first pixel that covers a portion of the foreground area, a second pixel that covers a portion of the foreground area and a portion of the background area, and a third pixel that covers a portion of the background area;
use input signals associated with the first pixel to determine a distance to a first object located in the foreground area; and
use input signals associated with the second pixel and input signals associated with the third pixel to determine a distance to a second object located in the background area.

2. The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the input signals associated with the second pixel and the input signals associated with the third pixel are insufficient by themselves to determine a distance to the second object located in the background area.

3. The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one detector includes a group of detectors, and input signals associated with the second pixel are generated in response to a plurality of reflections impinging on the group of detectors, wherein the plurality reflections include a first reflection associated with a first time-of-flight and a second reflection associated with a second time-of-flight longer than the first time-of-flight.

4. The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
use the input signals associated with the first pixel to determine at least one of: a velocity of the first object, a surface angle of the first object, a reflectivity level of the first object, and ambient light associated with the first object; and
use the input signals associated with the second pixel and the third pixel to determine at least one of: a velocity of the second object, a surface angle of the second object, a reflectivity level of the second object, and ambient light associated with the second object.

5. The LIDAR system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output information associated with the first object located in the foreground area and to output information associated with the second object located in the background area.

6. The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control at least one light deflector to deflect light from the at least one light source such that during a single scanning cycle the at least one light deflector moves through a plurality of instantaneous positions.

7. The LIDAR system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one detector includes a group of detectors, and for each instantaneous position of the at least one light deflector, the group of detectors is configured to generate input signals corresponding to an instantaneous portion of the field of view.

8. The LIDAR system of claim 7 , wherein the generated input signals corresponding with the instantaneous position of the at least one light deflector are associated with the plurality of pixels.

9. The LIDAR system of claim 8 , wherein the first pixel is associated with a first subset of the group of detectors, the second first pixel is associated with a second subset of the group of detectors, and the third pixel is associated with a third subset of the group of detectors.

10. The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein determining a direction for the second object is based on directions determined based on the input signals associated with the second pixel and the third pixel.

11. The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to use input signals associated with the second pixel and input signals associated with the first pixel to determine a distance to the first object located in the foreground area.

12. A vehicle, comprising:
a body;
at least one processor within the body and configured to:
control at least one LIDAR light source in a manner enabling light projected from the at least one LIDAR light source to vary over a plurality of scans of a field of view, the field of view including a foreground area and a background area;
receive, from a group of detectors, a plurality of input signals indicative of reflections of the projected light from the field of view, wherein a representation of a portion of the field of view associated with a plurality of pixels is constructible from the plurality of input signals wherein the plurality of input signals are associated with a first pixel that covers a portion of the foreground area, a second pixel that covers a portion of the foreground area and a portion of the background area, and a third pixel that covers a portion of the background area;
use input signals associated with the first pixel to determine a distance to a first object located in the foreground area; and
use input signals associated with the second pixel and input signals associated with the third pixel to determine a distance to a second object located in the background area.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to initially process only input signals associated with the third pixel, and when a certainty level of associated with an existence of the second object is below a threshold, combine input signals associated with the second pixel and input signals associated with the third pixel to improve the certainty level associated with the existence of the second object.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein input signals associated with the second pixel are generated in response to a plurality of reflections impinging on the group of detectors, wherein the plurality reflections include a first reflection associated with a first direction relative to the at least one light source and a second reflection associated with a second direction relative to the at least one light source.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) associated with the third pixel is lower than an SNR associated with the second pixel.

16. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the second pixel is adjacent to the third pixel.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to assign a same distance to the second pixel and the third pixel.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to assign differing numbers of detectors out of the group detectors to the second pixel and to the third pixel.

19. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
identify a fourth pixel adjacent the third pixel and covers another portion of the background area; and
use input signals associated with the second pixel, the third pixel, and the fourth pixel to determine a distance to the second object located in the background area.

20. A method for using LIDAR to determine distances to objects in a field of view, the method comprising
controlling at least one LIDAR light source in a manner enabling light projected from the at least one light source to vary over a plur

Assignees

• Innoviz Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Steinberg Amit

Classifications

• G01S7/4817 Primary

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G01S7/4808

  Evaluating distance, position or velocity data · CPC title

• G01S7/4911

  Transmitters · CPC title

• G01S7/484

  Transmitters · CPC title

• G01S7/4914

  of detector arrays, e.g. charge-transfer gates · CPC title