Systems and Methods for Autonomous Vehicle Control Using Depolarization Ratio of Return Signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025276721-A1
Application number	US-202519205656-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2025
Priority date	Jun 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 4, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for a vehicle, includes a laser source configured to output a beam, a transmitter, a receiver, one or more optics and a processor. The transmitter is configured to transmit a transmit signal that is generated based on the beam. The receiver is configured to receive a return signal reflected by an object in response to the transmit signal. The one or more optics are 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. The processor is configured to determine a type of the object by processing a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first signal and a SNR value of the second signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for a vehicle, the 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 in response to the transmit signal; 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: (i) determine a depolarization ratio based on the first signal and the second signal; and (ii) determine, based on the depolarization ratio, data associated with an angle of incidence between the beam and the object.

2 . The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the angle of incidence between the beam and the object comprises a magnitude of the angle of incidence between the beam and the object.

3 . The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to: (iii) determine a surface normal associated with the object based on the data associated with the angle of incidence between the beam and the object.

4 . The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to: (iii) determine a position of the vehicle based on the data associated with the angle of incidence between the beam and the object.

5 . A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for a vehicle, the 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 in response to the transmit signal; 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: (i) determine a depolarization ratio based on the first signal and the second signal; (ii) determine, based on the depolarization ratio, surface property information for the object; and (iii) store the surface property information for the object in a database.

6 . The LIDAR system of claim 5 , wherein the surface property information for the object comprises a property of diffuse reflection associated with a surface of the object.

7 . The LIDAR system of claim 5 , wherein the surface property information for the object comprises a property of specular reflection associated with a surface of the object.

8 . The LIDAR system of claim 5 , wherein the database comprises a high-definition (HD) map database.

9 . The LIDAR system of claim 5 , wherein the surface property information for the object is configured to be accessed from the database by an autonomous vehicle control system of the vehicle.

10 . The LIDAR system of claim 5 , wherein the surface property information for the object is configured to be accessed from the database by an autonomous vehicle control system of another vehicle.

11 . The LIDAR system of claim 5 , wherein the surface property information for the object is configured to be accessed from the database by a simulation system.

12 . The LIDAR system of claim 11 , wherein the simulation system comprises a camera simulation system configured to model different lighting conditions.

13 . The LIDAR system of claim 11 , wherein the simulation system comprises an integrated LIDAR/RADAR simulation system.

14 . The LIDAR system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to: (iv) analyze radar data or camera data based on the surface property information.

15 . An 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 in response to the transmit signal;
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: (i) determine a depolarization ratio based on the first signal and the second signal; (ii) determine, based on the depolarization ratio, surface property information for the object; and (iii) store the surface property information for the object in a database.

16 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the surface property information for the object comprises a property of diffuse reflection associated with a surface of the object.

17 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the surface property information for the object comprises a property of specular reflection associated with a surface of the object.

18 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the database comprises a high-definition (HD) map database.

19 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the surface property information for the object is configured to be accessed from the database by an autonomous vehicle control system of the autonomous vehicle.

20 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the surface property information for the object is configured to be accessed from the database by an autonomous vehicle control system of another vehicle.

Assignees

• Aurora Operations Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B60W2420/408

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

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• B60W2552/53

  Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk · CPC title

• B60W2552/05

  Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads · CPC title

• G01S7/4912

  Receivers · CPC title