Vertically stacked lidar assembly
AssigneeGM Cruise Holdings LLC
InventorMatthew Cox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various technologies described herein pertain to a vertically stacked lidar assembly of an autonomous vehicle. The vertically stacked lidar assembly includes a first lidar sensor system configured to spin about an axis and a second lidar sensor system configured to spin about the axis. The first lidar sensor system is vertically stacked above the second lidar sensor system in the vertically stacked lidar assembly. Moreover, the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are coaxially aligned. Redundancy is provided by the vertically stacked lidar assembly including the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system.
Claims20
An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
- a vertically stacked lidar assembly of the autonomous vehicle, comprising:
- a first lidar sensor system configured to spin about an axis, wherein the first lidar sensor system spins 360 degrees around the axis at a first spin rate, and wherein the first lidar sensor system outputs a first point cloud of an environment comprising points that are 360 degrees around the axis;
- and
- a second lidar sensor system configured to spin about the axis, wherein the second lidar sensor system spins 360 degrees around the axis at a second spin rate, wherein the second spin rate differs from the first spin rate, and wherein the second lidar sensor system outputs a second point cloud of the environment comprising points that are 360 degrees around the axis;
- wherein the first lidar sensor system is vertically stacked above the second lidar sensor system, and wherein the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are coaxially aligned.
A method of operating a vertically stacked lidar assembly of an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
- controlling a first lidar sensor system of the vertically stacked lidar assembly to spin 360 degrees about an axis at a first spin rate;
- outputting, from the first lidar sensor system, a first point cloud of an environment comprising points that are 360 degrees around the axis;
- controlling a second lidar sensor system of the vertically stacked lidar assembly to spin 360 degrees about the axis at a second spin rate, wherein the second spin rate differs from the first spin rate;
- and
- outputting, from the second lidar sensor system, a second point cloud of the environment comprising points that are 360 degrees around the axis;
- wherein the first lidar sensor system is vertically stacked above the second lidar sensor system, and wherein the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are coaxially aligned.
A vertically stacked lidar assembly for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
- a first lidar sensor system configured to spin about an axis, wherein the first lidar sensor system spins 360 degrees around the axis at a first spin rate, and wherein the first lidar sensor system outputs a first 3D point cloud of an environment comprising points that are 360 degrees around the axis;
- and
- a second lidar sensor system configured to spin about the axis, wherein the second lidar sensor system spins 360 degrees around the axis at a second spin rate, wherein the second spin rate differs from the first spin rate, and wherein the second lidar sensor system outputs a second 3D point cloud of the environment comprising points that are 360 degrees around the axis;
- wherein the first lidar sensor system is vertically stacked above the second lidar sensor system, and wherein the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are coaxially aligned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.