Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide information about a scene based on a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor and a structured light pattern. In an example embodiment, a sensor system could include at least one ToF sensor configured to receive light from a scene. The sensor system could also include at least one light source configured to emit a structured light pattern and a controller that carries out operations. The operations include causing the at least one light source to illuminate at least a portion of the scene with the structured light pattern and causing the at least one ToF sensor to provide information indicative of a depth map of the scene based on the structured light pattern.

Abstract: A distance measuring sensor includes: a light source having a semiconductor optical amplifier and a resonator with a silicon photonic circuit, which are at a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of emitters, each emitter configured to emit a light beam generated by the light source to outside of the light source; a scanner configured to perform scanning with the light beam by enabling the light beam emitted from the light source to be reflected at a mirror and vibrating the mirror; an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected light beam, which is generated by the light beam reflected at the object; and a processor configured to measure the distance to the object based on the reflected light beam received at the optical receiver. Light beams respectively emitted from the emitters are incident on the mirror in different directions. The scanner performs scanning different regions with the respective light beams.

Abstract: A LIDAR system includes a receiver that includes a photodetector array configured to detect light and generate electrical signals based on the detected light; and a spatial light modulator having an array reflective elements, including a plurality of columns. Each column includes a plurality of reflective elements configured to switchably direct the light towards the photodetector array, where the spatial light modulator is configured to receive the light from objects in a field of view corresponding to ambient light reflected therefrom. The LIDAR system includes a controller configured to sequentially activate the plurality of columns of the spatial light modulator such that the plurality of reflective elements of an activated column directs the light towards the photodetector array; and at least one processor configured to receive the electrical signals from the photodetector array and generate a two-dimensional image that represents an ambient light picture of the field of view.

Abstract: A system align point clouds obtained by sensors of a vehicle using kinematic iterative closest point with integrated motions estimates. The system receives lidar scans from a lidar mounted on the vehicle. The system derives point clouds from the lidar scan data. The system iteratively determines velocity parameters that minimize an aggregate measure of distance between corresponding points of the plurality of pairs of points. The system iteratively improves the velocity parameters. The system uses the velocity parameters for various purposes including for building high definition maps used for navigating the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention is an electromagnetic signal modulator that is a control unit operationally coupled to a substantially transparent and partially conductive substrate plate assembly having a series of quantum dots that undergo an excitation and successive recombination (or relaxation) of their electrons by the input of magnetic, optical or electrical signals to switch, steer or otherwise modulate an electromagnetic beam incident on the substrate plate assembly. There are four factors that may be used to vary the quantum dot electromagnetic environment, providing operator flexibility as to how the modulation of the incident electromagnetic wave front is accomplished and to what degree.

Abstract: There is provided an object detection device including a light source, an avalanche diode, a first counter, a second counter and a processor. The light source emits light within a first interval, and is turned off within a second interval, a third interval and a fourth interval. The avalanche diode detects photons corresponding to the first interval, second, third and fourth intervals to trigger avalanche events. The first counter performs up-counting on the avalanche events in the first interval and performs down-counting on the avalanche events in the third interval to generate a first count value. The second counter performs up-counting on the avalanche events in the second interval and performs down-counting on the avalanche events in the fourth interval to generate a second count value. The processor calculates a time-of-flight according to the first count value and the second count value.

Abstract: A three-dimensional reconstruction system includes an infrared light source array including a plurality of infrared sub-light sources, and each of the infrared sub-light sources emitting an infrared light, and different infrared sub-light sources being coherent light sources, an infrared detector configured to receive an infrared light reflected from a target object, the reflected infrared light being a reflected light of an interference beam emitted by the coherent light source, a calculation circuit, configured to calculate a reference distance between a reflection point on the target object and the infrared sub-light source according to the reflected infrared light and the infrared light emitted by the infrared sub-light source, and a three-dimensional reconstruction circuit, configured to perform reconstruction of a three-dimensional image on the target object according to the plurality of reference distances.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system is provided for improving imaging accuracy and measurement range. The light detection and ranging system may comprise: a light source configured to emit a multi-pulse sequence into a three-dimensional environment, in which the multi-pulse sequence comprises multiple light pulses having a temporal profile; a photosensitive detector configured to detect light pulses returned from the three-dimensional environment and generate an output signal indicative of an amount of optical energy associated with a subset of the light pulses; and one or more processors electrically coupled to the light source and the photosensitive detector, and the one or more processors are configured to: generate the temporal profile based on one or more real-time conditions; and determine one or more parameters for selecting the subset of light pulses.

Abstract: An object detection system for a vehicle includes a camera vision module and a Lidar module. The camera vision module includes an imaging device viewing to the exterior of the vehicle and operable to capture image data representative of a scene exterior and forward of the vehicle. The Lidar module includes a Lidar device that, with the Lidar module mounted at a front exterior portion of the vehicle, scans a region forward of the vehicle that overlaps with the field of view of the imaging device. Based at least in part on processing of captured image data by an image processor and based at least in part on processing of Lidar data captured by the Lidar device, 3-dimensional and timing information relative to the vehicle of objects present exterior of the vehicle is algorithmically constructed. At least one individual object of the multiple objects is prioritized.

