LIDAR system that is resistant to noise caused by nearby LIDAR systems
First Claim
1. A LIDAR system comprising:
- a transmitter that that emits a light pulse in response to a launch signal;
a receiver that detects light pulses and determines a time of arrival for each detected light pulse; and
a controller that generates an ordered sequence of frames, each frame being characterized by a start time, a stop time, and an interframe delay time, said controller generating said launch signal at said start time of each of said frames, recording information specifying a time of arrival relative to said start time for all light pulses received by said receiver until said stop time, and waiting for said interframe delay time before generating another launch signal, said interframe delay times being different for each frame in said sequence of frames, said controller determining a distance between said transmitter and an object that reflects said light pulses back to said receiver from a frequency spectrum of said time of arrivals generated from said recorded information for said sequence of frames.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A LIDAR system and a method for operating a LIDAR system are disclosed. The LIDAR system broadly includes a transmitter that that emits a light pulse in response to a launch signal, a receiver that detects light pulses and determines a time of arrival for each detected light pulse; and a controller that generates an ordered sequence of frames. The controller generates a launch signal at the start of each frame and records information specifying a time of arrival relative to the start time for all light pulses received by the receiver until a stop time. After the stop time, the controller waits for the interframe delay time before generating another launch signal. The interframe delay time is different for each frame in the sequence of frames. The controller determines a distance between the transmitter and an object from the recorded information.
5 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A LIDAR system comprising:
-
a transmitter that that emits a light pulse in response to a launch signal; a receiver that detects light pulses and determines a time of arrival for each detected light pulse; and a controller that generates an ordered sequence of frames, each frame being characterized by a start time, a stop time, and an interframe delay time, said controller generating said launch signal at said start time of each of said frames, recording information specifying a time of arrival relative to said start time for all light pulses received by said receiver until said stop time, and waiting for said interframe delay time before generating another launch signal, said interframe delay times being different for each frame in said sequence of frames, said controller determining a distance between said transmitter and an object that reflects said light pulses back to said receiver from a frequency spectrum of said time of arrivals generated from said recorded information for said sequence of frames. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for operating a LIDAR system, said method comprising:
-
causing said LIDAR system to generate a sequence of frames, each frame comprising a frame start, a frame stop, and an interframe delay that is different for each frame in said sequence of frames; for each of said frames, generating a light pulse at said frame start; detecting light pulses arriving at said LIDAR system between said frame start and said frame stop, each of said detected light pulses being characterized by an arrival time at said LIDAR system relative to said frame start and storing information specifying said arrival times; waiting for said interframe delay after said frame stop before proceeding to a next frame; and determining a distance between said LIDAR system and an object that reflects said light pulses back to said LIDAR system from a frequency spectrum of said time of arrivals generated from said information specifying said arrival times for said sequence of frames. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification