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US 11,960,029 B2Granted
Selective deactivation of light emitters for interference mitigation in light detection and ranging (lidar) devices
AssigneeWaymo LLC
InventorMark Alexander Shand
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Example embodiments relate to selective deactivation of light emitters for interference mitigation in light detection and ranging (lidar) devices. An example method includes deactivating one or more light emitters within a lidar device during a firing cycle. The method also includes identifying whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device. Identifying whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device includes determining, for each light detector of the lidar device that is associated with the one or more light emitters deactivated during the firing cycle, whether a light signal was detected during the firing cycle.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- emitting light signals having a first emission power from a first plurality of light emitters within a light detection and ranging (lidar) device during a first firing cycle of a firing sequence;
- listening, during the first firing cycle by each light detector of the lidar device that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters, for light signals reflected from a surrounding environment;
- emitting one or more light signals having a second emission power from one or more light emitters within the first plurality of light emitters during a second firing cycle of the firing sequence, wherein the second emission power is less than the first emission power;
- emitting light signals having the first emission power from a second plurality of light emitters within the lidar device during the second firing cycle, wherein the second plurality of light emitters comprises the light emitters within the first plurality of light emitters that are not emitting light signals having the second emission power during the second firing cycle;
- listening, during the second firing cycle by each light detector of the lidar device that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters, for light signals from the surrounding environment;
- and
- identifying whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device, wherein identifying whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device comprises determining, for each light detector of the lidar device that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters, whether any light signals detected during the second firing cycle correspond to the first emission power or the second emission power.
4 more elements
A light detection and ranging (lidar) device comprising:
- an array of light emitters;
- an array of light detectors, wherein each of the light detectors is associated with one or more light emitters in the array of light emitters;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- cause, during a first firing cycle of a firing sequence, a first plurality of light emitters within the array of light emitters to emit light signals having a first emission power;
- cause, during the first firing cycle, each light detector within the array of light detectors that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters to listen for light signals reflected from a surrounding environment;
- cause one or more light emitters within the first plurality of light emitters to emit one or more light signals having a second emission power during a second firing cycle of the firing sequence, wherein the second emission power is less than the first emission power;
- cause, during the second firing cycle, a second plurality of light emitters within the array of light emitters to emit light signals having the first emission power, wherein the second plurality of light emitters comprises the light emitters within the first plurality of light emitters that are not emitting light signals having the second emission power during the second firing cycle;
- cause, during the second firing cycle, each light detector within the array of light detectors that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters to listen for light signals from the surrounding environment;
- and
- identify whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device, wherein identifying whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device comprises determining, for each light detector of the lidar device that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters, whether any light signals detected during the second firing cycle correspond to the first emission power or the second emission power.
8 more elements
A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
- causing, during a first firing cycle of a firing sequence, a first plurality of light emitters within an array of light emitters of a light detection and ranging (lidar) device to emit light signals having a first emission power;
- causing, during the first firing cycle, each light detector within an array of light detectors of the lidar device that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters to listen for light signals reflected from a surrounding environment;
- causing one or more light emitters within the first plurality of light emitters to emit one or more light signals having a second emission power during a second firing cycle of the firing sequence, wherein the second emission power is less than the first emission power;
- causing, during the second firing cycle, a second plurality of light emitters within the array of light emitters to emit light signals having the first emission power, wherein the second plurality of light emitters comprises the light emitters within the first plurality of light emitters that are not emitting light signals having the second emission power during the second firing cycle;
- causing, during the second firing cycle, each light detector within the array of light detectors that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters to listen for light signals from the surrounding environment;
- and
- identifying whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device, wherein identifying whether interference is influencing measurements made by the lidar device comprises determining, for each light detector of the lidar device that is associated with the first plurality of light emitters, whether any light signals detected during the second firing cycle correspond to the first emission power or the second emission power.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.