Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing dynamically adjusted radiated signals are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of detecting one or more objects in a path of travel of a vehicle may include generating a laser with radiated power. The method may further include emitting the laser in a direction of travel of the vehicle and receiving one or more reflections of the emitted laser reflected from the one or more objects located in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The method may also further include generating a signal indicating that the one or more objects are in a path of the vehicle based on the received one or more reflections. The method may also include dynamically adjusting the radiated power of the laser based on an input corresponding to one or more of (i) a current speed of the vehicle or (ii) a current position of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing dynamically adjusted radiated signals are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of detecting one or more objects in a path of travel of a vehicle may include generating a laser with radiated power. The method may further include emitting the laser in a direction of travel of the vehicle and receiving one or more reflections of the emitted laser reflected from the one or more objects located in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The method may also further include generating a signal indicating that the one or more objects are in a path of the vehicle based on the received one or more reflections. The method may also include dynamically adjusting the radiated power of the laser based on an input corresponding to one or more of (i) a current speed of the vehicle or (ii) a current position of the vehicle.

Abstract: An example LIDAR system includes a detector, an amplifier, a time-to-digital converter (TDC), an integrator, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a processor. The detector is configured to receive a reflected light pulse, where the reflected light pulse is reflected off of an object. The amplifier is coupled to the detector to generate an analog signal in response to the reflected light pulse. The TDC is coupled to the amplifier to generate a first time data and a second time data in response to the analog signal. The integrator is coupled to the amplifier to integrate the analog signal. The ADC is coupled to the integrator to sample an output of the integrator and to generate a digital sample. The processor is configured to process the first time data, the second time data, and the digital sample to estimate a total reflected energy of the reflected light pulse.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for measuring a reference beam and a corresponding returned beam from a target in a measurement system using a single sensor array. The system is configured such that the location of the reference beam is space apart from the location of the returned beam on the sensor array. A first set of sensor elements on the sensor array corresponding to the reference beam is dynamically activated based on a laser beam scanning control signal. The detection signal from the first set of sensor elements is used to determine a location and/or a pattern of the reference beam, which are then used to estimate a location and/or a pattern of the corresponding returned beam on the same sensor array and dynamically select and activate a second set of sensor elements on the sensor array based on the estimated location and/or pattern of the corresponding returned beam.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing dynamically adjusted radiated signals are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of detecting one or more objects in a path of travel of a vehicle may include generating a laser with radiated power. The method may further include emitting the laser in a direction of travel of the vehicle and receiving one or more reflections of the emitted laser reflected from the one or more objects located in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The method may also further include generating a signal indicating that the one or more objects are in a path of the vehicle based on the received one or more reflections. The method may also include dynamically adjusting the radiated power of the laser based on an input corresponding to one or more of (i) a current speed of the vehicle or (ii) a current position of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing dynamically adjusted radiated signals are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of detecting one or more objects in a path of travel of a vehicle may include generating a laser with radiated power. The method may further include emitting the laser in a direction of travel of the vehicle and receiving one or more reflections of the emitted laser reflected from the one or more objects located in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The method may also further include generating a signal indicating that the one or more objects are in a path of the vehicle based on the received one or more reflections. The method may also include dynamically adjusting the radiated power of the laser based on an input corresponding to one or more of (i) a current speed of the vehicle or (ii) a current position of the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for determining the position of a light beam on a beam shaping device. A feature can be formed on the beam shaping device to affect at least a portion of a light beam when the feature is illuminated by the light beam. When the light beam is directed onto the feature on the beam shaping device, a feature detection signal may be generated by a detector in response to detecting at least the portion of the light beam affected by the feature that has been illuminated by the light beam. The position of the light beam on the beam shaping device at a time instant can then be determined based, at least in part, on the feature detection signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for determining the position of a light beam on a beam shaping device. A feature can be formed on the beam shaping device to affect at least a portion of a light beam when the feature is illuminated by the light beam. When the light beam is directed onto the feature on the beam shaping device, a feature detection signal may be generated by a detector in response to detecting at least the portion of the light beam affected by the feature that has been illuminated by the light beam. The position of the light beam on the beam shaping device at a time instant can then be determined based, at least in part, on the feature detection signal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for multi-tier light-based ranging are presented. One example method includes determining a first operating environment; selecting a first set of laser emitters from a plurality of sets of laser emitters based on the first operating environment, the first set of laser emitters having a first angular FOV and a first effective range; detecting one or more objects within the first angular FOV based on detected reflected laser light; determining a second operating environment different from the first operating environment; selecting a second set of laser emitters from the plurality of sets of laser emitters based on the second operating environment, the second set of laser emitters having a second angular FOV narrower than the first angular FOV and a second effective range greater than the first effective range; and detecting one or more objects within the second angular FOV based on detected reflected laser light.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing dynamically adjusted radiated signals are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of detecting one or more objects in a path of travel of a vehicle may include generating a laser with radiated power. The method may further include emitting the laser in a direction of travel of the vehicle and receiving one or more reflections of the emitted laser reflected from the one or more objects located in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The method may also further include generating a signal indicating that the one or more objects are in a path of the vehicle based on the received one or more reflections. The method may also include dynamically adjusting the radiated power of the laser based on an input corresponding to one or more of (i) a current speed of the vehicle or (ii) a current position of the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for measuring a reference beam and a corresponding returned beam from a target in a measurement system using a single sensor array. The system is configured such that the location of the reference beam is space apart from the location of the returned beam on the sensor array. A first set of sensor elements on the sensor array corresponding to the reference beam is dynamically activated based on a laser beam scanning control signal. The detection signal from the first set of sensor elements is used to determine a location and/or a pattern of the reference beam, which are then used to estimate a location and/or a pattern of the corresponding returned beam on the same sensor array and dynamically select and activate a second set of sensor elements on the sensor array based on the estimated location and/or pattern of the corresponding returned beam.

Abstract: An example LIDAR system includes a detector, an amplifier, a time-to-digital converter (TDC), an integrator, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a processor. The detector is configured to receive a reflected light pulse, where the reflected light pulse is reflected off of an object. The amplifier is coupled to the detector to generate an analog signal in response to the reflected light pulse. The TDC is coupled to the amplifier to generate a first time data and a second time data in response to the analog signal. The integrator is coupled to the amplifier to integrate the analog signal. The ADC is coupled to the integrator to sample an output of the integrator and to generate a digital sample. The processor is configured to process the first time data, the second time data, and the digital sample to estimate a total reflected energy of the reflected light pulse.