Detection circuit, light emitting device, lidar and automatic monitoring system

Abstract

The application provides a detection circuit, a light emitting device, a laser radar and an automatic monitoring system, wherein the detection circuit comprises: a light receiving unit adapted to generate an electric signal when receiving laser emitted by the light emitting unit; a conversion unit adapted to convert the electric signal output by the first output end of the light receiving unit into a first voltage signal and convert the electric signal output by the second output end of the light receiving unit into a second voltage signal; and a state judging unit adapted to judge the working state of the light emitting unit according to the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal. The detection circuit provided by the application can perform double detection on the light emitting unit, guarantee the reliability of the detection process and improve the accuracy of the detection result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lidar, and more particularly to a detection circuit, a light emitting device, lidar, and an automatic monitoring system. Background Technology

[0002] With the rise of autonomous driving technology, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) has become an increasingly important detection component. LiDAR acquires characteristics such as the distance and position of a target by emitting laser light (i.e., a detection signal).

[0003] Specifically, the working principle of lidar is as follows: it emits detection signals into the environment around the lidar through an optical emitting unit and receives reflected light (i.e., echo signals) reflected back from external targets (such as vehicles, pedestrians, buildings, etc.). After comparing and processing the two, relevant information about the target can be obtained, such as the target's distance, azimuth, height, speed, attitude, and even shape parameters, thereby detecting, tracking, and identifying targets in the environment around the lidar.

[0004] As the performance requirements of lidar become increasingly demanding, more and more optical emitting units need to be installed at the lidar's transmitting end to improve its ranging performance, enabling the lidar to emit a greater number of beams. The maximum number of beams a lidar can emit or receive at the same angle is typically described in "lines," for example, lidar can be 64-line, 128-line, or 256-line.

[0005] When problems occur in the related circuits of the optical emitting unit (such as switch drive failure, open circuit in the power supply branch, etc.), the optical emitting unit will fail to emit light normally, thereby reducing the line count of the lidar and thus reducing its ranging performance. Therefore, it is necessary to inspect the optical emitting unit in the lidar.

[0006] Existing solutions such as Figure 1 As shown, a detection circuit board 01 is externally connected to the cover plate L01 of the lidar L0, and the detection circuit board 01 is located between the light emitting unit L02 and the emitting optical unit L03 of the lidar. The detection circuit board has a photosensitive area 011, and is electrically connected to the lidar via a flexible flat cable 012. A window is provided between the photosensitive area 011 and the light emitting unit L02. Figure 1 (not shown in the image), enabling the photosensitive area 011 to sense the laser emitted by the light emitting unit L02 (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (As shown by the dashed arrow in the middle), and feeds back the detection results to the lidar based on the signal generated by the photosensitive area.

[0007] However, existing solutions only consider how to detect the light emitting unit, without taking into account the possibility of signal distortion in the external detection circuit board. Signal distortion can lead to misjudgment or missed detection, causing the external detection circuit board to fail. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the present invention provides a detection circuit, a light emitting device, a lidar, and an automatic monitoring system, which can perform dual detection on the light emitting unit, ensuring the reliability of the detection process and improving the accuracy of the detection results.

[0009] This invention provides a detection circuit for an optical emitting unit, comprising: an optical receiving unit, a conversion unit, and a state determination unit, wherein:

[0010] The optical receiving unit is adapted to generate an electrical signal when it receives laser light emitted by the optical emitting unit;

[0011] The conversion unit is adapted to convert the electrical signal output from the first output terminal of the optical receiving unit into a first voltage signal, and to convert the electrical signal output from the second output terminal of the optical receiving unit into a second voltage signal.

[0012] The state determination unit is adapted to determine the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal.

[0013] Optionally, the conversion unit includes: an integration module, adapted to integrate the initial current signal obtained based on the electrical signal and output an integrated voltage signal; and an analog-to-digital conversion module, adapted to perform analog-to-digital conversion on the integrated voltage signal to obtain the second voltage signal.

[0014] Optionally, the integration module includes: a state switching submodule, adapted to switch the operating state of the integration module, so that the integration module integrates the received initial current signal, or discharges the integration module after the analog-to-digital conversion module outputs the second voltage signal.

[0015] Optionally, the integration module further includes an integration capacitor, adapted to integrate the received initial current signal based on the control of the state switching submodule, or to discharge the capacitor after the analog-to-digital conversion module outputs the second voltage signal.

[0016] Optionally, the conversion unit further includes a differential module, adapted to differentially divide the initial voltage signal obtained based on the electrical signal and output the first voltage signal.

[0017] Optionally, the conversion unit further includes a filtering module adapted to filter the initial voltage signal obtained based on the electrical signal.

[0018] Optionally, the output duration of the first voltage signal is the same as the emission duration of the light emitting unit.

[0019] Optionally, the conversion unit outputs the second voltage signal after the light emitting unit stops emitting light.

[0020] Optionally, the state determination unit is adapted to determine the operating state of the optical emitting unit in parallel based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal, respectively.

[0021] Optionally, the state determination unit is adapted to determine that the optical emitting unit is malfunctioning when the amplitude of the first voltage signal is less than a preset first voltage threshold and the amplitude of the second voltage signal is less than a preset second voltage threshold.

[0022] Optionally, the state determination unit is adapted to determine that the optical emitting unit is working normally when the amplitude of the first voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset first voltage threshold, and / or the amplitude of the second voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset second voltage threshold.

[0023] The present invention also provides a light emitting device, comprising: a plurality of light emitting units and a detection unit, wherein:

[0024] The optical emitting unit is adapted to emit laser light;

[0025] The detection unit includes: a detection circuit for the light emitting unit as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the detection circuit is adapted to determine the operating state of the light emitting unit.

[0026] Optionally, the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit in the detection circuit are located on the same circuit board.

[0027] The present invention also provides a lidar, comprising: a control unit, a plurality of light emitting units and a detection unit, wherein:

[0028] The control unit is adapted to send a light emission command to the light emitting unit and a detection command to the detection unit;

[0029] The light emitting unit is adapted to emit laser light after receiving a light emission command;

[0030] The detection unit includes a detection circuit for the light emitting unit as described in any of the above embodiments. The detection unit is adapted to activate the detection circuit after receiving a detection command to determine the working state of the light emitting unit.

[0031] Optionally, the control unit is adapted to control the detection circuit to detect the corresponding light emitting unit during the light emission interval of the plurality of light emitting units when the lidar is performing target detection.

[0032] Optionally, the detection time of the detection circuit is shorter than the light emission interval.

[0033] Optionally, the control unit is adapted to control the detection circuit to detect the corresponding light-emitting unit within the detection cycle interval of the lidar when the lidar is not performing target detection; the detection cycle is the duration during which all of the multiple light-emitting units complete their emission.

[0034] Optionally, the detection duration of the detection circuit is shorter than the detection cycle interval duration.

[0035] This specification also provides an automatic monitoring system, characterized in that it includes: a fault alert device and a lidar as described in any of the above embodiments;

[0036] The lidar is adapted to detect its own light emitting unit and send the detection result to the fault alert device;

[0037] The fault alert device is adapted to output fault alert information for the lidar based on the detection results.

[0038] This specification also provides a detection method for an optical emitting unit, including:

[0039] Based on the laser emitted by the optical emitting unit, the corresponding electrical signal is obtained;

[0040] The electrical signal is converted into a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal, respectively.

[0041] The operating state of the optical emitting unit is determined based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal.

[0042] Optionally, determining the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal includes:

[0043] When the amplitude of the first voltage signal is less than a preset first voltage threshold and the amplitude of the second voltage signal is less than a preset second voltage threshold, the optical emitting unit is determined to be malfunctioning.

[0044] Optionally, determining the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal includes:

[0045] When the amplitude of the first voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset first voltage threshold, and / or the amplitude of the second voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset second voltage threshold, the optical emitting unit is determined to be working normally.

[0046] Using the above scheme, when the optical emitting unit emits laser light, the optical receiving unit receives the laser light and generates an electrical signal. A conversion unit then converts the electrical signal output from the first output terminal of the optical receiving unit into a first voltage signal, and the electrical signal output from the second output terminal of the optical receiving unit into a second voltage signal. Subsequently, the state determination unit can determine the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the first and second voltage signals. This reduces the false positive and false negative rates caused by signal distortion, achieves dual detection, ensures the reliability of the detection process, and improves the accuracy of the detection results. Attached Figure Description

[0047] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this specification, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this specification or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this specification. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an existing lidar system that includes a detection circuit for an optical emission unit.

