Abstract: A system uses range and Doppler velocity measurements from a lidar system and images from a video system to estimate a six degree-of-freedom trajectory (6DOF) of a target. The 6DOF transformation parameters are used to transform multiple images to the frame time of a selected image, thus obtaining multiple images at the same frame time. These multiple images may be used to increase a resolution of the image at each frame time, obtaining the collection of the superresolution images.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system encodes a frequency modulation (FM) modulated signal with a time of flight (TOF) signal as a power and frequency modulated signal. The system can emit the power and frequency modulated signal and apply processing to a signal reflection to generate a target point set. The target point set processing can include frequency processing to generate target points based on range and Doppler information, and TOF processing to provide TOF range information. The LIDAR system can include a modulator to AM modulate an FM modulated light signal with a passive modulator to provide the TOF signal information with the FM modulated signal as the power and frequency modulated signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include techniques for synchronizing certain components within a light scanning system in order to align periodicities and efficiently produce more reliable scan frames. For instance, embodiments include an optical source to transmit an optical beam modulated at a first periodicity, and an optical scanner to direct the optical beam at a second periodicity, and a signal processing system to perform periodic temporal alignments between the first periodicity and the second periodicity to produce stable grid points in region of interest (ROI). The system effectively removes the unaligned grid points and can be applied to any light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems or other optical scanning applications.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus is provided that includes an optical source to emit an optical beam towards a target. The LIDAR apparatus further includes a mode field expander operatively coupled to the optical source to expand a mode area of the optical beam.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a detection threshold in a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes determining a first confidence threshold for detecting a first target from multiple targets within a frequency range, wherein the frequency range comprises frequencies corresponding to the targets. The method further includes determining a subset of frequencies within the frequency range for detecting a second target. The second target transmits signals within the subset of frequencies lower than the first confidence threshold. The method further includes adjusting the first confidence threshold to a second confidence threshold at the subset of frequencies for detecting the second target within the subset of frequencies and restoring the second confidence threshold to the first confidence threshold outside the subset of frequencies for detecting the first target.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system and apparatus including a photonics chip coupled to a substrate, the photonics chip including an optical source to generate an optical beam, a waveguide to direct the optical beam through the photonics chip, a photodetector to generate an electrical signal in response to detecting a return signal, and an optical coupler to transmit the optical beam from the waveguide to a target in the field of view of the LIDAR apparatus. The system and apparatus may further include an integrated circuit (IC) chip coupled to the photonics chip, the IC chip to process the electrical signal generated by the photodetector.

Abstract: A system including an optical receiver to receive a return beam from the target. The optical receiver is to combine a second frequency modulate signal portion transmitted towards a local oscillator with a first frequency modulate portion to produce a beat frequency. The system further including a processor and a memory to store instructions executable by the processor. The processor to sample the beat frequency to produce a plurality of frequency subbands, and classify the plurality of frequency subbands into a plurality of subband types based on a subband criteria. The processor further to select one or more subband processing parameters based on the subband criteria, and process the plurality of frequency subbands, using the subband processing parameters, to determine a range and velocity of the target.

Abstract: A system uses range and Doppler velocity measurements from a lidar system and images from a video system to estimate a six degree-of-freedom trajectory of a target. The system estimates this trajectory in two stages: a first stage in which the range and Doppler measurements from the lidar system along with various feature measurements obtained from the images from the video system are used to estimate first stage motion aspects of the target (i.e., the trajectory of the target); and a second stage in which the images from the video system and the first stage motion aspects of the target are used to estimate second stage motion aspects of the target. Once the second stage motion aspects of the target are estimated, a three-dimensional image of the target may be generated.

Abstract: A system including one or more waveguides to receive a first returned reflection having a first lag angle and generate a first waveguide signal, receive a second returned reflection having a second lag angle different from the first lag angle, and generate a second waveguide signal. The system includes one or more photodetectors to generate a first output signal within a first frequency range, and generate, based on the second waveguide signal and a second LO signal, a second output signal within a second frequency range. The system includes an optical frequency shifter (OFS) to shift a frequency of the second LO signal to cause the second output signal to shift from within the second frequency range to within the first frequency range to generate a shifted signal. The system includes a processor to receive the shifted signal to produce one or more points in a point set.

