Combined radar and lighting unit and laser radar apparatus

A combined radar and lighting unit comprising:

• a laser radar apparatus mounted to a vehicle and configured to:
• emit laser light toward an outside of the vehicle;
• and
• detect reflected light resulting from reflection of the emitted laser light by an object to accordingly perform at least measurement of a distance of the object;
• a lighting device mounted to the vehicle and configured to emit visible light toward the outside of the vehicle for illuminating surroundings of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• control the lighting device to cause the lighting device to alternately operate in a first emission mode to perform emission of the visible light, and in a second emission mode to stop emission of the visible light or reduce a quantity of the visible light;
• and
• control the laser radar apparatus to:
• interrupt the measurement of the distance while the lighting device is operating in the first emission mode;
• execute the measurement of the distance while the lighting device is operating in the second emission mode;
• output a common trigger signal for both the laser radar apparatus and the lighting device, the common trigger signal having a high level and a low level;
• interrupt both the measurement of the distance and emission of the visible light during a high-level duration of the high level of the common trigger signal;
• cause, in the first emission mode, the lighting device to emit the visible light during a first time of the low level of the common trigger signal after lapse of the high-level duration of the high level of the common trigger signal, the first time corresponding to the first duration;
• and
• cause, in the second emission mode, the laser apparatus to execute the measurement of the distance during a remaining second time of the low level of the common trigger signal after lapse of the first time of the low level of the common trigger signal, the second time corresponding to the second duration.