Dual-mode lidar system

• US 10,551,501 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: LaChapelle, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ratcliffe, Luke D
• Application Number:
  US16/059,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20200049821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/47 Scattering, i.e. diffuse reflection G01N21/25, G01N21/41 take precedence G01N21/55 takes precedence
• 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 17/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4818 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/484 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4868 Controlling received signal intensity or exposure of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/121 Mechanical drive devices for polygonal mirrors

Abstract

A method in a lidar system comprises emitting a pulse of light, detecting at least a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system, and determining the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for the emitted pulse of light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system. The method further comprises emitting a series of pulses of light having particular pulse-frequency characteristics, detecting at least a portion of the series of emitted pulses of light scattered by the target, and comparing the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light with corresponding pulse-frequency characteristics of the detected series of scattered pulses of light to determine a velocity of the target with respect to the lidar system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

emitting, by a light source of a lidar system, a pulse of light;

detecting, by a receiver of the lidar system, at least a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system;

determining, by a processor of the lidar system, the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for the emitted pulse of light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system; and

if (i) the distance to the target is greater than a particular maximum distance or (ii) at least one of a horizontal scan angle or a vertical scan angle is outside a respective particular range within a field of regard of the lidar system, then refraining from emitting a series of pulses of light, otherwise;

emitting, by the light source, the series of pulses of light, the series of emitted pulses of light having particular pulse-frequency characteristics;

detecting, by the receiver, at least a portion of the series of emitted pulses of light scattered by the target;

comparing, by a comparison module, the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light with corresponding pulse-frequency characteristics of the detected series of scattered pulses of light to determine a velocity of the target with respect to the lidar system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein emitting the series of pulses is in response to determining the distance from the lidar system to the target.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the pulse-frequency characteristics comprises:

electrically mixing an electrical signal corresponding to the series of emitted pulses of light with an electrical signal corresponding to the detected series of scattered pulses of light to produce a mixed output signal;

determining one or more intermediate frequencies of the mixed output signal; and

determining the velocity of the target with respect to the lidar system based on the one or more intermediate frequencies.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the pulse-frequency characteristics comprises:

digitizing an electrical signal corresponding to the detected series of scattered pulses of light;

determining a time or frequency characteristic of the digitized electrical signal; and

comparing the determined time or frequency characteristic with a corresponding time or frequency characteristic of the series of emitted pulses of light to determine the velocity of the target with respect to the lidar system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the series of emitted pulses of light comprises greater than or equal to 10 pulses having a pulse repetition frequency of greater than 10 MHz, each of the pulses having a pulse duration of less than 10 ns.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light comprise a constant pulse repetition frequency.

7. The method of claim 1, including emitting the series of pulses of light only if a vehicle in which the lidar system operates is stopped.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a type of object to which the target corresponds;

emitting the series of pulses of light if the determined type corresponds to a dynamic type; and

refraining from emitting the series of pulses of light if the determined type corresponds to a static type.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a region of interest within the field of regard of the lidar system; and

refraining from emitting the series of pulses of light if the target is not located within the region of interest.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing a pulse energy of the series of emitted pulses of light if the distance to the target is less than a particular minimum distance.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting another series of pulses of light emitted by another lidar system;

determining that the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light do not match corresponding pulse-frequency characteristics of the another series of pulses of light; and

disregarding the other series of pulses of light.

12. A lidar system comprising:

a light source configured to emit a pulse of light;

a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system; and

a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for the emitted pulse of light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system;

wherein if (i) the distance to the target is greater than a particular maximum distance or (ii) at least one of a horizontal scan angle or a vertical scan angle is outside a respective particular range within a field of regard of the lidar system, then the light source is further configured to refrain from emitting a series of pulses of light, otherwise;

the light source is further configured to emit a series of pulses of light having particular pulse-frequency characteristics;

the receiver is further configured to detect at least a portion of the series of emitted pulses of light scattered by the target; and

the lidar system further comprises a comparison module configured to compare the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light with corresponding pulse-frequency characteristics of the detected series of scattered pulses of light to determine a velocity of the target with respect to the lidar system.

13. The lidar system of claim 12, wherein the light source comprises:

a pulsed laser diode configured to produce optical seed pulses; and

one or more optical amplifiers configured to amplify the optical seed pulses to produce the emitted pulses of light.