[0049] Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a detection circuit for an optical emitting unit provided in an embodiment of this specification.

[0050] Figure 3 This is a connection diagram of an optical receiving unit provided in an embodiment of this specification.

[0051] Figure 4a This is a connection diagram of a differential module provided in an embodiment of this specification.

[0052] Figure 4b for Figure 4a The waveform diagram of the differential module is shown.

[0053] Figure 4c This is a connection diagram of another differential module provided in an embodiment of this specification.

[0054] Figure 4d for Figure 4d The waveform diagram of the differential module is shown.

[0055] Figure 5This is a connection diagram corresponding to a detection circuit for an optical emitting unit provided in an embodiment of this specification.

[0056] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The timing diagram corresponding to the detection circuit shown is shown.

[0057] Figure 7 for Figure 5 The flowchart of the state judgment unit is shown.

[0058] Figure 8 This is a structural block diagram of a light emitting device provided in the embodiments of this specification.

[0059] Figure 9 This is a structural block diagram of a lidar provided as an embodiment of this specification. Figure 10 This is a timing diagram corresponding to the lidar provided in the embodiments of this specification.

[0060] Figure 11 This is another timing diagram corresponding to the lidar provided in the embodiments of this specification.

[0061] Figure 12 This is a distribution diagram of an optical emitting unit provided for an embodiment of this specification.

[0062] Figure 13 This is a structural block diagram of an automatic monitoring system provided in the embodiments of this specification.

[0063] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating a detection method for an optical emitting unit, provided as an embodiment of this specification. Detailed Implementation

[0064] Based on the above background technology, in existing external detection circuit boards, if photodetectors or signal transmission lines are subject to noise interference, signal distortion may occur, leading to the failure of the external detection circuit board.

[0065] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a detection circuit for an optical emitting unit. When the optical emitting unit emits laser light, an optical receiving unit receives the laser light and generates an electrical signal. A conversion unit converts the electrical signal output from the first output terminal of the optical receiving unit into a first voltage signal and the electrical signal output from the second output terminal of the optical receiving unit into a second voltage signal. Then, a state determination unit can determine the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the first and second voltage signals. This dual detection of the optical emitting unit ensures the reliability of the detection process and improves the accuracy of the detection results.

[0066] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the concept, implementation scheme and advantages of the present invention, the following detailed description is provided with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific application scenarios.

[0067] Reference Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of a detection circuit for a light emitting unit provided in an embodiment of this specification. In the embodiments of this specification, as shown... Figure 2 As shown, the detection circuit 10 includes: a light receiving unit 11, a conversion unit 12, and a state determination unit 13, wherein:

[0068] The optical receiving unit 11 includes a first output terminal X1 and a second output terminal X2, which is adapted to generate an electrical signal when receiving the laser emitted by the optical emitting unit A1, and output the signal through the first output terminal and the second output terminal respectively.

[0069] The conversion unit 12 is adapted to convert the electrical signal output from the first output terminal X1 of the optical receiving unit 11 into a first voltage signal V1, and to convert the electrical signal output from the second output terminal X2 of the optical receiving unit 11 into a second voltage signal V2. Specifically, the conversion unit 12 uses different conversion methods to convert the electrical signal from the first output terminal X1 and the electrical signal from the second output terminal X2 of the optical receiving unit 11 to obtain the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2. Therefore, from the perspective of the conversion method, the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2 are two different types of voltage signals.

[0070] The state determination unit 13 is adapted to determine the operating state of the optical emitting unit A1 based on the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2. The operating state of the optical emitting unit A1 may include: normal operation and abnormal operation.

[0071] Compared to existing solutions, in the solution provided in the embodiments of this specification, the optical receiving unit outputs the generated electrical signal to the conversion unit for conversion through two output terminals, instead of directly outputting the generated electrical signal to the state judgment unit for judgment; the conversion unit has two conversion branches using different conversion methods, corresponding to the two output terminals of the optical receiving unit respectively. Through these two conversion branches, the two electrical signals are converted into different first voltage signal V1 and second voltage signal respectively, so that the state judgment unit can determine the working state of the optical transmitting unit based on the two different voltage signals.

[0072] The first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal increase the reference dimensions for determining the operating state of the optical emitting unit, reducing the possibility of misjudgment based on a single electrical signal. Therefore, even if noise interference distorts the voltage signal transmitted to the state determination unit from one branch of the detection circuit, as long as the voltage signal from the other branch is accurate, the accurate voltage signal will enable the state determination unit to output the correct detection result when judging the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the two different voltage signals, ensuring the accuracy of the detection circuit. In short, the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal mutually constrain each other during the detection process, thereby achieving dual detection.

[0073] In summary, the detection circuit provided in the embodiments of this specification can reduce the false positive rate and false negative rate caused by the above-mentioned signal distortion, realize dual detection, ensure the reliability of the detection process, and improve the accuracy of the detection results.

[0074] In a specific implementation, the optical receiving unit may include a photodetector. The photodetector generates an electrical signal based on the received optical signal (such as a laser emitted by the optical emitting unit) and outputs the electrical signal to different branches. The first output terminal X1 and the second output terminal X2 of the optical receiving unit can output the electrical signal respectively.

[0075] Depending on the specific structure of the optical receiving unit, the electrical signals output by the first output terminal X1 and the second output terminal X2 of the optical receiving unit can be current signals or voltage signals; furthermore, the first output terminal X1 and the second output terminal X2 of the optical receiving unit can output the same type of electrical signal or different types of electrical signals. This specification does not impose specific limitations in this regard.

[0076] The photodetector device may include: a photodiode (PD), an avalanche photodiode (APD), a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), and a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), etc.

[0077] Taking a silicon photomultiplier tube as an example, in a feasible example, such as Figure 3 The diagram shown is a circuit diagram of an optical receiving unit provided in an embodiment of this specification. Figure 3 In the process, the optical receiving unit 11 may include a silicon photomultiplier tube SiPM1, which may include multiple single-photon avalanche diodes D1 to Dn, capacitors Cf1 to Cfn, and resistors Rq1 to Rqn.

[0078] The negative terminals of the single-photon avalanche diodes D1 to Dn are connected to form the input terminal of the silicon photomultiplier tube SiPM1, and serve as the input terminal of the light receiving unit 11, which can be connected to a forward voltage VDD. The positive terminals of the single-photon avalanche diodes D1 to Dn are respectively coupled to the corresponding capacitors Cf1 to Cfn and resistors Rq1 to Rqn. The end of capacitor Cf1 to Cfn that is not connected to the single-photon avalanche diodes D1 to Dn forms one output terminal of the silicon photomultiplier tube SiPM1, and serves as the first output terminal X1 of the light receiving unit 11. The end of resistor Rq1 to Rqn that is not connected to the single-photon avalanche diodes D1 to Dn forms another output terminal of the silicon photomultiplier tube SiPM1, and serves as the second output terminal X2 of the light receiving unit 11.

[0079] After the silicon photomultiplier tube SiPM1 senses the light signal, a voltage signal V is output from the output terminal formed by capacitors Cf1 to Cfn. F The output terminal generates a current signal I through resistors Rq1 to Rqn. c Therefore, the electrical signal output from the first output terminal X1 of the optical receiving unit 11 is a voltage signal V. F The electrical signal output from the second output terminal X2 of the optical receiving unit 11 is the current signal I. c .

[0080] It should be noted that the above examples are for illustrative purposes only. In actual applications, they can be modified, combined, or replaced according to the actual application scenario and requirements. This manual does not limit the specific structure of the optical receiving unit.

[0081] In practical implementation, various conversion modes can be set for the conversion unit according to the actual application scenario and requirements, so that the two electrical signals can be converted into different types of voltage signals according to different conversion modes. Furthermore, during the conversion process, voltage-to-current conversion and filtering can be performed on the electrical signals to optimize the waveform and prevent noise from propagating to subsequent circuits and affecting the detection results.

[0082] In specific implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, the conversion unit 12 may include an integration module 121 and an analog-to-digital conversion module 122, wherein: the integration module 121 is adapted to process the initial current signal (e.g., current signal I) obtained based on the electrical signal output from the second output terminal X2 of the optical receiving unit 11. c The integral signal is integrated, and the integrated voltage signal is output. The analog-to-digital converter module 122 is adapted to perform analog-to-digital conversion on the integrated voltage signal to obtain the second voltage signal V2. Thus, the integration function of the integral module can buffer and increase the stability of the signal.

