Combining lidar and camera data
First Claim
1. A system operating in a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a lidar module including;
a laser configured to emit pulses of light according to a pulse rate scheme and a power scheme,a scanner configured to direct the emitted pulses of light in accordance with a scan pattern to illuminate a field of regard of the lidar module, anda receiver configured to detect the emitted pulses of light scattered by one or more remote targets, wherein the receiver comprises;
an avalanche photodiode configured to produce an electrical-current pulse corresponding to a received pulse of light, anda transimpedance amplifier configured to convert the electrical-current pulse into a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse;
the system further comprising;
a camera with a field of view at least partially overlapping the field of regard of the lidar module; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the camera and the lidar module, the controller configured to;
determine, using the camera, an object within the field of view of the camera and the field of regard of the lidar module, andcause the lidar module to modify at least one of (i) the scan pattern, (ii) the pulse rate scheme, and (iii) the power scheme of the lidar module based on the determined object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a lidar, a camera, and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera and the lidar. The lidar includes a laser configured to emit pulses of light, a scanner configured to direct the emitted pulses in accordance with a scan pattern, and a receiver configured to detect the emitted pulse of light scattered by one or more remote targets to collect a set of lidar pixels of a scan frame, in a sequence defined by the scan pattern. The camera has a field of regard that at least partially overlaps the field of regard of the lidar. The controller is configured to cause the camera to capture images while the receiver of the lidar module collects the complete set of lidar pixels of the scan frame, and align lidar pixels with corresponding pixels in the captured images.
147 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system operating in a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a lidar module including; a laser configured to emit pulses of light according to a pulse rate scheme and a power scheme, a scanner configured to direct the emitted pulses of light in accordance with a scan pattern to illuminate a field of regard of the lidar module, and a receiver configured to detect the emitted pulses of light scattered by one or more remote targets, wherein the receiver comprises; an avalanche photodiode configured to produce an electrical-current pulse corresponding to a received pulse of light, and a transimpedance amplifier configured to convert the electrical-current pulse into a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse; the system further comprising; a camera with a field of view at least partially overlapping the field of regard of the lidar module; and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera and the lidar module, the controller configured to; determine, using the camera, an object within the field of view of the camera and the field of regard of the lidar module, and cause the lidar module to modify at least one of (i) the scan pattern, (ii) the pulse rate scheme, and (iii) the power scheme of the lidar module based on the determined object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for controlling a lidar module, the method comprising:
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emitting, from a laser, pulses of light according to a pulse rate scheme and a power scheme; scanning, using a scanner, the emitted pulses of light in accordance with a scan pattern to illuminate a field of regard of the lidar module; detecting, using a receiver, the emitted pulses of light scattered by one or more remote targets in the field of regard of the lidar module, wherein the receiver comprises; an avalanche photodiode configured to produce an electrical-current pulse corresponding to a received pulse of light, and a transimpedance amplifier configured to convert the electrical-current pulse into a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse; obtaining, using a camera, a first image that at least partially overlaps the field of regard of the lidar module; identifying, using the first image, an object within the field of regard of the lidar module; identifying, based on the object, a region within the field of regard of the lidar module; and modifying, over the region, a lidar parameter, wherein the lidar parameter is at least one of (i) the scan pattern, (ii) the pulse rate scheme, and (iii) the power scheme. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to perform operations comprising:
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instructing a laser of a lidar module to emit pulses of light according to a pulse rate scheme and a power scheme; instructing a scanner of the lidar module to scan the emitted pulses of light in accordance with a scan pattern to illuminate a field of regard of the lidar module; receiving lidar pixels corresponding to the emitted pulses of light scattered by one or more remote targets in the field of regard of the lidar module, wherein the emitted pulses of light scattered by the remote targets are detected using a receiver of the lidar module, the receiver comprising; an avalanche photodiode configured to produce an electrical-current pulse corresponding to a received pulse of light, and a transimpedance amplifier configured to convert the electrical-current pulse into a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse; collecting a scan frame from the lidar module; obtaining an image from a camera; identifying, using the image, an object in the field of regard of the lidar module; identifying, based on the object, a region within the image; and modifying a lidar parameter of the lidar module, wherein the lidar parameter is at least one of (i) a scan pattern, (ii) a pulse rate scheme, and (iii) a power scheme. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification