Lidar device and control module and method therefor, electronic device

Abstract

The application provides a laser radar device, a control module and method thereof, and an electronic device. The laser radar device comprises a transmitting module, a receiving module, and a processing module. The control module is configured to control the transmitting module to adjust the pulse width of the transmitted sensing light pulse within a subzone detection period, and control the processing module to adjust the time resolution of the processing and analysis of the sensing time of the light signal corresponding to the pulse width of the sensing light pulse. The technical solution of the application is beneficial to improving the flexibility, accuracy, adaptability, and efficiency of the laser radar device in distance measurement, and can adapt to different environments and application scenarios, optimize sensing performance, and improve the response capability to complex and dynamic environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of optical detection technology, and in particular relates to a lidar device and its control module and method, as well as electronic equipment. Background Technology

[0002] LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) works by emitting sensing light pulses into a detection range, sensing the light signals from that range, and analyzing the accumulated sensing time to determine the flight time of the sensing beam from emission to reflection back from an object. It then uses the direct time of flight (dToF) principle to measure the distance to the object. For LiDAR to achieve a wide ranging range, the closer range needs relatively high ranging accuracy. Improving accuracy often requires reducing the pulse width of the emitted sensing light pulses and increasing the temporal resolution of the sensing light signal. However, reducing the pulse width usually reduces the peak power of the sensing light pulse, thus affecting its long-range ranging capability; increasing the temporal resolution of the sensing light signal also increases the amount of data generated by time counting, thus increasing data processing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a lidar device and its control module and method, as well as an electronic device, which aims to solve the problem in the related art of how to meet the requirements of high ranging accuracy at close range while taking into account the requirements of long-range ranging, and to minimize data processing costs.

[0004] The first aspect of this application provides a control module for a lidar device, the lidar being configured to perform distance detection on objects within a detection range based on the time-of-flight principle, the lidar device comprising: The transmitting module is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period, wherein the partition detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses; A receiving module is configured to sense optical signals from the detection range; and The processing module is configured to count within the time bin corresponding to the sensing period according to the sensing time of the light sensing signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain the distance information of the object, wherein the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution; The control module is configured to control the transmitting module to adjust the pulse width of the emitted sensing light pulse within a partitioned detection period, and to control the processing module to adjust the time resolution for processing and analyzing the sensing time of the light signal in accordance with the pulse width of the sensing light pulse.

[0005] According to a second aspect of this application, a lidar device is provided, configured to perform distance detection on objects within a detection range based on the time-of-flight principle. The lidar device includes: The transmitting module is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partitioned detection period, wherein the partitioned detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses; A receiving module is configured to sense optical signals from the detection range; The processing module is configured to count within a time bin corresponding to the sensing period based on the sensing time of the light-sensing signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain distance information of the object, wherein the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution; and the control module as described above.

[0006] A third aspect of this application proposes an electronic device including the lidar device as described above, the electronic device further including an application module configured to perform corresponding functions based on the detection results of the photoelectric detection device.

[0007] A fourth aspect of this application provides a control method for a lidar device, wherein the lidar device is configured to perform distance detection on objects within a detection range based on the time-of-flight principle. The control method includes: Within a partition detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses with a first pulse width are first emitted to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence, and the light signals from the corresponding partition are counted in time bins divided by a first time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with the first pulse width. The first histogram is generated based on the optical signal count obtained at the first time resolution. Determine the first distance value of the object within the corresponding partition based on the first histogram; The first distance value is compared with a preset distance threshold; If the first distance value is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold, a preset number of sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width during the subsequent sensing period within the partition detection period, and the sensed light signal is counted according to the sensing time in time bins divided by a second time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width; wherein, the second pulse width is less than the first pulse width, and the second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution. A second histogram is generated based on the optical signal count obtained at the second time resolution; The second distance value of the object in the corresponding partition is determined according to the second histogram, and the second distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition; If the first distance value is greater than the predetermined distance threshold, the sensing light pulses continue to be emitted at the first pulse width for the subsequent sensing period within the partition detection period, and the processing module is controlled to continue to count the sensed light signals according to the sensing time in the time bins divided by the first time resolution. A third histogram is generated based on the count of all optical signals obtained at the first time resolution; and The processing module is controlled to analyze the third histogram to determine the third distance value of the object in the corresponding partition, and the third distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0008] A fifth aspect of this application provides a control method for a lidar device configured to perform distance detection on objects within a detection range based on the time-of-flight principle. The control method includes: Within a partition detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses with a first pulse width are first emitted to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence, and the light signals from the corresponding partition are counted in time bins divided by a first time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with the first pulse width. A fourth histogram is generated based on the optical signal count obtained at the first time resolution. The fourth distance value of the object within the corresponding partition is determined based on the first histogram; During the subsequent sensing period within the partitioned detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width, and the sensed light signals are counted according to the sensing time in time bins divided by a second time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width; wherein, the second pulse width is smaller than the first pulse width, and the second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution. A fifth histogram is generated based on the optical signal count obtained at the second time resolution; The fifth distance value of the object within the corresponding partition is determined based on the fifth histogram; The fourth distance value or the second distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition based on the comparison result between the fourth distance value and / or the fifth distance value and the preset distance threshold.

[0009] The beneficial effects of this invention compared to existing technologies are as follows: The technical solution of this application allows the control module to adjust the pulse width and temporal resolution of the sensing light pulses emitted in subsequent sensing periods based on the distance detection values ​​of the first few sensing periods within a partitioned detection period. This flexibility enables the system to adapt to different ranging accuracy requirements across a wider range, improving the flexibility, accuracy, adaptability, and efficiency of lidar ranging devices. It also allows the system to adapt to different environments and application scenarios, optimize sensing performance, and enhance its ability to cope with complex and dynamic environments. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 A circuit structure diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of the functional modules of a lidar device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A schematic block diagram of a control module provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 4 A histogram provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 5 A signal timing diagram of a lidar device performing detection according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit in a transmitting module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit in another transmitting module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit in another transmitting module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a flowchart of a control method for a lidar device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a flowchart of another control method for a lidar device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0011] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0012] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0013] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0014] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0015] Embodiments of this application provide a control module for a lidar device, the lidar being configured to perform distance detection on objects within its detection range based on the time-of-flight principle, the lidar device including a transmitting module, a receiving module, and a processing module.

