Abstract: Techniques of tracking an object involve a Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) system. The LIDAR system can be configured to track an object over a period of time, during which the object is moving. Using the LIDAR system tracking of the object can be performed while eliminating illumination hardware (e.g., video camera hardware). Accordingly, the LIDAR system can be configured to operate in total darkness, into the sun, etc. The LIDAR system can be less susceptible to motion of the object than conventional systems. Accordingly, the full rigid-body motion of the object can be determined in some implementations solely from LIDAR measurements, without, for example, video.

Abstract: Techniques of tracking an object's motion involve using a LIDAR system that is configured to track an object over a period of time in which the object is moving using a single scanning motion. Using the LIDAR system, tracking of the object can be performed while eliminating visible imaging hardware (e.g., video camera hardware). Accordingly, the LIDAR system can be configured to operate in total darkness, into the sun, etc. The LIDAR system can be less susceptible to motion of the object than conventional systems. Accordingly, the motion of the object 110 be determined in some implementations solely from LIDAR measurements, without, for example, video.

Abstract: An apparatus for illuminating or masking an object and a method of using same. The apparatus includes a spatial light modulator transmitting, a structured pulsed laser beam from a pupil plane to at least one image plane in a field of view. The apparatus further includes a lidar detector receiving reflected laser beam reflected from the at least one image plane. For example, the lidar detector detects range, position, and/or time data for at least one object of interest or at least one object of disinterest. Using the detected data, the spatial light modulator illuminates object of interest or masks an object of disinterest, depending on a user's application.

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.

Abstract: A laser light source; a light sending lens configured to form laser light emitted from the laser light source into a spot shape; a scanner configured to perform irradiation while performing scanning, with the laser light formed into the spot shape, in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of an area to be measured; a light receiving lens configured to receive reflected light reflected from the area to be measured; a light receiving optical system configured to condense the reflected light received by the light receiving lens, in each of the horizontal direction and vertical direction; and an information generating unit configured to generate, based on a received signal output by the light receiving element, three dimensional information of the area to be measured.

Abstract: The invention provides a three-dimensional surveying instrument, which comprises a light emitter for emitting a distance measuring light, a light projecting optical unit for irradiating a distance measuring light from the light emitter along a distance measuring optical axis, a light receiving optical unit for receiving a reflection light from an object to be measured, a photodetection element for converting the reflection light as focused at the light receiving optical unit to an electric signal, a scanning unit for scanning a distance measuring light with respect to the object to be measured provided on a frame unit, angle detecting units for detecting an irradiating direction of the distance measuring light as scanned by the scanning unit, a vibration detecting unit for detecting vibration amount of the frame unit, and a control arithmetic unit having a storage unit where a threshold value is stored, wherein the control arithmetic unit controls so that the number of rotations of the scanning unit is gradua

Abstract: In one embodiment, a laser system includes a seed laser configured to produce optical seed pulses. The laser system also includes a first fiber-optic amplifier configured to amplify the seed pulses by a first amplifier gain to produce a first-amplifier output that includes amplified seed pulses and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). The laser system further includes a first optical filter configured to remove from the first-amplifier output an amount of the ASE. The laser system also includes a second fiber-optic amplifier configured to receive the amplified seed pulses from the first optical filter and amplify the received pulses by a second amplifier gain to produce output pulses. The output pulses have output-pulse characteristics that include: 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%.

Abstract: A method for developing a map of objects in a region surrounding a location is disclosed. The method includes interrogating the region along a detection axis with a series of optical pulses and detecting reflections of the optical pulses that originate at objects located along the detection axis. A multi-dimensional map of the region is developed by scanning the detection axis about the location in at least one dimension. The reflections are detected via a single-photon detector that is armed using a sub-gating scheme such that the single-photon detector selectively detects photons of reflections that originate only within each of a plurality of zones that collectively define the detection field. In some embodiments, the optical pulses have a wavelength within the range of 1350 nm to 1390 nm, which is a spectral range having a relatively high eye-safety threshold and a relatively low solar background.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for driving a Time-of-Flight system for use with an illumination system being adapted to illuminate a scene with a modulated signal, the ToF system having an imaging sensor comprising at least one pixel, said pixel comprising taps driven by driving signals for detecting the modulated signal reflected from the scene, the method comprising, for each pixel, the steps of determining at least a first and a second pair of taps and driving each pair of taps to detect the reflected modulated signal during a predetermined number N of cycles of the modulated signal.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image sensor device and an electronic apparatus including the 3D image sensor device are provided. The 3D image sensor device includes: a shutter driver that generates a driving voltage of a sine wave biased with a first bias voltage, from a loss-compensated recycling energy; an optical shutter that varies transmittance of reflective light reflected from a subject, according to the driving voltage, and modulates the reflective light to generate at least two optical modulation signals having different phases; and an image generator that generates 3D image data for the subject which includes depth information calculated based on a phase difference between the at least two optical modulation signals.

Abstract: In an object recognition apparatus, a range point acquirer irradiates each of irradiation areas arranged in a horizontally and vertically extending grid and forming a detection area for detecting a target with laser light and receives the reflected light from the respective irradiation areas, thereby acquiring a plurality of range points representing per-irradiation area coordinates of the target. A noise remover is configured to, based on either or both of degrees of angle proximity and degrees of distance proximity between a plurality of subject range points to be determined whether to be a noise point, of the plurality of range points, as viewed from a reference point, determine whether or not each of the subject range points is a noise point, and remove the noise point from the plurality of range points. An object recognizer uses the plurality of range points other than the noise points to recognize the object.

