Filtering Measurement Data of an Active Optical Sensor System

Abstract

According to a method for filtering measurement data of a sensor system (2), light pulses (5) reflected in the environment of the sensor system (2) are captured by means of an array (7) of optical detectors (8, 9, 10). Based on the captured light pulses, a plurality of measurement signals (11, 12) are generated by means of the array (7). A computing unit (3) identifies a first measurement signal (11) whose pulse energy is greater than a specified minimum energy, wherein the first measurement signal (11) is generated by a first detector (8). The second measurement signal (12) is compared with the first measurement signal (11) by means of the computing unit (3), wherein the second measurement signal (12) is generated by a second detector (9) which is at a distance less than or equal to a specified maximum distance from the first detector (8). The computing unit discards at least a part of the second measurement signal based on the comparison result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for filtering measurement data of an active optical sensor system, wherein light pulses reflected in the environment of the sensor system are captured by means of an optical detector array of the sensor system and a plurality of measurement signals are generated by means of the array based on the captured light pulses. The invention also relates to a corresponding sensor device, a motor vehicle, a computer program and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0002] In active optical sensor systems, such as LiDAR systems (which may also be referred to as laser scanners), it is possible that false positive scan points are identified that are not due to light reflected from the environment of the sensor system. These false positive scan points may be caused, for example, by noise or crosstalk. Diffraction effects can cause optical crosstalk between adjacent detectors in a sensor system. In addition, electrical signals from other detectors can be induced in adjacent detectors, which is called electrical crosstalk.

[0003] Document WO 2018 / 075583 A1 describes a camera sensor that is connected to a control unit in order to clean up the output signal of the camera sensor for crosstalk. To this end, the output signal or the related output value of each pixel of the sensor is reduced according to the amount of photocharges detected on adjacent pixels.

[0004] However, in the case of active optical sensor systems that determine the distance based on the measurement of the signal flight time, such as in the case of LiDAR systems, this approach does not make sense, since a reduction in the sensor output value would lead to a falsification of the measured signal flight time and thus to a falsification of the measured distance. Summary of the invention

[0005] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to propose an improved concept for filtering measurement data of an active optical sensor system, by means of which the occurrence of false positive scanning points can be reduced.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by the respective subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and preferred embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] The improved concept is based on the idea that if one of the measurement signals indicates a light pulse with a specified minimum energy, measurement signals from different detectors that are located in a defined environment relative to each other are compared. Depending on the comparison result, the other measurement signal can be at least partially discarded.

[0008] According to the improved concept, a method for filtering measurement data of an active optical sensor system, in particular measurement data of an active optical sensor system installed on or in a motor vehicle, is described. In this case, light pulses reflected in the environment of the sensor system or reflected by objects in the environment are captured by an optical detector array of the sensor system. Based on the captured light pulses, a plurality of measurement signals are generated by means of the array, i.e., at least two measurement signals are generated. A calculation unit, in particular a calculation unit of the sensor system, is used to identify a first measurement signal from the plurality of measurement signals, which corresponds to a captured light pulse having a pulse energy greater than or equal to a specified minimum energy. Here, the first measurement signal is generated by a first detector of the array. The calculation unit is used to compare a second measurement signal from the plurality of measurement signals with the first measurement signal, wherein the second measurement signal is generated by a second detector of the array. The first and second detectors are spaced apart in the array by a distance less than or equal to a specified maximum distance. Depending on the comparison result, at least a portion of the second measurement signal is discarded by the calculation unit.

[0009] According to the definition, an active optical sensor system has a light source for emitting light or light pulses or light pulses. The light source can in particular be in the form of a laser. Furthermore, according to the definition, an active optical sensor system has at least one optical detector in order to capture a reflected portion of the emitted light. According to an improved concept, the sensor system has at least a first and a second detector of the array.

[0010] Here and below, the term "light" is to be understood as electromagnetic waves comprising the visible range, the infrared range and / or the ultraviolet range. Thus, in this sense, the term "optical" is also to be understood as relating to light.

[0011] A detector array may be understood to mean in particular a defined or regular arrangement of optical detectors, in particular a defined or regular arrangement of a first and a second and one or more further optical detectors, in particular in a linear or two-dimensional regular arrangement.

[0012] The first and the second measurement signal are in particular respective output signals of the first and the second detector, for example respective voltage signals.

[0013] In particular, each optical detector in the array generates one of a plurality of measurement signals.

[0014] The distance between the first and second detectors may be given, for example, by the respective positions of the first and second detectors in the array. In particular, the specified maximum distance may correspond to a specified order of nearest neighbors. For example, the first and second detectors may be the nearest neighbor, the second nearest neighbor, the third nearest neighbor, etc. The maximum distance then limits the respective order.

[0015] The first measurement signal in particular comprises a reproduction of the corresponding captured light pulse or a pulse dependent on or corresponding to the light pulse. Thus, the pulse energy of the light pulse can be inferred from the pulse shape of the first measurement signal. In particular, the maximum amplitude and / or pulse width of the pulses of the first measurement signal can be used to calculate the pulse energy.

[0016] Discarding a portion of the second measurement signal in particular corresponds to cancelling or marking or discontinuing the use of the respective portion of the second measurement signal, in particular by subsequent algorithms or functions that use the measurement signal of the active optical sensor system, such as for object recognition etc. Discarding may therefore be regarded as filtering of measurement data of the active optical sensor system, wherein the measurement data in particular comprise the measurement signal or the respective portion thereof.

[0017] The fact that at least a portion of the second measurement signal is discarded can be understood to mean that the second measurement signal is completely discarded, or only a certain time period of the second measurement signal, in particular a time period indicating a false positive scanning point. Other parts of the second measurement signal can, for example, continue to be used and possibly indicate an actual scanning point.

[0018] By comparing the first and second measurement signals, false positive scanning points may be identified, or the probability that a portion of the second measurement signal corresponds to a false positive scanning point may be determined or estimated.

[0019] Since crosstalk, i.e. optical or electrical crosstalk, is caused, for example, by reflected light pulses from highly reflective objects, the measurement signal of the first detector corresponding to, for example, actual scanning points and a part of the second measurement signal corresponding to, for example, false positive scanning points are correlated to each other and in particular have specific properties that are correlated to each other.

[0020] By restricting the method to first measurement signals indicating a pulse energy with a specified minimum energy, account is taken of the fact that only reflected light pulses with a sufficiently high pulse energy are able to cause a significant amount of crosstalk on adjacent or adjoining optical detectors, as a result of which the restriction reduces the risk of false negative determinations. A false negative determination may be understood to mean that a portion of the second measurement signal which actually corresponds to a real scanning point is erroneously discarded.

[0021] Since the crosstalk is confined to a certain spatial region around the first detector, the risk of false negative determinations can also be reduced by limiting the second detector to at most a specified maximum distance from the first detector.

[0022] Overall, by filtering according to the improved concept, the quality of the measurement data can be improved, since fewer false positive scan points occur, while the probability of false negative determinations remains low.

[0023] According to at least one embodiment of the method according to the improved concept, a pulse height and / or a pulse width of the first measurement signal is determined by means of a calculation unit in order to determine the pulse energy.

[0024] For example, the pulse energy may be considered to be proportional to the pulse height and the pulse width. Thus, the identification of the first measurement signal may comprise, for example, identifying a measurement signal having a correspondingly large pulse width and / or a correspondingly large pulse height from a plurality of measurement signals.

[0025] The pulse height may correspond, for example, to a maximum amplitude of a pulse of the measurement signal.

[0026] Determining the pulse energy of the captured light pulse may be understood to mean determining a measurement of the pulse energy based on the first measurement signal. In particular, the pulse energy is not determined directly from the captured light pulse, but from the measurement signal caused by the light pulse.

[0027] In general, the higher the energy of the captured light pulse, the higher the maximum amplitude of the resulting measurement signal. However, depending on the configuration of the detector, saturation effects may occur above a certain amplitude, with the result that the pulse becomes wider. Therefore, both the maximum amplitude and the pulse width can be considered as a measure of energy. In particular, the pulse area under the pulse of the measurement signal can be considered as a measure of the pulse energy.

