METHOD FOR OPERATING A LIDAR SYSTEM, LIDAR SYSTEM AND VEHICLE WITH AT LEAST ONE LIDAR SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a lidar system, in particular a lidar system for a vehicle, to a lidar system, and to a vehicle. In the method, at least one optical beam is transmitted into at least one monitored region by at least one transmission device, and at least one optical beam reflected on at least one object present in the at least one monitored region is received by at least one receiving region of at least one receiving device and is converted into at least one reception variable. At least one piece of object information relating to at least one object reflecting the optical beam is ascertained from at least one reception variable. At least one optical beam is transmitted with an intensity distribution (36) which is defined over the beam profile. At least two beam profile sections of the beam profile of the at least one optical beam are imaged onto at least two adjacent receiving regions, received by the respective receiving regions, and converted into respective reception variables. The at least one optical beam is transmitted into the at least two beam profile sections with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Method for operating a LiDAR system, LiDAR system and vehicle with at least one LiDAR system

[0003] Technical area

[0004] The invention relates to a method for operating a LiDAR system, in particular a LiDAR system for a vehicle, in which at least one optical beam is transmitted into at least one surveillance area by at least one transmitting device, at least one optical beam reflected from at least one object present in the at least one surveillance area is received by at least one receiving device and converted into at least one received variable, and at least one item of object information relating to at least one object reflecting the optical beam is determined from at least one received variable.

[0005] Furthermore, the invention relates to a LiDAR system, in particular a LiDAR system for a vehicle, with at least one transmitting device for transmitting optical beams into at least one surveillance area, wherein the at least one transmitting device has at least one beam source for generating optical beams, with at least one receiving device which has at least one receiving area for receiving optical beams reflected from objects in the at least one surveillance area and for converting received optical beams into corresponding received variables, and with at least one evaluating device for determining object information on at least one object reflecting optical beams from determined received variables.

[0006] Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with at least one LiDAR system.

[0007] State of the art

[0008] From WO 2019 / 020591 A1, a scanning optical detection system of a vehicle for monitoring a surveillance area for objects is known, comprising at least one transmitting device, with at least one light source for generating at least one optical transmitted signal and with at least one diffraction unit acting diffractively on the at least one transmitted signal for controlling at least one beam direction of the at least one transmitted signal, at least one receiving device for receiving at least one optical received signal which originates from at least one transmitted signal which is reflected by an object, and at least one control and / or evaluation device for controlling the at least one transmitting device and / or the at least one receiving device and / or for evaluating received signals received with the at least one receiving device.

[0009] The invention is based on the object of designing a method, a LiDAR system and a vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the detection of objects in at least one monitoring area, in particular of objects with different reflecting strengths and / or objects with areas with different reflecting strengths, can be improved.

[0010] Disclosure of the invention

[0011] The object is achieved according to the invention in the method in that at least one optical beam is transmitted with an intensity distribution defined by its beam profile, at least two beam profile sections of the beam profile of the at least one optical beam are imaged onto at least two adjacent reception areas, are received by the reception areas in each case and are converted into respective reception quantities, wherein the at least one optical beam is transmitted in the at least two beam profile sections with different intensities.

[0012] According to the invention, optical beams are transmitted with defined intensity distributions across their respective beam profiles. At least two beam profile sections of the beam profile are transmitted at different intensities. On the side of an illuminated object, adjacent areas are illuminated with the beam profile sections at different intensities. This does not require adjusting the transmission power of transmitter light sources and / or transmission optics on the side of the at least one transmitting device. The reflected beam profile sections are projected onto adjacent reception areas of the at least one receiving device, received by them, and converted into corresponding reception variables.

[0013] The realization of different intensities in adjacent areas can thus be achieved with correspondingly minimal technical effort. This allows a weakly reflective area on the object side to be scanned with a beam profile section with higher intensity, while an adjacent strongly reflective, particularly retroreflective, area can be scanned with a beam profile section with lower intensity. The higher intensity allows even weakly reflective areas to be detected by the receiving device. The lower intensity prevents strongly reflective areas from causing saturation and glare effects, particularly crosstalk, on the receiving device side.

[0014] During a measurement, the at least one optical beam can illuminate an object, in particular a region of an object, with a high intensity beam profile section. The lower intensities of the adjacent beam profile sections can be sufficient to detect adjacent highly reflective regions of objects.

