Retroreflector Detection and Avoidance in a LIDAR Device

    公开(公告)号:US20240310520A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-09-19

    申请号:US18674242

    申请日:2024-05-24

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    摘要: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device includes a light emitter configured to emit light pulses into a field of view and a detector configured to detect light in the field of view. The light emitter emits a first light pulse. The detector detects, during a first measurement period, at least one reflected light pulse that is indicative of reflection by a retroreflector based on a shape of a reflected light pulse, a magnitude of a reflected light pulse, and/or a time separation between two reflected light pulses. In response to detecting the at least one reflected light pulse indicative of reflection by a retroreflector, the light emitter is deactivated for one or more subsequent measurement periods. Additionally, the LIDAR device may inform one or more other LIDAR devices by transmitting to a computing device information indicative of the retroreflector being within the field of view of the light emitter.

    Differential Methods for Environment Estimation, Lidar Impairment Detection, and Filtering

    公开(公告)号:US20240201391A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-06-20

    申请号:US18068503

    申请日:2022-12-19

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    IPC分类号: G01S17/95 G01S7/487 G01S17/42

    摘要: Example embodiments relate to differential methods for determining environment estimation, lidar impairment detection, and filtering. An example embodiment includes dividing a plurality of lidar device channels into a first group and a second group and interleaving the channels. The embodiment includes applying a threshold to the first group. The embodiment further includes emitting light pulses from a lidar device into an environment surrounding the lidar device, and detecting return light pulses. The return light pulses in the first group of channels are sampled from the signals that exceed the threshold. The embodiment may further include determining a differential in a statistical distribution between the return light pulses in the first group and the return light pulses in the second group. Based on the differential, the method can include detecting an atmospheric scattering medium in the environment surrounding the lidar device.

    Methods and systems for dithering active sensor pulse emissions

    公开(公告)号:US11237256B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-02-01

    申请号:US16134985

    申请日:2018-09-19

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    摘要: One example device comprises a plurality of emitters including at least a first emitter and a second emitter. The first emitter emits light that illuminates a first portion of a field-of-view (FOV) of the device. The second emitter emits light that illuminates a second portion of the FOV. The device also comprises a controller that obtains a scan of the FOV. The controller causes each emitter of the plurality of emitters to emit a respective light pulse during an emission time period associated with the scan. The controller causes the first emitter to emit a first-emitter light pulse at a first-emitter time offset from a start time of the emission time period. The controller causes the second emitter to emit a second-emitter light pulse at a second-emitter time offset from the start time of the emission time period.

    Systems and Methods for Selecting Light Emitters for Emitting Light

    公开(公告)号:US20230275584A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-08-31

    申请号:US18311505

    申请日:2023-05-03

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    IPC分类号: H03K17/969 H03K17/0412

    摘要: An example circuit includes a plurality of light emitters connected in parallel between a first node and a second node. The circuit also includes a plurality of capacitors, with each capacitor corresponding to one of the light emitters, and a plurality of discharge-control switches, with each discharge-control switches corresponding to one of the capacitors. The circuit further includes a pulse-control switch connected to the plurality of light emitters. During a first period, the pulse-control switch restricts current flow, and each of the plurality of capacitors is charged via the first node. During a second period, one or more of the plurality of discharge-control switches allows current flow that discharges one or more corresponding capacitors. During a third period, the pulse-control switch allows current flow that discharges one or more undischarged capacitors of the plurality of capacitors through one or more corresponding light emitters.

    Methods and Systems for Dithering Active Sensor Pulse Emissions

    公开(公告)号:US20230135132A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-05-04

    申请号:US18147745

    申请日:2022-12-29

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    IPC分类号: G01S7/484 G01S7/481 G01S7/491

    摘要: One example device comprises a plurality of emitters including at least a first emitter and a second emitter. The first emitter emits light that illuminates a first portion of a field-of-view (FOV) of the device. The second emitter emits light that illuminates a second portion of the FOV. The device also comprises a controller that obtains a scan of the FOV. The controller causes each emitter of the plurality of emitters to emit a respective light pulse during an emission time period associated with the scan. The controller causes the first emitter to emit a first-emitter light pulse at a first-emitter time offset from a start time of the emission time period. The controller causes the second emitter to emit a second-emitter light pulse at a second-emitter time offset from the start time of the emission time period.

    Methods and systems for reducing vehicle sensor interference

    公开(公告)号:US11275174B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-03-15

    申请号:US16554500

    申请日:2019-08-28

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    摘要: A method is provided that includes a vehicle receiving data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect the environment of the vehicle. The at least one other vehicle may include at least one sensor. The method also includes determining a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle and the sensor of the vehicle. The method also includes initiating an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle responsive to the determination.

    Systems and Methods for Selecting Light Emitters for Emitting Light

    公开(公告)号:US20210167778A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-06-03

    申请号:US17039940

    申请日:2020-09-30

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    IPC分类号: H03K17/969 H03K17/0412

    摘要: An example circuit includes a plurality of light emitters connected in parallel between a first node and a second node. The circuit also includes a plurality of capacitors, with each capacitor corresponding to one of the light emitters, and a plurality of discharge-control switches, with each discharge-control switches corresponding to one of the capacitors. The circuit further includes a pulse-control switch connected to the plurality of light emitters. During a first period, the pulse-control switch restricts current flow, and each of the plurality of capacitors is charged via the first node. During a second period, one or more of the plurality of discharge-control switches allows current flow that discharges one or more corresponding capacitors. During a third period, the pulse-control switch allows current flow that discharges one or more undischarged capacitors of the plurality of capacitors through one or more corresponding light emitters.

    Media access control scheme in radar system for autonomous vehicles

    公开(公告)号:US20210063566A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-03-04

    申请号:US16554500

    申请日:2019-08-28

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    IPC分类号: G01S13/93 G06K9/00

    摘要: A method is provided that includes a vehicle receiving data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect the environment of the vehicle. The at least one other vehicle may include at least one sensor. The method also includes determining a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle and the sensor of the vehicle. The method also includes initiating an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle responsive to the determination.

    Retroreflector detection and avoidance in a LIDAR device

    公开(公告)号:US12025702B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-07-02

    申请号:US17028847

    申请日:2020-09-22

    申请人: Waymo LLC

    摘要: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device includes a light emitter configured to emit light pulses into a field of view and a detector configured to detect light in the field of view. The light emitter emits a first light pulse. The detector detects, during a first measurement period, at least one reflected light pulse that is indicative of reflection by a retroreflector based on a shape of a reflected light pulse, a magnitude of a reflected light pulse, and/or a time separation between two reflected light pulses. In response to detecting the at least one reflected light pulse indicative of reflection by a retroreflector, the light emitter is deactivated for one or more subsequent measurement periods. Additionally, the LIDAR device may inform one or more other LIDAR devices by transmitting to a computing device information indicative of the retroreflector being within the field of view of the light emitter.