[0028] According to at least one embodiment, a further pulse energy is determined by means of a calculation unit based on a pulse height and / or a pulse width of the second measurement signal, and a part of the second measurement signal is discarded depending on a comparison of the pulse energy with the further pulse energy.

[0029] In particular, the pulse energy is compared with a further pulse energy by means of the computing unit and the computing unit discards a part of the second measurement signal as a function of the comparison result.

[0030] The crosstalk caused by high-energy light pulses is usually not evenly distributed between the different detectors, so that most of the pulse energy reaches the first optical detector and thus the correct detector to a certain extent, and only a small part reaches the second detector.

[0031] According to at least one embodiment, the calculation unit discards a portion of the second measurement signal only if a ratio of the pulse energy to the further pulse energy is less than or equal to a specified limit value.

[0032] In other words, if the pulse energy of a pulse of the second measurement signal is greater than the limit value, the pulse of the second measurement signal is not interpreted as a false positive scanning point.

[0033] This takes into account the fact that false positive scan points appear as points with lower pulse energy and thus reduces the risk of false negative determinations.

[0034] According to at least one embodiment, a first capture time is determined based on the first measurement signal by means of a calculation unit and a second capture time is determined based on the second measurement signal. Depending on the comparison between the first capture time and the second capture time, a portion of the second measurement signal is discarded.

[0035] Here, the first capture time corresponds in particular to the time at which the reflected light pulse is captured by the first detector, which is manifested in the signal shape or pulse shape of the first measurement signal. For example, the first capture time can correspond to the time at which the rising edge of a pulse of the first measurement signal exceeds a specified value. Alternatively, for example, the pulse center of a pulse of the first measurement signal can be used as the first capture time.

[0036] The second capture time corresponds to the time at which another light pulse is apparently captured by the second optical detector according to the second measurement signal. The second capture time may, for example, correspond to the time at which a rising edge of the second measurement signal exceeds a specified value or to the pulse center of the second measurement signal. Alternatively, for example, the pulse center of a pulse of the second measurement signal may be used as the second capture time.

[0037] The time at which the light pulse is actually captured by the first detector is related to the time at which the crosstalk becomes significant in the second measurement signal, since both effects are due to the same captured light pulse. Thus, the light time of flight produced by the first light signal is similar to the apparent light time of flight produced by the second measurement signal. In other words, the radial distance of the point at which the reflected light pulse is reflected from the first detector is approximately equal to the apparent radial distance of the apparent reflection point from the second detector.

[0038] Since the discarding of parts of the second measurement signal is already limited according to the capture time, the risk of false negative determinations can be further reduced.

[0039] According to at least one embodiment, a portion of the second measurement signal is discarded by means of the calculation unit only if the difference between the first capture time and the second capture time is smaller than or equal to a specified maximum difference.

[0040] According to at least one embodiment, part of the second measurement signal is discarded, in particular exactly, only if the difference is less than or equal to a maximum difference, the ratio of a pulse energy to another pulse energy is less than or equal to a limit value, the distance between the first and second detectors is less than or equal to a maximum distance, and the first measurement signal corresponds to a captured light pulse with a pulse energy greater than or equal to a minimum energy.

[0041] According to at least one embodiment, a light pulse is emitted into an environment of the sensor system by means of the sensor system, in particular by means of a light source of the sensor system, and the reflected light pulse corresponds to a reflected part of the emitted light pulse.

[0042] According to the improved concept, a sensor device having a computing unit and an active optical sensor system is also proposed. The sensor system has an optical detector array, wherein the array is configured to capture light pulses reflected in the environment of the sensor system and generate multiple measurement signals based on the captured light pulses. The computing unit is configured to identify a first measurement signal corresponding to a captured light pulse having a pulse energy greater than or equal to a specified minimum energy from the multiple measurement signals, wherein the first measurement signal is generated by a first detector of the array. The computing unit is configured to compare a second measurement signal among the multiple measurement signals with the first measurement signal, wherein the second measurement signal is generated by a second detector in the array. The first and second detectors are spaced apart in the array by a distance less than or equal to a specified maximum distance. The computing unit is configured to discard at least a portion of the second measurement signal based on the comparison result.

[0043] According to at least one embodiment of the sensor device according to the improved concept, the sensor system comprises a deflection device configured to direct reflected light pulses to different positions of the array depending on the incident direction of the light pulses.