[0083] In specific implementation, in order to reduce circuit power consumption, the analog-to-digital conversion module 122 does not perform analog-to-digital conversion when the integration module 121 is integrating. Instead, it only performs analog-to-digital conversion when the integration module 121 stops integrating (i.e., the light emitting unit stops emitting light) and outputs the integrated voltage signal, so that the conversion unit 12 outputs the second voltage signal after the light emitting unit A1 stops emitting light.

[0084] Specifically, in conjunction with reference Figure 2 The light emitting unit A1 emits a laser, and the second output terminal X2 of the light receiving unit 11 outputs an electrical signal. The integration module 121 integrates the initial current signal obtained based on the electrical signal and stores the electrical energy of the initial current signal until the light emitting unit A1 stops emitting light, the second output terminal X2 of the light receiving unit 11 stops outputting an electrical signal, and the integration module 121 stops integrating and outputs an integrated voltage signal.

[0085] After the integral module 121 outputs the integral voltage signal, the analog-to-digital conversion module 122 performs analog-to-digital conversion on the received integral voltage signal, thereby sampling the analog integral voltage signal into a digital second voltage signal V2, which can be easily identified and judged by the state judgment unit 13, and the obtained second voltage signal V2 is output to the state judgment unit 13.

[0086] In practical applications, the second voltage signal can include high and low levels, which represent different logic states. If different logic symbols are used to represent high and low levels respectively, such as using the logic symbol "1" to represent high level and the logic symbol "0" to represent low level, then from the perspective of logic state, the second voltage signal is essentially a sequence of logic symbols.

[0087] In practical implementation, since the amplitude of the integrated voltage signal is positively correlated with the integration time, without considering the storage capacity of the integration module, the longer the integration time, the higher the amplitude of the integrated voltage signal. The duration of the electrical signal flowing through the integration module is related to the light emission duration of the light emitting unit. Therefore, the integration time can be flexibly controlled by setting the light emission duration according to the actual scenario and requirements.

[0088] In practical implementation, since the amplitude of the electrical signal output by the second output terminal of the optical receiving unit is related to the laser intensity, and both the integrated voltage signal and the second voltage signal are obtained based on the electrical signal output by the second output terminal of the optical receiving unit, the second voltage signal can characterize the laser intensity.

[0089] In practical applications, the integration module may include any device capable of storing electrical energy, such as an integrating capacitor; and the analog-to-digital conversion module may include any device, circuit, or combination thereof capable of performing analog-to-digital conversion, such as an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); or an analog-to-digital conversion module may include an analog-to-digital converter and circuitry adapted to the analog-to-digital conversion module. This specification does not impose any limitations on these aspects.

[0090] In practical implementation, since the energy that the integrating module can store is limited, in order to avoid affecting the next detection, the integrating module can release energy (i.e., discharge) after the conversion unit outputs the second voltage signal. Therefore, the working state of the integrating module can include: integrating state and discharging state.

[0091] To facilitate control of the integration module entering different operating states, in an optional example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the integration module 121 may include: a state switching submodule 1211, adapted to switch the working state of the integration module 121, so that the integration module 121 integrates the received initial current signal, or discharges the integration module 121 after the analog-to-digital conversion module 122 outputs the second voltage signal.

[0092] The state switching submodule 1211 can be controlled by the state judgment unit 13 or other control units. The state switching submodule 1211 can enter the disconnection or conduction state according to the received control command, so that the integration module 121 enters the integration state or the discharge state.

[0093] In specific implementation, continue to refer to Figure 2 In order to allow the analog-to-digital conversion module 122 sufficient time to sample the integral voltage signal, the integration module 121 can be continuously outputting the integral voltage signal for a period of time through the state switching submodule 1211. Thus, the working state of the integration module can also include: hold state.

[0094] Accordingly, in order for the integrator module 121 to continuously output an integrated voltage signal for a period of time, the operating state of the state switching submodule 1211 may include a high-impedance state and a low-impedance state. Thus, the state switching submodule 1211 outputs a high-impedance signal in the high-impedance state to prevent the integrator module 121 from discharging, and outputs a low-impedance signal in the low-impedance state to allow the integrator module 121 to discharge.

[0095] Specifically, in conjunction with reference Figure 2After the state switching submodule 1211 enters the high-impedance state, the electrical signal in the circuit cannot pass through the state switching submodule 1211, that is, the branch where the state switching submodule 1211 is located is disconnected; the initial current signal flows through the integrator module 121, and the integrator module 121 enters the integration state to integrate the initial current signal.

[0096] After the light emitting unit A1 stops emitting light, the second output terminal X2 of the light receiving unit 11 stops outputting electrical signals, and the integrating module 121 stops integrating. At this time, since the state switching submodule 1211 is still in a high-impedance state, the integrating module 121 cannot discharge, allowing the integrating module 121 to maintain the integrated voltage signal, providing sufficient time for the analog-to-digital conversion unit 122 to sample the integrated voltage signal. According to the preset sampling frequency, the analog-to-digital conversion module 122 can output a second voltage signal at least once.

[0097] When the analog-to-digital conversion module 122 finishes its analog-to-digital conversion, the state switching submodule 1211 can enter a low-impedance state. That is, the output terminal of the state switching submodule 1211 stops outputting high-impedance signals and instead outputs low-impedance signals, so that the electrical signals in the circuit are grounded first through the state switching submodule 1211. That is, the branch where the state switching submodule 1211 is located is turned on, and the integrator module 121 discharges.

[0098] When the integration module 121 has released all the stored electrical energy through the discharge process, the detection circuit 10 can perform the next detection.

[0099] In practical applications, the state switching submodule may include any device capable of switching between a high-resistance state and a low-resistance state. For example, the state switching submodule may include at least one of a tri-state gate and a solid-state relay. This specification does not impose any limitations on this.

[0100] In specific implementations, the integration module may also include any device capable of storing and releasing electrical energy, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the integration module may further include an integrating capacitor 1212, adapted to integrate the received initial current signal based on the control of the state switching submodule 1211, or to discharge after the analog-to-digital conversion module 122 outputs a second voltage signal. This specification does not impose any limitations on this.

[0101] In practice, the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) can recognize the integrated voltage signal when its amplitude falls within the input voltage amplitude range of the ADC. To ensure the ADC can recognize the integrated voltage signal, the optical emitting unit may need to emit light for a relatively long time.

[0102] Therefore, in order to reduce the emission duration of the light emitting unit and improve the response efficiency of the analog-to-digital conversion module, such as Figure 2 As shown, the conversion unit may further include: an amplification module 123, located between the integration module 121 and the analog-to-digital conversion module 122, adapted to amplify the integrated voltage signal output by the integration module 121 to obtain an amplified integrated voltage signal, which is then output to the analog-to-digital conversion module 122.

[0103] In practical applications, the amplification module may include any device, circuit, or combination thereof capable of amplification, such as the analog-to-digital conversion module, which may include an operational amplifier. This specification does not impose any limitations on this.

[0104] In specific implementation, continue to refer to Figure 2 To reduce the impact of noise on the judgment result, the conversion unit 12 may further include a differential module 125, adapted to differentially divide the initial voltage signal obtained based on the electrical signal output from the first output terminal X1 of the optical receiving unit 11, and output the first voltage signal V1. The output duration of the first voltage signal V1 is the same as the emission duration of the optical emitting unit A1.

[0105] Specifically, differential processing of the initial voltage signal includes splitting the initial voltage signal into two differential signals with different voltage values. The voltage difference between these two differential signals forms a first voltage signal V1. After the two differential signals are output in parallel to the state judgment unit 13, the state judgment unit 13 can obtain the first voltage signal V1 based on the voltage difference between the received two differential signals.

[0106] Therefore, through the processing of the differential module, the oscillation amplitude of the signal can be reduced, the signal waveform can be smoothed, the signal quality of the first voltage signal V1 can be improved, and thus the accuracy of the detection results can be improved.

[0107] In practical applications, the differential module may include any device, circuit or combination of both capable of differential operation, and this specification does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0108] For example, such as Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown, the differential module 125-1 may include two resistors Rc1 and Rc2 connected in series. After the initial voltage signal V0 is input to the differential module 125-1, the initial voltage signal V0 is used as the first differential signal. A voltage drop is achieved through resistor Rc1 to obtain the second differential signal. The first and second differential signals are output, and the voltage difference between them forms the first voltage signal V1. Figure 4b It can be seen that the stable waveform change of the first voltage signal V1 ensures the signal quality of the first voltage signal V1, which is conducive to improving the accuracy of the detection results.