Abstract: Provided is a scanning range setting method using a surveying instrument configured to measure a distance to a measurement point by using a distance measuring light and measure an angle to the measurement point, and a scanner configured to scan with a scanning light around a rotation axis to acquire three-dimensional point group data. The method includes steps of: (A) measuring a distance to one or more measurement points by the surveying instrument, (B) storing coordinates and angles of the measurement points, (C) automatically setting an area including all of the measurement points as a scanning range by the scanner, and (D) scanning the scanning range by the scanner, wherein a coordinate system of the scanner and a coordinate system of the surveying instrument match each other.

Abstract: Provided are a method of identifying light reflected from an object, from among light incident from a plurality of different directions, based on information about an irradiation angle of light irradiated by a light source, and a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) apparatus therefor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle/trailer combination (1) formed by a towing vehicle (2) and a trailer (3) during maneuvering with the vehicle/trailer combination (1), wherein lidar sensor data of a lidar sensor device (6) of the towing vehicle (2) are received from an environmental region (5) of the vehicle/trailer combination (1), detection points (9) corresponding to the trailer (3) are identified in the lidar sensor data and a blind spot region (8) for the trailer (3) is defined as a function of the detection points (9) corresponding to the trailer (3), wherein a kinematic model (17) describing the trailer (3) is preset, at least one model sub-region at least partially overlapping the kinematic model (17) is determined, the detection points (9) located within the model sub-region are classified as detection points (9) corresponding to the trailer (3), the kinematic model (17) of the trailer (3) is updated based on the detection points (9) corresponding with the trailer

Abstract: The survey system includes a mobile body equipped with a scanner configured to perform scanning by a distance measuring light, a position measuring device configured to measure a position of the scanner, and a posture detecting device configured to detect a posture of the scanner, the posture detecting device includes an imaging unit configured to periodically acquire image data, a 3-axis angular velocity sensor configured to detect 3-axis posture angles of the scanner, and an arithmetic control unit, and the arithmetic control unit is configured to calculate posture information of the scanner by summing photographing-time 3-axis posture angles (SP0, SP1, SPn) of the scanner acquired in each photographing by image analysis of the image data, and 3-axis posture relative displacement angles of the scanner calculated from detection values of the 3-axis angular velocity sensor.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measurement device combines tracker and scanner functionality. The tracker function is configured to send light to a retroreflector and determine distance to the retroreflector based on the reflected light. The tracker is also configured to track the retroreflector as it moves, and to determine 3D coordinates of the retroreflector. The scanner is configured to send a beam of light to a point on an object surface and to determine 3D coordinate of the point. In addition, the scanner is configured to adjustably focus the beam of light.

Abstract: A photodetector includes a plurality of first light detection elements having a first driving voltage range, the first light detection elements including first semiconductor layers having a first conductivity type and second semiconductor layers having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; and a second light detection element having a second driving voltage range different from the first driving voltage range, the second light detection element including a third semiconductor layer having the first conductivity type and a fourth semiconductor layer having the second conductivity type.

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 TOF ranging sensor according to Embodiment includes: a light-emitting unit that radiates light beams to subspaces; a light-receiving unit that receives light and forms images of the light on light-receiving elements allocated to the subspaces; and a space control unit that independently controls each element group that includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element that are allocated to a common one of the subspaces.

Abstract: A lidar system includes a laser source, a photodetector, an emission lens, a receiving lens, and a processor. The laser source is configured to be translated through a plurality of emission locations, and to emit a plurality of laser pulses therefrom. The emission lens is configured to collimate and direct the plurality of laser pulses towards an object. The receiving lens is configured to focus the portion of each of the plurality of laser pulses reflected off of the object to a plurality of detection locations. The photodetector is configured to be translated through the plurality of detection locations, and to detect the portion of each of the plurality of laser pulses. The processor is configured to determine a time of flight for each of the plurality of laser pulses from emission to detection, and construct a three-dimensional image of the object based on the determined time of flight.

Abstract: An optical air data system for an air vehicle includes a LIDAR module and a data processing module. The LIDAR module is configured to emit at least three laser beams, not all located in a common plane, and perform LIDAR measurements of a backscattered component of each of the laser beams. The data processing module includes a processor and machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, processes the LIDAR measurements to determine at least one optically-based air data parameter. The overlap between the laser beams and one or more fields of view of the LIDAR module may be within two meters from the LIDAR module to determine the at least one optically-based air data parameter at short range from the air vehicle.

Abstract: An optical time-of-flight distance measuring device comprises a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter comprises a semiconductor laser for outputting optical pulses of controllably variable temporal widths. The semiconductor laser operates in an enhanced switching regime for the optical pulses of a minimum generable temporal width of the laser. The receiver comprises a matrix of single photon avalanche detector elements of a Geiger mode, a receiver controller, and one or more time-to-digital converters. The single photon avalanche detector elements detect optical pulses reflected from the target to the matrix, and each of the single photon avalanche detector element outputs an electric signal in response to each detection. A number of the time-to-digital converters is smaller than a number of the single photon avalanche detector elements of the matrix. The receiver controller connects at least two of the single photon avalanche detector elements with different time-to-digital converters.