[0015] The at least one receiving device receives at least one reflected optical beam and converts it into at least one received variable. The at least one received variable can be further processed using appropriate evaluation means, particularly of the LiDAR system.

[0016] Advantageously, at least one received variable can be an electrical received variable. Electrical received variables can be evaluated and further processed using electrical evaluation devices.

[0017] From at least one received variable, at least one piece of object information is determined for at least one object at which the at least one optical beam is reflected. Distances, directions, and / or speeds of objects detected by the LiDAR system relative to the LiDAR system can be determined as object information.

[0018] "Optical" in the sense of the invention refers to visible and invisible ranges of electromagnetic radiation, in particular light rays. The components designated "optical" are accordingly suitable for use in connection with ranges of electromagnetic radiation that are visible and invisible to humans. The optical rays can be light rays, in particular laser beams, in the visible or invisible range.

[0019] Advantageously, a laser beam can be transmitted as at least one optical beam. Laser beams can be specifically realized with defined intensity distributions across their beam profiles.

[0020] Advantageously, at least one optical signal, in particular a laser signal, can be transmitted as at least one optical beam. In this way, the optical beam can contain additional information, in particular coding or the like.

[0021] Advantageously, the at least one optical beam can be implemented in the form of signal pulses, in particular laser pulses. Signal pulses can be better assigned on the receiving side.

[0022] Advantageously, the LiDAR system can operate according to a signal-time-of-flight method. With a signal-time-of-flight method, the distance to an object at which the optical beam is reflected can be determined based on the time of flight of a transmitted optical beam.

[0023] The LiDAR system can advantageously be configured as a laser-based distance measuring system. Laser-based distance measuring systems can have lasers, in particular diode lasers, as beam sources. Lasers can, in particular, transmit pulsed laser beams as optical beams. Lasers can emit optical beams in wavelength ranges visible or invisible to the human eye. Accordingly, reception areas of the LiDAR system can be implemented with sensors designed for the wavelength of the emitted optical beams, in particular point sensors, line sensors, and / or area sensors, in particular (avalanche) photodiodes, photodiode arrays, CCD sensors, active pixel sensors, in particular CMOS sensors, or the like. The invention can advantageously be used in vehicles, in particular motor vehicles.The invention can advantageously be used in land vehicles, in particular passenger cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, or the like, aircraft, in particular drones, and / or watercraft. The invention can also be used in vehicles that can be operated autonomously or at least semi-autonomously. However, the invention is not limited to vehicles. It can also be used in stationary operation, in robotics, and / or in machines, in particular construction or transport machines, such as cranes, excavators, or the like.

[0024] The LiDAR system can advantageously be connected to or be part of at least one electronic control device of a vehicle and / or machine, in particular a driver assistance system or the like. In this way, at least some of the functions of the vehicle and / or machine can be performed autonomously or semi-autonomously.

[0025] The LiDAR system can be used to detect stationary or moving objects, in particular vehicles, persons, animals, plants, obstacles, road surface irregularities, in particular potholes or stones, road markings, traffic signs, open spaces, in particular parking spaces, precipitation or the like, and / or movements and / or gestures.

[0026] In an advantageous embodiment of the method, at least one optical beam can be transmitted whose beam profile has an intensity distribution that is symmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis, and / or at least one optical beam can be transmitted whose beam profile has an intensity distribution that is asymmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis, and / or at least one optical beam can be transmitted whose beam profile has at least three beam profile sections with different intensities. In this way, depending on the intended use and / or design of the LiDAR system, a suitable beam profile with a correspondingly defined intensity distribution can be generated. Advantageously, the beam profile of at least one optical beam can have a symmetric intensity distribution. Symmetric intensity distributions can be easily implemented.

[0027] Alternatively or additionally, the beam profile of at least one optical beam can advantageously have an asymmetric intensity distribution. In this way, a larger number of different intensities with the corresponding beam profile sections can be realized simultaneously.

[0028] Alternatively or additionally, the beam profile of at least one optical beam can advantageously comprise at least three beam profile sections with different intensities. In this way, the monitored area can be scanned simultaneously with three different beam intensities. This can reduce the overall measurement time.

[0029] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, at least two optical beams can be transmitted into the at least one monitoring area at different beam directions, particularly one after the other, at different times. In this way, the at least one monitoring area can be scanned with the optical beams in at least two sections. Thus, multiple areas of an object or multiple objects in the at least one monitoring area can be detected.