[0016] The transmitting module is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period; wherein, the partition detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses.

[0017] The receiving module is configured to sense optical signals from the detection range.

[0018] The processing module is configured to count within the time bin corresponding to the sensing period according to the sensing time of the light sensing signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain the distance information of the object; wherein, the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution.

[0019] The control module is configured to control the transmitting module to adjust the pulse width of the emitted sensing light pulse within a partitioned detection period, and to control the processing module to adjust the time resolution for processing and analyzing the sensing time of the light signal in accordance with the pulse width of the sensing light pulse.

[0020] Embodiments of this application also provide a lidar device configured to perform distance detection on objects within a detection range based on the time-of-flight principle, the lidar device comprising: The transmitting module is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period, wherein the partition detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses; A receiving module is configured to sense optical signals from the detection range; The processing module is configured to count within a time bin corresponding to the sensing period based on the sensing time of the light-sensing signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain the distance information of the object, wherein the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution; and the control module as described above.

[0021] Embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device, including the lidar device as described above, the electronic device further including an application module, the application module being configured to perform corresponding functions based on the detection results of the photoelectric detection device.

[0022] Embodiments of this application also provide a control method for a lidar device, wherein the lidar is configured to perform distance detection on objects within a detection range based on the time-of-flight principle, and the lidar device includes a transmitting module, a receiving module, and a processing module.

[0023] The transmitting module is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period; wherein, the partition detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses.

[0024] The receiving module is configured to sense optical signals from the detection range.

[0025] The processing module is configured to count within the time bin corresponding to the sensing period according to the sensing time of the light sensing signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain the distance information of the object; wherein, the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution.

[0026] The control method includes: controlling the transmitting module to adjust the pulse width of the emitted sensing light pulse during a partitioned detection period; and controlling the processing module to adjust the time resolution for processing and analyzing the sensing time of the light signal in accordance with the pulse width of the sensing light pulse.

[0027] The electronic device described in this application's electronic device embodiments can be an electronic device with Time of Flight (ToF) functionality, which can be used for three-dimensional information sensing or spatial distance measurement. Specifically, it can be used for face recognition, gesture recognition, posture or action recognition, autonomous driving, machine vision, building recognition, scene recognition and modeling, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR), ranging, proximity sensing, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), or 3D mapping. Electronic device 1 can include smartphones, tablets, computers, laptops, desktop computers, smart wearable devices, smart door locks, in-vehicle electronic devices, medical devices, aircraft, automobiles, autonomous vehicles, and other devices or apparatuses requiring three-dimensional information sensing capabilities.

[0028] Electronic devices can be based on the direct time-of-flight (dToF) principle or the indirect time-of-flight (iToF) principle. dToF technology is based on time-correlated single-photon counting. Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) is a distance measurement method that measures the distance to objects in a scene. TCSPC obtains relevant three-dimensional information about the target object reflecting the probe light signal by statistically analyzing the time information of photon events (such as the process of a single photon from emission to reception) through repeated transmission and reception of probe light signals.

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of lidar devices applied to electronic devices will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the functional modules of the lidar device provided in this application embodiment applied to electronic devices. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the functional modules of the lidar device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0031] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The electronic device 1 includes a lidar device 100. The lidar device 100 can detect objects 2 within its detection range to obtain three-dimensional information about the objects 2. The detection range can be defined as the three-dimensional spatial range within which the lidar device 100 can effectively perform three-dimensional information detection; it can also be referred to as the field of view or field of view range of the lidar device 100. The three-dimensional information includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: proximity information of the object 2, depth information of the surface of the object 2, distance information of the object 2, and spatial coordinate information of the object 2.

[0032] The electronic device 1 may include an application module 20, which is configured to perform preset operations or implement corresponding functions based on the detection results of the lidar device 100. For example, but not limited to: determining whether an object 2 is within a preset detection range in front of the electronic device 1 based on its proximity information; or controlling the movement of the electronic device 1 to avoid obstacles based on the distance information of the object 2; or realizing 3D modeling, identity recognition, machine vision, etc., based on the depth information of the object 2's surface. That is, the application module 20 may be a collection of hardware required to perform the above operations and implement the above functions, and software required to control and coordinate the operation of the hardware.

[0033] The electronic device 1 may further include a first memory 220, which can support the storage needs of the electronic device 1 and / or the lidar device 100 during operation. Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the first memory 220 may be disposed inside the electronic device 1. For example... Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the first memory 220 may also be disposed inside the lidar device 100.

[0034] The electronic device 1 may further include a first processor 40, which can support the data processing needs of the electronic device 1 and / or the lidar device 100 during operation. Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the first processor 40 may be disposed inside the electronic device 1. For example... Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the first processor 40 may also be disposed inside the lidar device 100.

[0035] Optionally, in some embodiments, the lidar device 100 may be, for example, a dToF measurement device for three-dimensional information sensing based on the direct time of flight (dToF) principle. The dToF measurement device can emit a sensing beam within its detection range and receive the sensing beam reflected back from the object 2 within that range. The time difference between the emission and reception times of the reflected sensing beam is called the flight time t of the sensing beam. The three-dimensional information of the object 2 can be obtained by calculating half the distance traveled by the sensing beam within the flight time t. Where c is the speed of light and D is the distance to the object.

[0036] In other embodiments, the lidar device 100 may also be an iToF measurement device that uses the indirect time-of-flight (iToF) measurement principle to sense three-dimensional information. The iToF measurement device obtains the three-dimensional information of the object 2 by comparing the phase difference between when the sensing beam is emitted and when it is reflected back and received.

[0037] In the embodiments described below, the lidar device 100 is mainly used as a dToF measurement device for illustration.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, the lidar device 100 may include a transmitting module 110, a receiving module 120, a processing module 130, and a second memory 140.

