Methods of Real Time Image Enhancement of Flash LIDAR Data and Navigating a Vehicle Using Flash LIDAR Data
First Claim
1. A method of navigating a vehicle, comprising:
- (1) emitting a first emitted laser light from a flash LIDAR apparatus to a first surface;
(2) capturing a first reflected light reflected from the first surface by an array of detectors of the flash LIDAR apparatus;
(3) generating a first frame of flash LIDAR data from the first reflected light, the first frame of flash LIDAR comprising a first array of range data, wherein the first array of range data corresponds to a first array of distances from the array of detectors to a corresponding first set of surface coordinates;
(4) selecting an elevation map with a mesh defining a plurality of cells;
(5) projecting the first array of range data onto the mesh, thereby generating a first projection array;
(6) emitting a second emitted laser light from the flash LIDAR apparatus to a second surface after a predetermined time interval;
(7) capturing a second reflected light reflected from the second surface by the array of detectors of the flash LIDAR apparatus;
(8) generating a second frame of flash LIDAR data from the second reflected light, the second frame of flash LIDAR data comprising an second array of range data, wherein the second array of range data corresponds to a second array of distances from the array of detectors to a corresponding second set of surface coordinates;
(9) projecting the second array of range data onto the mesh, thereby generating a second projection array;
(10) correlating the first projection array with the second projection array to calculate an optical offset therebetween using at least the predetermined time interval; and
(11) providing at least the optical offset to a navigation apparatus as input for navigational control of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for creating a digital elevation map (“DEM”) from frames of flash LIDAR data includes generating a first distance Ri from a first detector i to a first point on a surface Si. After defining a map with a mesh Θ having cells k, a first array S(k), a second array M(k), and a third array D(k) are initialized. The first array corresponds to the surface, the second array corresponds to the elevation map, and the third array D(k) receives an output for the DEM. The surface is projected onto the mesh Θ, so that a second distance Rk from a second point on the mesh Θ to the detector can be found. From this, a height may be calculated, which permits the generation of a digital elevation map. Also, using sequential frames of flash LIDAR data, vehicle control is possible using an offset between successive frames.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of navigating a vehicle, comprising:
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(1) emitting a first emitted laser light from a flash LIDAR apparatus to a first surface; (2) capturing a first reflected light reflected from the first surface by an array of detectors of the flash LIDAR apparatus; (3) generating a first frame of flash LIDAR data from the first reflected light, the first frame of flash LIDAR comprising a first array of range data, wherein the first array of range data corresponds to a first array of distances from the array of detectors to a corresponding first set of surface coordinates; (4) selecting an elevation map with a mesh defining a plurality of cells; (5) projecting the first array of range data onto the mesh, thereby generating a first projection array; (6) emitting a second emitted laser light from the flash LIDAR apparatus to a second surface after a predetermined time interval; (7) capturing a second reflected light reflected from the second surface by the array of detectors of the flash LIDAR apparatus; (8) generating a second frame of flash LIDAR data from the second reflected light, the second frame of flash LIDAR data comprising an second array of range data, wherein the second array of range data corresponds to a second array of distances from the array of detectors to a corresponding second set of surface coordinates; (9) projecting the second array of range data onto the mesh, thereby generating a second projection array; (10) correlating the first projection array with the second projection array to calculate an optical offset therebetween using at least the predetermined time interval; and (11) providing at least the optical offset to a navigation apparatus as input for navigational control of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of real time image processing and enhancement, comprising:
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(1) emitting a laser light from a flash LIDAR apparatus to a surface at a predetermined time interval, wherein the flash LIDAR apparatus comprises a plurality of detectors; (2) capturing a reflected light reflected from the surface by the plurality of detectors of the flash LIDAR apparatus; (3) generating a frame of flash LIDAR data from the reflected light, the frame of flash LIDAR data comprising an array of range data, wherein the array of range data corresponds to an array of distances from the array of detectors to a corresponding set of surface coordinates; (4) selecting an elevation map with a mesh defining a plurality of cells; (5) projecting the array of range data onto the mesh thereby generating a projection array of range data; (6) calculating an array of height data based on the array of range data and the projection array of range data; and (7) correlating the array of height data with a prior array of height data to produce a third array of height data corresponding to the elevation map. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of real time image processing and enhancement, comprising:
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(1) emitting a laser light from a flash LIDAR apparatus to a surface at a predetermined time interval, wherein the flash LIDAR apparatus comprises a plurality of detectors; (2) capturing a reflected light reflected from the surface by the plurality of detectors of the flash LIDAR apparatus; (3) generating a frame of flash LIDAR data from the reflected light, the frame of mash LIDAR data comprising an array of range data, wherein the array of range data corresponds to an array of distances from the array of detectors to a corresponding set of surface coordinates; (4) selecting an elevation map with a mesh defining a plurality of cells; (5) projecting the array of range data onto the mesh thereby generating a projection array of range data; (6) calculating an array of height data based on the array of range data and the projection array of range data; (7) correlating the array of height data with a prior array of height data to produce a third array of height data corresponding to the elevation map; (8) enhancing the resolution of the third height array by repeating steps (1) through (7) for a predetermined number of frames of flash LIDAR data, wherein the predetermined number of frames is about 10. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification