公开(公告)号：US20190107606A1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-11

申请号：US16155207

申请日：2018-10-09

Applicant: Luminar Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Austin K. Russell ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Liam J. McGregor ,  Jason M. Eichenholz

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard. The field of regard contains all or part of a target located a distance from the lidar system that is less than or equal to a maximum range of the lidar system, and one or more of the emitted pulses of light are scattered by the target. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the pulses of light scattered by the target. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for an emitted pulse of light.

公开(公告)号：US10139478B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-27

申请号：US15861147

申请日：2018-01-03

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Stephen D. Gaalema ,  Austin K. Russell ,  Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Tue Tran

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/489 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/486

Abstract: To decrease the likelihood of a false detection when detecting light from light pulses scattered by remote targets in a lidar system, a receiver in the lidar system includes a photodetector and a pulse-detection circuit having a gain circuit with a varying amount of gain over time. The gain circuit operates in a low-gain mode for a time period T1 beginning with time t0 when a light pulse is emitted to prevent the receiver from detecting return light pulses during the threshold time period T1. Upon expiration of the threshold time period T1, the gain circuit operates in a high-gain mode to begin detecting return light pulses until a subsequent light pulse is emitted.

公开(公告)号：US10088559B1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-02

申请号：US15876669

申请日：2018-01-22

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Matthew D. Weed ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Lane A. Martin ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell ,  Rodger W. Cleye ,  Melvin L. Stauffer

IPC: G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/08

Abstract: To compensate for motor dynamics in a scanner in a lidar system, a light source transmits light pulses at a variable pulse rate in accordance with a scan speed of the scanner. More specifically, the pulse rate may be directly related to the scan speed so that the light source transmits light pulses uniformly across a field of regard. A controller may determine the scan speed and provide a control signal to the light source adjusting the pulse rate accordingly.

公开(公告)号：US20180120433A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-03

申请号：US15859170

申请日：2017-12-29

Applicant: Luminar Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Alain Villeneuve ,  Rodger W. Cleye ,  Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Lane A. Martin

IPC: G01S17/06 ,  G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/32

CPC classification number: G01S17/06 ,  G01S7/4804 ,  G01S7/4811 ,  G01S7/4814 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/4818 ,  G01S7/483 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/02 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/32 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/88 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/936 ,  H01S3/0007 ,  H01S3/0078 ,  H01S3/0085 ,  H01S3/06733 ,  H01S3/0675 ,  H01S3/06754 ,  H01S3/06758 ,  H01S3/08086 ,  H01S3/094003 ,  H01S3/094042 ,  H01S3/094076 ,  H01S3/0941 ,  H01S3/10023 ,  H01S3/1106 ,  H01S3/1608 ,  H01S3/2383 ,  H01S5/0057 ,  H01S5/0085 ,  H01S5/4012 ,  H01S5/4087 ,  H01S2301/02

Abstract: A lidar system with a pulsed laser diode to produce a plurality of optical seed pulses of light at one or more operating wavelengths between approximately 1400 nm and approximately 1600 nm. The lidar system may also include one or more optical amplifiers to amplify the optical seed pulses to produce a plurality of output optical pulses. Each optical amplifier may produce an amount of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), and the output optical pulses may have characteristics comprising: a pulse repetition frequency of less than or equal to 100 MHz; a pulse duration of less than or equal to 20 nanoseconds; and a duty cycle of less than or equal to 1%. The lidar system may also include one or more optical filters to attenuate the ASE and a receiver to detect at least a portion of the output optical pulses scattered by a target located a distance.

公开(公告)号：US09823353B2

公开(公告)日：2017-11-21

申请号：US15470735

申请日：2017-03-27

Applicant: Luminar Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Alain Villeneuve ,  Rodger W. Cleye ,  Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Lane A. Martin

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/486

CPC classification number: G01S17/06 ,  G01S7/4804 ,  G01S7/4811 ,  G01S7/4814 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/4818 ,  G01S7/483 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/02 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/32 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/88 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/936 ,  H01S3/0007 ,  H01S3/0078 ,  H01S3/0085 ,  H01S3/06733 ,  H01S3/0675 ,  H01S3/06754 ,  H01S3/06758 ,  H01S3/08086 ,  H01S3/094003 ,  H01S3/094042 ,  H01S3/094076 ,  H01S3/0941 ,  H01S3/10023 ,  H01S3/1106 ,  H01S3/1608 ,  H01S3/2383 ,  H01S5/0057 ,  H01S5/0085 ,  H01S5/4012 ,  H01S5/4087 ,  H01S2301/02

Abstract: A lidar system with a light source to emit a pulse of light into a field of view and a receiver to detect a return pulse of light which is reflected or scattered by a target in the field of view. The receiver may include an avalanche photodiode to generate an electrical-current pulse corresponding to the return pulse and a transimpedance amplifier to produce a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse. A voltage amplifier may amplify the voltage pulse and a comparator may produce an edge signal when the amplified voltage pulse exceeds a threshold. A time-to-digital converter may determine a time interval based on an emission time of the pulse of light and based on the edge signal. A processor may determine a distance to the target using the time interval.

