COLOR LIDAR SCANNER

• US 20100302528A1
• Filed: 06/02/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velodyne Lidar USA, Inc. (Ouster, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Velodyne Acoustics Incorporated
• Inventors: Hall, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,675,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/5.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 1/04 combined with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4815 using multiple transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

A color LiDAR scanner device includes color laser diodes (red, green, blue) and avalanche photodetector diodes (red, green, blue) that illuminate and detect the color light intensity returned from a target. In a preferred version these color laser/detectors are coupled with a single infrared laser/detector that detects the range and infrared light intensity from the same target. The combined range and color intensity information is combined to produce a single colored pixel in space. Multiple illuminations are used to create multiple pixels which can be combined to produce images. A rotating housing may be used for an entire surrounding image.

Claims

1. A color scanning system, comprising:

an infrared laser configured to transmit a pulsed infrared light;

an infrared detector positioned to receive the infrared pulsed infrared light when reflected from an object;

a blue laser configured to transmit a steady blue light;

a blue detector positioned to receive the blue light when reflected from the object;

a red laser configured to transmit a steady red light;

a red detector positioned to receive the red light when reflected from the object;

a green laser configured to transmit a steady green light;

a green detector positioned to receive the green light when reflected from the object; and

a processor in communication with the infrared detector to determine a distance from the scanning system to the object based on a time between a transmitted infrared light pulse and a received infrared light pulse, the processor further being in communication with the red detector, the blue detector, and the green detector to render a color pixel in space.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a housing, the infrared laser, red laser, blue laser, and green laser each being contained within the housing.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a motor, the motor being configured to move the housing.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the housing about a vertical axis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is a digital signal processor.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a feedback circuit in communication with the digital signal processor, the feedback circuit further receiving the blue light, red light, and green light directly from the blue laser, red laser, and green laser respectively.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises a blue feedback detector, a red feedback detector, and a green feedback detector.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the digital signal processor is configured to adjust a signal strength of any one of the blue laser, red laser, or green laser as a function of light received by a respective one of the blue feedback detector, the red feedback detector, or the green feedback detector.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the infrared laser, blue laser, red laser, green laser, infrared detector, blue detector, red detector, and green detector are configured to form a first horizontal row, the first horizontal row being substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein each of the infrared laser, blue laser, red laser, and green laser are oriented to transmit at an angle below the horizontal.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of additional horizontal rows, each one of the additional horizontal rows having an additional infrared laser, blue laser, red laser, green laser, infrared detector, blue detector, red detector, and green detector, each one of the additional horizontal rows being oriented to transmit and detect light at an angle that is vertically offset from an adjacent one of the plurality of additional horizontal rows.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of additional infrared lasers configured to transmit a plurality of additional pulsed infrared lights;

a plurality of additional infrared detectors positioned to receive the plurality of additional infrared pulsed infrared lights when reflected from the object;

a plurality of additional blue lasers configured to transmit a plurality of additional steady blue lights;

a plurality of additional blue detectors positioned to receive the plurality of additional blue lights when reflected from the object;

a plurality of additional red lasers configured to transmit a plurality of additional steady red lights;

a plurality of additional red detectors positioned to receive the plurality of additional red lights when reflected from the object;

a plurality of additional green lasers configured to transmit a plurality of additional steady green lights; and

a plurality of additional green detectors positioned to receive the plurality of additional green lights when reflected from the object;

each one of the plurality of additional infrared detectors being angularly offset from the others with respect to a vertical axis, each one of the plurality of additional blue detectors being angularly offset from the others with respect to a vertical axis, each one of the plurality of additional red detectors being angularly offset from the others with respect to a vertical axis, and each one of the plurality of additional green detectors being angularly offset from the others with respect to a vertical axis;

each one of the plurality of additional infrared detectors, blue detectors, red detectors, and green detectors further being in communication with the processor, the processor further being configured to render a plurality of additional color pixels in space.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to divide each of the received red light, the received blue light, and the received green light into respective pluralities of pixels corresponding to the received pulsed infrared light, the processor further being configured to interpolate from among each of the pluralities of red light pixels, blue light pixels, and green light pixels to render the color pixel in space.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a blue light filter positioned to allow substantially only blue light to be detected by the blue detector;

a red light filter positioned to allow substantially only red light to be detected by the red detector; and

a green light filter positioned to allow substantially only green light to be detected by the green detector.

15. A color scanning system, comprising:

a blue laser configured to transmit a steady blue light;

a blue detector positioned to receive the blue light when reflected from the object;

a red laser configured to transmit a steady red light;

a red detector positioned to receive the red light when reflected from the object;

a green laser configured to transmit a pulsed green light;

a green detector positioned to receive the green light when reflected from the object; and

a processor in communication with the green detector to determine a distance from the scanning system to the object based on a time between a transmitted green light pulse and a received green light pulse, the processor further being in communication with the red detector and the blue detector to render a color pixel in space.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system further comprises a housing, the infrared laser, red laser, blue laser, and green laser each being contained within the housing.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a motor, the motor being configured to move the housing.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the housing about a vertical axis.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of additional blue lasers configured to transmit a plurality of additional steady blue lights;

a plurality of additional blue detectors positioned to receive the plurality of additional blue lights when reflected from the object;

a plurality of additional red lasers configured to transmit a plurality of additional steady red lights;

a plurality of additional red detectors positioned to receive the plurality of additional red lights when reflected from the object;

a plurality of additional green lasers configured to transmit a plurality of additional pulsed green lights; and

a plurality of additional green detectors positioned to receive the plurality of additional green lights when reflected from the object;

each one of the plurality of additional blue detectors being angularly offset from the others with respect to a vertical axis, each one of the plurality of additional red detectors being angularly offset from the others with respect to a vertical axis, and each one of the plurality of additional green detectors being angularly offset from the others with respect to a vertical axis;

each one of the plurality of additional blue detectors, red detectors, and green detectors further being in communication with the processor, the processor further being configured to render a plurality of additional color pixels in space.