Hyper Temporal Lidar with Multi-Channel Readout of Returns

Abstract

A lidar receiver can employ multiple readout channels that are capable of simultaneously reading out sensed signals from different pixel sets of a photodetector array in order to detect different returns from different laser pulse shots. In doing so, the lidar receiver can support the use of overlapping detection intervals when collecting signal data for detecting the different returns from the different laser pulse shots.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE AND PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 63 / 186,661, filed May 10, 2021, and entitled “Hyper Temporal Lidar with Controllable Detection Intervals”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.[0002]This patent application also claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 63 / 166,475, filed Mar. 26, 2021, and entitled “Hyper Temporal Lidar with Dynamic Laser Control”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.[0003]This patent application is related to (1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed this same day, and entitled “Hyper Temporal Lidar with Controllable Detection Intervals” (said patent application being identified by Thompson Coburn Attorney Docket Number 56976-213637), (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed this same day, and entitled “Hyper Temporal Lidar with Shot-Specific Detection Contro...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent discusses using a laser energy model to determine the available energy in a lidar transmitter's laser source over time. This allows for reliable energy availability for each laser pulse shot, even during high-density or high-resolution firing. The laser energy model can also include short-interval time modeling to capture energy changes quickly. Additionally, the patent discusses using multiple readout channels in the lidar receiver for simultaneous reading of different sensed signals from different pixel sets. This enables the use of overlapping detection intervals for collecting signal data from different returns.

Problems solved by technology

However, as the firing rate for the lidar transmitter increases, this places pressure on the operational capabilities of the laser source employed by the lidar transmitter because the laser source will need re-charging time.

This issue becomes particularly acute in situations where the lidar transmitter has a variable firing rate.

Such laser sources have energy characteristics that are heavily impacted by time and the firing rate of the laser source.

Counterintuitively, the inventors have found that it is often not desirable for a detection interval to be of the same duration as its corresponding shot interval due to factors such as the amount of processing time that is needed to detect returns within return signals.

Images