14. The lidar system of claim 12, wherein the light source comprises a direct-emitter laser diode configured to produce the emitted pulses of light.

15. The lidar system of claim 12, further comprising a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across the field of regard of the lidar system.

16. The lidar system of claim 15, wherein the scanner comprises one or more mirrors, wherein each mirror is mechanically driven by a galvanometer scanner, a resonant scanner, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, a voice coil motor, or a synchronous electric motor.

17. The lidar system of claim 15, wherein the scanner comprises:

a first mirror driven by a first galvanometer scanner that scans the emitted pulses of light along a first direction; and

a second mirror driven by a second galvanometer scanner that scans the emitted pulses of light along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

18. The lidar system of claim 15, wherein the scanner comprises:

a first mirror configured to scan the emitted pulses of light along a first direction; and

a polygon mirror configured to scan the emitted pulses of light along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

19. The lidar system of claim 12, wherein the receiver comprises an avalanche photodiode (APD) configured to receive light scattered by the target and produce an electrical current corresponding to the received light.

20. A method comprising:

emitting, by a light source of a lidar system, a series of pulses of light having particular pulse-frequency characteristics;

detecting, by a receiver of the lidar system, at least a portion of the series of emitted pulses of light scattered by a first target located a first distance from the lidar system;

determining, by a processor of the lidar system, the first distance from the lidar system to the first target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for the series of emitted pulses of light to travel from the lidar system to the first target and back to the lidar system; and

comparing, by a comparison module, the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light with corresponding pulse-frequency characteristics of the detected series of scattered pulses of light to determine a velocity of the first target with respect to the lidar system,

wherein each of the emitting, the detecting, the determining, and the comparing occurs in a first instance to generate a value of a first pixel, the method further comprising, in a second instance;

emitting, by the light source, a single pulse of light;

detecting, by the receiver, at least a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a second target located a second distance from the lidar system; and

determining, by the processor of the lidar system, the second distance from the lidar system to the second target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for the emitted pulse of light to travel from the lidar system to the second target and back to the lidar system to generate a value of a second pixel,

wherein each of the first pixel and the second pixel correspond to respective ranging events of equal duration.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein comparing the pulse-frequency characteristics includes:

determining a time or frequency characteristic of an electrical signal corresponding to the detected series of scattered pulses of light; and

comparing the determined time or frequency characteristic with a corresponding time or frequency characteristic of the series of emitted pulses of light to determine the velocity of the first target with respect to the lidar system.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising not modulating a frequency of the light.

23. A method comprising:

emitting, by a light source of a lidar system, a pulse of light;

detecting, by a receiver of the lidar system, at least a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system;

determining, by a processor of the lidar system, the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for the emitted pulse of light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system;

emitting, by the light source, a series of pulses of light having particular pulse-frequency characteristics, wherein the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light comprise (i) an increasing pulse repetition frequency, (ii) a decreasing pulse repetition frequency, or (iii) a pseudo-random sequence of pulses of light having pseudo-random intervals of time between the pulses;

detecting, by the receiver, at least a portion of the series of emitted pulses of light scattered by the target; and

comparing, by a comparison module, the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light with corresponding pulse-frequency characteristics of the detected series of scattered pulses of light to determine a velocity of the target with respect to the lidar system.

24. A method comprising:

emitting, by a light source of a lidar system, a pulse of light;

detecting, by a receiver of the lidar system, at least a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system;

determining, by a processor of the lidar system, the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for the emitted pulse of light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system;

selecting, by the processor and in view of the determined distance to the target, one or more of;

(i) a pulse energy of pulses in a series of pulses of light, (ii) a width of pulses in the series of pulses of light, and (iii) a number of pulses to be included in the series of pulses of light;

emitting, by the light source, the series of pulses of light, the series of emitted pulses of light having particular pulse-frequency characteristics;

detecting, by the receiver, at least a portion of the series of emitted pulses of light scattered by the target; and

comparing, by a comparison module, the pulse-frequency characteristics of the series of emitted pulses of light with corresponding pulse-frequency characteristics of the detected series of scattered pulses of light to determine a velocity of the target with respect to the lidar system.