Velodyne Lidar Usa, Inc.

Velodyne Lidar, Inc.

Other

Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.

Veloyne Lidar, Inc.

Velodyne Lindar, Inc.

David S Hall

Mathew Noel Rekow

Pieter Johannes Kerstens

Anand Gopalan

Stephen S Nestinger

Raymond Liou

Oren Milgrome

Pravin Kumar Venkatesan

Kiran Kumar Gunnam

Kanke Gao

Nitinkumar Sagarbhai Barot

Matthew Noel Rekow

Rajanatha Shettigara

Aaron Chen

Nathan Slattengren

Marius Paul Dumitrean

Yupeng Cui

Thomas Richardson Tewell

Brenda Hall

Cristhian Octavio Reyes

Tyler Banas

Vishal Jain

Chris Kallai

Richard Yoder

Felix E Stephens

Garrett Rogren

Pravin K Venkantesan

Marius Dumitrean

Described herein are systems and methods that may efficiently detect multi-return light signals. A light detection and ranging system, such as a LIDAR system, may fire a laser beam that may hit multiple objects with a different distance in one line, causing multi-return light signals to be received by the system. Multi-return detectors may be able to analyze the peak magnitude of a plurality of peaks in the return signals and determine a multitude of peaks, such as the first peak, the last peak and the maximum peak. One embodiment to detect the multi-return light signals may be a multi-return recursive matched filter detector. This detector comprises a matched filter, peak detector, centroid calculation and a zeroing out function. Other embodiments may be based on a maximum finder that algorithmically selects the highest magnitude peaks from samples of the return signal and buffers for regions of interests peaks.

Systems and methods for efficient multi-return light detectors

Methods and systems for combining return signals from multiple channels of a LIDAR measurement system are described herein. In one aspect, the outputs of multiple receive channels are electrically coupled before input to a single channel of an analog to digital converter. In another aspect, a DC offset voltage is provided at the output of each transimpedance amplifier of each receive channel to improve measured signal quality. In another aspect, a bias voltage supplied to each photodetector of each receive channel is adjusted based on measured temperature to save power and improve measurement consistency. In another aspect, a bias voltage supplied to each illumination source of each transmit channel is adjusted based on measured temperature. In another aspect, a multiplexer is employed to multiplex multiple sets of output signals of corresponding sets of receive channels before analog to digital conversion.

LIDAR signal acquisition

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for generating, processing and correlating data from multiple sensors in an autonomous navigation system, and more particularly to the utilization of configurable and dynamic sensor modules within light detection and ranging systems that enable an improved correlation between sensor data as well as configurability and responsiveness of the system to its surrounding environment.

Systems and methods for a configurable sensor system

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for configuring architectures for a sensor, and more particularly for light detection and ranging (hereinafter, 'LIDAR') systems based on ASIC sensor architectures supporting autonomous navigation systems. Effective ASIC sensor architecture can enable an improved correlation between sensor data as well as configurability and responsiveness of the system to its surrounding environment and avoid any unnecessary delay within the decision-making process that may result in a failure of the autonomous driving system. It may be essential to integrated multiple functions within an electronic module and implement the functionality with one or more ASICs.

Application specific integrated circuits for lidar sensor and multi-type sensor systems

Described herein are systems and methods that implement a dual axis resonant scanning mirror to support a sensor system such as a LIDAR system. The scanning mirror may comprise: 1) a small dual axis mirror, in which each axis is moving by similar electromagnetic mechanisms can generate crosstalk between each of these electromagnetic mechanisms causing perturbations in the motion; 2) a primary axis that may need to be driven independently of the motion of a secondary axis and vice versa; 3) an optical position sensor; 4) a scanning mirror assembly that may be mounted to a scanner base via the secondary axis. The scanning mirror assembly may comprise resonant spring, resonant spring assembly, the rocking chair (with electromagnetic drive coils), the scanner base with a set of two secondary axis propulsion magnets, the mirror with a spacer and primary axis propulsion magnets, and the optical sense board.

Systems and methods for a dual axis resonant scanning mirror

Described herein are systems and methods for improving detection of a return signal in a light ranging and detection system. The system comprises a transmitter and a receiver. A first sequence of pulses may be encoded with an anti-spoof signature and transmitted in a laser beam. A return signal, comprising a second sequence of pulses, may be received by the receiver and the anti-spoof signature extracted from the second sequence of pulses. If based on the extraction, the first and second sequences of pulses match, the receiver outputs return signal data. If based on the extraction, the first and second sequence of pulses do not match, the return signal is disregarded. The system may dynamically change the anti-spoofing signature for subsequent sequences of pulses. Additionally, the first sequence of pulses may be randomized relative to a prior sequence of pulses.