[0109] In specific implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, if the initial voltage signal can be recognized by the state judgment unit, then after receiving the electrical signal output from the first output terminal X1 of the optical receiving unit 11, the conversion unit 12 can directly output the initial voltage signal as the first voltage signal V1 without performing differential processing on the signal. This improves the output efficiency of the conversion unit.

[0110] In specific implementation, in conjunction with reference Figure 2 The conversion unit 12 may include a filtering module 124, which filters the initial voltage signal obtained based on the electrical signal to remove DC noise, and inputs the filtered initial voltage signal into the state judgment unit 13.

[0111] Furthermore, the filtering module can be used in conjunction with other modules in the detection circuit, for example, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the filtering module 124 filters the initial voltage signal and then inputs the filtered initial voltage signal into the differential module 125.

[0112] In practical applications, the filtering module may include any device capable of performing filtering functions. For example, the filtering module may include a filtering capacitor. This specification does not impose any limitations on this. In a specific implementation, the detection circuit 10 may also include a power supply unit 14, adapted to power the differential module 125. Before the initial voltage signal is input to the differential module 125, there is a basic voltage signal between the two output terminals of the differential module 125. After receiving the initial voltage signal, based on this basic voltage signal, a first voltage signal V1 with a higher voltage value can be output to achieve a voltage amplification effect. This allows the state judgment unit 13 to identify the first voltage signal V1 more quickly, thereby improving the response efficiency of the state judgment unit 13.

[0113] For example, such as Figure 4c and Figure 4d As shown, the differential module 125-2 may include two resistors Rc1 and Rc2 connected in series, and... Figure 4a and Figure 4b The difference lies in: power module ( Figure 4c and 4d (Not shown) provides a base voltage VCC for the series resistors Rc1 and Rc2. Before the initial voltage signal V0 is input to the differential module 125-2, there is a base voltage Vrc1 across the resistor Rc1. That is, there is a base voltage signal between the two output terminals of the differential module 125-2. After the initial voltage signal V0 is input to the differential module 125-2, a first differential signal and a second differential signal are superimposed on the base voltage Vrc1, thereby outputting the first voltage signal V1 with a higher voltage value.

[0114] In specific implementation, in conjunction with reference Figure 2 The power supply unit 14 can also supply power to other units or modules in the detection circuit 10, such as the optical receiving unit 11 and the status judgment unit 13. This specification does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0115] It is understood that the above embodiments regarding the conversion unit are merely illustrative. When implementing the embodiments provided in this specification, the module implementing the conversion method described above can be used for electrical signals output from the first output terminal of the optical receiving unit, or for electrical signals output from the second output terminal of the optical receiving unit, without departing from the inventive concept of this specification. Furthermore, the conversion unit can also employ other conversion methods capable of obtaining different voltage signals. This specification does not impose specific limitations on the conversion method.

[0116] In a specific implementation, the state judgment unit can receive the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal in parallel, thereby judging the working state of the optical emitting unit in parallel based on the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the detection results.

[0117] In specific implementations, the times at which the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2 are transmitted to the state determination unit 13 may differ. For example, refer to... Figure 2 When the light emitting unit A1 emits laser light, the state judgment unit 13 can identify the first voltage signal V1. After the light emitting unit A1 stops emitting light and the integration module 121 is not in a discharge state, the state judgment unit 13 can identify the second voltage signal V2.

[0118] Based on this, according to the theoretical time of the input of the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2 to the state judgment unit, the state judgment unit can be set with a total recognition period for recognizing the access signal (including the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2), or a first recognition period for recognizing the first voltage signal V1 and a second recognition period for recognizing the second voltage signal V2 can be set respectively.

[0119] In specific implementation, continue to refer to Figure 2 The state judgment unit 13 is adapted to indicate that the light emitting unit A1 is not emitting light normally, and the light emitting unit is malfunctioning when the amplitude of the first voltage signal V1 is less than a preset first voltage threshold and the amplitude of the second voltage signal V2 is less than a preset second voltage threshold.

[0120] And continue to refer to Figure 2The state judgment unit 13 is adapted to indicate that the light emitting unit A1 is working normally when the amplitude of the first voltage signal V1 is greater than or equal to a preset first voltage threshold and / or the amplitude of the second voltage signal V2 is greater than or equal to a preset second voltage threshold.

[0121] In specific implementations, the first voltage threshold can be set according to the corresponding conversion method of the first voltage signal V1. For example, if the conversion method is to use the initial voltage signal as the first voltage signal V1, then the first voltage threshold can be set to VT1; if the conversion method is to differentially divide the initial voltage signal to obtain the first voltage signal V1, then the first voltage threshold can be set to VT2. The first voltage thresholds obtained based on different conversion methods (such as the first voltage thresholds VT1 and VT2) can be the same or different. This specification does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0122] Accordingly, the second voltage threshold can be set according to the corresponding conversion method of the second voltage signal V2. For example, if the conversion method is to integrate and convert the initial current signal to an analog-to-digital converter to obtain the second voltage signal V2, then the second voltage threshold can be set to VT3; if the conversion method is to integrate, amplify, and convert the initial current signal to an analog-to-digital converter to obtain the second voltage signal V2, then the second voltage threshold can be set to VT4. The second voltage thresholds obtained based on different conversion methods (such as second voltage thresholds VT3 and VT4) can be the same or different. This specification does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0123] Furthermore, the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold may be the same or different. This specification does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0124] Therefore, by setting a first voltage threshold and a second voltage threshold according to different conversion methods, the operating status of the light emitting unit can be accurately determined. Furthermore, only when both comparison results indicate that the light emitting unit is not emitting light normally is the light emitting unit determined to be malfunctioning.

[0125] In specific implementation, refer to Figure 2The detection duration of the state judgment unit 13 can be set according to the actual application scenario. After the first voltage signal V1 or the second voltage signal V2 triggers the start, the judgment process is executed. After the preset detection duration is met, the state judgment unit 13 ends the current judgment process to wait for the subsequent first voltage signal V1 or the second voltage signal V2 to trigger the start. Alternatively, the state judgment unit 13 can be set with a detection cycle. The judgment process is started and executed at the beginning of a detection cycle. After a preset detection cycle is met, the state judgment unit 13 ends the current judgment process and waits for the beginning of the next detection cycle. The state judgment unit 13 can detect one or more optical emitting units, and this specification does not limit this.

[0126] In specific implementation, the state determination unit can compare the first voltage signal V1 with the first voltage threshold and the second voltage signal V2 with the second voltage threshold, respectively, according to the order in which the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2 are received; or, the state determination unit can synchronize the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2 after determining that they have been received, thereby simultaneously comparing the first voltage signal V1 with the first voltage threshold and the second voltage signal V2 with the second voltage threshold. Then, the state determination unit determines the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the two comparison results. This specification does not impose specific restrictions on the order and method by which the state determination unit processes the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2.

[0127] In practical applications, the state determination unit may include any device, circuit, or combination thereof capable of comparison and determination. For example, the state determination unit may be implemented using a processing chip such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or it may be implemented using an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or one or more logic circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this specification. This specification does not impose any limitations on these aspects.

[0128] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the signal flow in the detection circuit, the following detailed description is provided with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0129] In an optional example, such as Figure 5 The diagram shown is a connection schematic for a detection circuit used in a light-emitting unit. Figure 5The detection circuit 20 may include: a light receiving unit 21, a conversion unit 22, a state judgment unit 23, and a power supply unit 24.

[0130] The optical receiving unit 21 includes a photodetector; the conversion unit 22 includes an integration module 221, an amplification module 224, an analog-to-digital conversion module 222, a filtering module 223, and a differential module 225; the state judgment unit 23 includes an FPGA; and the power supply unit 24 provides a DC voltage VEE1 to the optical receiving unit 21 and a DC voltage VEE2 to the differential module 225.

[0131] Furthermore, the integration module 221 may include an integrating capacitor C1 and a tri-state gate GATE1; the amplification module 224 may include an operational amplifier OP1; the analog-to-digital conversion module 222 may include an analog-to-digital converter ADC1; the differential module 225 may include resistors R1, R2 and R3, with its input located between resistors R1 and R2 and its output located across resistor R2.

[0132] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 5 The timing diagram corresponding to the detection circuit shown is shown. Figure 6 In this context, t0 to t4 represent one working period of the detection circuit 20.

