LIDAR Occlusion Detection Methods and Systems

A system comprising:

• a mounting structure;
• a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device mounted to the mounting structure;
• an optical window;
• one or more processors;
• and
• data storage storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
• scanning at least a portion of the mounting structure that is within a field-of-view (FOV) of the LIDAR device, wherein the scanning comprises:
• transmitting, through the optical window, light pulses from the LIDAR device in different directions toward the mounting structure, and
• receiving, through the optical window, reflected light pulses comprising reflections of the transmitted light pulses returning back to the LIDAR device from the mounting structure;
• and
• based on at least the scan of the at least portion of the mounting structure, detecting presence of an occlusion that at least partially occludes the LIDAR device from scanning the FOV.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a system to perform operations comprising:

• scanning, using a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device physically coupled to an external structure, at least a portion of the external structure that is within a field-of-view (FOV) of the LIDAR device, wherein the scanning comprises:
• transmitting, through an optical window of the LIDAR device, light pulses in different directions toward the external structure, and
• receiving, through the optical window, reflected light pulses comprising reflections of the transmitted light pulses returning back to the LIDAR device from the external structure;
• and
• based on at least the scan of the at least portion of the external structure, detecting presence of an occlusion that at least partially occludes the LIDAR device from scanning the FOV.