Systems and methods for improving detection of a return signal in a light ranging and detection system

Methods and systems for performing three-dimensional (3-D) LIDAR measurements with multiple illumination beams scanned over a 3-D environment are described herein. In one aspect, illumination light from each LIDAR measurement channel is emitted to the surrounding environment in a different direction by a beam scanning device. The beam scanning device also directs each amount of return measurement light onto a corresponding photodetector. In some embodiments, a beam scanning device includes a scanning mirror rotated in an oscillatory manner about an axis of rotation by an actuator in accordance with command signals generated by a master controller. In some embodiments, the light source and photodetector associated with each LIDAR measurement channel are moved in two dimensions relative to beam shaping optics employed to collimate light emitted from the light source. The relative motion causes the illumination beams to sweep over a range of the 3-D environment under measurement.

Multiple pixel scanning LIDAR

Apparatus and methods for aligning circuit boards (e.g., for LIDAR systems) are disclosed. According to one embodiment, an electronic device comprises a secondary device and a coupling device coupled to the secondary device. The coupling device comprises a plurality of conductive members, including a first conductive member and a second conductive member. Each of the conductive members comprises a first end configured to electrically and mechanically couple to a primary circuit board and a second end electrically and mechanically coupled to the secondary device. Each of the plurality of conductive members has an attribute adjustable in response to a condition being added to the respective conductive member, and is configured to maintain the adjusted attribute after the condition is removed.

Apparatus and methods for aligning devices for LIDAR systems

A plurality of beams of illumination light are emitted from a LIDAR device over a range of angles and scanned about an axis of rotation. The range of angles includes the axis of rotation. Intermediate electronics boards provide mechanical support and electrical connectivity between a rotating electronics board and various elements of a light emission and collection engine. One or more of the optical elements of the collection optics, the illumination optics, or both, is constructed from one or more materials that absorb light outside of a predetermined wavelength range. An overmolded lens is fixedly coupled to one or more of the light detecting elements to collect incoming light over a larger range of angles. A lens element is disposed in the light path between a light emitting element and the illumination optics to flatten the intensity distribution of light emitted from the light emitting element to reduce peak intensity.

Three dimensional LIDAR system with targeted field of view

Methods and systems for performing three dimensional LIDAR measurements with a highly integrated LIDAR measurement device are described herein. In one aspect, the illumination source, detector, and illumination drive are integrated onto a single printed circuit board. In addition, in some embodiments, the associated control and signal conditioning electronics are also integrated onto the common printed circuit board. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the illumination drive and the illumination source are integrated onto a common Gallium Nitride substrate that is independently packaged and attached to the printed circuit board. In another aspect, the illumination light emitted from the illumination source and the return light directed toward the detector share a common optical path within the integrated LIDAR measurement device. In some embodiments, the return light is separated from the illumination light by a beam splitter. In some other embodiments, the optical design avoids losses associated with a beam splitter.

Integrated illumination and detection for LIDAR based 3-D imaging

Methods and systems for performing multiple pulse LIDAR measurements are presented herein. In one aspect, each LIDAR measurement beam illuminates a location in a three dimensional environment with a sequence of multiple pulses of illumination light. Light reflected from the location is detected by a photosensitive detector of the LIDAR system during a measurement window having a duration that is greater than or equal to the time of flight of light from the LIDAR system out to the programmed range of the LIDAR system, and back. The pulses in a measurement pulse sequence can vary in magnitude and duration. Furthermore, the delay between pulses and the number of pulses in each measurement pulse sequence can also be varied. In some embodiments, the multi-pulse illumination beam is encoded and the return measurement pulse sequence is decoded to distinguish the measurement pulse sequence from exogenous signals.

Multiple pulse, LIDAR based 3-D imaging

Methods and systems for performing three dimensional LIDAR measurements with an integrated LIDAR measurement device are described herein. In one aspect, a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based illumination driver integrated circuit (IC), an illumination source, and a return signal receiver IC are mounted to a common substrate. The illumination driver IC provides a pulse of electrical power to the illumination source in response to a pulse trigger signal received from the return signal receiver IC. In another aspect, the GaN based illumination driver IC controls the amplitude, ramp rate, and duration of the pulse of electrical power based on command signals communicated from the return signal receiver IC to the illumination driver IC. In a further aspect, illumination driver IC reduces the amount of electrical power consumed by the illumination driver IC during periods of time when the illumination driver IC is not providing electrical power to the illumination source.

Integrated LIDAR illumination power control

LIDAR measurement systems employing a multiple channel, GaN based illumination driver integrated circuit (IC) are described herein. In one aspect, the multiple channel, GaN based illumination driver IC selectively couples each illumination source associated with each measurement channel to a source of electrical power to generate a measurement pulse of illumination light. In one aspect, each pulse trigger signal associated with each measurement channel is received on a separate node of the IC. In another aspect, additional control signals are received on separate nodes of the IC and communicated to all of the measurement channels. In another aspect, the multiple channel, GaN based illumination driver IC includes a power regulation module that supplies regulated voltage to various elements of each measurement channel only when any pulse trigger signal is in a state that triggers the firing of an illumination pulse.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

David S Hall