[0044] According to at least one embodiment, the deflection device is designed so that it directs reflected light pulses whose incident direction corresponds to a vertical scanning angle within a first angular range onto the first detector. The deflection device is also designed in such a way that it directs reflected light pulses whose incident direction corresponds to a vertical scanning angle within a second angular range onto the second detector.

[0045] The first and second angular ranges are different from each other, in particular the first and second angular ranges are not connected.

[0046] The optical crosstalk may cause part of the light pulse incident according to the first angle range to be incident on the second detector, or part of the light pulse to be incident on the second detector.

[0047] The deflection device can comprise, for example, a movably or rotatably mounted mirror, or a mirror element which can be tilted or pivoted about one or two axes, which can be designed, for example, as a micro-electro-mechanical system MIMS.

[0048] According to at least one embodiment, the calculation unit is configured to determine a further pulse energy based on a pulse height and / or a pulse width of the second measurement signal and to discard a portion of the second measurement signal depending on a comparison result of the pulse energy with the further pulse energy.

[0049] According to at least one embodiment, the calculation unit is configured to determine a first capture time based on the first measurement signal, determine a second capture time based on the second measurement signal, and discard a portion of the second measurement signal depending on a comparison of the first capture time with the second capture time.

[0050] Other embodiments of the sensor device according to the improved concept follow directly from different configurations of the method according to the improved concept, and vice versa. In particular, the sensor device can be configured or programmed to perform the method according to the improved concept, or the sensor device performs the method according to the improved concept.

[0051] According to an improved concept, a motor vehicle is proposed with a sensor device according to the improved concept, wherein a sensor system of the sensor device is in particular installed on or in the motor vehicle.

[0052] According to an improved concept, a computer program is proposed having instructions which, when executed by a sensor device according to the improved concept, cause the sensor device to perform a method according to the improved concept.

[0053] According to an improved concept, a computer-readable storage medium is proposed, on which a computer program according to the improved concept is stored.

[0054] Other features of the invention are apparent from the claims, the drawings and the description of the drawings. Features and combinations of features cited in the above description and features and combinations of features cited in the following description of the drawings and / or shown alone in the drawings may be used not only in the respectively indicated combinations but also in other combinations without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, embodiments of the invention that are not explicitly shown and explained in the drawings, but that appear and can be produced from the explained embodiments by a separate combination of features, are also intended to be considered to be included and disclosed. Therefore, embodiments and combinations of features that do not have all the features of the originally stated independent claims are also intended to be considered to be disclosed. In addition, embodiments and combinations of features that exceed or differ from the combinations of features set forth in the reverse references of the claims are intended to be considered to be disclosed, in particular disclosed by the above-mentioned embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] In the attached picture:

[0056] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a motor vehicle with an exemplary embodiment of a sensor device according to the improved concept;

[0057] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing an optical detector array and a deflection device of another exemplary embodiment of a sensor device according to the improved concept;

[0058] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of measurement signals of another exemplary embodiment of a sensor device according to the improved concept;

[0059] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a possible environment for a sensor device according to the improved concept; and

[0060] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of scan points and filtered scan points of another exemplary embodiment of a sensor device according to the improved concept is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] Figure 1 A motor vehicle 1 is shown with a sensor device 13 according to an improved concept.

[0062] The sensor device 13 has an active optical sensor system 2 which is designed, for example, as a lidar system. The sensor system 2 is configured to emit light pulses 4 , in particular infrared laser pulses, into the environment of the sensor system 2 and thus into the environment of the motor vehicle 1 by means of a light source (not shown).

[0063] The emitted light pulse 4 can be at least partially reflected by an object 6 in the environment, so that a reflected light pulse 5 can be sent back in the direction of the sensor system 2. The sensor system 2 has an array 7 of optical detectors 8, 9, 10, which can capture the reflected light pulse 5 and can generate a plurality of measurement signals based on the captured light pulses. In particular, each detector 8, 9, 10 generates a corresponding measurement signal.

