Control of Autonomous Vehicle Based on Environmental Object Classification Determined Using Phase Coherent LIDAR Data

A method implemented by one or more processors, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a phase coherent frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) component of a vehicle, a group of FMCW LIDAR data points collectively capturing a plurality of points in an area of an environment of the vehicle;
• processing the group of FMCW LIDAR data points to generate an altered version of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points;
• determining, based on applying the altered version of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points as input to a classification model, that a subgroup, of the altered version of the group of the FMCW LIDAR data points, corresponds to an object of a particular classification;
• and
• adapting autonomous control of the vehicle based on determining that the subgroup corresponds to the object of the particular classification.

An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

• a phase coherent frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) component of a vehicle;
• and
• one or more processor executing stored computer instructions to:
• receive, from the phase coherent FMCW LIDAR component, a group of FMCW LIDAR data points collectively capturing a plurality of points in an area of an environment of the vehicle;
• process the group of FMCW LIDAR data points to generate an altered version of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points;
• determine, based on applying the altered version of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points as input to a classification model, that a subgroup, of the altered version of the FMCW LIDAR data points, corresponds to an object of a particular classification;
• and
• adapt autonomous control of the vehicle based on determining that the subgroup corresponds to the object of the particular classification.

A method implemented by one or more processors, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a phase coherent frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) component of a vehicle, a group of FMCW LIDAR data points collectively capturing a plurality of points in an area of an environment of the vehicle;
• prior to determining, based on applying the group of FMCW LIDAR data points as input to a classification model, that a subgroup, of the FMCW LIDAR data points, corresponds to an object of a particular classification:
• determining whether a size of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points conforms with an input dimension of the classification model;
• and
• in response to determining that the size of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points does not conform with the input dimension of the classification model:
• processing the group of FMCW LIDAR data points to generate an altered version of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points;
• and
• determining, based on applying the altered version of the group of FMCW LIDAR data points as input to a classification model, that a subgroup, of the altered version of the FMCW LIDAR data points, corresponds to an object of a particular classification;
• and
• adapting autonomous control of the vehicle based on determining that the subgroup corresponds to the object of the particular classification.