Systems and methods for autonomous vehicle control using depolarization ratio of return signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11858533-B2
Application number	US-202117494188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2021
Priority date	Jun 30, 2020
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle control system includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to cause a transmitter to transmit a transmit signal from a laser source. The one or more processors are configured to cause a receiver to receive a return signal reflected by an object. The one or more processors are configured to cause one or more optics to generate a first polarized signal of the return signal with a first polarization, and generate a second polarized signal of the return signal with a second polarization. The one or more processors are configured to calculate a value of reflectivity based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first polarized signal and an SNR value of the second polarized signal. The one or more processors are configured to operate a vehicle based on the value of reflectivity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light detection and ranging (lidar) system comprising:
a laser source configured to output a beam;
a transmitter configured to transmit a transmit signal that is generated based on the beam;
a receiver configured to receive a return signal reflected by an object;
one or more optics configured to generate a first signal and a second signal based on the return signal, wherein the first signal and the second signal have different polarizations; and
a processor configured to
calculate a reflectivity value of the object based on a ratio of a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first signal and a SNR value of the second signal, and
determine a type of the object based on the reflectivity value of the object.

2. The lidar system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more optics comprise:
a polarization beam splitter (PBS) configured to
polarize the return signal with a first polarization to generate the first signal, and
polarize the return signal with a second polarization to generate the second signal.

3. The lidar system recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
a first detector configured to detect the first signal; and
a second detector configured to detect the second signal.

4. The lidar system as recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
a phase shifter configured to shift a phase of the second signal; and
a detector that is configured to detect the first signal and the phase shifted second signal.

5. An autonomous vehicle control system comprising one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
cause a laser source to output a beam;
cause a transmitter to transmit a transmit signal that is generated based on the beam;
cause a receiver to receive a return signal reflected by an object;
cause one or more optics to generate a first signal and a second signal based on the return signal wherein the first signal and the second signal have different polarizations;
calculate a reflectivity value of the object based on a ratio of a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first signal and a SNR value of the second signal;
determine a type of the object based on the reflectivity value of the object; and
operate a vehicle based on the type of the object.

6. The autonomous vehicle control system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
cause a polarization beam splitter (PBS) of the one or more optics to polarize the return signal with a first polarization to generate the first signal; and
cause the PBS to polarize the return signal with a second polarization to generate the second signal.

7. The autonomous vehicle control system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
cause a first detector of the one or more optics to detect the first signal; and
cause a second detector of the one or more optics to detect the second signal.

8. The autonomous vehicle control system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
cause a phase shifter to shift a phase of the second signal; and
cause a detector to detect the first signal and the phase-shifted second signal.

9. The autonomous vehicle control system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first signal indicates a first image of the object with a first polarization, and the second signal indicates a second image of the object with a second polarization, and
the one or more processors are further configured to:
calculate a ratio of reflectivity by calculating a ratio between an average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first image and an average SNR value of the second image;
determine the type of the object based on the calculated ratio of reflectivity; and
control a trajectory of the vehicle based on the type of the object.

10. The autonomous vehicle control system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine the type of the object as one of asphalt road, lane markings, rough concrete road, grass, or gravel; and
determine, based on the calculated ratio of reflectivity, that the object is an asphalt road.

11. The autonomous vehicle control system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine the type of the object as one of metal poles, trees, or utility poles; and
determine, based on the calculated ratio of reflectivity, that the object is a metal pole.

12. The autonomous vehicle control system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine the type of the object as one or more persons; and
determine, based on the calculated ratio of reflectivity, respective regions of skin and clothes of the one or more persons.

13. A autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a light detection and ranging (lidar) system comprising:
a laser source configured to output a beam,
a transmitter configured to transmit a transmit signal that is generated based on the beam,
a receiver configured to receive a return signal reflected by an object, and
one or more optics configured to generate a first signal and a second signal based on the return signal wherein the first signal and the second signal have different polarizations;

at least one of a steering system or a braking system; and
a vehicle controller comprising one or more processors configured to:
calculate a reflectivity value of the object based on a ratio of a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first signal and a SNR value of the second signal;
determine a type of the object based on the reflectivity value of the object; and
control operation of the at least one of the steering system or the braking system based on the type of the object.

14. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
cause a polarization beam splitter (PBS) of the one or more optics to polarize the return signal with a first polarization to generate the first signal; and
cause the PBS to polarize the return signal with a second polarization to generate the second signal.

15. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
cause a first detector of the one or more optics to detect the first signal; and
cause a second detector of the one or more optics to detect the second signal.

16. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
cause a phase shifter to shift a phase of the second signal; and
cause a detector to detect the first signal and the phase-shifted second signal.

17. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 13 , wherein
the first signal indicates a first image of the object with a first polarization, and the second signal indicates a second image of the object with a second polarization, and
the one or more processors are further configured to:
calculate a ratio of reflectivity by calculating a ratio between an average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first image and an average SNR value of the second image;
determine the type of the object based on the calculated ratio of reflectivity; and
control a trajectory of the autonomous vehicle based on the type of the object.

18. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine the type of the object as one of asphalt road, lane markings, rough concrete roa

Assignees

• Aurora Operations Inc

Inventors

• CROUCH Stephen
• Barber Zeb
• Kadlec Emil
• Galloway Ryan
• Spillane Sean

Classifications

• B60W60/001

  Planning or execution of driving tasks · CPC title

• B60W50/00

  Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit {, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces} · CPC title

• B60W40/02 Primary

  related to ambient conditions · CPC title

• B60W40/06

  Road conditions · CPC title

• G01N21/21

  Polarisation-affecting properties (G01N21/19 takes precedence) · CPC title