Abstract: A set of signals are sampled at the LiDAR system and the set of signals are converted to a frequency domain to generate a set of sampled signals in the frequency domain. The set of signals are received consecutively over time. A set of first functions are created based on the set of sampled signals. The set of first functions are averaged to generate a second function. The second function represents a power spectrum density estimate of the set of signals. A peak value of the second function is detected to determine range and velocity information related to a target based on a corresponding frequency of the peak value of the second function.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus includes an optical circuit including a laser source configured to emit a laser beam, a beam separator operatively coupled to the laser source, the beam separator configured to separate the laser beam propagated towards a target, a first optical amplifier coupled to the beam separator, the first optical amplifier configured to receive a return laser beam reflected from the target in a return path and amplify the return laser beam to output an amplified return laser beam, and an optical component operatively coupled to the first optical amplifier, the optical component configured to output a current based on the amplified return laser beam.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include method for sequentially mounting multiple semiconductor devices onto a substrate having a composite metal structure on both the semiconductor devices and the substrate for improved process tolerance and reduced device distances without thermal interference. The mounting process causes “selective” intermixing between the metal layers on the devices and the substrate and increases the melting point of the resulting alloy materials.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system to transmit optical beams including at least up-chirp frequency and at least one down-chirp frequency toward targets in a field of view of the LIDAR system and receive returned signals of the up-chirp and the down-chirp as reflected from the targets. The LIDAR system generates a baseband signal in a frequency domain of the returned signals of the at least one up-chirp frequency and the at least one down-chirp frequency. The baseband signal includes a first set of peaks associated with the at least the at least one up-chirp frequency and a second set of peaks associated with the at least one down-chirp frequency. The LIDAR system determines the target location using the first set of peaks and the second set of peaks.

Abstract: A return signal associated with a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) optical beam is received. A correction for Doppler scanning artifacts in the return signal is made. A determination as to whether the return signal is caused by an obstruction on or proximate to a LIDAR window is made. A field of view (FOV) reflectivity map is generated based on the determination. The FOV reflectivity map is analyzed by identifying an obstructed FOV of the LIDAR system and determining a reflected energy from the obstructed FOV.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a first optical source to provide a first optical beam and a second optical source to provide a second optical beam. A light detection sensor detects a position of the first optical beam and the second optical beam relative to each other and to a reference pattern on a light detection sensor. Alignment optics may be located between the light detection sensor and the first optical source and the second optical source, and may include one or more optical components adjustable to shift each optical beam on the light detection sensor. A control system, including one or more processors, is coupled to the alignment optics and the light detection sensor, and causes the alignment optics to shift the first optical beam and the second optical beam on the light detection sensor according to the reference pattern.

Abstract: A received signal is sampled at the LiDAR system and the received signal is converted to a frequency domain, where the received signal comprises a first frequency waveform. A matched filter is selected, where the matched filter comprises a second frequency waveform with a set of coefficients to match the first frequency waveform. The set of coefficients are updated according to a set of metrics. The received signal is filtered by the matched filter to generate a filtered received signal. Range and velocity information is extracted from the filtered received signal.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system uses optical sources to emit a continuous-wave (CW) optical beam and a frequency-modulated (FMCW) optical beam. A first set off optical components is coupled with the optical sources to generate a CW local oscillator (LO) signal from the CW optical beam, to generate an FMCW LO signal from the FMCW optical beam, and to combine the CW optical beam and the FMCW optical beam into a combined optical beam. A second set of optical components is coupled with the first set of optical components, to transmit the combined optical beam toward a target environment and to receive a target return signal from the target environment. A third set of optical components is coupled with the second set of optical components, to generate and detect a target velocity component of the target return signal and a target range component of the target return signal.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting one or more optical beams, each optical beam including different frequency chirps towards targets in a field of view of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, receiving return signals based on reflections from the targets, each return signal including a different frequency, and generating a baseband signal in a frequency domain based on the return signals, the baseband signal including a first set of peaks each associated with a different up-chirp frequency and a second set of peaks each associated with a different down-chirp frequency. The method further includes generating one or more metrics associated with each of the first set of peaks and each of the second set of peaks and identifying the targets based on a pairing of each peak of the first set of peaks with a peak of the second set of peaks using the one or more metrics.

Abstract: A set of POIs of a point cloud are received at a first filter, where each POI of the set of POIs comprises one or more points. Each POI of the set of POIs is filtered. At a second filter, a first set of neighborhood points of a POI is selected. A first metric for the first set of neighborhood points is computed. Based on the first metric, a first score of the POI is determined. At a third filter, a second set of neighborhood points of a POI is selected. A second metric for the second set of neighborhood points is computed. Based on the second metric, a second score of the POI is determined. At the first filter, based on the first score and the second score, whether to accept the POI, modify the POI, or reject the POI, is determined to extract range or velocity information.

Abstract: A system and method including, determining an alignment between one or more points of a first point set and one or more points of a second point set; predicting a first set of Doppler velocity information for the first point set to produce a first predicted set of Doppler velocity information; comparing a second set of Doppler velocity information and the first predicted set of Doppler velocity information to compute one or more Doppler velocity errors; predicting a third set of Doppler velocity information for the second point set to produce a second predicted set of Doppler velocity information; comparing a fourth set of Doppler velocity information and the second predicted set of Doppler velocity information to compute Doppler velocity errors; and producing a transform that aligns the one or more points of the first point set with the one or more points of the second point set.