Abstract: A multifunction probe for primary references for an aircraft, an associated measuring system, aircraft and method for obtaining physical quantities are disclosed. In one aspect, the multifunction probe includes a base designed to be fastened on the cockpit of an aircraft, a plurality of static pressure taps arranged through the base and connected to pressure measuring devices and an optical window transparent to laser radiation and positioned in the base for the passage of laser radiation through the base. The multifunction probe further includes at least one laser anemometry optical head positioned to take laser anemometry measurements through the optical window and a static temperature probe mounted on the base.

Abstract: A method for optically scanning and measuring an environment using a 3D measurement device is provided. The method includes steps that are performed prior to operation. These steps include positioning a near-field communication (NFC) device adjacent the 3D measurement device. An NFC link is established between the NFC device and the 3D measurement device. An identifier is transmitted from the NFC device to the 3D measurement device. It is determined that the NFC device is authorized to communicate with the 3D measurement device based at least in part on the identifier. Commands are transferred to the 3D measurement device from the NFC device based at least in part on determining the first NFC device is authorized. At least one communication path is activated. The 3D measurement device is connected to a network of computers and measurement data is transmitted from the 3D measurement device to the network of computers.

Abstract: A method and system for the detection of an object in a detection zone for a scannerless optical rangefinder operating in pulsed Time-of-Flight operation are described. The method comprises pulsating a light source to illuminate the detection zone using an emission beam; receiving a reflection from the detection zone, collecting the reflection using an optical detector and generating a reflection signal; discretizing the detection zone to create a predetermined detection pattern in the detection zone, the predetermined detection pattern being one of regular, uniform and random, the predetermined detection pattern including passive areas and discrete active detection areas within the detection zone; detecting an object in one of the discrete active detection areas by comparing a change in the reflection signal with a background signal.

Abstract: A light ranging system including a shaft; a first circuit board assembly that includes a stator assembly comprising a plurality of stator elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the first circuit board assembly; a second circuit board assembly rotationally coupled to the shaft, wherein the second circuit board assembly includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the second circuit board assembly such that the plurality of rotor elements are aligned with and spaced apart from the plurality of stator elements; a stator driver circuit disposed on either the second or the first circuit board assemblies and configured to provide a drive signal to the plurality of stator elements, thereby imparting an electromagnetic force on the plurality of rotor elements to drive a rotation of the second circuit board assembly about the shaft; and a light ranging device mechanically coupled to the second circuit board assembly such that the light ranging d

Abstract: An object is to provide a laser processing device and a laser processing system capable of measuring a distance between a work and a processing head accurately and simply and capable of checking the quality of processing in real time during the processing. Provided are: a photodetector that detects the intensity of a processing laser beam split by optical path splitting means, and outputs a detection signal having a signal intensity responsive to the detected intensity together with a time of detection of the intensity; a signal intensity comparing unit that compares the signal intensities of multiple detection signals received from the photodetector; and a detection time comparing unit that compares times of detection of multiple intensities.

Abstract: A system to scan a field of view with light beams can include a scanning mirror arrangement having a mirror and a drive mechanism configured to rotate the mirror about an axis between two terminal positions; at least one light source configured to simultaneously produce at least a first light beam and a second light beam directed at the mirror from different directions. Upon rotation of the mirror, the first and second light beams can scan a field of view. Another example of a scanning mirror arrangement includes a mirror; hinges attached at opposite sides of the mirror; and a drive mechanism attached to the hinges and configured to twist the hinges resulting in a larger twist to the mirror, wherein the hinges are disposed between the drive mechanism and the mirror.

Abstract: A LiDAR system and scanning method creates a two-dimensional array of light spots. A scan controller causes the array of light spots to move back and forth so as to complete a scan of the scene. The spots traverse the scene in the first dimensional direction and in the second dimensional direction without substantially overlapping points in the scene already scanned by other spots in the array. An arrayed micro-optic projects the light spots. Receiver optics includes an array of optical detection sites. The arrayed micro-optic and the receiver optics are synchronously scanned while maintaining a one-to-one correspondence between light spots in the two dimensional array and optical detection sites in the receiver optics.

Abstract: An object is to provide a laser processing device and a laser processing system capable of measuring a distance between a work and a processing head accurately and simply and capable of checking the quality of processing in real time during the processing. Provided are: a photodetector that detects the intensity of a processing laser beam split by optical path splitting means, and outputs a detection signal having a signal intensity responsive to the detected intensity together with a time of detection of the intensity; a signal intensity comparing unit that compares the signal intensities of multiple detection signals received from the photodetector; and a detection time comparing unit that compares times of detection of multiple intensities.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for operating a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system in an automobile provides a more accurate range estimate by combining multiple processed waveforms which are weighted according to their signal to noise ratios. At least one waveform is transmitted within a first time period, and reflected of an object. The reflected waveform is received and processed to improve the signal to noise ratio (SNR). The processing produces a higher number of output waveforms, such as through processing convolution. The SNR for each of the output waveforms is determined. An estimated range to the object from each output waveform is determined. The estimated ranges are then weighted according to their SNRs, and combined to provide an final determined range to the object.