[0039] The transmitting module 110 can be used to emit sensing light pulses into the detection range. Some of these sensing light pulses are reflected back by external objects within the detection range, and the reflected pulses carry three-dimensional information about the external objects. In some embodiments, the sensing light pulses can be, for example, multiple laser pulses emitted sequentially. The transmitting module 110 can emit sensing light pulses to different areas within the detection range in a time-division manner according to a preset scanning method for distance detection. For each area, N sensing light pulses are emitted according to a corresponding preset time sequence, where N is a positive integer. After emitting N sensing light pulses to one area, the distance information of that area can be obtained. This process can be considered as one area detection time period. Scanning multiple areas sequentially is considered as completing one frame detection of the entire detection range, obtaining the distance information of all areas within the entire detection range, which can be used to construct a point cloud of one frame of the entire detection range. That is, one frame detection of the detection range includes multiple area detection time periods corresponding to area scanning. One area detection time period can be divided into multiple sensing time periods corresponding to the emission of each sensing light pulse. For example, if M sensing light pulses are emitted within a zone detection period, where M is a positive integer, then a zone detection period includes M sensing periods, each corresponding to the emission cycle of one sensing light pulse. It can be understood that the emission module 110 can be integrated internally into the lidar device 100 or externally. The emission module 110 may include a driving circuit 111, a light source 112, and emitting optics 113.

[0040] The receiving module 120 can work in coordination according to the above-mentioned sensing period to sense light signals from the detection range and output corresponding light sensing signals. It can be understood that the light signals received by the receiving module 120 may include ambient light in the detection range and / or sensing light pulses reflected by external objects in the detection range.

[0041] The receiving module 120 may include a photoelectric sensor 122 and a receiving optics 121. Optionally, the photoelectric sensor 122 may include a single photosensitive pixel or multiple photosensitive pixels. Multiple photosensitive pixels may be arranged in a pixel array. The photosensitive pixels are used to receive light signals from the detection range and output corresponding light-sensing signals. The photosensitive pixel includes at least one photosensitive device. Optionally, the photosensitive device may be, for example, an avalanche photodiode (APD), a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), multiple SPADs connected in parallel as a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), and / or other suitable photosensitive devices. Optionally, the multiple photosensitive pixels may not be arranged in an array, for example, they may be arranged in an irregular manner. In the following description, a single photon avalanche diode as the photosensitive device will be used as an example.

[0042] The processing module 130 can be used to analyze and process the photosensitive signal generated corresponding to the light signal received by the receiving module 120 to obtain the moment when the sensed light pulse echo is sensed by the receiving module 120, and obtain the three-dimensional information of the external object based on the time difference between the emission time of the sensed light pulse and the time when it is reflected back and sensed. It should be understood that all or part of the functional units of the second memory 140 and / or the processing module 130 can be disposed within the lidar device 100, or can be disposed on the electronic device 1 equipped with the lidar device 100.

[0043] Please refer to the following: Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the statistical histogram obtained by the processing module 130 described above. Figure 5 This is a signal timing diagram of a lidar device 100 provided in an embodiment of this application during detection. In some embodiments, the processing module 130 may include functional units such as a timing unit 131, a statistics unit 132, a time-of-flight acquisition unit 133, and a distance acquisition unit 134.

[0044] The timing unit 131 is used to count within a corresponding time bin based on the time it takes for the receiving module 120 to output a photosensitive signal corresponding to the received light signal. The time bin is the smallest time unit Δt used by the timing unit 131 to record the moment the photosensitive signal is generated. It reflects the accuracy of the timing unit 131 in recording the time of the photosensitive signal; a finer time bin indicates higher accuracy. In some embodiments, the timing unit 131 can implement the timing function, for example, using a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC). The TDC can be connected to the corresponding photosensitive pixel 142 on the receiving module 120 and is configured to record the reception time of the sensed light signal based on the photosensitive signal generated by the corresponding photosensitive pixel 142. For example, the TDC is synchronously triggered to start timing each time a sensing beam is emitted, and subsequently stops timing in response to the photosensitive signal generated by the corresponding photosensitive pixel 142, using the time interval recorded as the reception time of the corresponding light signal that triggered the photosensitive signal.

[0045] In some embodiments, the timing unit 131 may include a counting memory with counting storage space allocated according to time bins. Each time the TDC1522 records the reception time of an optical signal, it increments by one in the counting storage space of the corresponding time bin, that is, the optical signal count in the corresponding time bin increases by one. The optical signal count value of each time bin corresponds to the number of optical signals received at the time represented by that time bin during multiple transmission periods of the sensing beam.

[0046] The statistics unit 132 can be configured to count the accumulated photosensitive signal counts within each corresponding time bin to generate a corresponding photon count statistics histogram. The horizontal axis of the photon count statistics histogram represents the timestamp of each corresponding time bin, and the vertical axis represents the accumulated photosensitive signal count value within each corresponding time bin. Optionally, the statistics unit can be a histogram circuit.

[0047] During the sensing process, a large number of photons from ambient light are also received by the receiving module 120, generating corresponding photosensitive signal counts. Since the probability of photons from ambient light being sensed and leaving a count in each time bin tends to be the same, this constitutes the noise level of the measurement scene. In measurement scenes with high ambient light intensity, the average level of the measured noise level is relatively high; in scenes with low ambient light intensity, the average level of the measured noise level is relatively low. Based on this, the photosensitive signal counts generated by the received sensing light pulses from external objects are superimposed on the noise level, making the photosensitive signal count in the time bin corresponding to the moment the sensing light pulse is received significantly higher than the photosensitive signal counts in other time bins, thus forming a prominent signal peak. It is understandable that the count height of the signal peak is affected by factors such as the light emission power of the sensing light pulse, the reflectivity of the external object, and the detection range of the lidar device 100; the width of the signal peak is affected by factors such as the width of the emitted sensing light pulse, the photosensitive device of the receiving module 120, and the time jitter of the TDC. Therefore, the time-of-flight acquisition unit 133 can obtain the flight time of the related sensing light pulse reflected back by the external object and received by the receiving module 120 based on the time difference between the timestamp of the time bin corresponding to the peak value of the signal peak and the emission time of the related sensing light pulse that generated the signal peak. The distance acquisition unit 134 can obtain the distance information between the external object reflecting the related sensing light pulse and the transmitting module 110 based on the flight time of the related sensing light pulse determined by the photon counting statistical histogram. For example, to measure the line distance between the external object in the scene and the position on the transmitting module 110 that emits the related sensing light pulse.

