DYNAMICALLY VARYING LASER OUTPUT IN A VEHICLE IN VIEW OF WEATHER CONDITIONS

• US 20180284226A1
• Filed: 03/01/2018
• Published: 10/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: LaChapelle, Joseph G., Weed, Matthew D., Campbell, Scott R., Eichenholz, Jason M., Russell, Austin K., Martin, Lane A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,254,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/95 for meteorological use
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/4975 of sensor obstruction by, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating, e.g. by reflection measurement on front-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/484 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4868 Controlling received signal intensity or exposure of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

To detect an atmospheric condition at the current location of a lidar system, a receiver in the lidar system detects a return light pulse scattered by a target and analyzes the characteristics of the return light pulse. The characteristics of the return light pulse include a rise time, a fall time, a duration, a peak power, an amount of energy, etc. When the rise time, fall time, and/or duration exceed respective thresholds, the lidar system detects the atmospheric condition such as fog, sleet, snow, rain, dust, smog, exhaust, or insects. In response to detecting the atmospheric condition, the lidar system adjusts the characteristics of subsequent pulses to compensate for attenuation or distortion of return light pulses due to the atmospheric condition. For example, the lidar system adjusts the peak power, pulse energy, pulse duration, inter-pulse-train spacing, number of pulses, or any other suitable characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically varying pulse characteristics in a lidar system, the method comprising:

emitting light pulses by a light source in a lidar system;

detecting, by a receiver in the lidar system, light from one of the light pulses scattered by one or more remote targets to identify a return light pulse;

determining an atmospheric condition at or near a geolocation of a vehicle that includes the lidar system; and

providing a control signal to the light source adjusting one or more characteristics of the light pulses, wherein the one or more characteristics of the light pulses are adjusted to compensate for attenuation or distortion of the return light pulse associated with the atmospheric condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the atmospheric condition includes:

receiving, from a positioning sensor, an indication of the geolocation of the vehicle; and

receiving, from a weather data service, current weather data including the atmospheric condition for a region that includes the received geolocation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the atmospheric condition includes:

receiving an indication from the receiver of at least a portion of a duration of the return light pulse;

comparing the indication of the at least a portion of the duration to a threshold duration; and

in response to determining that the at least a portion of the duration exceeds the threshold duration, identifying fog, sleet, snow, rain, dust, smog, exhaust, or insects.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the atmospheric condition includes:

receiving an indication from the receiver of a peak power of the return light pulse;

comparing the indication of the peak power to a peak power threshold; and

in response to determining that the peak power is below the peak power threshold, identifying fog, sleet, snow, rain, dust, smog, exhaust, or insects.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least a portion of the duration is a duration of a falling edge of the return light pulse.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a control signal to the light source adjusting one or more characteristics of the light pulses includes providing a control signal to the light source to increase a peak power of the light pulses.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a control signal to the light source adjusting one or more characteristics of the light pulses includes providing a control signal to the light source to increase a duration of the light pulses.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a control signal to the light source adjusting one or more characteristics of the light pulses includes providing a control signal to the light source to alternate a peak power of the light pulses from a first peak power to a second peak power.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the peak power alternates for each pixel, scan line, or frame.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a control signal to the light source adjusting one or more characteristics of the light pulses includes providing a control signal to the light source to adjust at least one of the characteristics of the light pulses for at least a portion of a frame.

11. A lidar system comprising:

a light source configured to emit light pulses;

a scanner configured to scan a field of regard of the lidar system including direct the light pulses at different angles toward different points within the field of regard;

a detector configured to detect light from some of the light pulses scattered by one or more remote targets to identify return light pulses and to generate respective pixels; and

a controller configured to adjust one or more characteristics of the light pulses emitted by the light source, including;

determine an atmospheric condition at or near a geolocation of a vehicle; and

cause the light source to emit subsequent light pulses having one or more adjusted characteristics to compensate for attenuation or distortion of the return light pulses associated with the atmospheric condition.

12. The lidar system of claim 11, wherein to determine the atmospheric condition, the controller is configured to:

receive, from a positioning sensor, an indication of the geolocation of the vehicle; and

receive, from a weather data service, current weather data including the atmospheric condition for a region that includes the received geolocation.

13. The lidar system of claim 11, wherein to determine the atmospheric condition, the controller is configured to:

for one or more of the return light pulses;

receive an indication of at least a portion of a duration of the return light pulse from the detector;

compare the indication of the at least a portion of the duration to a threshold duration; and

in response to determining that the at least a portion of the duration exceeds the threshold duration, identify fog, sleet, snow, rain, dust, smog, exhaust, or insects.

14. The lidar system of claim 13, wherein the at least a portion of the duration is a duration of a falling edge of the return light pulse.

15. The lidar system of claim 11, wherein to determine the atmospheric condition, the controller is configured to:

for one or more of the return light pulses;

receive an indication of a peak power of the return light pulse;

compare the indication of the peak power to a peak power threshold; and

in response to determining that the peak power is below the peak power threshold, identify fog, sleet, snow, rain, dust, smog, exhaust, or insects.

16. The lidar system of claim 11, wherein to cause the light source to emit subsequent light pulses having one or more adjusted characteristics, the controller is configured to provide a control signal to the light source to increase a peak power of subsequent light pulses.

17. The lidar system of claim 11, wherein to cause the light source to emit subsequent light pulses having one or more adjusted characteristics, the controller is configured to provide a control signal to the light source to increase a duration of the subsequent light pulses.

18. The lidar system of claim 11, wherein to cause the light source to emit subsequent light pulses having one or more adjusted characteristics, the controller is configured to provide a control signal to the light source to alternate a peak power of the subsequent light pulses from a first peak power to a second peak power.

19. The lidar system of claim 18, wherein the peak power alternates for each pixel, scan line, or frame.

20. A controller in a lidar system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to;

provide a control signal to a light source to emit light pulses having pulse characteristics;

determine an atmospheric condition at or near a geolocation of a vehicle associated with the lidar system; and

in response to determining the atmospheric condition, provide a control signal to the light source to emit subsequent light pulses having one or more adjusted pulse characteristics to compensate for attenuation or distortion of return light pulses associated with the atmospheric condition.

21. The controller of claim 20, wherein to determine the atmospheric condition, the controller is configured to:

for at least some of the emitted light pulses;

receive an indication of at least a portion of a duration of a return light pulse corresponding to the emitted light pulse from a detector configured to detect light from some of the emitted light pulses scattered by one or more remote targets to identify return light pulses;

compare the indication of the at least a portion of the duration to a threshold duration; and

in response to determining that the at least a portion of the duration exceeds the threshold duration, identify fog, sleet, snow, rain, dust, smog, exhaust, or insects.

22. The controller of claim 20, wherein to provide the control signal to the light source to emit subsequent light pulses having one or more adjusted characteristics, the controller is configured to provide a control signal to the light source to alternate a peak power of the subsequent light pulses from a first peak power to a second peak power.