Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, includes an optical source to generate a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) optical beam, a memory, and a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, to identify energy peaks in a frequency domain of a range-dependent baseband signal that corresponds to a return signal from a reflection of the FMCW optical beam and identify an obstruction of the LIDAR system based on a comparison of a frequency of the energy peaks to a threshold frequency.

Abstract: A method of operating a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system is provided. The method includes transmitting a beam of co-propagating, cross-polarized light to a target. The method includes receiving return light reflected from the target by at least one detector. The method further includes transforming a polarization state of the beam at a transformation rate faster than a data collection rate from the at least one detector.

Abstract: A LiDAR system includes an optical subsystem with an optical axis. The optical subsystem includes an optical source to emit an optical beam, a first optical lens to transmit the optical beam, an optical window to reflect a first portion of the optical beam to generate a LO signal, an optical scanner to transmit a second portion of the optical beam to a target to scan the target to generate a target return signal, where the LO signal is disposed to be decentered from the optical axis on a second optical lens in front of a photodetector (PD) to increase a percentage of an overlap of the LO signal and the target return signal on the PD.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system is provided that includes a first optical source and a second optical source configured to emit respectively a first optical beam and a second optical beam that are nondegenerate and are chirped antiphase and at least one tap configured to split each of the first optical beam and the second optical beam to generate a first local oscillator and a second local oscillator.

Abstract: A method of operating a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system is provided that includes performing a scene measurement using a LiDAR sensor capable of measuring Doppler per point. The method also includes estimating a velocity of the LiDAR sensor with respect to static points within the scene based on the scene measurement. The method may also include compensating for the velocity of the LiDAR sensor and compensating for a Doppler velocity of the LiDAR sensor.

Abstract: A frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: receive samples of a range-dependent time domain baseband signal; assemble the samples into sample blocks in the time domain; convert the sample blocks from the time domain to the frequency domain; generate subbands in the frequency domain from converted sample blocks; classify the subbands into a plurality of subband types based on subband typing criteria; select subband processing parameters for each of the subbands based on respective ones of the plurality of subband types; and process each of the subbands using the selected subband processing parameters for the subband.

Abstract: A method to compensate for phase impairments in a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes estimating one or more phase impairments in the LIDAR system using a digitally-sampled reference signal to produce one or more estimated phase impairments and performing one or more corrections on one or more phase impairments in a digitally-sampled target signal based on the one or more estimated phase impairments.

Abstract: A method to select multiple returns in a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes thresholding a frequency domain waveform to identify a number of peaks above a threshold level. After thresholding, a primary peak selection is applied to identify a primary peak. After identifying a primary peak, a secondary peak selection is applied to a portion of the frequency domain waveform outside a guard-band area to identify a secondary peak.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes an automatic gain control (AGC) unit to reduce the dynamic range, reducing processing power and saving circuit area and cost. The system detects a return beam of a light signal transmitted to a target, having a first dynamic range in a time domain. An analog to digital converter (ADC) generates a digital signal based on the return beam. A processor can perform time domain processing on the digital signal, convert the digital signal from the time domain to a frequency domain, and perform frequency domain processing on the digital signal in the frequency domain. The AGC unit can measure a power of the return beam, and apply variable gain in the frequency domain to reduce a dynamic range of the return beam to a second dynamic range lower than the first dynamic range.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes an optical source to emit an optical beam, where a local oscillator (LO) signal is generated from a partial reflection of the optical beam from a partially-reflecting surface proximate to the first focal plane, and where a transmitted portion of the optical beam is directed toward a scanned target environment. LIDAR system to focus the LO signal and a target return signal at a second focal plane comprising a conjugate focal plane to the first focal plane. The system may also include a photodetector with a photosensitive surface proximate to the conjugate focal plane to mix the LO signal with the target return signal to generate target information.

Abstract: A method is provided that transmits a beam of co-propagating, cross-polarized light to a target. The method receives return light reflected from the target, which includes a first polarization and a second polarization. The method splits the return light into a first output corresponding to the first polarization and a second output corresponding to the second polarization using a first beam splitter. The method directs the first output to a first detector and directs the second output to a second detector. The method generates, by the first detector, a first electrical signal corresponding to the first polarization, and generates, by the second detector, a second electrical signal corresponding to the second polarization. The method determines an orientation of the target based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and generates a point cloud based on the orientation of the target.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus is provided that includes an optical source configured to emit an optical beam. The LIDAR apparatus further includes free space optics configured to receive a first portion of the optical beam as a target signal and a second portion of the optical beam as a local oscillator signal, and combine the target signal and the local oscillator signal. The LIDAR apparatus includes a multi-mode (MM) waveguide configured to receive the combined signal.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus includes an optical circuit including an optical source to transmit an optical beam, a first optical component to generate a local oscillator from the optical beam, a first optical amplifier to amplify a return signal to generate an amplified return signal, wherein a power level of the local oscillator is comparable to a power of amplified spontaneous emission of the first optical amplifier, and an optical detector operatively coupled to the first optical amplifier, the optical detector configured to output an electrical signal based on the amplified return signal and the local oscillator.

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. A set of neighborhood points of a POI is selected. A metric for the set of neighborhood points is computed based on a property of the set of neighborhood points and the POI, wherein the property comprises a velocity. Based on the metric, whether to accept the POI, modify the POI, reject the POI, or transmit the POI to a second filter, to extract at least one of range or velocity information related to the target is determined. Provided the POI is not accepted, modified, or rejected, the POI is transmitted to the second filter to determine whether to accept, modify, or reject the POI to extract the at least one of range or velocity information related to the target.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus includes optical source configured to emit a laser beam in a first direction, a polarization wave plate configured to transform polarization state of the laser beam headed in the first direction toward a target environment, and a reflective optical component to return a portion of the laser beam toward the optical source along a return path and through the polarization wave plate as a local oscillator signal. A polarization selective component to separate light in the return path based on the optical polarization, wherein the polarization selective component refracts orthogonally polarized light along the return path to a divergent path, wherein the polarization selective component is further configured to enable interference between the local oscillator signal and the target signal to generate a combined signal.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus is provided that includes a laser source configured to emit a laser beam in a first direction. The apparatus also includes lensing optics configured to pass a first portion of the laser beam in the first direction toward a target, return a second portion of the laser beam into a return path as a local oscillator signal, and return a target signal into the return path. The apparatus also includes a quarter-wave plate configured to polarize the laser beam headed in the first direction and polarize the target signal returned through the lensing optics. The apparatus also includes a polarization beam splitter configured to pass non-polarized light through the beam splitter in the first direction and reflect polarized light in a second direction different than the first direction, wherein the polarization beam splitter is further configured to enable interference between the local oscillator signal and the target signal to generate a mixed signal.

Abstract: A method generates first points based on a first scan of an environment that includes one or more moving objects. The method transforms the first points into a first static frame, which includes removing one or more of the first points corresponding to the one or more moving objects. The method generates second points based on a second scan of the environment that includes the one or more moving objects. The method transforms the second points into a second static frame, which includes removing one or more of the second points corresponding to the one or more moving objects. The method combines the first static frame and the second static frame into an accumulated static frame, which has an increase in resolution compared with the first static frame. The method then loads the accumulated static frame into a point cloud.

Abstract: A method to compensate for phase impairments in a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes transmitting a first optical beam towards a target, receiving a second optical beam from the target to produce a received optical beam; and generating a digitally-sampled target signal using a local oscillator (LO) beam, a first photo-detector and the received optical beam. The method also includes generating a digitally-sampled reference signal using a reference beam transmitted through a fiber delay device and a second photo-detector, and estimating one or more phase impairments in the LiDAR system using the digitally-sampled reference signal to produce one or more estimated phase impairments. The method also includes performing a first correction on a first phase impairment introduced into the digitally-sampled target signal by the LO beam; performing a second correction on a second phase impairment introduced into the digitally-sampled target signal by the received optical beam.

Abstract: A method including receiving, responsive to a transmission of a plurality of optical beams into an environment including a target, a plurality of returned optical beams associated with the target. The method includes generating a plurality of points from the plurality of returned optical beams, wherein each one of the plurality of points respectively corresponds to one of the plurality of returned optical beams; selecting a first point from the plurality of points and a second point from the plurality of points. The method includes identifying, by a processor, an orientation of the first point relative to the FMCW LIDAR system based on the second point from the plurality of points. The method includes computing an orientation of the target relative to the FMCW LIDAR system based on the orientation of the first point; and generating a point cloud based on the orientation of the target.

Abstract: A method of compensation in a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. The method includes applying a first frequency shift to a target signal to compensate for doppler shift in the target signal and performing a phase impairment correction on the target signal to produce a corrected target signal. The method further includes undoing the first frequency shift on the corrected target signal.