[0133] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 During the time interval t0 to t1, the laser emitted by the light emitting unit is received by the light receiving unit 21, and the first output terminal of the light receiving unit 21 outputs a voltage signal V. F The second output terminal outputs the current signal I. c .

[0134] For conversion unit 22, during the time period t0 to t1, the voltage signal V F As the initial voltage signal, it passes through the filter capacitor C1, which blocks the DC component, resulting in the output filtered voltage signal V. C1 Then, the filtered voltage signal V C1 The current flows between resistors R1 and R2, and the filtered voltage signal V is then passed through resistors R2 and R3. C1 The voltage signal is differentially divided and converted into a first voltage signal V1 in differential form, and then the first voltage signal V1 is transmitted to the FPGA.

[0135] In the detection circuit 20, the differential module 255 serves two purposes: firstly, it reduces the judgment error caused by current oscillation in the detection circuit, improving the quality of the first voltage signal V1 input to the FPGA; secondly, since the differential module 225 is connected to the DC voltage VEE2, it improves the quality of the filtered voltage signal V1. C1When no current flows between resistors R1 and R2, there is a base voltage V across resistor R2. R2 That is, there is a base voltage signal between the two output terminals of the differential module 225. Figure 5 (not shown in the image), when the filtered voltage signal V C1 When the signal flows into the differential module 255, it is superimposed on the base voltage signal to form the first differential signal V. diff1 Second differential signal V diff2 The output voltage is a first voltage signal V1 with a higher voltage value, thereby improving the FPGA's response accuracy to the first voltage signal V1.

[0136] Furthermore, for conversion unit 22, during the time period t0 to t1, the current signal I... c As the initial voltage signal, it is transmitted to the integrating capacitor C2. Since the N terminal of the tri-state gate GATE1 is in a high-impedance state, the N terminal outputs a high-impedance signal V. N1 This charges and integrates the integrating capacitor C2, resulting in the integrated voltage signal V. c2 Gradually increase.

[0137] At time t1, the light emitting unit stops emitting light, the first voltage signal V1 stops outputting, the integrating capacitor C2 completes one integration, and the N terminal of the tri-state gate GATE1 remains in a high-impedance state and outputs a high-impedance signal V. N1 .

[0138] During the time interval t1 to t2, the high-impedance signal V of the three-state gate GATE1 N1 This causes the integrating capacitor C2 to continuously output the integrating voltage signal V at the end of the integration process. c2 Integral voltage signal V c2 The signal is then amplified by operational amplifier OP1 to obtain the amplified integrated voltage signal V. c2 ', Amplified integrated voltage signal V c2 The signal is input to the analog-to-digital converter ADC1 and converted into a digital second voltage signal V2. The second voltage signal V2 can characterize the laser intensity detected by the optical receiving unit 21, and then the second voltage signal V2 is transmitted to the FPGA.

[0139] The output time of the second voltage signal V2 is determined by the analog-to-digital converter ADC1, in this example... Figure 6 In the process, the second voltage signal V2 is output to the FPGA during the time period t1 to t2.

[0140] During the time interval t2 to t3, the N terminal of the tri-state gate GATE1 becomes a low-impedance state, meaning that the N terminal stops outputting the high-impedance signal V. N1 And output a low-impedance state signal V N2 ( Figure 5 and Figure 6(Not shown in the image), the integrating capacitor C2 discharges, achieving zero integration and completing the detection preparation, ready for the next detection. Additionally, the FPGA completes the operational status determination process for the optical emitting unit based on the received first voltage signal V1 and second voltage signal V2.

[0141] During the time interval t3 to t4, the detection circuit 20 is in a ready state, waiting for the next detection operation, until the next detection operation begins at time t4.

[0142] It should be noted that, Figure 6 This is merely an example under an ideal condition. In practical applications, due to limitations in hardware performance and circuit transmission, there may be some delays, or timing variations depending on the type of hardware and circuit structure used. This specification does not impose specific limitations on these aspects.

[0143] In specific implementation, such as Figure 7 As shown, Figure 5 The flowchart of the state determination unit shown is in conjunction with the reference. Figure 5 and Figure 7 The FPGA in the state judgment unit 23 processes the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2 in parallel according to the preset logic processing flow.

[0144] First, FPGA execution Figure 7 Subprocess in region 1. The amplitude of the first voltage signal V1 and the first voltage threshold V... TA The comparison is performed, and the amplitude of the second voltage signal V2 is compared with the second voltage threshold V. TB Compare them.

[0145] Then, the FPGA executes... Figure 7 Subprocess in region 2. If the amplitude of the first voltage signal V1 is greater than or equal to the first voltage threshold V... TA (V1≥V TA If the result is F, then the comparison result is represented by the logical symbol "1", i.e., F out =1, which indicates that the light emitting unit is working normally, that is, the light emitting unit can emit light normally; if the amplitude of the first voltage signal V1 is less than the first voltage threshold V TA (V1<V TA If the result is F, then the logical symbol "0" represents the comparison result. out =0, which indicates that the light emitting unit is malfunctioning, that is, the light emitting unit cannot emit light normally.

[0146] If the amplitude of the second voltage signal V2 is greater than or equal to the second voltage threshold V TB (V2≥V TB If the result is C, then the comparison result is represented by the logical symbol "1".out =1, indicating that the light emitting unit is working normally, that is, the light emitting unit can emit light normally; if the amplitude of the second voltage signal V2 is less than the second voltage threshold V TB (V2<V TB If the result is C, then the logical symbol "0" represents the comparison result. out =0, indicating that the light emitting unit is malfunctioning, meaning that the light emitting unit cannot emit light normally. After this, the FPGA executes... Figure 7 The sub-process in region 3. The FPGA makes a judgment based on two comparison results, which can be divided into the following cases:

[0147] ① When both comparison results are F out =C out When = 1, the optical emitting unit is considered to be working normally;

[0148] ② When the two comparison results are not the same, i.e., F out =0 and C out =1, or, F out =1 and C out When the value is 0, the light emitting unit is considered to be working normally;

[0149] ③ When both comparison results are F out =C out When the value is 0, the optical emitting unit is deemed to be malfunctioning.

[0150] As can be seen from the above, the optical emitting unit is only deemed to be malfunctioning when both comparison results indicate that the optical emitting unit is malfunctioning. At this time, the FPGA can output the detection result of the optical emitting unit malfunctioning to the outside world, thereby reducing the false alarm rate.

[0151] In specific implementation, the electrical signals output from both ends of the optical receiving unit 21 need to be judged within the same time period to ensure that the same optical emitting unit is being detected. Thus, the comparison result of the first voltage signal V1 and the second voltage signal V2 can be used to determine whether the optical emitting unit being detected is working normally, thereby achieving dual detection.

[0152] In practical implementation, the laser emitted by the optical emitting unit is indirectly transmitted and then illuminates the optical receiving unit, causing the optical receiving unit to output two corresponding electrical signals. The indirect transmission method can include reflection, refraction, scattering, or a combination thereof, and the laser transmission path can be implemented using one or more optical devices such as apertures, gratings, windows, and lenses. This specification does not impose specific limitations on the method and devices used for laser transmission in the embodiments.

[0153] In practical implementation, the optical receiving unit can be flexibly placed according to specific application scenarios and requirements, and the number of optical receiving units can be reasonably reduced, thereby receiving lasers from different optical emitting units with a smaller number of optical receiving units (such as one optical receiving unit). This specification does not impose specific restrictions on the specific placement of the optical receiving unit.

[0154] It is understood that the embodiments described above provide multiple implementation schemes, and these implementation schemes can be combined and cross-referenced with each other without conflict, thereby extending to multiple possible implementation schemes. These can all be considered as the implementation schemes disclosed and made public in this application.

[0155] This specification also provides a light emitting device corresponding to the detection circuit described in any of the above embodiments. The following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, uses specific embodiments to illustrate the device. It should be noted that the description of the light emitting device below corresponds to the description of the detection circuit above.

[0156] In specific implementation, such as Figure 8 The diagram shown is a structural block diagram of a light emitting device according to this embodiment. Figure 8 In this context, the light emitting device 30 may include: a plurality of light emitting units 3A to 3N and a detection unit 31, wherein:

[0157] The optical emitting units 3A to 3N are suitable for emitting lasers, wherein the main laser path is as follows: Figure 8 As indicated by the dashed arrow.