[0030] A beam direction is the direction in which an optical beam is sent.

[0031] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method,

[0032] Changes in beam directions of the at least two optical beams are realized with at least one beam deflection device and / or

[0033] Changes in beam directions can be realized, in particular, by activating at least two beam sources at different times, to which different beam directions are assigned.

[0034] With at least one beam deflection device, the beam direction of optical beams generated by a signal source can be redirected. This does not require changing the orientation of the signal source.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally, the beam direction can be achieved by activating beam sources with different beam directions, in particular at different times. The beam sources can be assigned to different beam directions. The beam sources themselves and / or the transmission optics assigned to the beam sources can be aligned differently. In this way, the optical beams can be transmitted in different directions into the at least one surveillance area. By activating the beam sources at different times, the direction in which the at least one surveillance area is scanned with the optical beams can be changed.

[0036] Advantageously, at least two beam sources can be activated simultaneously. This allows the surveillance area to be scanned simultaneously with the respective optical beams.

[0037] Advantageously, alternatively or additionally, at least two beam sources can be activated at different times, in particular one after the other. In this way, the corresponding regions of the monitored area can be scanned at different times, in particular one after the other.

[0038] Alternatively or additionally, at least two beam sources can be used, each of which is assigned a common beam deflection device or a separate beam deflection device. In this way, the advantages of at least two beam sources and the advantages of a beam deflection device can be combined.

[0039] The beam deflection device can be a deflection mirror, a pivoting mirror, an oscillating mirror, in particular a micro-oscillating mirror, a diffractive optical element, or the like. Such beam deflection devices can be modified to change the beam direction accordingly, in particular tilted or pivoted relative to an optical axis of a beam source.

[0040] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the direction of the at least two transmitted optical beams can be adjusted differently by an amount, in particular an angle, which, on the side of the reception areas, corresponds to an integer multiple of a distance between the centers of neighboring reception areas, and / or the directions of the at least two transmitted optical beams can be changed in an increment that, on the side of the reception areas, corresponds to a distance between the centers of neighboring reception areas. In this way, the at least two beam profile sections of the at least one optical beam can be mapped onto the respective neighboring reception areas.

[0041] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, receiver sizes of reception areas onto which beam profile sections of the reflected at least one optical beam are imaged with different intensities can be combined to determine object information. In this way, the dynamic range of the LiDAR system can be increased. In particular, receiver sizes of reception areas onto which beam profile sections with high intensities are imaged can be combined with receiver sizes of reception areas onto which beam profiles with relatively lower intensities are imaged.

[0042] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, at least two adjacent reception areas, onto which at least two beam profile sections are imaged, can be read out in parallel, in particular simultaneously, and / or at least two adjacent reception areas, onto which at least two beam profile sections are imaged, can be read out serially, in particular sequentially, and / or only the reception area of ​​the at least two reception areas, onto which the at least two beam profile sections are imaged, on which the beam profile section with the greater intensity is imaged can be read out. By reading out adjacent reception areas in parallel, a correspondingly larger part of the monitoring area can be detected simultaneously during a measurement.

[0043] By serially reading adjacent reception areas, the processing speed of the receiving device can be reduced. This allows the use of lower-performance evaluation devices.

[0044] By reading only the reception area that receives the greatest intensity, the amount of data to be processed can be reduced.

[0045] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, at least one optical beam can be transmitted with a defined beam profile, in which the ratios of the spatial extent of the beam profile sections in one spatial direction with different intensities correspond to the ratios of the distances between the centers of the at least two reception areas. In this way, the beam profile sections can be mapped onto the respective reception areas even if the beam direction of the at least one optical beam changes.

[0046] Furthermore, the object is achieved according to the invention in the LiDAR system in that the at least one transmitting device has at least one means for defining an intensity distribution in beam profiles of optical beams, the at least one receiving device has at least two receiving areas that are arranged adjacently, the at least one receiving device has at least one imaging means for imaging at least two beam profile sections of beam profiles of optical beams onto the at least two adjacent receiving areas, wherein the intensity in beam profile sections of transmitted optical beams before their reflection, which correspond to the at least two beam profile sections of the reflected optical beams imaged onto the at least two receiving areas, are different.

[0047] According to the invention, the at least one transmitting device has at least one means for defining intensity distributions in beam profiles of optical beams. In this way, different intensities can be transmitted simultaneously into the at least one surveillance area using an optical beam. In this way, different intensities can be realized without requiring a change in the transmission power of corresponding beam sources and / or changes in any transmission optics.

[0048] The at least one receiving device has at least two receiving areas. The beam profile sections of reflected optical beams can be correspondingly imaged onto the at least two receiving areas.

[0049] In an advantageous embodiment, at least one transmitting device can have at least one beam shaping means, in particular at least one optical lens or the like, for shaping defined beam profiles of optical beams generated by the at least one beam source and / or at least one transmitting device can have a plurality of beam sources each for generating individual optical beams, which are arranged such that the individual optical beams are combined to form optical beams with beam profiles having defined intensity distributions.

[0050] By using at least one beam shaping means, only one beam source is required to generate a corresponding beam profile.

[0051] Alternatively or additionally, multiple beam sources can be provided. The beam sources can have individual beam profiles. The individual beams with their respective beam profiles can be combined to create a single optical beam with a desired beam profile and a defined intensity distribution. In this way, the spatial extent of the optical beam can be increased. This allows a larger section of the surveillance area to be scanned with the optical beam.

[0052] Advantageously, different beam directions can be assigned to the beam sources. In this way, a larger section of the at least one monitoring area can be scanned simultaneously with optical beams.

[0053] In a further advantageous embodiment, at least one transmitting device can have at least one beam deflection device, in particular at least one deflecting mirror, at least one pivoting mirror, at least one oscillating mirror, and / or at least one diffractive optical element or the like. In this way, the beam direction of the optical beams can be changed. Thus, the at least one monitored area can be scanned accordingly with optical beams.

[0054] Furthermore, the object is achieved in the vehicle according to the invention in that the vehicle has at least one LiDAR system according to the invention.

[0055] According to the invention, the vehicle has at least one LiDAR system according to the invention, with which at least one surveillance area in an environment and / or in an interior of the vehicle can be monitored, in particular for objects.

[0056] Advantageously, the vehicle can have at least one driver assistance system. With the help of a driver assistance system, at least some of the vehicle's functions, in particular driving functions, can be operated autonomously or semi-autonomously.

[0057] Advantageously, at least one LiDAR system can be functionally connected to at least one driver assistance system of the vehicle. In this way, information about the monitoring area, in particular about objects in the monitoring area, which is determined by the at least one LiDAR system, can be used by the at least one driver assistance system for the autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of the vehicle.

[0058] Furthermore, the features and advantages presented in connection with the method according to the invention, the LiDAR system according to the invention, and the vehicle according to the invention, and their respective advantageous embodiments, apply to each other accordingly and vice versa. The individual features and advantages can, of course, be combined with each other, whereby further advantageous effects can arise that go beyond the sum of the individual effects.

[0059] Short description of the drawings

[0060] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art will expediently consider the features disclosed in the drawings, the description, and the claims in combination individually and combine them to form useful further combinations. The figures show schematically:

[0061] Figure 1 shows a passenger car in the front view with a driver assistance system and a LiDAR system for monitoring a surveillance area in the direction of travel in front of the passenger car;

[0062] Figure 2 shows a functional representation of the LiDAR system and the driver assistance system from Figure 1;

[0063] Figure 3 shows a beam profile of an optical beam transmitted by a transmitting device of the LiDAR system of Figure 2;

[0064] Figure 4 shows an intensity distribution according to a first embodiment along the beam profile of the optical beam from Figure 3;

[0065] Figure 5 is a front view of a receiver of a receiving device of the LiDAR system of Figure 2, for receiving the reflected optical beam of Figure 4;

[0066] Figure 6 shows the intensity distributions of three optical beams, each of which has an intensity distribution according to Figure 4, which are successively sent into the surveillance area in directions changed by a defined amount;

[0067] Figure 7 is a front view of the receiver of Figure 5 for receiving the reflected optical beams of Figure 6;

[0068] Figure 8 shows the intensity distributions of three optical beams according to a second embodiment, each of which has an asymmetric intensity distribution, which are transmitted successively into the surveillance area in directions that are altered by a defined amount; Figure 9 shows the front view of the receiver from Figure 5, for receiving the reflected optical beams from Figure 8;

[0069] Figure 10 is a front view of a laser arrangement with three lasers arranged side by side of a transmitting device according to a third embodiment of the LiDAR system from Figures 1 and 2;

[0070] Figure 11 is a beam profile of an optical beam generated by the laser array of Figure 10, the optical beam being composed of the individual optical beams generated by the three lasers;

[0071] Figure 12 shows an intensity distribution of the beam profile of the optical beam from Figure 11;

[0072] Figure 13 is a front view of the receiver of Figure 7 for receiving the reflected optical beam of Figures 11 and 12.

