Hyper temporal lidar with dynamic laser control using safety models

A method for controlling how a plurality of targeted laser pulse shots are transmitted from a laser source into a field of view via a mirror that scans through a plurality of scan angles, the method comprising:

• simulating a shot list of upcoming laser pulse shots that target a plurality of range points in the field of view using (1) a laser energy model that models how much energy is available from the laser source for laser pulse shots over time and (2) a mirror motion model that models the scan angles for the scannable mirror over time, wherein the simulated shot list includes energy amounts predicted for the upcoming laser pulse shots at defined times according to the laser energy model, and wherein the laser energy model takes into consideration a retention of energy in the laser source after laser pulse shots and quantitatively predicts available energy amounts for laser pulse shots based on a history of prior laser pulse shots to support the shot list simulating;
• comparing the simulated shot list with an eye safety threshold and/or camera safety threshold according to an eye safety model and/or camera safety model that models aggregated laser energy delivered to defined spatial areas over time;
• adjusting the shot list in response to the comparison indicating that the simulated shot list violates the eye safety threshold and/or camera safety threshold according to the eye safety model and/or camera safety model;
• and
• firing the laser pulse shots toward the targeted range points in the field of view via the mirror in accordance with the adjusted shot list.

An article of manufacture for controlling how a plurality of targeted laser pulse shots are transmitted from a laser source into a field of view via a mirror that scans through a plurality of scan angles, the article of manufacture comprising:

• machine-readable code that is resident on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, wherein the code defines processing operations to be performed by a processor to cause the processor to:
• simulate a shot list of upcoming laser pulse shots that target a plurality of range points in the field of view using (1) a laser energy model that models how much energy is available from the laser source for laser pulse shots over time and (2) a mirror motion model that models the scan angles for the scannable mirror over time, wherein the simulated shot list includes energy amounts predicted for the upcoming laser pulse shots at defined times according to the laser energy model, and wherein the laser energy model takes into consideration a retention of energy in the laser source after laser pulse shots and quantitatively predicts available energy amounts for laser pulse shots based on a history of prior laser pulse shots to support the shot list simulation;
• compare the simulated shot list with an eye safety threshold and/or camera safety threshold according to an eye safety model and/or camera safety model that models aggregated laser energy delivered to defined spatial areas over time;
• adjust the shot list in response to the comparison indicating that the simulated shot list violates the eye safety threshold and/or camera safety threshold according to the eye safety model and/or camera safety model;
• and
• generate firing commands for the laser source that cause the laser source to fire the laser pulse shots toward the targeted range points in the field of view via the mirror in accordance with the adjusted shot list.