[0158] The detection unit 31 includes a detection circuit 311 for the light emitting units, the detection circuit 311 being adapted to determine the operating state of the light emitting units 3A to 3N. The detection circuit 311 for the light emitting units described above can be found in the relevant description and accompanying drawings, and will not be repeated here.

[0159] Therefore, by reducing the false positive rate and false negative rate caused by the above-mentioned signal distortion through the detection circuit, the reliability of the detection process is ensured and the accuracy of the detection results is improved, thereby enabling accurate and reliable detection of the optical emitting unit in the optical emitting device.

[0160] It should be noted that the optical emitting device may also include other functional units to achieve the functional requirements, such as control units and optical components. To facilitate the description of the technical solution of this invention and to highlight the innovative aspects of this invention, other functional units in the optical emitting device that are unrelated to the technical solution of this invention have been omitted in this specification.

[0161] In specific implementation, the detection circuit provided in the embodiments of this specification can operate independently relative to other functional modules of the optical emitting device. The detection timing and detection cycle of the detection circuit are determined according to the specific settings of the optical emitting device, such as the set emission period, the timing of laser emission by each optical emitting unit, and the conditions for triggering laser emission by the optical emitting unit.

[0162] In practical implementation, to further save internal space of the light emitting device, the light receiving unit in the detection circuit and the light emitting unit can be located on the same circuit board. The light receiving unit on the same circuit board can receive the laser emitted by the light emitting unit through the above-mentioned indirect transmission method.

[0163] Compared to external circuit boards, the optical receiving unit can share some components with the optical transmitting unit. For example, the optical receiving unit can share the same processing chip with the optical transmitting unit, allowing the control unit of the optical transmitting device and the status judgment unit in the detection circuit to be implemented through this processing chip. Furthermore, optical receiving units are typically smaller in size, allowing for more flexible placement by selecting suitable spaces on the circuit board where the optical transmitting unit is located. Sharing the same circuit board with the optical transmitting unit can reduce the power consumption of the detection circuit.

[0164] Furthermore, all light emitting units can be arranged in an alternating or matrix configuration, with the light receiving unit located on the midline corresponding to all the arranged light emitting units. Thus, the laser light from all the light emitting units can be received with a relatively small number of light receiving units (e.g., one light receiving unit).

[0165] This specification also provides a lidar corresponding to the detection circuit described in any of the above embodiments. The following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, uses specific embodiments to illustrate the process. It should be noted that the lidar described below corresponds to the detection circuit described above.

[0166] In specific implementation, such as Figure 9 The diagram shown is a structural block diagram of a lidar according to this embodiment. Figure 9 In the process, the light emitting device 40 includes: a control unit 41, a plurality of light emitting units 4A to 4M, and a detection unit 42, wherein:

[0167] The control unit 41 is adapted to send light emission commands to the light emitting units 4A to 4M and to send detection commands to the detection unit 42;

[0168] The light emitting units 4A to 4M are adapted to emit laser light after receiving a light emission command, wherein the main laser path is as follows: Figure 9 As indicated by the dashed arrow.

[0169] The detection unit 42 includes a detection circuit 421 for the optical emitting unit. Upon receiving a detection command, the detection unit 42 is adapted to activate the detection circuit 421 to determine the operating state of the optical emitting unit. The detection circuit 421 for the optical emitting unit described above can be found in the relevant description and accompanying drawings, and will not be repeated here.

[0170] Therefore, by reducing the false positive rate and false negative rate caused by the above-mentioned signal distortion through the detection circuit, the reliability of the detection process is ensured and the accuracy of the detection results is improved, thereby enabling accurate and reliable detection of the light emitting unit in the lidar.

[0171] It should be noted that the lidar may also include other functional units to achieve the functional requirements, such as a control unit, an optical receiving unit for detecting echo signals, optical components, a storage unit, and a data processing unit. To facilitate the description of the technical solution of this invention and to highlight its innovative aspects, other functional units in the lidar that are unrelated to the technical solution of this invention have been omitted in this specification.

[0172] In one embodiment of this specification, reference is made to Figure 9 The control unit 41 is adapted to control the detection circuit 421 to detect the corresponding light emitting unit during the light emission interval of the plurality of light emitting units 4A to 4M when the lidar 40 is performing target detection.

[0173] Optionally, the detection duration (i.e., one detection cycle) of the detection circuit is shorter than the emission interval duration. This ensures the uniqueness of the laser source received by the detection circuit, and the detection circuit does not consume additional computing resources of the lidar, thus not affecting the target detection results of the lidar.

[0174] Specifically, when the lidar 40 is performing target detection, the control unit 41 sends a light emission command to one of the light emission units 4A to 4M, causing the light emission unit to emit laser light for target detection; and the control unit 41 simultaneously sends a detection command to the detection circuit 421, starts the detection circuit to detect the light emission unit, and completes the detection before the control unit 41 sends a light emission command to the next light emission unit among the light emission units 4A to 4M.

[0175] Taking transmitter 4A and transmitter 4B as examples, refer to... Figure 10 The corresponding timing diagram shown is in Figure 10In this process, t00 to t03 is the working period of the control unit 41, the light emitting unit 4A, and the detection circuit 421; t03 to t04 is the preparation period of the control unit 41, the light emitting units 4A to 4M, and the detection circuit 421; and t05 to t07 is the next working period of the control unit 41, the light emitting unit 4B, and the detection circuit 421.

[0176] During the time period t00 to t01, the control unit 41 outputs a light emission command and a detection command, and sends the light emission command to the light emission unit 4A and the detection command to the detection circuit 421, respectively.

[0177] At time t01, the light emitting unit 4A responds to the light emission command and begins to emit laser light for target detection until time t02 when the light emission ends, and the detection circuit 421 responds to the detection command and begins to work.

[0178] During the time period t01 to t03, the detection circuit 421 performs detection based on the laser emitted by the light emitting unit 4A, and obtains the detection result of the corresponding light emitting unit 4A. The specific detection process of the detection circuit 421 can be referred to the description of the relevant parts above, and will not be repeated here.

[0179] The time period from t03 to t04 provides a buffer time for the control unit 41, the light emitting units 4A to 4M and the detection circuit 421 to avoid signal conflicts.

[0180] During the time period t04 to t05, the control unit 41 outputs a light emission command and a detection command, and sends the light emission command to the light emission unit 4B and the detection command to the detection circuit 421, respectively.

[0181] At time t05, the light emitting unit 4B responds to the light emission command and begins to emit laser light for target detection, until it stops emitting light at time t06.

[0182] At time t05, the detection circuit 421 responds to the detection command and starts working. During the period from t05 to t07, it performs detection based on the laser emitted by the light emitting unit 4B and obtains the detection result of the corresponding light emitting unit 4B. The specific detection process of the detection circuit 421 can be referred to the description of the relevant parts above, and will not be repeated here.

[0183] As can be seen from the above, the detection circuit 421 can synchronously detect the activated light emitting units while the lidar 40 is performing target detection, resulting in high detection efficiency. For example, if the lidar 40 sequentially activates light emitting units 4A to 4M to emit lasers for target detection, the detection circuit can synchronously detect the activated light emitting units 4A to 4M sequentially. Therefore, after all light emitting units 4A to 4M have been activated, the detection circuit 421 will also complete the detection of all light emitting units 4A to 4M accordingly.

[0184] Therefore, there is no need to reserve a separate detection period for the detection circuit, making the detection circuit provided in the embodiments of this specification adaptable to various lidars, with greater versatility, and able to ensure both the working efficiency of the lidar and the detection efficiency of the detection circuit.

[0185] In practical applications, by adjusting the light-emitting unit activated by the lidar at the corresponding time period, the object synchronously detected by the detection circuit can be adjusted. For example, refer to... Figure 10 If the control unit 41 sends a light emission command to the light emission unit 4M during the time period t00 to t01 instead of sending a light emission command to the light emission unit 4A, then the detection circuit 421 will detect the light emission unit 4M during the time period t01 to t03.

[0186] Therefore, without changing the detection circuit, the universality and flexibility of the detection circuit for various lidar can be improved.

[0187] In another embodiment of this specification, reference is made to Figure 9 The control unit 41 is adapted to, when the lidar 40 is not performing target detection, control at least one of the plurality of light emitting units 4A to 4M to emit laser light for detection, according to the detection cycle interval of the lidar 40, and control the detection circuit 421 to detect the corresponding emitting light emitting unit. Conversely, when the lidar 40 is performing target detection, the detection circuit 421 does not perform detection. The detection cycle is the duration for all the plurality of light emitting units 4A to 4M to complete emitting light.