[0073] In the figures, identical components are provided with identical reference symbols.

[0074] Embodiment(s) of the invention

[0075] Figure 1 shows a front view of a vehicle 10 in the form of a passenger car. The vehicle 10 includes a LiDAR system 12 and a driver assistance system 14. The LiDAR system 12 and the driver assistance system 14 are shown in a functional representation in Figure 2.

[0076] The LiDAR system 12 is located, for example, in the front bumper of the vehicle 10 and is directed toward a surveillance area 16 in the direction of travel in front of the vehicle 10. The LiDAR system 12 can also be arranged at a different location on the vehicle 10, even with a different orientation. The vehicle 10 can also have multiple LiDAR systems 12, which can be differently oriented.

[0077] The LiDAR system 12 is functionally connected to the driver assistance system 14. Information about the monitoring area 16, which can be obtained with the LiDAR system 12, can be transmitted to the driver assistance system 14 via the connection. With the driver assistance system 14, the vehicle 10 can be operated autonomously or semi-autonomously. The LiDAR system 12 can detect objects 18 located in the monitoring area 16. Object information, such as distances, directions, and / or speeds of detected objects 18 relative to the LiDAR system 12, i.e., relative to the vehicle 10, can be determined.

[0078] The LiDAR system 12 can detect stationary or moving objects 18, such as vehicles, people, animals, plants, obstacles, road surface irregularities such as potholes or stones, road markings, traffic signs, open spaces, particularly parking spaces, precipitation, or the like, and / or movements of objects 18 and / or gestures. Figure 2 shows an example of an object 18.

[0079] For better orientation, the corresponding coordinate axes of a Cartesian xyz coordinate system are shown in some of the figures. In the exemplary embodiments shown, for example, the x-axis extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle 10, the y-axis extends parallel to a transverse axis of the vehicle, and the z-axis extends vertically perpendicular to the xy-plane. When the motor vehicle 10 is on a horizontal roadway during normal operation, the x-axis and the y-axis extend horizontally, and the z-axis extends vertically.

[0080] Figure 2 shows the LiDAR system 12 and the exemplary object 18 in a top view, viewed opposite the z-axis. This illustration is not to scale.

[0081] The LiDAR system 12 comprises a transmitting device 20, a receiving device 22 and a control and evaluation device 24.

[0082] The transmitting device 20 comprises an optical beam source in the form of a laser 26, a beam shaping means in the form of a transmitting lens 28, and a beam deflecting device 32, for example in the form of a pivoting mirror. The laser 26 and the beam deflecting device 32 are controllably connected to the control and evaluation device 24. The laser 26 can generate optical beams 32 in the form of laser pulses and transmit them toward the transmitting lens 28.

[0083] With the transmitting lens 28, the beam profile of the optical beams 32 can be formed into a beam profile 34 with a defined intensity distribution 36.

[0084] Figure 3 shows, by way of example, an elliptical beam profile 34 of an optical beam 32 according to a first exemplary embodiment. The associated intensity distribution 36 is shown in Figure 4. The intensity distribution 36 is symmetrical with respect to a beam axis 37 and has approximately the shape of a Gaussian curve. The beam axis 37 runs, for example, perpendicular to the beam direction of the optical beam 32, for example, approximately parallel to the z-axis. The beam direction is, for example, the main propagation direction of the optical beam 32.

[0085] The beam profile 34 has, for example, three beam profile sections 38, namely 38a, 38b and 38c, with respective intensities 40, namely 40a, 40b and 40c.

[0086] The beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c are arranged adjacent to one another along an imaginary beam profile axis 39 of the beam profile 34. The beam profile axis 39 extends perpendicular to the beam direction of the optical beam 32, for example, parallel to the xy plane, and perpendicular to the beam axis 37. The extensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c in the direction of the beam profile axis 39 are identical.