[0048] It should be understood that the transmitting module 110 and the receiving module 120 are arranged side by side, with the light-emitting surface of the transmitting module 110 and the light-incident surface of the receiving module 120 both facing the same side of the lidar device 100. The distance between the transmitting module 110 and the receiving module 120 can range from, for example, 2 mm to 20 mm. Since the transmitting module 110 and the receiving module 120 are relatively close, although the emission path of the sensing light pulse from the transmitting module 110 to the external object and the return path from the external object to the receiving module 120 after reflection are not exactly equal, both are much larger than the distance between the transmitting module 110 and the receiving module 120, and can be considered approximately equal. Therefore, the distance information between the external object and the lidar device 100 can be calculated based on the product of half the flight time t of the sensing light pulse reflected back from the external object and the speed of light c.

[0049] For certain close-range applications, such as scenarios where a robotic vacuum cleaner moves along a wall, improved ranging accuracy is required. Under the aforementioned working principle, improving ranging accuracy can be achieved by shortening the pulse width of the sensing light pulse emitted by the light source 112 via the transmitting module 110 and by increasing the temporal resolution of the processing module 130 in counting the light signal sensing time. However, reducing the pulse width will decrease the peak power of the sensing light pulse, thus failing to meet the requirements for long-distance ranging; increasing the temporal resolution of the light signal counting and analysis will increase data processing costs.

[0050] Based on this, the aforementioned lidar device 100 also includes a control module 150. The control module 150 is configured to control the transmitting module 110 to adjust the pulse width of the emitted sensing light pulse and control the processing module 130 to adjust the time resolution for processing and analyzing the light signal in accordance with the pulse width of the emitted sensing light pulse within a zone detection period. This allows the lidar device 100 to meet the requirements for ranging range and ranging accuracy while minimizing data processing costs.

[0051] The control module 150 can operate independently of the processing module 130 and the drive circuit 111. The control module 150 can send control signals to the drive circuit 111 to control the light source 112 to emit light or turn off. Specifically, for example, the control module 150 sends a light source activation signal to the drive circuit 111. Upon receiving the light source activation signal, the drive circuit 111 drives the light source 112 to emit light, thereby controlling the transmitting module 110 to activate. The control module 150 can control the receiving module 120 to activate or reset by controlling the power supply to the photoelectric sensor 122. Alternatively, the control module 150 can also control the receiving module 120 to activate or reset by sending control signals to the photoelectric sensor 122.

[0052] In some embodiments, all or part of the functional units of the control module 150 may be integrated into the processing module 130, so that the processing module 130 can implement all or part of the functions of the control module 150. Of course, in other embodiments, some functional units of the control module 150 may also be integrated into the drive circuit 111, so that the drive circuit 111 can implement some of the functions of the control module 150.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the control module 150 may include a time resolution determination unit 151, a pulse width determination unit 152, a transmission control unit 153, and a sensing control unit 154.

[0054] The time resolution determination unit 151 is used to determine the time resolution for the TDC to analyze the optical signal sensing time. As mentioned earlier, the optical signal sensing time is the time when the receiving module 120 senses the optical signal and outputs a corresponding optical sensing signal. The time resolution of the TDC's optical signal sensing time can be reflected in the fineness of the time bins. The higher the time resolution, the finer the time bins are formed, the more time bins are divided into in a sensing period, and the more counting storage space is allocated to the time bins, thereby increasing the data processing cost.

[0055] Specifically, the time resolution determination unit 151 is configured to determine the time resolution of the TDC's analysis of the light signal in the subsequent sensing periods of the partition detection period based on the comparison results between the distance values ​​of objects in the corresponding partition obtained by the processing module 130 in the earlier sensing periods of a partition detection period and a preset distance threshold.

[0056] The sensing control unit 154 is configured to time the sensed light signal according to the time resolution determined by the time resolution determination unit 151 in the control processing module 130.

[0057] The pulse width determination unit 152 is configured to determine the pulse width of the sensing light pulse emitted by the transmitting module 110 in the subsequent sensing periods of the partition detection period based on the comparison result between the distance value of the object in the corresponding partition obtained by the processing module 130 in the earlier sensing periods of a partition detection period and a preset distance threshold.

[0058] The aforementioned transmission control unit 153 is configured to control the transmission module 110 to transmit sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period.

[0059] The sensing control unit 154 is configured to control the pixel area in the receiving module 120 corresponding to the partition illuminated by the sensing light pulse to start working, so as to sense the light signal from the corresponding partition.

[0060] The aforementioned processing module control unit 155 is configured to process and analyze the optical signal sensed by the receiving module 120 according to the time resolution determined by the time resolution determination unit 151.

[0061] The aforementioned transmission control unit 153 is also configured to adjust the pulse width of the sensing light pulse emitted by the transmission module 110 according to the pulse width determined by the pulse width determination unit 152.

[0062] The following details an embodiment of distance measurement. The transmission control unit 153 is configured to control the transmission module 110 to transmit a preset number of sensing light pulses of a first pulse width to the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partitioned detection period. The sensing light pulses of the first pulse width are wide pulses with high peak power, which can meet the requirements for relatively long-distance ranging.

[0063] The aforementioned processing module control unit 155 is configured to control the timing unit 131 of the aforementioned processing module 130 to count the sensed light signal according to the sensing time in time bins divided by a first time resolution during the sensing period when the sensing light pulse is emitted with a first pulse width.

[0064] The aforementioned processing module control unit 155 is further configured to control the statistical unit 132 of the processing module 130 to generate a first histogram based on the optical signal count obtained at the first time resolution.

[0065] The aforementioned processing module control unit 155 is also configured to control the time-of-flight acquisition unit 133 and the distance acquisition unit 134 of the processing module 130 to analyze the first histogram to determine the first distance value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0066] The pulse width determination unit 152 is configured to determine whether the first distance value is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold. If the first distance value is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, the pulse width of the sensing light pulse emitted by the transmitting module 110 in the subsequent sensing periods of the partition detection period is determined to be the second pulse width. If the first distance value is greater than the distance threshold, the pulse width of the sensing light pulse emitted by the transmitting module 110 in the subsequent sensing periods of the partition detection period is determined to remain at the first pulse width. The second pulse width is less than the first pulse width. It should be understood that if the first distance value is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, it indicates that the object in the corresponding partition is relatively close. Therefore, the transmitting module 110 needs to emit sensing light pulses with a narrower second pulse width in the subsequent sensing periods to increase ranging accuracy. If the first distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold, it indicates that the object in the corresponding partition is relatively far away, and no increase in ranging accuracy is needed. Thus, the original wider first pulse width of the sensing light pulse can be maintained to maintain a higher peak power to meet the requirements for longer ranging distances.