[0188] Furthermore, in order not to affect the normal operation of the lidar 40, the detection duration of the detection circuit 421 is less than the detection cycle interval duration. Also, the number of light emitting units that can be activated for detection within the detection cycle interval can be set according to the detection cycle interval duration of the lidar 40, the emission duration of the light emitting units 4A to 4M, and the detection cycle of the detection circuit 421, so that the detection circuit 421 can detect some or all of the light emitting units during the time when the lidar 40 is not performing target detection.

[0189] Specifically, during a detection cycle, the lidar 40 performs target detection, and the multiple light emitting units 4A to 4M emit lasers under the control of the control unit 41. At this time, the detection circuit 421 does not work.

[0190] After the lidar 40 completes one detection cycle, there will be a period of time between the start of the next detection cycle. During this detection cycle interval, the control unit 41 can send a detection emission command to one of the multiple light emitting units 4A to 4M, so that the light emitting unit starts and emits a laser for detection. Simultaneously, the control unit 41 sends a detection command to the detection circuit 421, so that the detection circuit can detect the light emitting unit and complete the detection before the control unit 41 sends an emission command to the next light emitting unit among the light emitting units 4A to 4M.

[0191] The following example illustrates the sequential emission order of light-emitting units 4A to 4M. (Refer to...) Figure 11 The corresponding timing diagram shown is in Figure 11 In this context, t10 is the end time of the first detection cycle of the lidar 40; t10 to t15 are the detection cycle intervals between the first and second detection cycles of the lidar 40, used to detect at least some of the optical emitting units 4A to 4M, where t10 to t14 are the working periods of the control unit 41, the optical emitting unit 4A, and the detection circuit 421; and t15 is the start time of the second detection cycle of the lidar 40.

[0192] Before time t10, the lidar 40 is in the first detection cycle. The control unit 41 outputs a light emission command according to the light emission sequence and sends it to the corresponding light emission unit among the light emission units 4A to 4M. The light emission unit emits laser for detection until the light emission unit 4M stops emitting light. When the light emission units 4A to 4M have all completed emitting light, the first detection cycle ends.

[0193] During the time period t10 to t12, the control unit 41 outputs a detection light emission command and a detection command, and sends the detection light emission command to the light emission unit 4A and the detection command to the detection circuit 421, respectively.

[0194] At time t12, the light emitting unit 4A responds to the detection emission command and begins to emit laser light for detection, until it stops emitting light at time t13.

[0195] At time t12, the detection circuit 421 responds to the detection command and starts working. During the period from t12 to t14, it performs detection based on the laser emitted by the light emitting unit 4A and obtains the detection result of the corresponding light emitting unit 4A. The specific detection process of the detection circuit 421 can be referred to the description of the relevant parts above, and will not be repeated here.

[0196] During the time period t14 to t15, the detection circuit 421 prepares for detection.

[0197] Optionally, if the duration of t14 to t15 is sufficient, the detection circuit 421 can also detect other optical emitting units. The detection process can be referred to the description of the time period t11 to t14, which will not be repeated here.

[0198] After time t15, the lidar 40 enters the second detection cycle. The control unit 41 sends the generated emission command to the corresponding light emission unit among the light emission units 4A to 4M according to the emission timing. The light emission unit emits the laser for detection until the light emission unit 4M stops emitting light. When the light emission units 4A to 4M have all completed emitting light, the second target detection cycle ends.

[0199] By adopting the above scheme, at least a portion of the light emitting units are detected by utilizing the interval between two detection cycles of the lidar. There is no need to reserve a separate detection period for the detection circuit, which makes the detection circuit provided in this specification adaptable to various lidars and more universal. While ensuring the working efficiency of the lidar and the detection efficiency of the detection circuit, the performance requirements of each component in the detection circuit (such as response speed, processing speed, etc.) can be reduced.

[0200] In practice, since the detection circuit and the light emitting unit are in the same emitting device and are very close to the external target, if the control unit controls the detection circuit to detect the light emitting unit between two detection cycles, in order to save power consumption and improve detection efficiency, the light emission intensity of the light emitting unit during detection can be set to be less than the light emission intensity during ranging.

[0201] For example, such as Figure 11 As shown, the luminous intensity is characterized by the pulse height corresponding to the time sequence of the light emitting unit 4A. Therefore, the luminous intensity of the light emitting unit 4A in the time period t12~t13 (i.e., the luminous intensity during detection) is less than the luminous intensity in the time period t16~t17 (i.e., the luminous intensity during ranging).

[0202] In a specific implementation, if the control unit controls the detection circuit to detect the light emitting unit between two detection cycles, the starting sequence of the light emitting unit is not limited by the starting sequence of the lidar target detection, thereby improving the flexibility of detection.

[0203] refer to Figure 12 A lidar system can include four rows of optical emitting units, i.e. Figure 12 Columns ① through ④ in the diagram are arranged in the order of each column. Starting with the first light-emitting unit in column ①, each light-emitting unit in each column is activated sequentially to emit light. See the attached diagram for details. Figure 12 The solid line arrows indicate the order; alternatively, the light can be emitted starting from the first light-emitting unit in column ①, following the order of the columns connected end-to-end. See the attached diagram for details. Figure 12The dashed arrows indicate the order; alternatively, a single light-emitting unit can be randomly selected to emit light.

[0204] It should be noted that the light emission sequence of the light emitting unit can be set according to actual needs and scenarios. This specification does not impose specific restrictions on the light emission sequence of the light emitting unit in the embodiments.

[0205] In practical implementation, a first voltage threshold and a second voltage threshold of the detection circuit can be set according to the actual positional relationship between the light receiving unit and each light emitting unit in the detection circuit. The first and second voltage thresholds can be lower than the luminous intensity of the light emitting unit furthest from the light receiving unit in the detection circuit, thereby reducing the false negative rate and the false positive rate, and improving the accuracy of the detection results.

[0206] In practical implementation, to prevent the detection circuit from malfunctioning, the power supply to the detection circuit can be cut off before it starts. Alternatively, while the detection circuit is powered on, the laser transmission path between the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit in the detection circuit can be blocked, preventing the light receiving unit from receiving laser light. This ensures that the detection circuit detects the correct object at the correct time, improving the accuracy and reliability of the detection results.

[0207] In practical implementation, a fault percentage threshold can be set for the lidar, thereby increasing the lidar's tolerance for abnormally operating light emitting units and improving its working efficiency. The fault percentage threshold can be set according to actual needs and scenarios.

[0208] For example, the fault percentage threshold can be the percentage of the number of optical emitting units that are allowed to malfunction in the lidar to the total number of optical emitting units, or it can be the percentage of the number of optical emitting units that are allowed to malfunction in each column of the lidar to the total number of optical emitting units in each column; or it can be the percentage of the number of optical emitting units that are allowed to malfunction in each row of the lidar to the total number of optical emitting units in each column, etc.

[0209] In practice, the impact of light emitting units at different locations on the target detection results of lidar varies. In order to balance the accuracy and inclusiveness of lidar fault alerts, in practical applications, the appropriate area division method can be selected according to the specific application scenario and requirements to divide multiple light emitting units into areas, and the corresponding fault percentage threshold can be set for each area according to the degree of influence of each area on the target detection results.

[0210] For example, multiple light emitting units in a lidar can be divided into regions according to their position from top to bottom, resulting in an upper region, a middle region, and a lower region. Each region includes at least one light emitting unit, and the number of light emitting units in each region can be different.

[0211] Compared to the upper and lower regions, the optical emitting units in the middle region typically correspond to the part of the external environment with the richest target information. Therefore, the middle region needs to ensure that more optical emitting units are functioning normally. Abnormal operation of the optical emitting units in the middle region has a greater impact on target detection results. Therefore, a lower fault percentage threshold can be set for the middle region to improve the sensitivity of the lidar to optical emitting units that malfunction in the middle region, thus ensuring the lidar's target detection results.

[0212] This specification also provides an automatic monitoring system corresponding to the lidar described in any of the above embodiments. The following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, uses specific embodiments to illustrate the system. It should be noted that the content of the automatic monitoring system described below corresponds to the content of the lidar described above.

[0213] In specific implementation, such as Figure 13 The diagram shown is a structural block diagram of an automatic monitoring system according to an embodiment of this specification. Figure 13 The automatic monitoring system 50 may include a fault alert device 51 and a lidar 40. The lidar 40 is adapted to detect its own optical emitting units 4A-4M and send the detection results to the fault alert device 51. The fault alert device 51 is adapted to output fault alert information for the lidar 40 based on the detection results. The fault alert information may include fault status information to indicate whether the lidar 40 is faulty.

