Adapter of vehicle-mounted laser radar and vehicle-mounted laser radar

Abstract

The invention provides an adapter of a vehicle-mounted laser radar and the vehicle-mounted laser radar, and relates to the technical field of laser radars, and the adapter of the vehicle-mounted laser radar comprises a power supply module which comprises a power supply sub-module and a network sub-module which are connected with each other; a power supply surge protection circuit and a network surge protection circuit; wherein the power supply surge protection circuit is connected with the power supply sub-module and is connected with the vehicle-mounted laser radar; the network surge protection circuit is connected with the network sub-module and is connected with the vehicle-mounted laser radar, and the power supply surge protection circuit and the network surge protection circuit are both connected with the earth zero potential point. In the embodiment, the power supply surge protection circuit and the network surge protection circuit are connected with the earth zero potential point, the power supply surge protection circuit can protect a power supply unit in the vehicle-mounted laser radar from being damaged by lightning surge, and the network surge protection circuit can protect a communication network from being damaged by lightning surge. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted laser radar is jointly protected from being damaged by lightning surge.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of lidar technology, and more particularly to a converter for vehicle-mounted lidar and a vehicle-mounted lidar. Background Technology

[0002] LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a device that uses laser beams to detect the position, velocity, and other characteristics of a target. Its working principle involves emitting a detection signal (laser beam) towards the target, then comparing the received signal reflected back from the target (target echo) with the emitted signal. After appropriate processing, relevant information about the target can be obtained. Due to its advantages such as high accuracy, strong anti-interference capability, wide measurement range, and fast measurement speed, vehicle-mounted LiDAR is increasingly used in outdoor image acquisition scenarios (such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication). To obtain a wider field of view, vehicle-mounted LiDAR is usually mounted on a high pole. However, in such scenarios, vehicle-mounted LiDAR is susceptible to damage from lightning strikes and power surges caused by power fluctuations. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a converter for a vehicle-mounted lidar and a vehicle-mounted lidar to solve the problem that vehicle-mounted lidar is easily damaged by surges caused by lightning and power supply fluctuations.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a converter connector for a vehicle-mounted LiDAR, comprising:

[0006] The power module includes interconnected power sub-modules and network sub-modules;

[0007] Power surge protection circuit and network surge protection circuit;

[0008] The power surge protection circuit is connected to the power submodule and to the vehicle-mounted lidar; the network surge protection circuit is connected to the network submodule and to the vehicle-mounted lidar; both the power surge protection circuit and the network surge protection circuit are connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0009] Optionally, the power surge protection circuit includes a primary protection unit, a secondary protection unit, and a tertiary protection unit;

[0010] The primary protection unit is connected to the power supply submodule and to the ground zero potential point;

[0011] The secondary protection unit is connected to the power supply submodule and also to the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0012] The third-level protection unit is connected to the second-level protection unit and to the ground zero potential point.

[0013] Optionally, the primary protection unit includes a first subunit and a second subunit, the secondary protection unit includes a third subunit and a fourth subunit, and the tertiary protection unit includes a fifth subunit and a sixth subunit;

[0014] The first end of the first sub-unit is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply sub-module, the second end of the first sub-unit is connected to the ground zero potential point, the first end of the second sub-unit is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply sub-module, and the second end of the second sub-unit is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0015] The first end of the third subunit is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply submodule, the second end of the third subunit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar, the first end of the fourth subunit is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply submodule, and the second end of the fourth subunit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0016] The first end of the fifth subunit is connected to the second end of the third subunit, and the second end of the fifth subunit is connected to the ground zero potential point. The first end of the sixth subunit is connected to the second end of the fourth subunit, and the second end of the sixth subunit is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0017] Optionally, the power surge protection circuit further includes a filtering unit, which includes a common-mode filter capacitor and a differential-mode filter capacitor;

[0018] The common-mode filter capacitor is connected to the second terminal of the third subunit, the second terminal of the fourth subunit, and the ground zero potential point.

[0019] The first terminal of the differential mode filter capacitor is connected to the second terminal of the third subunit, and the second terminal of the differential mode filter capacitor is connected to the second terminal of the fourth subunit.

[0020] Optionally, the network surge protection circuit includes a transformer, a primary network protection unit, and a secondary network protection unit;

[0021] The transformer is connected to the network submodule, the vehicle-mounted lidar, the primary network protection unit, and the secondary network protection unit, respectively.

[0022] The primary network protection unit is also connected to the ground zero potential point, and the secondary network protection unit is also connected to the first zero potential point, which is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0023] Optionally, the network surge protection circuit further includes a common-mode inductor;

[0024] The common-mode inductor is connected to the transformer, the vehicle-mounted lidar, and the secondary network protection unit, respectively. The secondary network protection unit is also connected to the first zero potential point.

