ELECTRONICALLY STEERED FLASH LIDAR
First Claim
1. A method for illuminating a scene, comprising:
- outputting light in a first illumination pattern, wherein the first illumination pattern illuminates the scene;
determining at least one of an intensity of light reflected from the scene while the scene is illuminated by the first illumination pattern or a range to an area of the scene determined from light included in the first illumination pattern;
in response to detecting the at least one of an intensity of light reflected from the scene as a result of illumination of the scene by the first illumination pattern or a range to an area of the scene determined from light included in the first illumination pattern, outputting a second illumination pattern and illuminating the scene with the second illumination pattern, wherein the first illumination pattern differs from the second illumination pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for adaptively controlling the illumination of a scene are provided. In particular, a scene is illuminated, and light reflected from the scene is detected. Information regarding levels of light intensity received by different pixels of a multiple pixel detector, corresponding to different areas within a scene, and/or information regarding a range to an area within a scene, is received. That information is then used as a feedback signal to control levels of illumination within the scene. More particularly, different areas of the scene can be provided with different levels of illumination in response to the feedback signal.
198 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for illuminating a scene, comprising:
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outputting light in a first illumination pattern, wherein the first illumination pattern illuminates the scene; determining at least one of an intensity of light reflected from the scene while the scene is illuminated by the first illumination pattern or a range to an area of the scene determined from light included in the first illumination pattern; in response to detecting the at least one of an intensity of light reflected from the scene as a result of illumination of the scene by the first illumination pattern or a range to an area of the scene determined from light included in the first illumination pattern, outputting a second illumination pattern and illuminating the scene with the second illumination pattern, wherein the first illumination pattern differs from the second illumination pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An imaging system, comprising:
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a light source; a multiple pixel detector; a controller, wherein at least one of a number of beams output by the imaging system forming device, a differential power of beams output by the imaging system, and a number of beams incident on a scene from which light is reflected to the multiple pixel detector is controlled by the controller in response to a signal from at least a first pixel included in the multiple pixel detector. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A lidar system, including:
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a light source, wherein the light source generates at least a first light pulse comprising a first beam of light; a first acoustic optic modulator, wherein the beam of light generated by the light source is provided to the first acoustic optic modulator; a first radio frequency driver, wherein a selected number of radio frequencies are output to the first acoustic optic modulator, and wherein a number of steerable beams corresponding to the selected number of radio frequencies are output from the first acoustic optic modulator in response to the selected number of radio frequencies; a focal plane array; a controller, wherein the controller is in communication with at least the light source, the first radio frequency driver, and the focal plane array, wherein a time at which the first light pulse is generated by the light source and a time at which a return signal comprising at least some light from the first light pulse is received at the focal plane array provides range information, wherein information regarding an intensity of the return signal is provided to the controller, and wherein the information regarding an intensity of the return signal is used to determine at least one parameter of a control signal provided by the controller to the first radio frequency driver. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification