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 distance measuring apparatus includes an image sensor and an image sensor driver. The image sensor includes a photodiode, a first capacitor and a second capacitor, and a first transfer gate and a second transfer gate configured to transmit an output of the photodiode to the respective first and second capacitors. The image sensor driver is configured to complementarily drive the first transfer gate and the second transfer gate.

Abstract: A time of flight sensor system having a time of flight sensor layer is disclosed. The system includes a covering window layer spaced apart from the time of flight sensor layer, with an exit window and an entrance window, an emitting element in the time of flight sensor layer that transmits an emission signal, a receiving element in the time of flight sensor layer that receives a reception signal, one or more opaque walls, and light baffles incorporated into the one or more opaque walls. The one or more opaque walls extend at least a portion of the distance from the time of flight sensor layer to the covering window layer. The one or more opaque walls reduce the reflection backscatter of emission signals and reception signals. The light baffles in the one or more opaque walls reduce backscatter of emission signals and reception signals.

Abstract: A lidar system includes a light source, a scanner, and a receiver and is configured to detect remote targets located up to RMAX meters away. The receiver includes a detector with a field of view larger than the light-source field of view. The scanner causes the detector field of view to move relative to the instantaneous light-source field of view along the scan direction, so that (i) when a pulse of light is emitted, the instantaneous light-source field of view is approximately centered within the detector field of view, and (ii) when a scattered pulse of light returns from a target located RMAX meters away, the instantaneous light-source field of view is located near an edge of the field of view of the detector and is contained within the field of view of the detector.

Abstract: The bi-directional optical integrated circuit device array includes a plurality of bi-directional optical integrated circuit unit devices integrated on a substrate and arranged in two-dimensions. Each of the bi-directional optical integrated circuit unit devices includes a single wavelength laser light source integrated on the substrate, a bi-directional optical device integrated on the substrate and optically connected to the laser light source, and an antenna integrated on the substrate and optically connected to the bi-directional optical device.

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: In one embodiment, a LIDAR device of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) includes a light emitter to emit a light beam towards a target, wherein at least a portion of the light beam is reflected from the target. The LIDAR device further includes an optical sensing unit including a first photodetector and a second photodetector. The first photodetector is a different type of photodetector from the second photodetector, where the optical sensing unit is to receive the portion of the light beam reflected from the target. When the optical sensing unit receives the portion of the light beam, the first photodetector generates a first optical sensor output signal and the second photodetector generates a second optical sensor output signal. The LIDAR device further includes a first circuitry portion to generate an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of the received portion of the light beam responsive to the first optical sensor output signal.

Abstract: A selection circuit selects one of digital values respectively output from a TDC 1 and a TDC 2. A histogram generation circuit generates a histogram indicating a relationship between a bin number and a frequency by counting up the frequency of the bin number according to the digital value selected by the selection circuit.

Abstract: A lidar system includes a laser-source configured to emit laser-beams, and a single movable-mirror positioned to reflect the laser-beams from the laser-source. The movable-mirror is operable to pivot about a single rotation-axis. The system includes a first-optical wedge configured to direct at least a first-laser-beam reflected by the movable-mirror in a first-direction with respect to a bore-axis of the system, and a second-optical-wedge configured to direct at least a second-laser-beam reflected by the movable-mirror in a second-direction with respect to the bore-axis, where the second-direction is different from the first-direction. The system also includes a first-shutter interposed between the first-optical-wedge and the movable-mirror, and a second-shutter interposed between the second-optical-wedge and the movable-mirror.

Abstract: An optical device for detecting a light beam reflected by a remote target comprises a light source, which is designed to emit the light beam in a predetermined direction at the remote target, and a primary lens, which is designed to focus the light beam reflected by the remote target into a first focal point. The optical device further comprises a relay lens system, which is arranged in such a way that the first focal point is located between the primary lens and the relay lens system and which is designed to focus the light beam reflected by the remote target and diverging starting from the first onto a second focal point. A detector unit is essentially arranged in the second focal point. A diaphragm is arranged within a cross-section, which is normal to the optical axis, of the light beam reflected by the remote target between the first focal point and the relay lens system.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light along a scan pattern contained within an adjustable field of regard. The scanner includes a first scanning mirror configured to scan the portion of the emitted pulses of light substantially parallel to a first scan axis to produce multiple scan lines of the scan pattern, where each scan line is oriented substantially parallel to the first scan axis. The scanner also includes a second scanning mirror configured to distribute the scan lines along a second scan axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first scan axis, where the scan lines are distributed within the adjustable field of regard according to an adjustable second-axis scan profile.

Abstract: A polygon scanner (10) for detecting objects (24) in a monitored zone (22) is provided having a light transmitter (12); having a light receiver (30); having an evaluation unit (32); and having a rotatable mirror unit (20) for a periodic deflection of the light beam (16) that has a plurality of mirror facets (34) in order thus to scan an angular section multiple times per rotation of the mirror unit (20) by a respective mirror facet (34), wherein at least some of the mirror facets (34) have a different curvature from one another. In this respect, at least one of the mirror facets (34) is configured as a free-form surface whose curvature is adapted to the angle of incidence of the transmitted light beam (16) on the mirror facet (34) that varies during the rotation of the mirror unit (20).

Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to multiple laser, single optical resonator lidar systems. A lidar system includes a single optical resonator optically coupled to at least a first laser and a second laser. The optical resonator is formed of an electrooptic material. The first laser and the second laser are optically injection locked to the optical resonator. Moreover, a modulator applies a time-varying voltage to the optical resonator to control modulation of an optical property of the electrooptic material, which causes the first laser to generate a first frequency modulated optical signal comprising a first series of optical chirps and/or the second laser to generate a second frequency modulated optical signal comprising a second series of optical chirps. Further, front end optics transmits at least a portion of the first frequency modulated optical signal and/or the second frequency modulated optical signal into an environment from the lidar system.

Abstract: A system, device and method of generating high resolution and high accuracy point cloud. In one aspect, a computer vision system receives a camera point cloud from a camera system and a LiDAR point cloud from a LiDAR system. An error of the camera point cloud is determined using the LiDAR point cloud as a reference. A correction function is determined based on the determined error. A corrected point cloud is generated from the camera point cloud using the correction function. A training error of the corrected point cloud is determined using the first LiDAR point cloud as a reference. The correction function is updated based on the determined training error. When training is completed, the correction function can be used by the computer vision system to generate a generating high resolution and high accuracy point cloud from the camera point cloud provided by the camera system.

Abstract: A digital signal processing circuit measures a distance according to a plurality of modulation frequencies including a first modulation frequency and a second modulation frequency lower than the first modulation frequency. The digital signal processing circuit is configured such that, when measuring the distance at the first modulation frequency, a storage capacitance of a light receiving element 6 stores or discharges electric charges according to the timing when the polarity of a phase is controlled by a light emission control unit at each transmission of a sub sequence and the distance is measured according to the electric charges stored in the storage capacitance. The digital signal processing circuit corrects the distance measurement result based on the measurement result at the first modulation frequency and the measurement result at the second modulation frequency.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to arrays of light detectors with a corresponding array of optical elements. An example embodiment includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. The LIDAR system includes an array of light detectors. The LIDAR system also includes a shared imaging optic. Further, the LIDAR system includes an array of optical elements positioned between the shared imaging optic and the array of light detectors. Each light detector in the array of light detectors is configured to detect a respective light signal from a respective region of a scene. Each respective light signal is transmitted via the shared imaging optic and modified by a respective optical element in the array of optical elements based on at least one aspect of the scene.

Abstract: Provided are projectors, each including a light source configured to emit laser light, a substrate spaced apart from the light source by a distance, a pattern mask including a pattern on a first surface of the substrate, the first surface facing the light source, and a meta-lens including a plurality of first nanostructures on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface facing the first surface, the nanostructures having a shape dimension of a sub-wavelength that is less than a wavelength of light emitted from the light source.

Abstract: Provided are non-uniform light-emitting lidar (light detection and ranging) apparatuses and autonomous robots including the same. A lidar apparatus may include a light source configured to emit light, an optical unit arranged on an optical path of light emitted from the light source and configured to change an optical profile of the light to be non-uniform, and a 3D sensor configured to sense location of an object by receiving reflection light from the object.

Abstract: A TOF sensor includes: a light-emitting element that emits light in accordance with reference pulses; a first light-receiving unit that outputs pulses in response to light incident thereon; a first digital computation unit that calculates the number of third output pulses of the first light-receiving unit in response to reflected light incident thereon; and a distance computation unit that calculates the distance from this device to the object if the number of third output pulses is greater than a first reference value.

Abstract: A distance measuring module includes a light emitter, a reflecting unit and a light receiver. The light emitter is configured to emit first light, wherein an object reflects the first light to form second light. The reflecting unit is configured to perform a movement to reflect the first light or the second light. The light receiver is configured to receive the second light for calculating a distance between the distance measuring module and the object. An axis is oriented at a first angle or a second angle with respect to a baseline when the reflecting unit is performing the movement. When the axis is oriented at the first angle, the first light is reflected to the object by the reflecting unit. When the axis is oriented at the second angle, the second light is reflected to the light receiver by the reflecting unit.