VEHICLE-INTEGRATED LIDAR SYSTEM
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Abstract
Mounting a LIDAR above or external to a vehicle can enhance the LIDAR field of view but can conflict with vehicle aesthetics and ergonomics. Within embodiments, vehicle-integrated systems for distributing laser beams around a vehicle to increase coverage with a low-profile laser range finder are disclosed. A LIDAR can be embedded beneath a roof or body panel of a vehicle as part of a laser distribution system including a set of reflectors and lenses operable to adapt the LIDAR field of view to the vehicle shape. The set of embedded reflectors can guide laser beams parallel (e.g. within the roof structure), to and from the set of lenses at the roof edge to transmit the guided laser into regions of the surrounding beyond the direct field of view of the LIDAR. In other embodiments a beam guide (e.g. including a headlight assembly) can enable a LIDAR to perform ranging from behind a vehicle body panel.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1-8. -8. (canceled)
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9. A vehicle-integrated laser range finding system comprising:
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a light detection and ranging system located on a vehicle, the light detection and ranging system comprising; at least one laser that transmits laser pulses to reflection locations, and a laser detector that detects laser reflections from the laser pulses, the laser detector having a field of view comprising a set of directions in which the laser detector can detect the laser reflections, wherein the laser detector is positioned on the vehicle such that a first portion of the field of view is obstructed, such that a plurality of the reflection locations beyond the vehicle are obscured from direct line of sight at the laser detector, circuitry that calculates, for the laser reflections, corresponding 3-dimensional locations indicative of the reflection locations; and a beam guide, disposed on the vehicle, that receives a plurality of the laser reflections from the plurality of the reflection locations, in a range of input directions, and wherein the beam guide comprises at least one optical element that converts, for the plurality of the laser reflections, the range of input directions into a range of output directions that are in the first portion of the field of view of the laser detector and thereby guides the plurality of the laser reflections to the laser detector. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A vehicle-integrated laser range finding system comprising:
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a light detection and ranging system located on a vehicle, the light detection and ranging system comprising; at least one laser to generate one or more laser pulses, a laser detector to detect laser reflections corresponding to the one or more laser pulses, wherein each of the laser reflections is from a corresponding reflection location beyond the vehicle, wherein the laser detector has a field of view (FOV) comprising a set of directions in which the laser detector can detect the laser reflections, and wherein the laser detector is positioned on the vehicle such that for a first portion of the FOV the laser detector is obstructed from directly receiving any of the laser reflections, and circuitry to calculate, for each of the laser reflections, a corresponding 3-dimensional location indicative of the corresponding reflection location; and a beam guide disposed on the vehicle to guide a plurality of the laser reflections to the laser detector, the beam guide comprising; a first end to receive the plurality of the laser reflections, each of the laser reflections having a corresponding input direction, at least one optical element to change, for each of the plurality of the laser reflections, the corresponding input direction into a corresponding output direction, and a second end positioned at least partially in the first portion of the FOV, to transmit the plurality of the laser reflections to the laser detector with directions at the laser detector in the first portion of the FOV. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method comprising:
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at a light detection and ranging system (LIDAR) located on a vehicle and comprising one or more lasers, a laser detector and circuitry, generating laser pulses with the one or more lasers; providing, with the laser detector, a field of view comprising a set of directions in which the laser detector can detect laser reflections; positioning the laser detector on the vehicle such that a first portion of the field of view is obstructed from directly receiving a plurality of the laser reflections, each laser reflection corresponding to at least one of the laser pulses and each of the plurality of the laser reflections being from a corresponding reflection location beyond the vehicle; guiding, with a beam guide positioned on the vehicle the plurality of the laser reflections to the laser detector in the first portion of the field of view, including; receiving, at a first end of the beam guide, the plurality of the laser reflections each with a corresponding input direction; changing, using at least one optical element in the beam guide for each of the plurality of the laser reflections, the corresponding input direction into a corresponding output direction, and transmitting, at a second end of the beam guide, the plurality of the laser reflections to the laser detector; detecting, with the detector the plurality of the laser reflections; and calculating, with the circuitry and for each of the plurality of the laser reflections, a corresponding 3-dimensional location indicative of the corresponding reflection location. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification