Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer program products for operating a lidar system (LS). The methods comprise: receiving result values (RVs) from photodetectors (the RVs based on operations performed by each photodetector to facilitate measurements associated with a light signal reflected off an object external to LS); combining different sets of RVs to generate super pixels; using super pixels to obtain spatiotemporal coherence metrics; selecting a subset of light pulses or a group of RVs based on the spatiotemporal coherence metrics; and detecting a distance between LS and object based on the selected subset of light pulses or the selected group of RVs. The methods enable variable resolution imaging systems in which the resolution of the pixel can be configured to automatically integrate a variable number of spatial and temporal measurements that belong to the same object to improve detection quality rather than using a fixed number of measurements.

Abstract: A device including a photon counting sensor array including emitters for emitting a light to an object, a detector array including a first pixel and a second pixel separated from each other, and a mask material disposed on the second pixel, the first pixel receives a light reflected from the object, and the mask material is not disposed on the first pixel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer program products for operating a lidar system. The methods comprise: performing operations by each of a plurality of photodetectors to facilitate measurements of an intensity of a light signal reflected off an object external to the lidar system; receiving, by a processor, result values from the photodetectors that indicate measured reflected intensities of the light signal; performing, by the processor, at least one convolutional algorithm to combine different sets of the result values to produce a plurality of feature values; and generating, by the processor, at least one depth image or point cloud comprising a plurality of super pixels having values respectively set to the feature values.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer program products to improve the accuracy of range measurements of a lidar system. The methods comprise: obtaining, by a processor, results produced by photodetectors of the lidar system in response to light pulses arriving at the photodetectors over time; introducing a clock drift into a clock of the lidar system, the clock drift being modeled by an analytical function; assigning, by the processor, the results to bins based on associated times at which the light pulses arrived at the photodetectors as specified by the clock; building, by the processor, a histogram using the results which have been assigned to the bins; performing, by the processor, fitting operations to fit the histogram to the analytical function a derived function of the analytical function; and identifying, by the processor, a peak of the histogram based on results of the fitting operations.

Abstract: A temporal pulse coding scheme is disclosed for use in operating pulsed lidar systems, and in particular, pulsed lidar systems used as sensors on autonomous vehicles. Pulse coding can be implemented to eliminate range ambiguity due to aliasing effects. Alternatively, pulse coding can be used with cyclic re-mapping to extend the maximum range of the lidar detector. Pulse coding can be further combined with arm coding to make range determinations over a continuous range having no dead zones.

Abstract: Systems/methods for operating a LiDAR system. The methods comprise: receiving a waveform representing light which was reflected off of a surface of an object; generating timestamp values for photon detection events triggered by pulses in the waveform; generating a count histogram of the timestamp values; inferring a trials histogram from the count histogram (the trials histogram representing a number of times a photodetector of the LiDAR system was available during reception of the waveform); generating an estimated range distance from the LiDAR system to the at least one object and an estimated intensity value for a given pulse of the waveform, based on results from analyzing the count histogram and the trials histogram; determining a position using the estimated range distance from the LiDAR system to the at least one object; and producing a LiDAR dataset comprising a data point defined by the position and the estimated intensity value.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are provided for compressive sensing using photodiode data. A device may identify light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) data detected by a sensor, the LIDAR data including a first time-of-flight (ToF) and a second ToF. The device may generate, based on the first ToF, a first frequency value. The device may generate, based on the second ToF, a second frequency value. The device may generate, based on the first value, a first sinusoid. The device may generate, based on the second value, a second sinusoid. The device may generate, based on the first sinusoid and the second sinusoid, a compressed signal in a domain incoherent with the time domain. The device may extract range information based on the compressed signal, and may control operation of a vehicle based on the range information.

Abstract: A single photon counting sensor array includes one or more emitters configured to emit a plurality of pulses of energy, and a detector array comprising a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes one or more detectors, a plurality of which are configured to receive reflected pulses of energy that were emitted by the one or more emitters. A mask material is positioned to cover some but not all of the detectors of the plurality of pixels to yield blocked pixels and unblocked pixels so that each blocked pixel is prevented from detecting the reflected pulses of energy and therefore only detects intrinsic noise.

Abstract: A single photon counting sensor array includes one or more emitters configured to emit a plurality of pulses of energy, and a detector array comprising a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes one or more detectors, a plurality of which are configured to receive reflected pulses of energy that were emitted by the one or more emitters. A mask material is positioned to cover some but not all of the detectors of the plurality of pixels to yield blocked pixels and unblocked pixels so that each blocked pixel is prevented from detecting the reflected pulses of energy and therefore only detects intrinsic noise.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are provided for reducing interference of light detection and ranging (LIDAR) emissions. A vehicle may identify location information associated with a location of the vehicle. The vehicle may select, based on the location information, a modulation code associated with a LIDAR photodiode of the vehicle. The vehicle may emit, using the LIDAR photodiode, one or more LIDAR pulses based on the modulation code.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are provided for compressive sensing using photodiode data. A device may identify light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) data detected by a sensor, the LIDAR data including a first time-of-flight (ToF) and a second ToF. The device may generate, based on the first ToF, a first frequency value. The device may generate, based on the second ToF, a second frequency value. The device may generate, based on the first value, a first sinusoid. The device may generate, based on the second value, a second sinusoid. The device may generate, based on the first sinusoid and the second sinusoid, a compressed signal in a domain incoherent with the time domain. The device may extract range information based on the compressed signal, and may control operation of a vehicle based on the range information.

Abstract: Systems/methods for operating a LiDAR system. The methods comprise: receiving a waveform representing light which was reflected off of a surface of an object; generating timestamp values for photon detection events triggered by pulses in the waveform; generating a count histogram of the timestamp values; inferring a trials histogram from the count histogram (the trials histogram representing a number of times a photodetector of the LiDAR system was available during reception of the waveform); generating an estimated range distance from the LiDAR system to the at least one object and an estimated intensity value for a given pulse of the waveform, based on results from analyzing the count histogram and the trials histogram; determining a position using the estimated range distance from the LiDAR system to the at least one object; and producing a LiDAR dataset comprising a data point defined by the position and the estimated intensity value.

Abstract: A single photon counting sensor array includes one or more emitters configured to emit a plurality of pulses of energy, and a detector array comprising a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes one or more detectors, a plurality of which are configured to receive reflected pulses of energy that were emitted by the one or more emitters. A mask material is positioned to cover some but not all of the detectors of the plurality of pixels to yield blocked pixels and unblocked pixels so that each blocked pixel is prevented from detecting the reflected pulses of energy and therefore only detects intrinsic noise.