[0025] Optionally, the number of transformers, primary network protection units, and common-mode inductors is M, and the number of secondary network protection units is N, where N = 2 * M, M is an integer greater than 0, and N is an integer greater than 1; the M transformers include a target transformer, the M primary network protection units include a primary target protection unit connected to the target transformer, the M common-mode inductors include a target common-mode inductor connected to the target transformer, and the N secondary network protection units include a secondary first protection unit and a secondary second protection unit connected to the common-mode inductor;

[0026] The first end of the target transformer is connected to the network submodule;

[0027] The second terminal of the target transformer is connected to the first terminal of the target common-mode inductor, and the second terminal of the target common-mode inductor is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0028] The third terminal of the target transformer is connected to the first terminal of the primary target protection unit, and the second terminal of the primary target protection unit is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0029] The second end of the target common-mode inductor includes a first connection end and a second connection end. The first connection end is connected to the first end of the secondary first protection unit, and the second end of the secondary first protection unit is connected to the first zero potential point. The second connection end is connected to the first end of the secondary second protection unit, and the second end of the secondary second protection unit is connected to the first zero potential point.

[0030] Optionally, the network surge protection circuit further includes a capacitor and a resistor connected in parallel;

[0031] The first end of the capacitor is connected to the first zero potential point, and the second end of the capacitor is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0032] Optionally, the adapter further includes a network conversion unit;

[0033] The first end of the network conversion unit is connected to the network surge protection circuit, and the second end of the network conversion unit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0034] Optionally, the adapter further includes a housing connected to the ground zero potential point;

[0035] The power module, the power surge protection circuit, the network surge protection circuit, and the network conversion unit are all located inside the housing.

[0036] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle-mounted lidar, comprising:

[0037] Vehicle-mounted LiDAR unit;

[0038] The adapter for the vehicle-mounted lidar as described in any one of the first aspects;

[0039] The vehicle-mounted lidar body is provided with an interface, and the adapter is connected to the interface.

[0040] Optionally, the vehicle-mounted lidar is used in vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication.

[0041] In this embodiment, the vehicle-mounted lidar is connected to a power surge protection circuit and a network surge protection circuit, which are connected to the ground zero potential point. The power surge protection circuit can protect the power supply unit inside the vehicle-mounted lidar from damage caused by lightning surges, and the network surge protection circuit can protect the communication network from damage caused by lightning surges, thereby jointly protecting the vehicle-mounted lidar from damage caused by lightning surges. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The above and other objects and advantages of this disclosure will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding technical features or components will be represented by the same or corresponding reference numerals.

[0043] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the composition of an in-vehicle lidar system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0044] Figure 2 A structural diagram of a conversion connector for an onboard LiDAR according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0045] Figure 3 A structural diagram of a vehicle-mounted lidar according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The following detailed description is based on the accompanying drawings and provides various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure to aid in a comprehensive understanding. Various details are included in the following description to aid understanding; however, these details are considered exemplary only and not intended to limit the present disclosure, which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. The words and phrases used in the following description are intended only to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the present disclosure. Additionally, descriptions of well-known structures, functions, and configurations may have been omitted for clarity and brevity. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the examples described herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] The following is for reference. Figure 1 A vehicle-mounted LiDAR system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Wherein, for illustrative purposes only, Figure 1 The XYZ coordinate system is marked in the text. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a lidar system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. This vehicle-mounted lidar system 100 can be used to detect the distance and speed of target objects, etc.

[0048] In embodiments of this disclosure, the vehicle-mounted lidar system 100 may include a transmitting device 110, a scanning device 120, and a receiving device 130.

[0049] In various embodiments, the emitting device 110 can be configured to emit an emitted beam with a uniform energy distribution. Here, a uniform energy distribution can also be interpreted as uniform illuminance or light intensity. In some embodiments, such an emitted beam with a uniform energy distribution can be obtained by shaping (uniforming) the beam using the emitting optics system 112, which will be discussed in detail later.

[0050] In various embodiments, the emitted beam diverges in a first direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the emitting device 110, and has a corresponding first divergence angle.

[0051] Furthermore, in various embodiments, the emitted beam is either parallel to or divergent in a second direction that is perpendicular to the optical axis of the emitting device and perpendicular to the first direction, and the corresponding second divergence angle is less than a preset threshold.

[0052] In practical applications, the first direction ( Figure 1 The Y-axis direction shown can usually refer to the vertical direction (V direction), while the second direction ( Figure 1 The Z-axis direction shown typically refers to the horizontal direction (H-direction). For ease of understanding, the following description uses the case where the first direction corresponds to the vertical direction and the second direction corresponds to the horizontal direction as an example. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that this application is not limited to this. For example, the first direction can also refer to the horizontal direction, and the second direction can refer to the vertical direction.

