# US 10,503,175 B2 · Lidar signal compression

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- Number: US 10,503,175 B2
- Document ID: US10503175B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/794,853
- Filed: 2017-10-26
- Published: 2019-05-02
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-26
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Siddharth Agarwal
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503175B2

## CPC

- G05D 1/0238: {using obstacle or wall sensors (G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93)}
- G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging
- G01S 17/931: of land vehicles
- G06F 9/3001: {Arithmetic instructions}
- G06F 9/30181: {Instruction operation extension or modification}
- B60W 30/18: Propelling the vehicle
- B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
- B60W 2510/06: Combustion engines, Gas turbines
- B60W 2510/08: Electric propulsion units
- B60W 2510/18: Braking system
- B60W 2510/20: Steering systems
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT

## Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive sensor data including floating-point numbers. The memory stores instructions to convert the floating-point numbers to integer numbers based on a parameter set. The memory stores instructions to actuate a vehicle component based on the integer numbers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
receive LIDAR sensor data including floating-point numbers;
convert the floating-point numbers to integer numbers based on a parameter set including a bit length parameter;
determine the bit length parameter based on the LIDAR sensor data; and
actuate a vehicle component based on the integer numbers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to:
determine as parameters a maximum and a minimum of the floating-point numbers; and
determine the bit length parameter based on the minimum and maximum as well as a stored precision parameter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to convert the floating-point numbers to the integer numbers based on the bit length parameter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to apply a compression algorithm to the integer numbers and actuate the vehicle component by transmitting the compressed integer numbers representing LIDAR sensor data to a second processor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the instructions further include instructions to transmit the parameter set with the compressed integer numbers representing LIDAR sensor data to the second processor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, further comprising the second processor and a second memory, the second memory storing instructions executable by the processor to decompress the compressed integer numbers representing LIDAR sensor data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein decompressing the compressed integer numbers further includes:
decompressing the compressed integer numbers; and
then converting the decompressed integer numbers to the floating-point numbers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions further include instructions to convert the decompressed integer numbers based on a bit length parameter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the LIDAR sensor data includes z-Height map data and the instructions further include instructions to determine the z-Height map data based on received reflections at a vehicle LIDAR sensor from a vehicle exterior area.

### Claim 10

A method, comprising:
receiving LIDAR sensor data including floating-point numbers;
converting the floating-point numbers to integer numbers based on a parameter set including a bit length parameter;
determining the bit length parameter based on the LIDAR sensor data; and
actuating a vehicle component based on the integer numbers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising;
determining as parameters a maximum and a minimum of the floating-point numbers; and
determining the bit length parameter based on the minimum and maximum as well as a stored precision parameter.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising converting the floating-point numbers to the integer numbers based on the bit length parameter and applying a compression algorithm to the integer numbers.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising decompressing, in a second processor, the compressed integer numbers representing LIDAR sensor data.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein decompressing the compressed integer numbers further includes:
decompressing the compressed integer numbers; and
then converting the decompressed integer numbers to the floating-point numbers.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising converting the decompressed integer numbers based on the bit length parameter.

### Claim 16

A system, comprising:
a sensor comprising a first processor and a first memory, the first memory storing instructions executable by the first processor to:
receive LIDAR sensor data including floating-point numbers;
convert the floating-point numbers to integer numbers based on a parameter set including a bit length parameter;
determine the bit length parameter based on the LIDAR sensor data;
apply a compression algorithm to the integer numbers; and
transmit the compressed integer numbers via a communication network;
and a computer comprising a second processor and a second memory, the second memory storing instructions executable by the second processor to:
receive the compressed integer numbers;
decompress the compressed integer numbers; and
convert the decompressed integer numbers to the floating-point numbers; and
perform a vehicle operation based on the floating numbers.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions stored in the first memory further include instructions to:
determine as parameters a maximum and a minimum of the floating-point numbers; and
determine the bit length parameter based on the minimum and maximum as well as a stored precision parameter.