公开(公告)号：US12066575B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-20

申请号：US17883722

申请日：2022-08-09

Applicant: Luminar Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Austin K. Russell ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Liam J. McGregor ,  Jason M. Eichenholz

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/26 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/931

CPC classification number: G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/4808 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/26 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01S7/4868

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light. The emitted pulses of light include one or more series of standard-resolution pulses alternating with one or more series of high-resolution pulses. Each series of the standard-resolution pulses includes multiple pulses having a standard pulse period, and each series of the high-resolution pulses includes multiple pulses having a high-resolution pulse period. The standard pulse period is greater than or equal to a round-trip time associated with a maximum range of the lidar system, and the high-resolution pulse period is less than the standard pulse period. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard.

公开(公告)号：US10768304B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-08

申请号：US16176567

申请日：2018-10-31

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Benjamin Englard ,  Eric C. Danziger ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/40 ,  G01S7/41 ,  G01S13/42 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  B60W30/18 ,  B60W10/04 ,  G06N3/08 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G06K9/62 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G06T3/40 ,  G06T17/05 ,  G06T17/20 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G06T7/50 ,  G06K9/42 ,  G01S17/66 ,  G06T15/08 ,  G01S7/497 ,  B60W50/06 ,  G06T7/20

Abstract: A method for processing point clouds having variable spatial distributions of scan lines includes receiving a point cloud frame generated by a sensor configured to sense an environment through which a vehicle is moving. The point cloud frame includes scan lines arranged according to a particular spatial distribution. The method also includes either generating an enhanced point cloud frame with a larger number of points than the received point cloud frame, or constructing, by one or more processors and based on points of the received point cloud frame, a three-dimensional mesh. The method also includes generating, by performing an interpolation function on the enhanced point cloud frame or a virtual surface provided by the three-dimensional mesh, a normalized point cloud frame, and generating, using the normalized point cloud frame, signals descriptive of a current state of the environment through which the vehicle is moving.

公开(公告)号：US10557940B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US15364085

申请日：2016-11-29

Applicant: Luminar Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Alain Villeneuve ,  Rodger W. Cleye ,  Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Lane A. Martin ,  Stephen D. Gaalema

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/08 ,  H01S3/067 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/094 ,  H01S3/0941 ,  H01S3/10 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S5/40 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/483 ,  G01S17/02 ,  H01S3/00 ,  G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/06 ,  G01S17/88 ,  G01S7/487 ,  H01S3/16 ,  G01S17/32

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the scanned pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system.

公开(公告)号：US10473788B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-12

申请号：US16176624

申请日：2018-10-31

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Benjamin Englard ,  Eric C. Danziger ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/40 ,  G01S7/41 ,  G01S13/42 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  B60W30/18 ,  B60W10/04 ,  G06N3/08 ,  G01S13/93 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G06T3/40 ,  G06T17/05 ,  G06T17/20 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/02 ,  G06T7/50 ,  G06K9/42 ,  G06K9/62 ,  G01S17/66 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06T15/08 ,  G01S7/497 ,  B60W50/06 ,  G06T7/20

Abstract: A method for controlling at least a first sensor of a vehicle, which senses an environment through which the vehicle is moving by producing a plurality of scan lines arranged according to a spatial distribution, includes receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors. The one or more sensors are configured to sense the environment through which the vehicle is moving. The method also includes identifying, by one or more processors and based on the received sensor data, one or more areas of interest in the environment, and causing, by one or more processors and based on the areas of interest, the spatial distribution of the plurality of scan lines produced by the first sensor to be adjusted.

公开(公告)号：US20190235052A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-01

申请号：US16378315

申请日：2019-04-08

Applicant: Luminar Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell ,  Lane A. Martin

IPC: G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/00 ,  G01W1/02 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01W1/14 ,  G01S17/42

CPC classification number: G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/003 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/936 ,  G01S17/95 ,  G01S2007/4975 ,  G01W1/02 ,  G01W1/14 ,  Y02A90/19

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for dynamically varying receiver characteristics in a lidar system includes emitting light pulses by a light source in a lidar system. The method further includes detecting, by a receiver in the lidar system, light from one of the light pulses scattered by one or more remote targets to identify a return light pulse. The method also includes determining an atmospheric condition at or near a geolocation of a vehicle that includes the lidar system. The method further includes providing a control signal to the receiver adjusting one or more characteristics of the receiver to compensate for attenuation or distortion of the return light pulses associated with the atmospheric condition.