[0067] The time resolution determination unit 151 is configured to determine whether the first distance value is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold. If the first distance value is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, it determines that the sensed light signal will be counted according to the sensing time in time bins divided by the second time resolution during a subsequent sensing period of the partition detection period. If the first distance value is greater than the distance threshold, it determines that the sensed light signal will continue to be counted according to the sensing time in time bins divided by the first time resolution during a subsequent sensing period of the partition detection period. The second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution. It should be understood that if the first distance value is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, it indicates that the object in the corresponding partition is relatively close, and therefore a higher second time resolution is needed to increase the ranging accuracy in subsequent sensing periods. If the first distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold, it indicates that the object in the corresponding partition is relatively far away, and no increase in ranging accuracy is needed. This maintains the original first time resolution, reducing the amount of data generated by time counting of the light signal.

[0068] Correspondingly, if the first distance value is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, the transmission control unit 153 controls the transmission module 110 to transmit a preset number of sensing light pulses during a subsequent number of sensing periods in the partition detection period according to the second pulse width determined by the pulse width determination unit 152. If the first distance value is greater than the distance threshold, the transmission control unit 153 controls the transmission module 110 to transmit sensing light pulses during a subsequent number of sensing periods in the partition detection period according to the first pulse width determined by the pulse width determination unit 152.

[0069] Correspondingly, if the first distance value is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, the processing module control unit 155 controls the timing unit 131 and the statistics unit 132 to count and analyze the light signal in several subsequent sensing periods during the detection period of the partition, based on the second time resolution determined by the time resolution determination unit 151, to generate a corresponding second histogram. The processing module control unit 155 is also configured to control the time-of-flight acquisition unit 133 and the distance acquisition unit 134 of the processing module 130 to analyze the second histogram to determine the second distance value of the object in the corresponding partition, and use the second distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0070] If the first distance value is greater than a distance threshold, the processing module control unit 155, based on the first time resolution determined by the time resolution determination unit 151, controls the timing unit 131 and the statistics unit 132 to perform counting analysis on the light signals during several subsequent sensing periods in the detection period of that partition, so as to generate a corresponding third histogram based on the total light signal count obtained at the first time resolution. The processing module control unit 155 is also configured to control the time-of-flight acquisition unit 133 and the distance acquisition unit 134 of the processing module 130 to analyze the third histogram to determine the third distance value of the object in the corresponding partition, and use the third distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0071] The technical solution described above in this application determines whether it is necessary to adjust the pulse width of the sensing light pulse and the time resolution used for sensing by estimating the distance value based on the first emitted wide-pulse sensing light. This allows for a balance between the high accuracy required for close-range ranging and the high peak power required for long-range ranging, resulting in a better overall performance.

[0072] In some embodiments, it is not necessary to determine the distance to the object. Instead, the distance can be measured by emitting two sensing light pulses of different pulse widths in succession to obtain two distance values ​​with different ranging accuracies. Then, the two distance values ​​are compared with a preset distance threshold to determine which one is selected as the final distance detection value.

[0073] See appendix Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of a control module 150, which includes a transmission control unit 153, a sensing control unit 154, and a processing module control unit 155.

[0074] The transmission control unit 153 is configured to control the transmission module to first transmit a preset number of sensing light pulses with a first pulse width to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence during a partition detection period, and then transmit a preset number of sensing light pulses with a second pulse width during subsequent sensing periods in the partition detection period.

[0075] The processing module control unit 155 is configured to control the timing unit 131 of the processing module 130 to count the sensed light signal according to the sensing time in time blocks divided by a first time resolution during the sensing period when a sensing light pulse is emitted with a first pulse width, and to count the sensed light signal according to the sensing time in time blocks divided by a second time resolution during the sensing period when a sensing light pulse is emitted with a second pulse width. The second pulse width is smaller than the first pulse width.

[0076] The processing module control unit 155 is further configured to control the statistics unit 132 of the processing module 130 to generate a fourth histogram based on the optical signal counts obtained at the first time resolution, and to generate a fifth histogram based on the optical signal counts obtained at the second time resolution. The second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution.

[0077] The processing module control unit 155 is further configured to control the time-of-flight acquisition unit 133 and the distance acquisition unit 134 of the processing module 130 to analyze the fourth histogram to determine the fourth distance value of the object in the corresponding partition, and to analyze the fifth histogram to determine the fifth distance value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0078] The control module 150 further includes a distance detection value determination unit 156, which is configured to determine whether to use the fourth distance value or the second distance value as the distance detection value of an object within the corresponding partition based on a comparison between the fourth distance value and / or the fifth distance value and a preset distance threshold. In some embodiments, the distance detection value determination unit 156 uses the fifth distance value as the distance detection value of the object within the corresponding partition when the fourth distance value is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, and uses the fourth distance value as the distance detection value of the object within the corresponding partition when the fourth distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold.

[0079] In some embodiments, the distance detection value determination unit 156 uses the fifth distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition when the fifth distance value is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, and uses the fourth distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition when the fifth distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold.

[0080] In some embodiments, the distance detection value determination unit 156 uses the fifth distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition when both the fourth distance value and the fifth distance value are less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, and uses the fourth distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition when both the fourth distance value and the fifth distance value are greater than the preset distance threshold.

[0081] The above-mentioned technical solution of this application does not require the pulse width determination unit 152 to redetermine the new pulse width, nor does it require the time resolution determination unit 151 to redetermine the time resolution. While taking into account the requirements of high accuracy for short-range ranging and high peak power for long-range ranging, it simplifies the control process.

[0082] In some embodiments, all or part of the functional units in the control module 150 and / or processing module 130 may include firmware embedded in the first memory 220 or computer software code stored in the first memory 220, and be executed by one or more corresponding second processors 210 to control the relevant components to achieve the corresponding functions.

[0083] In some embodiments, some or all of the functional units in the control module 150 and / or processing module 130 described above may also be implemented in hardware, for example by any one or a combination of the following techniques: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logic functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), drive circuits for specific objects, etc.

