公开(公告)号：WO2018236447A3

公开(公告)日：2018-12-27

申请号：PCT/US2018/024499

申请日：2018-03-27

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： RUSSELL, Austin K. ,  LACHAPELLE, Joseph G. ,  CAMPBELL, Scott R. ,  EICHENHOLZ, Jason M. ,  GAALEMA, Stephen D. ,  TRAN, Tue

IPC: G01S7/489 ,  G01S17/10

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：WO2018183715A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：PCT/US2018/025197

申请日：2018-03-29

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： LACHAPELLE, Joseph G. ,  CAMPBELL, Scott R. ,  GAALEMA, Stephen D.

IPC: G01S7/491 ,  G01J1/44 ,  G01J1/02

CPC classification number: G01S7/4861 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

Abstract: A lidar system includes a light source configured to emit light pulses and a receiver configured to detect light from some of the light pulses scattered by remote targets. The receiver includes an avalanche photodiode operating in the linear mode for detecting the light pulses. To prevent damage to the linear mode avalanche photodiode a quench circuit is coupled to the avalanche photodiode, where the quench circuit reduces a bias voltage applied to the avalanche photodiode, when an avalanche event occurs at the avalanche photodiode.

公开(公告)号：WO2018175757A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-27

申请号：PCT/US2018/023819

申请日：2018-03-22

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： CAMPBELL, Scott R. ,  CLEYE, Rodger W. ,  EICHENHOLZ, Jason M. ,  MARTIN, Lane A. ,  WEED, Matthew D.

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/10

CPC classification number: G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/87

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a first lidar sensor, which includes a first scanner configured to scan first pulses of light along a first scan pattern and a first receiver configured to detect scattered light from the first pulses of light. The system also includes a second lidar sensor, which includes a second scanner configured to scan second pulses of light along a second scan pattern and a second receiver configured to detect scattered light from the second pulses of light. The first scan pattern and the second scan pattern are at least partially overlapped. The system further includes an enclosure, where the first lidar sensor and the second lidar sensor are contained within the enclosure. The enclosure includes a window configured to transmit the first pulses of light and the second pulses of light.

公开(公告)号：WO2018236447A2

公开(公告)日：2018-12-27

申请号：PCT/US2018/024499

申请日：2018-03-27

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： RUSSELL, Austin K. ,  LACHAPELLE, Joseph G. ,  CAMPBELL, Scott R. ,  EICHENHOLZ, Jason M. ,  GAALEMA, Stephen D. ,  TRAN, Tue

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：WO2018236447A4

公开(公告)日：2018-12-27

申请号：PCT/US2018/024499

申请日：2018-03-27

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： RUSSELL, Austin K. ,  LACHAPELLE, Joseph G. ,  CAMPBELL, Scott R. ,  EICHENHOLZ, Jason M. ,  GAALEMA, Stephen D. ,  TRAN, Tue

IPC: G01S7/489 ,  G01S17/10

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：WO2018183539A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：PCT/US2018/024897

申请日：2018-03-28

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： CAMPBELL, Scott R. ,  LACHAPELLE, Joseph G. ,  EICHENHOLZ, Jason M. ,  RUSSELL, Austin K.

IPC: G01S7/491 ,  G01S7/481

Abstract: A lidar system includes a transmitter that encodes successive transmit pulses with different pulse characteristics and a receiver that detects the pulse characteristics of each received (scattered or reflected) pulse and that distinguishes between the received pulses based on the detected pulse characteristics. The lidar system thus resolves range ambiguities by encoding pulses of scan positions in the same or different scan periods to have different pulse characteristics, such as different pulse widths or different pulse envelope shapes. The receiver includes a pulse decoder configured to detect the relevant pulse characteristics of the received pulse and a resolver that determines if the pulse characteristics of the received pulse matches the pulse characteristics of the current scan position or that of a previous scan position.