Abstract: A LIDAR system including one or more processors configured to receive a plurality of electrical signals that are respectively associated with (i) a plurality of optical signals provided by a laser and (ii) a plurality of returned optical signals that are responsive to the plurality of optical signals provided by the laser; determine an internal reflection signal; determine a range to an object by adjusting a third electrical signal of the plurality of electrical signals using the internal reflection signal; and operate a vehicle based on the determined range to the object.

Abstract: An airborne laser scanner configured to be arranged on an aircraft for surveying a target along a flight path. The airborne laser scanner comprises an emitter configured for emitting a plurality of consecutive laser pulses towards the ground surface, at least one optical element configured for deflecting the laser pulses along pulse paths towards the target, a motor configured for altering the pulse paths by moving the optical element, a receiver configured for receiving the laser pulses backscattered from the target, and a computer configured for controlling the emitter, the motor, and the receiver, for determining directions of the pulse paths, and for triggering the emitter to emit the laser pulses with a varying pulse spacing based on the directional component of the pulse paths in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of the flight path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sensing device with a conical reflector for making a two-dimensional optical radar that mainly diffuses a light source using a diffusing element to form a diffused light, and directs the light source onto a reflection surface of a reflective element, after the diffused light is reflected to a reflector through the reflection surface, the reflector then reflects the diffused light to form a reflected light, and reflects the reflected light onto the reflection surface in order that the reflected light is reflected onto an optical lens through the reflection surface, and finally, the reflected light is directed onto a sensing module through the optical lens, and the reflected light is received through the sensing module; thereby achieving the effects of omnidirectional real-time scanning, one-time detection of 360-degree environmental characteristic points, and accurately and stably providing relative positions between each characteristic point and a robot.

Abstract: A line beam scanning optical system includes: a plurality of laser light sources disposed so as to be aligned in a direction corresponding to a long side of a line beam; an optical deflector; a first cylindrical lens configured to converge laser light from the plurality of laser light sources, into substantially parallel light in a direction perpendicular to an alignment direction in which the laser light sources are aligned, and to cause the laser light to be incident on a mirror; and a second cylindrical lens configured to condense the laser light from the plurality of laser light sources, in the alignment direction in which the laser light sources are aligned, and to cause the laser light to be incident on the mirror. The plurality of laser light sources are disposed at positions shifted from a focal position on the laser light source side of the second cylindrical lens.

Abstract: Methods and systems for laser point clouds are described herein. The method and system may include receiving, at a computing device, lidar data indicative of an environment of a vehicle from a first lidar data source, where the lidar data includes a first plurality of data points indicative of locations of reflections from the environment and further includes a respective intensity for each data point. The method and system also include determining a first surface normal for at least a first data point of the first plurality of data points. The method and system further includes determining a first angle of incidence for the first data point based on the surface normal. Additionally, the method and system includes adjusting the intensity of the first data point based on the first angle of incidence to create a first adjusted intensity for the first data point.

Abstract: An optical system includes a laser source having an emission area that has a first width in a first direction and a first height in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the first width being greater than the first height. The optical system further includes a cylindrical lens having a negative power and positioned in front of the laser source. The cylindrical lens is oriented such that a power axis of the cylindrical lens is along the first direction. The cylindrical lens is configured to transform the emission area of a laser beam emitted by the laser source into a virtual emission area having a virtual width and a virtual height, where the virtual width is less than the first width. The optical system further includes an rotationally symmetric lens positioned downstream from the cylindrical lens and configured to collimate and direct the laser beam towards a far-field.

Abstract: A 3D range imaging method using a LiDAR system includes sequentially generating multiple far field patterns to illuminate a target scene, each far field pattern including a plurality of light spots where each spot illuminates only a segment of a scene region unit that corresponds to a sensor pixel of the LiDAR receiver. Within each scene region unit, the multiple segments illuminated in different rounds are non-overlapping with each other, and they collectively cover the entire scene region unit or a part thereof. With each round of illumination, the signal light reflected from the scene is detected by the sensor pixels, and processed to calculate the depth of the illuminated segments. The calculation may take into consideration optical aberration which causes reflected light from an edge segment to be received by two sensor pixels. The depth data calculated from the sequential illuminations are combined to form a ranged image.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes a light source to emit light beams, an optical scanner to scan the light beams output from the light source over a predetermined range, a light receiver to receive reflected light obtained as a result of the light beams being reflected by a target object, and to output detection signals, and a control circuit to measure a distance to the target object based on the detection signals. The light source including a plurality of light-emitting device groups that are arranged in a scan direction of a scan performed by the optical scanner, and the control circuit being to make the plurality of light-emitting device groups emit light at respective different timings in a single scan, and to measure the distance to the target object based on a sum of the detection signals.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide accurate and reliable target information when there is relative motion between a remote sensing system and the target. A remote sensing system includes a multichannel ranging sensor assembly and a controller. The ranging sensor assembly includes multiple sensor channels configured to emit modulated sensor beams towards a target and to detect corresponding reflected beams reflected from the target, where the modulated sensor beams are selected to be correlated to each other and mutually incoherent with respect to each other. The controller is configured to receive reflected beam sensor signals corresponding to the detected reflected beams, to determine Doppler components associated with the reflected beams based, at least in part, on the first and second reflected beam sensor signals, and to generate target information based, at least in part, on the determined Doppler components.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a depth map acquisition system, includes a housing, a light source for emitting light to illuminate objects in a scene subject to depth mapping, fixedly mounted to the housing, a mirror tilt actuator, fixedly mounted to the housing, for tilting a mirror fixedly mounted to the mirror tilt actuator, a mirror fixedly mounted to the mirror tilt actuator, for reflecting light from the light source to the objects, and a partially transparent photosensitive detector in the direct path of the light from the mirror to the objects.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Provided are a LIDAR signal processing apparatus and a LIDAR signal processing method. The LIDAR signal processing apparatus comprises: an inherent history pulse wave applying unit for applying a first pulse wave combination to a laser diode, the first pulse wave combination having an inherent history which includes a combination of an inherent pulse period and an inherent pulse variation value; a received history detecting unit for detecting a received signal period and a received signal variation value of a reflected wave received by a photodiode; an inherent pulse wave discriminating unit for deciding whether or not the received signal period and the received signal variation value coincide with the inherent history; and an effective data processing unit for measuring a distance using effective data when the received signal period and the received signal variation value coincide with the inherent history.

Abstract: Systems and methods for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging enabled by natural range-dependent processes. Multiple lasers are configured to independently flash illuminate a target object to 3-D image a resultant “scene” onto a focal plane array (FPA). The first laser produces a wavelength non-resonant with an atmospheric absorption line along the illumination path. The second laser produces a wavelength resonant with the atmospheric absorption line, and closely spaced with the non-resonant wavelength. A ratio of the respective intensities recorded at the FPA for the two wavelengths calculates a range to the target object.

Abstract: A laser detection and ranging device for detecting an object under a water surface, the laser detection and ranging device having a laser transmitter being configured to modulate a laser beam by a binary pseudo-random coding sequence to obtain a modulated laser beam, and to transmit the modulated laser beam towards the water surface, a laser detector for detecting a reflected laser beam, the reflected laser beam forming a reflected version of the transmitted laser beam, and a processor for detecting the object under the water surface upon the basis of the reflected laser beam.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for tracking movement over the ground or other surfaces of a buried utility locator during a utility locate operation are disclosed.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes one or more processors, and one or more computer-readable storage mediums storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a code that has a first number of symbols, transmit, to an environment, an optical signal generated based on the code such that the first number of symbols are transmitted in a first duration, in response to transmitting the optical signal, receive a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment, sample, from the returned optical signal, a second number of symbols in a second duration, the second number being different from the first number, and determine, based on the second number of symbols, a range to the object.

Abstract: A scanning assembly for a detection system for a vehicle has a scanning fixture including a first mirror. The scanning fixture is attached to a first pivot. A reflective surface of the first mirror provides a first field of view between the detection system and a surrounding environment. A central member has a first end attached to the first pivot and a second end attached to a second pivot to couple the first pivot to the second pivot. A base is configured to attach the scanning assembly to the vehicle. The base is further attached to the second pivot. The scanning fixture is coupled to the base exclusively through attachment of the first pivot to the second pivot via the central member, the second pivot in turn being attached to the base.

Abstract: A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first lens, and a second lens. The laser source is configured to output a first beam. The first lens includes a planar portion and a convex portion. The first lens is configured to receive the first beam and output a second beam responsive to the first beam. The second lens includes a concave portion and a planar portion. The second lens is configured to receive the second beam and output a third beam responsive to the second beam.

Abstract: An improved method for optical distance measurement is provided, in which only subsets of the transmitting elements of the transmission matrix are activated when using a transmission matrix to transmit measuring pulses and a reception matrix for receiving the latter.

Abstract: A first signal is sampled at the LiDAR system to produce a first set of samples around a first detected frequency peak related to the first signal. A second signal is sampled at the LiDAR system to produce a second set of samples around a second detected frequency peak related to the second signal. A first function based on the first set of samples and a second function based on the second set of samples are created. The first and second functions are convolved to produce a third function. Provided an index of a convolution peak value is the same as a first peak index, it is determined not to refine the first signal or the second signal. Provided the index of the convolution peak value is not the same as the first peak index, at least one of the first signal or the second signal is refined.