[0084] It is understood that all or part of the functional units in the control module 150 and / or processing module 130 may be located within the lidar device 100, for example, on the light source 112 of the transmitting module 110, the driving circuit 111, and / or the photoelectric sensor 122 of the receiving module 120; all or part of the functional units in the control module 150 and / or processing module 130 may also be located in other locations on the electronic device 1 besides the photoelectric sensor 122, for example, on the main circuit board of the electronic device 1.

[0085] In some embodiments, the transmitting module includes at least a first light emitter LD1 and a first driving circuit. The first driving circuit is used to drive the first light emitter LD1 to emit pulses.

[0086] refer to Figure 6 The aforementioned first driving circuit can be in the form of a series circuit, specifically including: a first power supply and a first switching module Q1; the aforementioned first light emitter LD1, the first power supply, and the aforementioned first switching module Q1 are connected in series to form a series circuit. The aforementioned control module 150 controls the aforementioned first switching module Q1 to perform high-frequency switching state switching, causing the aforementioned first light emitter LD1 to emit pulses. When the aforementioned control module 150 controls the aforementioned first switching module Q1 to have a first closing time, the aforementioned first light emitter LD1 emits the aforementioned first pulse width sensing light pulse. When the aforementioned control module 150 controls the aforementioned first switching module Q1 to have a second closing time, the aforementioned first light emitter LD1 emits the aforementioned second pulse width sensing light pulse. The aforementioned first closing time is greater than the aforementioned second closing time.

[0087] The aforementioned driving circuit also includes a first capacitor C1. The first terminal of the first capacitor C1 is grounded, and the second terminal of the first capacitor C1 is connected to the end of the series circuit closest to the light-emitting element LD. The first capacitor C1 serves as a filter.

[0088] In some embodiments, a first resistor R1 is further provided in the series circuit. The first end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the first power supply, and the second end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the input terminal of the first light-emitting element LD1. In this embodiment, the function of the first resistor R1 is to limit the current and protect the first light-emitting element LD1 from being burned out by a large current surge.

[0089] In some embodiments, the control terminal of the first switch module Q1 is connected to the first terminal of the second resistor R2 and the external control module 150, respectively, and the second terminal of the second resistor R2 is connected to the control module 150.

[0090] When the control module 150 sends the first drive signal directly to the control terminal, the first light emitter LD1 emits a sensing light pulse with a first pulse width.

[0091] In this embodiment, the first driving signal is a wide pulse driving signal. The wide pulse driving signal can increase the conduction time of the first switching module Q1. Due to the parasitic capacitance of the first switching module Q1, the driving voltage of the base of the first switching module will increase. These factors will increase the conduction time of the first switching module Q1. Therefore, the first light emitter LD1 emits a sensing light pulse with the first pulse width.

[0092] When the control module 150 sends a second drive signal to the control terminal through the second resistor R2, the first light emitter LD1 emits a sensing light pulse with a second pulse width.

[0093] In this embodiment, the second driving signal is a narrow pulse driving signal. The narrow pulse driving signal is directly input to the control terminal of the first switching module, resulting in a very short conduction time for the first switching module. Therefore, the first light emitter LD1 emits a sensing light pulse with a second pulse width.

[0094] See Figure 7 In some embodiments, the first driving circuit further includes a second capacitor C2, a second switch module Q2 connected in series with the second capacitor C2, and a second resistor R2; the first end of the second capacitor C2 is connected to the first end of the second resistor R2 and the control terminal of the first switch module Q1 respectively; the second end of the second capacitor C2 is connected to the first end of the second switch module Q2, and the second end of the second switch module Q2 is grounded.

[0095] The control terminal of the second switch module Q2 receives a drive signal. When the control terminal of the second switch module Q2 receives a high-level third drive signal, the second switch module Q2 is turned on, the second capacitor C2 is connected, and the second capacitor C2 can delay the drive signal input to the control terminal of the second switch module Q2, thereby increasing the on-time of the second switch module. The first light emitter LD1 emits a sensing light pulse with a first pulse width.

[0096] When the control terminal of the second switch module Q2 receives a low level fourth drive signal, the second switch module Q2 is disconnected, the second capacitor C2 is disconnected, and the first light emitter LD1 emits a sensing light pulse with a second pulse width.

[0097] The first switch module Q1 and the second switch module Q2 mentioned above are MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistors.

[0098] See appendix Figure 8 The emitting module includes at least: a second light emitter LD2 and a second driving circuit; the second driving circuit is used to drive the second light emitter LD2 to emit a second sensing light pulse.

[0099] The second driving circuit mentioned above includes: a second power supply, a third switch module Q3, a fourth switch module Q4, an operational amplifier AMP1, a third resistor R3, and a fourth resistor R4.

[0100] The first end of the third resistor R3 is connected to the second power supply, and the second end of the third resistor R3 is connected to the input terminal of the second light emitter LD2 and the collector of the third switch module Q3. The first end of the fourth resistor R4 is connected to the second power supply, and the second end of the fourth resistor R4 is connected to the output terminal of the light emitter LD2 and the collector of the fourth switch module Q4. The emitters of the third switch module Q3 and the fourth switch module Q4 are both grounded.

[0101] The first output terminal of the aforementioned operational amplifier AMP1 is connected to the control terminal of the aforementioned third switching module Q3. The second output terminal of the aforementioned operational amplifier AMP1 is connected to the control terminal of the aforementioned fourth switching module Q4.

[0102] In this embodiment, the third switch module Q3 and the fourth switch module Q4 are MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistors.

[0103] The aforementioned second power supply, third switch module Q3, fourth switch module Q4, third resistor R3, and fourth resistor R4 constitute a differential amplifier circuit. The differential amplifier circuit amplifies the difference between the two input terminals. The differential amplifier circuit has the following advantages: It suppresses zero-point drift because the voltages at the two input terminals are equal, effectively suppressing zero-point drift caused by power supply fluctuations and transistor temperature changes. It eliminates external interference because it has a high common-mode rejection ratio, effectively suppressing external common-mode interference. It offers a wide dynamic range because the two output terminals of the differential amplifier circuit output signals with the same amplitude but opposite phase, allowing it to handle a wide range of input signals. It has high input resistance because the two input terminals amplify two separate input signals, resulting in high input resistance. Finally, it has low output resistance, enabling it to drive larger loads. In summary, differential amplifier circuits have advantages such as high stability, strong anti-interference ability, wide dynamic range, high input resistance and low output resistance. Therefore, they are widely used in various electronic devices and systems, such as communication, radar, and audio processing.