[0087] Beam profile section 38b is located at the center of beam profile 34 and encompasses the maximum of intensity distribution 36. The two beam profile sections 38a and 38c are located symmetrically on opposite sides of the central beam profile section 38b. The intensities 40a and 40c of the optical beam 32 in the two outer beam profile sections 38a and 38c are equal and each greater than the intensity 40b in the central beam profile section 38b.

[0088] The optical beams 32 with the defined beam profile 34 can be transmitted from the transmitting lens 28 to the beam deflection device 30. The beam directions of the optical beams 32 can be adjusted using the beam deflection device 30. Thus, the optical beams 32 can be directed into the monitoring area 16 with the respective beam direction.

[0089] The beam deflection device 30 can, for example, be controlled by the control and evaluation device 24 to adjust the beam direction of the optical beams 32 in the monitored area 16. In this way, by appropriately controlling the beam deflection device 30, the beam direction of the optical beams 32 in the monitored area 16 can be pivoted, and the area can thus be scanned with the optical beams 32. For example, the beam deflection device 30 can be configured such that it can be used to pivot the beam directions of the optical beams 32 in a plane, for example, parallel to the xy plane, a normal operating orientation of the vehicle 10 in the horizontal.

[0090] The optical beams 32 striking the object 18 can be reflected by the object 18. The optical beams 32 reflected in the direction of the receiving device 22 can be received by the receiving device 22. The intensity of the optical beams 32 changes depending on the reflectivity of the reflecting point of the object 18.

[0091] The receiving device 22 comprises a receiver 42 and an optical imaging means in the form of a receiving lens 44.

[0092] The receiving lens 44 is arranged in front of the receiver 42, as viewed from the monitoring area 16. The receiving lens 44 can project optical beams 32 reflected in the monitoring area 16 onto the receiver 42.

[0093] The receiver 42 according to a first exemplary embodiment is shown in Figure 5 in a front view with a viewing direction parallel to the x-axis. The receiver 42 is implemented, for example, as a photodiode array. The receiver 42 has, for example, nine pixels, each of which forms optical reception areas 46 for optical beams 32. The reception areas 46 are designated 46-1 to 46-9 for easier differentiation. With the receiver 34, optical beams 32 striking the reception areas 46 can be converted into electrical reception quantities, for example electrical reception signals. The receiver 42 is functionally connected to the control and evaluation device 24. The control and evaluation device 24 can control the receiver 42 and evaluate information determined with the receiver 42, for example the electrical reception quantities.

[0094] The reception areas 46 are arranged next to one another in a row along an imaginary receiver axis 48. The reception area axis 48 runs, for example, parallel to the y-axis and perpendicular to the x-axis. The distances 50 between the centers 52 of adjacent reception areas 46 are, for example, identical.

[0095] The receiving lens 44 can image the incident optical beams 32 onto the receiving areas 46 in a direction-dependent manner. From the positions of the illuminated receiving areas 46 within the photodiode array of the receiver 42, a direction can be determined from which the optical beams 32 originate, i.e., the direction in which the reflecting object 18 is located relative to the LiDAR system 12.

[0096] Both the distances 50 between the centers 52 of the reception areas 46 and the dimensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38 are identical. Therefore, the ratios of the distances 50 between the centers 52 and the ratios of the dimensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38 are also identical, each equal to 1 in the exemplary embodiment.

[0097] The receiving lens 44 is adapted to the receiver 42 such that the dimensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38 of the reflected optical beams 32 imaged onto the receiving areas 46 correspond to the distances 50 between the centers 52. Thus, the three beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c can each be imaged onto one of three adjacent receiving areas 46, for example, onto the receiving areas 46-4, 46-5, and 46-6 in Figure 5.

[0098] If the beam direction of the reflected optical beams 32 is changed by an angle which causes a shift of the beam profile 34 imaged onto the reception areas 46 along the receiver axis 48 by the value of the distance 50 between the centers 52 or by an integer multiple of the value of the distance 50, the respective beam profile sections 38 can each be shifted to a different reception area 46.

[0099] Figure 6 shows, by way of example, the intensity distributions 36 of the beam profiles 34 of three optical beams 32 during three measurements. Figure 7 shows the corresponding reception areas 46 of the receiver 42. The beam direction of the optical beams 32 was changed by an angle during each measurement, which causes a shift of the beam profile 32 imaged onto the reception areas 46 by the distance 50. This results in the beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c migrating from measurement to measurement to the adjacent reception areas 46.