[0064] The sensor system 2 has, for example, a deflection device 14 (see Figure 2 ), the deflection device is capable of directing the reflected light pulse 5 to different detectors 8, 9, 10 of the array 7 according to the incident direction of the reflected light pulse 5.

[0065] The sensor device 13 has a computing unit 3 which is coupled to the sensor system 2 , in particular to the array 7 , in order to receive measurement signals.

[0066] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the array 7 and the deflection device 14 of the sensor system 2 is shown.

[0067] exist Figure 2 In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the optical detectors 8 , 9 , 10 are arranged, for example, linearly adjacent to one another so as to form an array 7 .

[0068] The deflection device 14 has, for example, a mirror 14 which is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 15 and, depending on the rotation position, directs the light pulses 5 onto the array 7 from different horizontal scanning angles or scanning directions. In this case, the horizontal scanning angle can be understood as the angle enclosed by the projection of the light pulses 5 in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis 15, for example, with the rotation axis 15.

[0069] The axis of rotation 15 is in particular parallel to the arrangement direction of the detectors 8 , 9 , 10 in the array 7 .

[0070] Depending on the vertical scanning angle of the respective arriving light pulse 5, the light pulse 5 is directed onto different detectors 8, 9, 10 of the array 7. Thus, by combining the horizontal and vertical scanning angles, a two-dimensional resolution of the sensor system 2 is made possible. The respective light flight time measurements based on the multiple measurement signals can additionally be used to determine the radial distance between the respective reflection point on the object 6 and the array 7 or the respective detector 8, 9, 10, thereby giving the overall three-dimensional coordinates of the scanning point.

[0071] Here, the vertical scanning angle corresponds to the angle enclosed by the light pulse 5 and the axis of rotation 15 .

[0072] Optionally, the sensor system 2 may have one or more lenses or other optical elements 16 between the deflection device 14 and the array 7. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor system 2 may have further optical elements in another part of the optical path of the reflected light pulse 5 and / or the emitted light pulse 4.

[0073] exist Figure 2 In the example of , according to the ray optical imaging specification, the reflected light pulse 5 is directed onto the first optical detector 8 of the array 7. If the object 6 is an object with high reflectivity, the energy or intensity of the reflected light pulse 5 can be relatively high. Due to diffraction effects, this may lead to optical crosstalk between the first detector 8 and the second detector 9 in the environment of the first detector 8 on the array 7, as well as electrical crosstalk between the first detector 8 and the second detector 9.

[0074] In this case, the second detector 9 is located within a specified maximum range around the first detector 8. Figure 2 In the illustrative example of , the second detector 9 is the next or thenext but one neighbor of the first detector 8. The higher order neighbors of the first detector 8 are Figure 2 A further optical detector 10 is shown in FIG.

[0075] The following describes how an improved concept can be used to filter the measurement signals of the detectors 8 , 9 , 10 , in particular the measurement signal of the second detector 9 , in order to reduce the influence of electrical and / or optical crosstalk and the associated false positive scanning points.

[0076] In this respect, the two measurement signals 11, 12 are Figure 3 t as a function of time t. The first measurement signal 11 corresponds, for example, to the measurement signal generated by the first detector 8 based on the reflected light pulse 5. The second measurement signal 12 corresponds, for example, to the measurement signal generated by one of the second optical detectors 9.

[0077] The calculation unit 3 is in particular configured to determine whether the second measurement signal 12 or a part of the second measurement signal 12 corresponds to a false positive scanning point.

[0078] To this end, the calculation unit 3 can first determine whether the first measurement signal 11 corresponds to a captured light pulse whose pulse energy is greater than a specified minimum energy. Only such a light pulse is likely to cause optical or electrical crosstalk. For example, the pulse energy can be determined based on the pulse width of the first measurement signal 11. The minimum energy can correspond to, for example, a pulse width that corresponds to a flight time difference. The flight time difference is equivalent to a difference in radial distance here. The difference in radial distance corresponding to the flight time difference can be in the order of 50 to 150 centimeters, for example about 120 centimeters.

[0079] If the pulse energy according to the first measurement signal 11 is greater than the minimum energy, the calculation unit 3 can, for example, determine the capture time of the first measurement signal 11 and the capture time of the second measurement signal 12. Then, for example, the respective capture time can be determined as the time at which the rising edge of the respective measurement signal 11, 12 exceeds a specified minimum value, which is Figure 3 For example, it is represented by a horizontal dashed line.

[0080] like Figure 3 As shown, the second measurement signal 12 may include a plurality of different pulses 12 ′, 12 ″. Here, the first pulse 12 ′ provides an earlier capture time than the second pulse 12 ″.

[0081] The calculation unit 3 compares the capture time of the first measurement signal 11 with the capture time of the second measurement signal 12, for example with the respective capture times of the first pulse 12' and the second pulse 12". Only when the first capture time of the first measurement signal 11 and the corresponding second capture time of the second measurement signal 12 are sufficiently close to each other can a false positive due to the measurement signal 12 be assumed to be detected with sufficient probability.

[0082] In the present example, the capture time of the first measurement signal 11 and the capture time of the first pulse 12' of the second measurement signal 12 are almost identical, so that the first pulse 12' is a potential false positive scanning point. However, the capture time of the second pulse 12" differs too far from the capture time of the first measurement signal 11 for it to be a false positive scanning point with any sufficient probability. Therefore, the second pulse 12" is with a higher probability an actual scanning point which is in particular further away from the sensor system 2 than the first scanning point given by the first measurement signal 11.

[0083] The calculation unit 3 can now also determine the pulse energy of the second measurement signal 12, in particular the pulse energy of the first pulse 12'. The calculation unit 3 can correlate the pulse energy of the first measurement signal 11 with the pulse energy of the first pulse 12' of the second measurement signal 12 and calculate the ratio of the pulse energies. A false positive scanning point can only be assumed if the pulse energy of the first measurement signal 11 is significantly greater than the pulse energy of the first pulse 12' of the second measurement signal 12, i.e. at least greater than a specified multiple. This is the case in the present example, as can be seen, for example, from the significantly smaller pulse width of the first pulse 12' compared to the pulses of the first measurement signal 11.

[0084] In summary, the calculation unit 3 has determined that the first pulse 12' has a sufficiently small pulse energy compared to the pulse energy of the first measurement signal 11, is indicative of an almost identical radial distance from the array 7, and is generated by the second detector 9 located in the immediate vicinity of the first detector 8. Furthermore, the pulse energy of the first measurement signal 11 is relatively high.

[0085] The calculation unit 3 can therefore discard the first pulse 12 ′ of the second measurement signal 12 , ie specifically mark it or store the information that the first pulse 12 ′ should not be used by other functions or algorithms.

[0086] Figure 4 Schematically shows the Figure 1 The environment of a motor vehicle 1 is shown. Objects 6 are shown, for example traffic signs or the like.

[0087] Since such landmarks are often highly reflective target objects, the risk of false positive scan points is particularly high here.

[0088] Figure 5 The schematic diagram shows the sensor system 2 as shown in FIG. Figures 1 to 3 In particular, a first scanning point 17 of a first layer, a second scanning point 18 of a second layer and a third scanning point 19 of a third layer are shown. In this case, the different positions correspond, for example, to scanning points generated by different detectors 8, 9, 10. Each layer 17, 18, 19 contains a plurality of scanning points corresponding to different horizontal scanning angles.

[0089] The perspective lines connecting these points schematically represent the associated pulse energies.

[0090] Figure 5 Also shown in FIG. 1 are false positive scan points 20 marked with an "x". These are generated in the manner described, for example by optical or electrical crosstalk.

[0091] Based on the improved concept, as described above, these false positive scanning points 20 can be filtered out of the measurement data of the sensor system 2 and no longer considered. Without such filtering, the apparent range of the object 6 will be greater than its actual range.

[0092] According to the improved concept, as described above, the measurement data of the active optical sensor system may be filtered in order to identify false positive scanning points without significantly increasing the risk of false negative determinations.

Claims

1. A method for filtering measurement data of an active optical sensor system (2), wherein - capturing light pulses (5) reflected in the environment of the sensor system (2) by means of an array (7) of optical detectors (8, 9, 10) of said sensor system (2); and - generating a plurality of measurement signals (11, 12) based on the captured light pulses by means of the array (7); It is characterized in that With the aid of a computing unit (3), - identifying a first measurement signal (11) from the plurality of measurement signals, the first measurement signal corresponding to a captured light pulse having a pulse energy greater than or equal to a specified minimum energy, wherein the first measurement signal (11) is generated by a first detector (8) of the array (7); - comparing a second measurement signal (12) of the plurality of measurement signals with the first measurement signal (11), wherein the second measurement signal (12) is generated by a second detector (9) of the array (7), and the first detector (8) and the second detector (9) are spaced apart in the array (7) by a distance that is less than or equal to a specified maximum distance; and - depending on the result of the comparison, discarding at least a part of the second measurement signal (12); Therein, by means of the calculation unit (3), - determining a further pulse energy based on the pulse height and / or pulse width of the second measurement signal (12); and - discarding a portion of the second measurement signal (12) as a function of the comparison of the pulse energy with the further pulse energy.

2. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The pulse height and / or the pulse width of the first measurement signal (11) is determined by means of the calculation unit (3) in order to determine the pulse energy.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that A portion of the second measurement signal (12) is discarded only if the ratio of the pulse energy to the further pulse energy is less than or equal to a specified limit value.

4. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized in that By means of the calculation unit (3), - determining a first capture time based on the first measurement signal (11); - determining a second capture time based on the second measurement signal (12); and - discarding a portion of the second measurement signal (12) as a function of a comparison of the first capture time with the second capture time.

5. The method according to claim 4, It is characterized in that A portion of the second measurement signal (12) is discarded only if the difference between the first capture time and the second capture time is less than or equal to a specified maximum difference.

6. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized in that - emitting light pulses (4) into the environment by means of the sensor system (2); and - The reflected light pulse (5) corresponds to the reflected part of the emitted light pulse (4).

7. A sensor device having a computing unit (3) and an active optical sensor system (2) having an array (7) of optical detectors (8, 9, 10), in, The array (7) is configured as - capturing light pulses (5) reflected in the environment of the sensor system (2); and - generating a plurality of measurement signals (11, 12) based on the captured light pulses; Characterized in that the computing unit (3) is configured to - identifying a first measurement signal (11) from the plurality of measurement signals, the first measurement signal corresponding to a captured light pulse having a pulse energy greater than or equal to a specified minimum energy, wherein the first measurement signal (11) is generated by a first detector (8) of the array (7); - comparing a second measurement signal (12) of the plurality of measurement signals with the first measurement signal (11), wherein the second measurement signal (12) is generated by a second detector (9) of the array (7), and the first detector (8) and the second detector (9) are spaced apart in the array (7) by a distance less than or equal to a specified maximum spacing; and - depending on the result of the comparison, discarding at least a part of the second measurement signal (12); Therein, by means of the calculation unit (3), - determining a further pulse energy based on the pulse height and / or pulse width of the second measurement signal (12); and - discarding a portion of the second measurement signal (12) as a function of the comparison of the pulse energy with the further pulse energy.

8. The sensor device according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The sensor system (2) comprises a deflection device (14) configured to direct the reflected light pulses (5) to different positions of the array (7) depending on the direction of incidence of the reflected light pulses (5).

9. The sensor device according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The deflection device (14) is designed and arranged for - directing the reflected light pulses (5) whose direction of incidence corresponds to a vertical scanning angle within a first angular range onto the first detector (8); and - directing the reflected light pulses (5) whose direction of incidence corresponds to a vertical scanning angle within a second angular range onto the second detector (9).

10. The sensor device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, It is characterized in that The computing unit (3) is configured to - determining a further pulse energy based on the pulse height and / or pulse width of the second measurement signal (12); and - discarding a part of the second measurement signal as a function of the comparison of the pulse energy with the further pulse energy.

11. The sensor device according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The computing unit (3) is configured to - determining a first capture time based on the first measurement signal (11); - determining a second capture time based on the second measurement signal (12); and - discarding a portion of the second measurement signal (12) as a function of a comparison of the first capture time with the second capture time.

12. A motor vehicle having a sensor device (13) according to any one of claims 7 to 11.

13. A computer program having instructions which, when executed by a sensor device (13) according to any one of claims 7 to 11, cause the sensor device (13) to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 13.

Images