Surround sensing system

• US 9,551,791 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xenomatix NV
• Original Assignee: Xenomatix NV
• Inventors: Van Den Bossche, Johan, Van Dyck, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/770,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20160018526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 356/3.11, 356/5.03, 356/5.04
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/04 involving a vehicle which moves along the profile to be traced
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4808 Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/484 Transmitters

Abstract

A system for detecting the profile of an object. The system having a radiation source for generating a radiation pattern. The system also having a detector which has a plurality of pixels and a processor for processing data from the detector when radiation from the radiation source is reflected by an object and detected by the detector. The system also has a synchronization device for interfacing between the detector and the radiation source. The radiation source is designed for operating in pulsed mode and the synchronization device can synchronize the pulses of the radiation source with the sampling of the detector.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mountable system for detecting a characteristic of an object, the system comprising:

a radiation source adapted to generate a simultaneously pulsed radiation pattern;

at least one detector having a plurality of pixels;

a processor adapted to process data from the at least one detector when radiation from the radiation source is reflected by an obj ect and detected by the at least one detector;

a synchronization means interfacing between the at least one detector and the radiation source;

wherein the synchronization means is adapted for synchronizing the at least one detector with the radiation source so that detection by the detector of radiation to be processed is detected only during the radiation pulses,

wherein the radiation source comprises at least one laser adapted for generating a plurality of laser spots constituting said pulsed radiation pattern,

wherein the processor is adapted for determining a characteristic of the object by determining a displacement of detected spots detected with the at least one detector with reference to predetermined reference spot positions,

and wherein said determining of said displacement is performed with sub-pixel accuracy by multipixel fitting said detected spots.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source emits monochromatic light and wherein the at least one detector is equipped with a corresponding spectral filter, and wherein the spectral filter is a narrow bandpass filter equipped with optics arranged so as to modify an angle of incidence onto said narrow bandpass filter, to confine said angle of incidence to a predetermined range around a normal of a main surface of said narrow bandpass filter.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said monochromatic light has a wavelength spread of less than ±

5 nm, preferably less than ±

3 nm, most preferably less than ±

1 nm.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source is adapted to generate laser light in the spectrum of 700-1500 nm, preferably 800-1000 nm.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said radiation source is adapted to project light at an intensity of at least 100 W/m² at the intersection of the object and emitted light, preferably at least 500 W/m² at the intersection object and emitted light and is operated at a pulse width and a pulse frequency which are determined so as to keep the average emitted power per spot below 1 mW.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said radiation source comprises a VCSEL array with a low beam divergence, said VCSEL array being configured to simultaneously transmit individual spots of said radiation pattern.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising micro array optics configured to focus and/or orient each laser spot of said VCSEL array.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted for processing of the detected data based on triangulation.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source comprises a phase grating for simultaneously generating the radiation pattern.

10. The system according to claim 1, the system further comprising a shutter wherein the shutter, when closed, blocks radiation from arriving at the at least one detector and wherein the synchronization means is adapted for synchronizing the pulses of the radiation source with the opening and closing of the shutter.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detector is a CMOS or CCD sensor and/or wherein the system comprises a narrow band spectral filter positioned in front of the camera, and/or wherein the at least one detector is a plurality of detectors the system in addition making use of parallax between the plurality of detectors and/or of stereovision.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for modifying an intensity of respective ones of said radiation spots in function of their distance from said system so as to equalize their perceived intensity, said means operating in conjunction with said radiation source or with said at least one detector.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said means for modifying said intensity comprises an aperture placed in the optical path of said at least one detector, said aperture having an asymmetric shape relative to any horizontal plane.

14. The system according to claim 1, further adapted to perform said detecting in a range between 1 m and 30 m.

15. The system according to claim 1, further adapted to perform said detecting in a range between 0 m and 200 m.

16. A vehicle with controllable suspension, the vehicle comprising a system according to claim 1, a suspension system, and a control system, wherein the control system is adapted for receiving profile information of the system for determining a characteristic of an object and is adapted for using the information for controlling the suspension system.

17. A camera, the camera comprising a system according to claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to add 3D information to the camera image based on information obtained from the system, making it possible to create a 3D image.

18. A method comprising the step:

detecting a characteristic of an object in a vicinity of a vehicle using a system according to claim 1, said use taking place in an outdoor environment.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of measuring the profile of the road in front of a car or for controlling of autonomous vehicles.

20. A method for detecting a characteristic of an object in the vicinity of a vehicle, the method comprising:

using a vehicle-mounted system to generate a simultaneously pulsed radiation pattern composed of radiation spots; and

using said vehicle-mounted system to detect reflections of said pulsed radiation pattern using at least one detector having a plurality of pixels;

wherein the at least one detector is synchronized with the pulsed radiation pattern so that said detecting takes place during the radiation pulses,

wherein a plurality of laser spots constitutes said pulsed radiation pattern,

wherein a characteristic of the object is determined by determining a displacement of detected spots with reference to predetermined reference spot positions, and

wherein said determining of said displacement is performed with sub-pixel accuracy by multipixel fitting said detected spots.

21. A non-transitory machine readable data storage storing a computer program product comprising instructions to cause a processor to perform the determining of said characteristic of the method of claim 20.