[0100] In the first measurement, with the intensity distribution 36 represented by the solid line, the intensity 40a of the beam profile section 38a is received, for example, by the reception area 46-3. The maximum intensity 40b of the beam profile section 38b is received by the adjacent reception area 46-4, and the intensity 40c of the beam profile section 38c is received by the reception area 46-5. The reception areas 46 are read out simultaneously, so that the beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c reflected from the respective locations of the object 18 are detected simultaneously with the corresponding reception areas 46-3, 46-4, and 46-5.

[0101] In the second measurement, with the intensity distribution 36' represented by the dashed line, the intensity 40a of the beam profile section 38a is received, for example, by the reception area 46-4, the maximum intensity 40b of the beam profile section 38b by the adjacent reception area 46-5 and the intensity 40c of the beam profile section 38c by the reception area 46-6.

[0102] In the third measurement, with the intensity distribution 36" shown by the dotted line, the intensity 40a of the beam profile section 38a is received, for example, by the reception area 46-5, the maximum intensity 40b of the beam profile section 38b by the adjacent reception area 46-6 and the intensity 40c of the beam profile section 38c by the reception area 46-7.

[0103] Overall, the locations of the object 18 at which the respective beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c are reflected during the respective measurement according to the beam direction of the transmitted optical beams 32 are scanned during the three measurements with two different intensities 40, namely 40a and 40c on the one hand and 40b on the other. This does not require any change to the transmitting lens 28 and / or the transmitting power of the laser 26. Thus, both weakly reflective locations of the object 18 with the high intensity 40b of the second beam profile section 38b, and highly reflective locations, such as retroreflective locations, of the object 18, which at high intensities would lead to crosstalk effects between the receiving areas 46, can be detected with the lower intensities 40a and 40b of the first beam profile section 38a and the third beam profile section 38c.Overall, the dynamics of the LiDAR system 12 can be increased with respect to the reflectivity of detectable objects 18.

[0104] Figure 8 shows an intensity distribution 36 of a beam profile 34 of optical beams 32 according to a second exemplary embodiment. Figure 9 correspondingly shows the receiver 42. Those elements that are similar to those of the first exemplary embodiment from Figures 3 to 7 are provided with the same reference numerals. The second exemplary embodiment differs from the first exemplary embodiment in that the intensity distribution 36 of the beam profile 34 of the optical beams 32 is asymmetrical with respect to the beam axis 37. The intensity 40a of the first beam profile section 38a is smaller than the intensity 40c of the third beam profile section 38c. In this way, three beam profile sections 38 with three different intensities 40 are realized in the beam profile 34.Thus, by appropriately pivoting the beam direction of the optical beams 32, the locations of the object 18 can be scanned successively with three different intensities 40a, 40b and 40c.

[0105] Figure 10 shows an arrangement of three lasers 26 of a transmitting device 20 of a LiDAR system 12 according to the third exemplary embodiment. Figure 11 shows a beam profile 234 of an optical beam 32, which is composed of the individual beam profiles 34 of optical beams generated by the lasers 26. Figure 12 shows the intensity distribution 236 of the beam profile 234. The individual intensity distributions 36 of the individual beam profiles 34 correspond to the asymmetric intensity distribution 36 of the beam profile 34 of the second exemplary embodiment from Figure 8. The three lasers 26 are arranged next to one another along an imaginary transmitter transverse axis 254. The transmitter transverse axis 254 runs, for example, parallel to the receiver axis 48 of the receiver 42. The receiver 42 is shown in Figure 13.

[0106] The lasers 26 and their respective transmitting lenses 28 (not shown in Figure 10) are matched to one another such that the beam profile sections 38 of the adjacent individual beam profiles 34 adjoin one another. For example, the first beam profile section 38a of the second individual beam profile 34, in the center of Figure 12, adjoins the third beam profile section 38c of the first individual beam profile 34, on the left in Figure 12. In this way, a larger spatial area is simultaneously scanned with the combined beam profile 234. The beam profile 234 of the reflected optical beams 32 simultaneously covers all nine reception areas 46 of the receiver 42.

