Vehicle environment scanning by a phase-controlled laser

• US 10,215,860 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hassenpflug, Christoph, Hegemann, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolda, Eric L
• Application Number:
  US14/949,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20160146941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/4977 including means to prevent or remove the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4815 using multiple transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

A driver assistance system (106) of a vehicle (100) includes a laser scanner (101) with a phase-controlled laser (102), a sensor unit (104) and an evaluation unit (103). The phase-controlled laser is configured to produce a controllable laser beam by beam forming and to direct the laser beam into an environment outside of the vehicle. The sensor unit (104) is configured to detect a retroreflection caused by the laser beam. The evaluation unit (103) produces driver assistance data by evaluating the detected retroreflection.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising:

a laser scanner comprising a phase-controlled laser, a sensor unit and an evaluation unit;

wherein the phase-controlled laser is configured to produce a controllable and directed laser beam by phase-control beam-forming;

wherein the phase-controlled laser comprises plural laser radiators configured to respectively produce individual beams respectively having different phases to cause constructive and/or destructive interference among the individual beams and thereby produce, control and direct the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming;

wherein the laser scanner is configured to scan a vehicle environment outside of the vehicle with the laser beam by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming;

wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect a retroreflection from the vehicle environment caused by the laser beam; and

wherein the evaluation unit is configured to produce driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection.

2. The driver assistance system according to claim 1,

wherein the laser scanner is configured to scan the vehicle environment with at least one scanning parameter of the laser scanner selected from a scanning speed, a scanning resolution, a scanning range and/or a scanning angle range;

and

wherein the at least one scanning parameter is or are dependent on a vehicle speed of the vehicle.

3. The driver assistance system according to claim 2,

wherein the at least one scanning parameter comprises the scanning resolution;

and

wherein the scanning resolution in a close range of the vehicle environment is lower than in a far range of the vehicle environment.

4. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein a scanned region of the vehicle environment that is scanned with the laser beam is dependent on a vehicle speed of the vehicle such that the scanned region is larger at a lower vehicle speed than at a higher vehicle speed.

5. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the laser scanner is configured to scan the vehicle environment with the laser beam being controlled and directed to carry out horizontal scanning motions and/or vertical scanning motions.

6. A vehicle comprising a driver assistance system according to claim 1 installed in a motor vehicle.

7. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the laser scanner does not include any movable components that move for performing the controlling and the directing of the laser beam.

8. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the laser scanner is configured to scan the vehicle environment with the laser beam being controlled and directed to carry out sinusoidal scanning motions or meandering scanning motions.

9. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising:

a camera having a camera resolution; and

a laser scanner comprising a phase-controlled laser, a sensor unit and an evaluation unit;

wherein;

the phase-controlled laser is configured to produce a controllable and directed laser beam by phase-control beam-forming;

the laser scanner is configured to scan a vehicle environment outside of the vehicle with the laser beam by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming;

the sensor unit is configured to detect a retroreflection from the vehicle environment caused by the laser beam;

the evaluation unit is configured to produce driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection;

the camera is configured and arranged to record images, at the camera resolution, of the vehicle environment outside of the vehicle; and

the laser scanner is configured to scan the vehicle environment with a scanning resolution that corresponds to the camera resolution.

10. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising:

a radar sensor and/or a camera; and

a laser scanner comprising a phase-controlled laser, a sensor unit and an evaluation unit;

wherein;

the phase-controlled laser is configured to produce a controllable and directed laser beam by phase-control beam-forming;

the laser scanner is configured to scan a vehicle environment outside of the vehicle with the laser beam by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming;

the sensor unit is configured to detect a retroreflection from the vehicle environment caused by the laser beam;

the laser scanner and the radar sensor, or the laser scanner and the camera, are integrated in a sensor unit; and

the evaluation unit is configured to produce driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection and by processing data detected by the radar sensor or the camera.

11. A method of using a laser scanner including a phase-controlled laser for a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, comprising:

with the phase-controlled laser, producing a controllable laser beam by phase-control beam-forming, and directing the laser beam into a vehicle environment outside the vehicle;

with the laser scanner, scanning the laser beam in the vehicle environment by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming, wherein the phase-controlled laser comprises plural laser radiators, and wherein the phase-control beam-forming comprises with the plural laser radiators respectively producing individual beams respectively having different phases to cause constructive and/or destructive interference among the individual beams and thereby produce, control and direct the laser beam;

with a sensor unit, detecting a retroreflection caused by the laser beam reflecting from an object in the vehicle environment; and

with an evaluation unit, producing driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection.

12. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising:

a laser scanner comprising a phase-controlled laser, a sensor unit and an evaluation unit;

wherein;

the phase-controlled laser is configured to produce a controllable and directed laser beam by phase-control beam-forming;

the laser scanner is configured to scan a vehicle environment outside of the vehicle with the laser beam by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming to carry out randomly distributed scan points;

the sensor unit is configured to detect a retroreflection from the vehicle environment caused by the laser beam; and

the evaluation unit is configured to produce driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection.

13. A method for a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, comprising:

with a phase-controlled laser of a laser scanner, producing a controllable laser beam by phase-control beam-forming, and directing the laser beam into a vehicle environment outside the vehicle;

with a camera having a camera resolution, recording images, at the camera resolution, of the vehicle environment;

with the laser scanner, scanning the laser beam in the vehicle environment with a scanning resolution that corresponds to the camera resolution, by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming;

with a sensor unit, detecting a retroreflection caused by the laser beam reflecting from an object in the vehicle environment; and

with an evaluation unit, producing driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection.

14. A method for a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, wherein:

the driver assistance system has a laser scanner and further has a radar sensor and/or a camera,

the laser scanner includes a phase-controlled laser,

the laser scanner and the radar sensor, and/or the laser scanner and the camera, are integrated in a sensor unit, and

the method comprises;

with the phase-controlled laser, producing a controllable laser beam by phase-control beam-forming, and directing the laser beam into a vehicle environment outside the vehicle;

with the laser scanner, scanning the laser beam in the vehicle environment by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming;

with a laser sensor, detecting a retroreflection caused by the laser beam reflecting from an object in the vehicle environment; and

with an evaluation unit, producing driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection and by processing data detected by the radar sensor and/or the camera.

15. A method of using a laser scanner including a phase-controlled laser for a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, comprising:

with the phase-controlled laser, producing a controllable laser beam by phase-control beam-forming, and directing the laser beam into a vehicle environment outside the vehicle;

with the laser scanner, scanning the laser beam in the vehicle environment by controlling and directing the laser beam by the phase-control beam-forming to carry out randomly distributed scan points;

with a sensor unit, detecting a retroreflection caused by the laser beam reflecting from an object in the vehicle environment; and

with an evaluation unit, producing driver assistance data for the driver assistance system by evaluating the detected retroreflection.