[0104] In this embodiment, the differential amplifier circuit amplifies the difference between the electrical signals input to the control terminals of the third switch module Q3 and the fourth switch module Q4. After amplification, the amplified signal is applied to the second light emitter LD2.

[0105] The aforementioned operational amplifier AMP1 has two output terminals to achieve differential output; therefore, AMP1 is a differential amplifier. The two output terminals of AMP1 output signals of positive and negative polarities respectively, which improves the signal's anti-interference capability and dynamic range. Differential operational amplifiers have the following characteristics: high precision, enabling high-precision signal amplification and providing accurate output signals; common-mode interference suppression, as the differential input method effectively suppresses common-mode interference and noise, making the signal more stable and reliable; wide bandwidth, meeting the requirements of high-speed applications; suitable for differential signal transmission, effectively resisting electromagnetic interference and noise during long-distance transmission, ensuring signal integrity; and can be used to amplify differential signals, improve circuit gain and signal-to-noise ratio, and reduce common-mode noise and mismatch errors in circuits. In summary, a differential operational amplifier is a high-performance operational amplifier with features such as high precision, strong anti-interference, low power consumption, and wide bandwidth, making it suitable for high-speed, high-precision signal processing and transmission.

[0106] The aforementioned driving circuit is suitable for generating narrow-pulse sensing light pulses. Both the third switch module Q3 and the fourth switch module Q4 are NPN transistors.

[0107] This application also provides a control method corresponding to the lidar device 100 in the foregoing embodiments.

[0108] The lidar device 100 is configured to perform distance detection on objects within its detection range based on the time-of-flight principle. The lidar device 100 includes: The transmitting module 110 is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period, wherein the partition detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses. The receiving module 120 is configured to sense optical signals from the aforementioned detection range; and The processing module 130 is configured to count within the time bin corresponding to the sensing period according to the sensing time of the light sensing signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain the distance information of the object, wherein the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution. In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the above control method includes the following steps: Step S101: During a partition detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses with a first pulse width are first emitted to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence, and the light signals from the corresponding partition are counted in time bins divided by a first time resolution during the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with the first pulse width. Step S102: Generate a first histogram based on the optical signal count obtained at the first time resolution. Step S103: Determine the first distance value of the object in the corresponding partition based on the first histogram; Step S104: Compare the first distance value with a preset distance threshold; Step S105: If the first distance value is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold, a preset number of sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width during the subsequent sensing period within the partition detection period, and the sensed light signal is counted according to the sensing time in time bins divided by a second time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width; wherein, the second pulse width is less than the first pulse width, and the second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution. Step S106: Generate a second histogram based on the optical signal count obtained at the second time resolution. Step S107: Determine the second distance value of the object in the corresponding partition according to the second histogram, and use the second distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition; Step S108: If the first distance value is greater than the predetermined distance threshold, the sensing light pulses continue to be emitted at the first pulse width in the subsequent sensing period within the partition detection period, and the processing module is controlled to continue to count the sensed light signals according to the sensing time in the time bins divided by the first time resolution. Step S109: Generate a third histogram based on the total number of optical signals obtained at the first time resolution; Step S110: Control the processing module to analyze the third histogram to determine the third distance value of the object in the corresponding partition, and use the third distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0109] See Figure 10 In other embodiments, the above control method includes the following steps: Step S201: During a partition detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses with a first pulse width are first emitted to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence, and the light signals from the corresponding partition are counted in time bins divided by a first time resolution during the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses with the first pulse width are emitted. Step S202: Generate a fourth histogram based on the optical signal count obtained at the first time resolution. Step S203: Determine the fourth distance value of the object in the corresponding partition based on the first histogram; Step S204: During the subsequent sensing period within the partition detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width, and the sensed light signals are counted according to the sensing time in time bins divided by a second time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with the second pulse width; wherein, the second pulse width is smaller than the first pulse width, and the second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution. Step S205: Generate a fifth histogram based on the optical signal count obtained at the second time resolution. Step S206: Determine the fifth distance value of the object in the corresponding partition based on the fifth histogram; Step S207: Based on the comparison result between the fourth distance value and / or the fifth distance value and the preset distance threshold, determine whether to use the fourth distance value or the second distance value as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0110] In some embodiments, if the fourth distance value is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, the fifth distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition; if the fourth distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold, the fourth distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0111] In some embodiments, if the fifth distance value is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, the fifth distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition; if the fifth distance value is greater than the preset distance threshold, the fourth distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0112] In some embodiments, if both the fourth distance value and the fifth distance value are less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, the fifth distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition; if both the fourth distance value and the fifth distance value are greater than the preset distance threshold, the fourth distance value is used as the distance detection value of the object in the corresponding partition.

[0113] It is understood that the specific examples in this document are only intended to help those skilled in the art better understand the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0114] It is understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0115] It is understood that the various embodiments described in this application can be implemented individually or in combination, and the embodiments of this application are not limited in this respect.

