US 11,892,567 B2 · LIDAR pulse elongation

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed to identify a presence of a volumetric medium in an environment associated with a LIDAR system. In some implementations, the LIDAR system may emit a light pulse into the environment, receive a return light pulse corresponding to reflection of the emitted light pulse by a surface in the environment, and determine a pulse width of the received light pulse. The LIDAR system may compare the determined pulse width with a reference pulse width, and determine an amount of pulse elongation of the received light pulse. The LIDAR system may classify the surface as either an object to be avoided by a vehicle or as air particulates associated with the volumetric medium based, at least in part, on the determined amount of pulse elongation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

emitting, by a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, a light pulse into an environment along an emission direction;
receiving, by the LIDAR device, a return light pulse corresponding to reflections of the emitted light pulse by a plurality of surfaces of a single object in the environment;
determining a pulse width of the received light pulse;
comparing the determined pulse width with a reference pulse width;
determining an amount of pulse elongation of the received light pulse based on the comparison;
and
determining that the single object comprises multiple surfaces located at different distances from the LIDAR device, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on the determined amount of pulse elongation.

4 more elements

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device comprising:

a light emitter configured to emit a light pulse into an environment along an emission direction;
a photodetector configured to receive a return light pulse corresponding to reflections of the emitted light pulse by a plurality of surfaces of a single object in the environment;
at least one processing channel configured to:
determine a pulse width of the received light pulse;
compare the determined pulse width with a reference pulse width;
and
determine an amount of pulse elongation of the received light pulse based on the comparison;
and
a controller configured to determine that the single object comprises multiple surfaces located at different distances from the LIDAR device, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on the determined amount of pulse elongation.

6 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

a light emitter configured to emit a light pulse into an environment along an emission direction;
a photodetector configured to receive a return light pulse corresponding to reflections of the emitted light pulse by a plurality of surfaces of a single object in the environment;
at least one processing channel configured to:
determine a pulse width of the received light pulse;
compare the determined pulse width with a reference pulse width;
and
determine an amount of pulse elongation of the received light pulse based on the comparison;
and
a controller configured to determine that the single object comprises multiple surfaces located at different distances from the vehicle, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on the determined amount of pulse elongation.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

LIDAR pulse elongation

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LIDAR pulse elongation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20