Claims

Claims 1. Method for operating a LiDAR system (12), in particular a LiDAR system (12) for a vehicle (10), in which at least one optical beam (32) is transmitted into at least one monitoring area (16) by at least one transmitting device (20), at least one optical beam (32) reflected by at least one object (18) present in the at least one monitoring area (16) is received by at least one receiving device (22) and converted into at least one received quantity, and at least one object information about at least one object (18) reflecting the optical beam (32) is determined from at least one received quantity, characterized in that at least one optical beam (32) with an intensity distribution (36; 236) defined by its beam profile (34; 234) is transmitted, at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of the beam profile (34;234) of the at least one optical beam (32) is imaged onto at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), received by the receiving areas (46) and converted into respective received quantities, wherein the at least one optical beam (32) is transmitted in the at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one optical beam (32) is sent, the beam profile (34) of which has an intensity distribution (36) symmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis (37), and / or at least one optical beam (32) is sent, the beam profile (234) of which has an intensity distribution (36; 236) asymmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis (37), and / or at least one optical beam (32) is sent, the beam profile (234) of which has at least three beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least two optical beams (32) are sent in different beam directions into the at least one monitoring area (16) at different times, in particular one after the other.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that Changes in the beam directions of at least two optical beams (32) are implemented with at least one beam deflection device (30) and / or Changes in beam directions can be achieved, in particular, by activating at least two beam sources (26) at different times, to which different beam directions are assigned.

5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the direction of the transmitted at least two optical beams (32) is adjusted differently by a measure, in particular an angle, which on the side of the receiving areas (46) corresponds to an integer multiple of a distance (50) from centers of adjacent receiving areas (46), and / or the directions of the transmitted at least two optical beams (32) are changed in a step size which on the side of the receiving areas (46) corresponds to a distance of centers (50) from adjacent receiving areas (46).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, for determining object information, received parameters from receiving areas (46) onto which beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of the reflected at least one optical beam (32) with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c) are mapped are combined.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), onto which at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) are imaged, are read out in parallel, in particular simultaneously, and / or at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), onto which at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) are mapped, are read out serially, in particular one after the other, and / or only the receiving area (46) of the at least two receiving areas (46), onto which the at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) are mapped, is read out, on which the beam profile section (38a, 38b, 38c) with the greater intensity (40a, 40b, 40c) is mapped.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one optical beam (32) with a defined beam profile (34; 234) is sent, in which the ratios of the spatial extent (41) of the beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) in a spatial direction with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c) correspond to the ratios of the distances of the centers (50) of the at least two receiving areas (46).

9. LiDAR system (12), in particular LiDAR system (12) for a vehicle (10), with at least one transmitting device (20) for transmitting optical beams (32) into at least one monitoring area (16), wherein the at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one beam source (26) for generating optical beams (32), with at least one receiving device (22) which has at least one receiving area (46) for receiving optical beams (32) reflected by objects (18) in the at least one monitoring area (16) and for converting received optical beams (32) into corresponding received quantities, and with at least one evaluation device (24) for determining object information about at least one object (18) reflecting optical beams (32) from determined received quantities, characterized in that the at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one means (28) for defining an intensity distribution (36;236) in beam profiles (34; 234) of optical beams (32) which has at least one receiving device (22) and at least two receiving areas (46) arranged adjacent to each other; the at least one receiving device (22) comprising at least one imaging means (44) for imaging at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of beam profiles (34; 234) of optical rays (32) onto the at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), wherein the intensity (40a, 40b, 40c) in beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of transmitted optical rays (32) before their reflection, which correspond to the at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of the reflected optical rays (32) imaged onto the at least two receiving areas (46), are different.

10. LiDAR system according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one beam shaping means, in particular at least one optical lens (28) or the like, for shaping defined beam profiles (34; 234) of optical beams (32) generated with the at least one beam source (26) and / or at least one transmitting device (20) has several beam sources (26) each for generating individual optical beams (32) which are arranged such that the individual optical beams (32) are combined to form optical beams (32) with beam profiles (234) with defined intensity distributions (236).

11. LiDAR system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one beam deflection device (30), in particular at least one deflection mirror, at least one swivel mirror, at least one oscillating mirror and / or at least one diffractive optical element or the like.

12. Vehicle (10) with at least one LiDAR system (12), characterized in that the vehicle (10) has at least one LiDAR system (12) according to one of claims 9 to 11.