[0116] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0117] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0118] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0119] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices / terminal equipment and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device / terminal equipment embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the displayed or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0120] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0121] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0122] If the integrated module / unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, recording media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution media, etc. It should be noted that the content included in the computer-readable medium can be appropriately added or removed according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in the jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, computer-readable media do not include electrical carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0123] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A control module for a lidar device, characterized in that, The lidar device is configured to perform distance detection on objects within its detection range based on the time-of-flight principle, and the lidar device includes: The transmitting module is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period, wherein the partition detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses; A receiving module is configured to sense optical signals from the detection range; and The processing module is configured to count within the time bin corresponding to the sensing period according to the sensing time of the light signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain the distance information of the object, wherein the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution; The control module is configured to control the transmitting module to adjust the pulse width of the emitted sensing light pulse within a partition detection period, and to control the processing module to adjust the time resolution for processing and analyzing the sensing time of the light signal in accordance with the pulse width of the sensing light pulse. The control module adjusts the pulse width of a sensing light pulse emitted within a sensing period. The control module is configured as follows: The transmitting module is controlled to first transmit a preset number of sensing light pulses of the first pulse width to the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period, and the processing module is correspondingly controlled to count the sensed light signal according to the sensing time in time bins divided by the first time resolution within the sensing period when the sensing light pulses of the first pulse width are transmitted. The control processing module generates a fourth histogram based on the optical signal count obtained at the first time resolution; wherein, the horizontal axis of the fourth histogram represents the timestamp of each corresponding time bin, and the vertical axis represents the cumulative optical signal count in each corresponding time bin; The processing module is controlled to analyze the fourth histogram to determine the fourth distance value of the object in the corresponding partition; The transmitting module is controlled to transmit a preset number of sensing light pulses with a second pulse width during the subsequent sensing period within the partition detection period, and the processing module is correspondingly controlled to count the sensed light signals according to the sensing time in time bins divided by a second time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are transmitted with the second pulse width; wherein, the second pulse width is less than the first pulse width, and the second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution. The control processing module generates a fifth histogram based on the optical signal count obtained at the second time resolution; wherein, the horizontal axis of the fifth histogram represents the timestamp of each corresponding time bin, and the vertical axis represents the cumulative optical signal count in each corresponding time bin; The processing module is controlled to analyze the fifth histogram to determine the fifth distance value of the object within the corresponding partition; The fourth distance value and / or the fifth distance value are compared with a preset distance threshold to determine whether the fourth distance value or the fifth distance value is used as the distance detection value for the object in the corresponding partition.

2. A lidar device, characterized in that, Configured to perform distance detection on objects within the detection range based on the time-of-flight principle, including: The transmitting module is configured to transmit multiple sensing light pulses to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence within a partition detection period, wherein the partition detection period includes multiple sensing periods corresponding to the sensing light pulses; A receiving module is configured to sense optical signals from the detection range; The processing module is configured to count within a time bin corresponding to the sensing period based on the sensing time of the light-sensing signal, and to process and analyze the accumulated counts within the time bin to obtain distance information of the object, wherein the time bin is obtained by dividing the sensing period according to a preset time resolution; and The control module as described in claim 1.

3. The lidar device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The transmitting module includes at least: a first light-emitting element and a first driving circuit; the first driving circuit is used to drive the first light-emitting element to emit pulses; The first driving circuit includes: a first power supply and a first switching module; The first light-emitting element, the first power supply, and the first switching module are connected in series to form a series circuit; The control module controls the first switch module to perform high-frequency switching of the switching state, so that the first light-emitting element emits pulses; When the control module controls the first switch module to close and conduct for a first closing time, the first light emitter emits a sensing light pulse with the first pulse width. When the control module controls the closing and conduction time of the first switch module to be the second closing time, the first light emitter emits a sensing light pulse with the second pulse width. The first closing time is greater than the second closing time.

4. The lidar device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first driving circuit further includes a first capacitor; the first terminal of the first capacitor is grounded, and the second terminal of the first capacitor is connected to the end of the series circuit closest to the first light-emitting element. A first resistor is also provided in the series circuit. The first end of the first resistor is connected to the first power supply, and the second end of the first resistor is connected to the input terminal of the first light-emitting element.

5. The lidar device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The control terminal of the first switch module is connected to the first terminal of the second resistor and an external control module, respectively, and the second terminal of the second resistor is connected to the control module. When the control module directly sends the first driving signal to the control terminal, the first light emitter emits a sensing light pulse with a first pulse width; When the control module sends a second drive signal to the control terminal through the second resistor, the first light emitter emits a sensing light pulse with a second pulse width.

6. The lidar device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The first driving circuit also includes a second capacitor, a second switching module connected in series with the second capacitor, and a second resistor; The first terminal of the second capacitor is connected to the first terminal of the second resistor and the control terminal of the first switch module, respectively. The second terminal of the second capacitor is connected to the first terminal of the second switching module, and the second terminal of the second switching module is grounded. The control terminal of the second switch module receives the drive signal; When the control terminal of the second switch module receives a high-level third drive signal, the second switch module is turned on, and the first light emitter emits a sensing light pulse with a first pulse width. When the control terminal of the second switch module receives a low level fourth drive signal, the second switch module is disconnected, and the first light emitter emits a sensing light pulse with a second pulse width.

7. The lidar device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The transmitting module includes at least: a second light emitter and a second driving circuit; the second driving circuit is used to drive the second light emitter to emit a second sensing light pulse. The second driving circuit includes: a second power supply, a third switching module, a fourth switching module, an operational amplifier, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor; The first end of the third resistor is connected to the second power supply, and the second end of the third resistor is connected to the input end of the light-emitting element and the collector of the third switch module, respectively. The first end of the fourth resistor is connected to the second power supply, and the second end of the fourth resistor is connected to the output end of the light-emitting element and the collector of the fourth switch module, respectively. The emitter of the third switch module and the emitter of the fourth switch module are both grounded; The first output terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to the control terminal of the third switching module; The second output terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to the control terminal of the fourth switching module.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device, including any one of the lidar devices as described in claims 2-7, further includes an application module configured to perform corresponding functions based on the detection results of the lidar device.

9. A control method for a lidar device, characterized in that, Applied to the lidar device as described in claim 1, the lidar is configured to perform distance detection on objects within a detection range based on the time-of-flight principle, and the control method includes: Within a partition detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses with a first pulse width are first emitted to the corresponding partition of the detection range according to a preset time sequence, and the light signals from the corresponding partition are counted in time bins divided by a first time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with the first pulse width. A fourth histogram is generated based on the optical signal count obtained at the first time resolution. The fourth distance value of the object within the corresponding partition is determined based on the fourth histogram; During the subsequent sensing period within the partitioned detection period, a preset number of sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width, and the sensed light signals are counted according to the sensing time in time bins divided by a second time resolution within the sensing period in which the sensing light pulses are emitted with a second pulse width; wherein, the second pulse width is smaller than the first pulse width, and the second time resolution is higher than the first time resolution. A fifth histogram is generated based on the optical signal count obtained at the second time resolution; The fifth distance value of the object within the corresponding partition is determined based on the fifth histogram; The fourth distance value and / or the fifth distance value are compared with a preset distance threshold to determine whether the fourth distance value or the fifth distance value is used as the distance detection value for the object in the corresponding partition.

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