Adaptive Allocation of Detection Elements to Pixels in LiDAR Systems

A method for obtaining data from a sensor of a LIDAR system, the method comprising:

• controlling activation of at least one light source for illuminating a field of view;
• receiving, from at least one sensor having a plurality of detection elements, reflections signals indicative of light reflected from objects in the field of view;
• dynamically allocating a first subset of the plurality of detection elements to constitute a first pixel;
• dynamically allocating a second subset of the plurality of detection elements to constitute a second pixel;
• following processing of the first pixel and the second pixel, dynamically allocating a third subset of the plurality of detection elements to constitute a third pixel, the third subset overlapping with at least one of the first subset and the second subset, and differing from each of the first subset and the second subset;
• and
• following processing of the first pixel and the second pixel, dynamically allocating a fourth subset of the plurality of detection elements to constitute a fourth pixel, the fourth subset overlapping with at least one of the first subset, the second subset, and the third subset, and differing from each of the first subset, the second subset, and the third subset.

A method for dynamic control of a sensor of a LIDAR system, comprising:

• controlling activation of at least one light source of the LIDAR system for illuminating a respective FOV portion of a field of view (FOV) of the LIDAR system;
• receive from at least one sensor having a plurality of detection elements reflections signals indicative of light reflected from objects in the FOV portion;
• dynamically applying a first grouping scheme for a plurality of detection elements of at least one sensor of the LIDAR system to provide a first number of first detection elements groups, each of the first detection elements groups comprises a subset of the plurality of detection elements;
• obtain from the at least one sensor a plurality of first output signals, each of the first output signals corresponds to a respective one of the first detection elements groups;
• process the plurality of first output signals to provide a first point cloud having a first point density across the respective FOV portion, wherein each of a plurality of points of the first point cloud corresponds to a respective one of the first detection elements groups;
• dynamically apply a second grouping scheme for the plurality of detection elements to provide a second number of second detection elements groups, each of the second detection elements groups comprises a subset of the plurality of detection elements, wherein the second number is larger than the first number;
• obtain from the at least one sensor a plurality of second output signals, each of the second output signals corresponds to a respective one of the second detection elements groups;
• and
• process the plurality of second output signals to provide a second point cloud having a second point density across the respective FOV portion, wherein each of a plurality of points of the second point cloud corresponds to a respective one of the second detection elements groups, wherein the second point density is larger than the first point density.