Automotive auxiliary LADAR sensor
First Claim
1. A collision avoidance system comprising:
- a vehicle having at least one ladar sensor mounted thereto, the vehicle having a cutout in a body panel, and the at least one ladar sensor operating therethrough, a retention feature on the at least one ladar sensor adapted to mate with a complementary feature on the vehicle, the ladar sensor having a first connector attached thereto,and a wiring harness having a first end connecting to said first connector, the wiring harness having a second end connected to a digital processor mounted within the vehicle, and the digital processor receiving three dimensional data from the ladar sensor through the wiring harness,and a control system which controls the path of said vehicle, said digital processor applying controls through said control system to conduct the vehicle along a preferred path,and a vertical sensor adapted to provide pitch and roll measurements to said digital processor,and at least one memory circuit connected to said digital processor,and a temperature stabilized frequency reference connected to said digital processor;
and the ladar sensor comprisinga receiving lens,a laser transmitter, said laser transmitter with a modulated laser light output and a diffusing optic adapted to illuminate a scene in a field of view of said at least one ladar sensor,a range correction circuit having a zero range reference output,a two dimensional array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal plane of said receiving lens, each of said light sensitive detectors with an output adapted to produce an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of said modulated laser light output,a readout integrated circuit with a plurality of unit cell electrical circuits, each of the unit cell electrical circuits having an input connected to one of the light sensitive detector outputs, each unit cell electrical circuit having an electrical response signal demodulator and a range measuring circuit connected to an output of said electrical response signal demodulator, said range measuring circuit further connected to the zero range reference output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle and ladar sensor assembly system is proposed which makes use of forward mounted long range ladar sensors and short range ladar sensors mounted in auxiliary lamps to identify obstacles and to identify potential collisions with the vehicle. A low cost assembly is developed which can be easily mounted within a body panel cutout of a vehicle, and which connects to the vehicle electrical and computer systems through the vehicle wiring harness. The vehicle has a digital processor which interprets 3D data received from the ladar sensor assembly, and which is in control of the vehicle subsystems for steering, braking, acceleration, and suspension. The digital processor onboard the vehicle makes use of the 3D data and the vehicle control subsystems to avoid collisions and steer a best path.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A collision avoidance system comprising:
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a vehicle having at least one ladar sensor mounted thereto, the vehicle having a cutout in a body panel, and the at least one ladar sensor operating therethrough, a retention feature on the at least one ladar sensor adapted to mate with a complementary feature on the vehicle, the ladar sensor having a first connector attached thereto, and a wiring harness having a first end connecting to said first connector, the wiring harness having a second end connected to a digital processor mounted within the vehicle, and the digital processor receiving three dimensional data from the ladar sensor through the wiring harness, and a control system which controls the path of said vehicle, said digital processor applying controls through said control system to conduct the vehicle along a preferred path, and a vertical sensor adapted to provide pitch and roll measurements to said digital processor, and at least one memory circuit connected to said digital processor, and a temperature stabilized frequency reference connected to said digital processor; and the ladar sensor comprising a receiving lens, a laser transmitter, said laser transmitter with a modulated laser light output and a diffusing optic adapted to illuminate a scene in a field of view of said at least one ladar sensor, a range correction circuit having a zero range reference output, a two dimensional array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal plane of said receiving lens, each of said light sensitive detectors with an output adapted to produce an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of said modulated laser light output, a readout integrated circuit with a plurality of unit cell electrical circuits, each of the unit cell electrical circuits having an input connected to one of the light sensitive detector outputs, each unit cell electrical circuit having an electrical response signal demodulator and a range measuring circuit connected to an output of said electrical response signal demodulator, said range measuring circuit further connected to the zero range reference output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A ladar sensor and vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle having a cutout in a body panel, and having a first retention feature, said vehicle having at least one ladar sensor, and said ladar sensor operating through said cutout, the vehicle further having a wiring harness and a first connector attached at a first end of said wiring harness, the wiring harness also connecting to a digital processor mounted within the vehicle, a vertical reference mounted to the vehicle and adapted to provide pitch and roll measurements to the digital processor, and a temperature stabilized frequency reference connected to the digital processor, and the ladar sensor comprising; a second connector adapted to mate with the first connector of said wiring harness, receiving optics, a laser transmitter with a modulated laser light output and a diffusing optic adapted to illuminate a scene in a field of view of said ladar sensor, a range correction circuit having a zero range reference output, a two dimensional array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal plane of said receiving optics, each of the light sensitive detectors with an output producing an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of the modulated laser light output, a readout integrated circuit with a plurality of unit cell electrical circuits, each of said unit cell electrical circuits having an input connected to one of the light sensitive detector outputs, each unit cell electrical circuit having an electrical response signal demodulator and a range measuring circuit connected to an output of said electrical response signal demodulator, said range measuring circuit also connected to the zero range reference output, and, an envelope enclosing the ladar sensor, said envelope having at least one transparent section, and, said envelope also having a second retention feature adapted to mate with said first retention feature, and the envelope thereby mounted to the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A collision avoidance system comprising:
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at least one ladar sensor mountable to a vehicle for providing three dimensional data relating to one or more objects in a field of view, the at least one ladar sensor comprising a laser transmitter having a diffusing optic adapted to project light and illuminate the field of view, a receiving lens for receiving light reflected off the one or more objects, an array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal plane of said receiving lens, each of said light sensitive detectors with an output adapted to produce an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of said modulated laser light output, a range correction circuit having a zero range reference output, and a readout integrated circuit with a plurality of unit cell electrical circuits, each of the unit cell electrical circuits having an input connected to one of the light sensitive detectors, each unit cell electrical circuit having an electrical response signal demodulator and a range measuring circuit connected to an output of the electrical response signal demodulator, the range measuring circuit further connected to the zero range reference output; a digital processor mountable to the vehicle and in communication with the at least one ladar sensor for receiving the three dimensional data from the at least one ladar sensor; a control system configured to control a driving path of the vehicle, the digital processor applying controls through the control system to conduct the vehicle along a preferred path; and a vertical sensor adapted to provide pitch and roll measurements to the digital processor.
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Specification