[0214] By adopting the above solution, users can promptly identify any malfunctioning light emitting units in the lidar, and then repair or replace the lidar to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data processing results.

[0215] In specific implementation, the fault reminder device outputs fault reminder information of the lidar 40 through at least one of display and voice methods based on the detection results.

[0216] In specific implementation, such as Figure 13 As shown, the fault alert information may also include: abnormal location information, which indicates the location of the optical emitting unit that is malfunctioning, so as to facilitate troubleshooting by users or maintenance personnel.

[0217] In practical applications, if the lidar has a preset fault percentage threshold, the detection results sent by the lidar can also include judgment information on whether the lidar can continue to work. Then, the fault reminder device can determine whether the lidar can continue to work based on the judgment information. That is, the fault reminder information can also include: usage suggestion information to indicate whether the lidar can continue to work, so as to facilitate user reference.

[0218] The fault percentage threshold can be set according to actual needs and scenarios. Please refer to the description of the relevant content above for details. This manual does not impose any specific restrictions on it.

[0219] It is understood that the embodiments described above provide multiple implementation schemes, and these implementation schemes can be combined and cross-referenced with each other without conflict, thereby extending to multiple possible implementation schemes. These can all be considered as the implementation schemes disclosed and made public in this application.

[0220] This specification also provides a detection method corresponding to the detection circuit for the optical emitting unit described above. The following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, uses specific embodiments. It should be noted that the detection method described below corresponds to the detection device described above.

[0221] In specific implementation, such as Figure 14 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a detection method for a light emitting unit according to this embodiment. Figure 14 The detection method may include:

[0222] S11, Based on the laser emitted by the optical emitting unit, obtain the corresponding electrical signal.

[0223] S12, the electrical signal is converted into a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal respectively.

[0224] The light emission duration of the light emitting unit is the same as the output duration of the first voltage signal. The second voltage signal is obtained after the light emitting unit stops emitting light.

[0225] S13, determine the working state of the optical emitting unit based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal.

[0226] This reduces the false positive and false negative rates caused by the aforementioned signal distortion, ensuring the reliability of the detection process and improving the accuracy of the detection results.

[0227] In a specific implementation, determining the working state of the optical emitting unit based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal may include: determining that the optical emitting unit is malfunctioning when the amplitude of the first voltage signal is less than a preset first voltage threshold and the amplitude of the second voltage signal is less than a preset second voltage threshold.

[0228] In a specific implementation, determining the operating state of the optical emitting unit based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal includes:

[0229] When the amplitude of the first voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset first voltage threshold, and / or the amplitude of the second voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset second voltage threshold, the optical emitting unit is determined to be working normally.

[0230] Therefore, based on the first and second voltage thresholds set for different conversion methods, the operating status of the light emitting unit can be accurately determined. Furthermore, only when both comparison results indicate that the light emitting unit is not emitting light normally is the light emitting unit considered to be malfunctioning.

[0231] While the embodiments disclosed in this specification are as described above, they are not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments in this specification. Therefore, the scope of protection of the embodiments in this specification should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit, characterized by The detection circuit for the light emitting unit comprises: a light receiving unit, a conversion unit and a state judging unit, wherein: the light receiving unit is adapted to generate an electric signal when receiving the laser emitted by the light emitting unit; the conversion unit is adapted to receive a first electric signal output by a first output end of the light receiving unit and a second electric signal output by a second output end of the light receiving unit, convert an initial voltage signal determined based on the first electric signal into a first voltage signal, and convert an initial current signal determined based on the second electric signal into a second voltage signal; the state judging unit is adapted to judge the working state of the light emitting unit according to the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal, wherein the first voltage signal is an analog signal, and the second voltage signal is a digital signal.

2. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conversion unit comprises: an integration module adapted to integrate the initial current signal obtained based on the second electric signal and output an integrated voltage signal; an analog-digital conversion module adapted to perform analog-digital conversion on the integrated voltage signal and obtain the second voltage signal.

3. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The integration module comprises a state switching submodule adapted to switch the working state of the integration module, so that the integration module integrates the received initial current signal or discharges after the analog-digital conversion module outputs the second voltage signal.

4. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The integration module further comprises an integration capacitor adapted to integrate the received initial current signal or discharge after the analog-digital conversion module outputs the second voltage signal based on the control of the state switching submodule.

5. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein The conversion unit further comprises: a difference module adapted to perform difference on the initial voltage signal obtained based on the first electric signal and output the first voltage signal.

6. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to claim 1, wherein The conversion unit further comprises a filtering module adapted to filter the initial voltage signal obtained based on the first electric signal.

7. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The output duration of the first voltage signal is the same as the light emitting duration of the light emitting unit.

8. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The conversion unit outputs the second voltage signal after the light emitting unit ends the light emitting.

9. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The state judging unit is adapted to judge the working state of the light emitting unit in parallel according to the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal respectively.

10. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The state judging unit is adapted to determine that the light emitting unit works abnormally when the amplitude of the first voltage signal is less than a preset first voltage threshold value and the amplitude of the second voltage signal is less than a preset second voltage threshold value.

11. The detection circuit for an optical transmitting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The state judging unit is adapted to determine that the light emitting unit works normally when the amplitude of the first voltage signal is greater than or equal to the preset first voltage threshold value and / or the amplitude of the second voltage signal is greater than or equal to the preset second voltage threshold value.

12. A light emitting device, characterized in that, The detection circuit for the light emitting unit comprises: a plurality of light emitting units and a detection unit, wherein: the light emitting unit is adapted to emit laser; the detection unit comprises the detection circuit for the light emitting unit according to any one of claims 1-11, and the detection circuit is adapted to judge the working state of the light emitting unit.

13. The light emitting device of claim 12, wherein, The light receiving unit in the detection circuit and the light emitting unit are located on the same circuit board.

14. A lidar, comprising: The detection circuit for the light emitting unit comprises: A control unit, a plurality of light emitting units and a detection unit, wherein: The control unit is adapted to send a light emitting instruction to the light emitting units and a detection instruction to the detection unit; The light emitting units are adapted to emit laser light after receiving the light emitting instruction; The detection unit comprises the detection circuit for the light emitting unit according to any one of claims 1-11, and is adapted to start the detection circuit to determine the working state of the light emitting unit after receiving the detection instruction.

15. The lidar of claim 14, wherein, The control unit is adapted to control the detection circuit to detect the corresponding light emitting unit during the light emitting interval of the plurality of light emitting units when the lidar is detecting targets.

16. The lidar of claim 15, wherein, The detection time of the detection circuit is shorter than the light emitting interval.

17. The lidar of claim 14, wherein, The control unit is adapted to control the detection circuit to detect the corresponding light emitting unit during the detection cycle interval of the lidar when the lidar is not detecting targets; the detection cycle is the time when all the light emitting units of the plurality of light emitting units complete light emitting.

18. The lidar of claim 17, wherein, The detection time of the detection circuit is shorter than the detection cycle interval.

19. An automatic monitoring system, characterized in that Comprising: A fault reminding device and a lidar according to any one of claims 14-18; The lidar is adapted to detect its own light emitting unit and send the detection result to the fault reminding device; The fault reminding device is adapted to output the fault reminding information of the lidar according to the detection result.

20. A detection method for an optical transmitting unit, characterized by, Comprising: Obtaining a corresponding first electric signal and a second electric signal based on the laser emitted by the light emitting unit; Converting an initial voltage signal determined based on the first electric signal into a first voltage signal, and converting an initial current signal determined based on the second electric signal into a second voltage signal; Determining the working state of the light emitting unit according to the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal, wherein the first voltage signal is an analog signal and the second voltage signal is a digital signal.

21. The detection method for the light emitting unit according to claim 20, wherein The method of determining the working state of the light emitting unit according to the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal comprises: When the amplitude of the first voltage signal is less than a preset first voltage threshold and the amplitude of the second voltage signal is less than a preset second voltage threshold, it is determined that the light emitting unit is working abnormally.

22. The detection method for an optical transmitting unit according to claim 20, wherein, The method of determining the working state of the light emitting unit according to the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal comprises: When the amplitude of the first voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset first voltage threshold and / or the amplitude of the second voltage signal is greater than or equal to a preset second voltage threshold, it is determined that the light emitting unit is working normally.

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