[0053] On the one hand, the emitted beam diverges in the vertical direction, and the corresponding first divergence angle is defined as Δθ. V That is, the emitted beam is at an angle Δθ in the vertical direction. V A fan-shaped beam of light is emitted.

[0054] On the other hand, the emitted beam can be parallel in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the emitted beam can also be divergent in the horizontal direction, but the corresponding second divergence angle is less than a preset threshold. That is, the emitted beam is emitted as parallel light or at a very small angle in the horizontal direction. The selection of the preset threshold will be discussed in detail later.

[0055] That is, the emitted beam is a uniform linear or narrow rectangular beam. Therefore, the light spot projected into the field of view can appear as a narrow rectangle, or even a line. The longer side of the rectangle corresponds to the vertical direction, and the shorter side corresponds to the horizontal direction. Here, "narrow" can mean that the aspect ratio of the rectangle is greater than a preset aspect ratio threshold. Advantageously, by using a linear or narrow rectangular emitted beam, the vehicle-mounted lidar system 100 of this disclosure can achieve more concentrated field-of-view energy, farther detection range, and higher resolution.

[0056] The inventors of this application recognize that an emitted beam with the aforementioned specific illumination distribution can be obtained by shaping a laser beam emitted from a common light source.

[0057] Therefore, in some embodiments, the emitting device 110 includes a light source 111 and an emitting optical system 112. The emitting optical system 112 is configured to shape the laser beam emitted from the light source 111 to convert it into the aforementioned emitted beam.

[0058] In some embodiments, the light source 111 may be a laser, such as a solid-state laser (e.g., a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), an edge-emitting laser (EEL), an external-cavity diode laser (ECDL)), a laser diode, or a fiber laser). In some embodiments, the light source 111 may also include a light-emitting diode (LED). However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that this application does not impose specific limitations on the type of device for the light source 111, as long as the output power of the light source 111 is sufficiently high.

[0059] In some embodiments, the light source 111 may be an array light source. For example, the light source 111 may be a VCSEL array comprising multiple VCSELs. In a non-limiting example, the multiple VCSELs may be configured to all be lit simultaneously during measurement, rather than being lit in sections and / or at different times.

[0060] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the light source 111 may also be a single point light source. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that this application does not impose specific limitations on the arrangement of the light source 111.

[0061] In some embodiments, the light source 111 can emit different forms of light beams, including pulsed light, continuous wave (CW) light, and quasi-continuous light. The operating wavelength of the light source can be 650nm to 1150nm, 800nm ​​to 1000nm, 850nm to 950nm, or 1300nm to 1600nm. In some embodiments, the light source 111 may also include optical components optically coupled to the light source 111 for collimating or focusing the light beam emitted by the light source 111. Each emitted light beam from the light source 111 can be continuous light lasting for a certain period of time, or it can be one or more light pulses.

[0062] In some embodiments, the emitting optical system 112 may include a diffusion unit configured to diffuse and shape the input laser beam. For example, the diffusion unit may diffuse and shape the beam based on diffraction and / or refraction to emit the aforementioned uniform linear or narrow rectangular beam. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the aforementioned emitted beam can also be obtained through other shaping processes.

[0063] In some embodiments, the diffusion unit may include at least one of the following optical devices: an optical diffuser, a diffractive optical element (DOE), and an aspherical cylindrical mirror. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above devices are merely examples of diffusion units, and this application is not limited thereto.

[0064] When using an optical diffuser or DOE to perform diffusion shaping, the emitting optical system 112 may further include a collimation unit. The collimation unit can be configured to collimate the laser beam emitted from the light source to obtain a collimated laser beam to be input into the diffuser or DOE.

[0065] In some embodiments, the collimation unit may include at least one of the following optical devices: microlenses or collimating lenses. For example, the collimation unit may be an array of microlenses. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above-described devices are merely examples of collimation units, and this application is not limited thereto.

[0066] In some embodiments, the vehicle-mounted LiDAR system 100 further includes a transceiver separation device. The transceiver separation device may be a plane mirror 140 with an aperture 141 or a beam splitter. Specifically, taking a plane mirror with an aperture 141 as an example, the plane mirror 140 uses the aperture 141 to transmit the emitted beam to guide it to the scanning device 120, and uses the mirror surface to reflect the received beam to guide it to the receiving device 130. That is, the emitted beam from the transmitting device 110 can be directly transmitted through the plane mirror 140 via the aperture 141, while the reflected received beam can be reflected by the mirror surface in the plane mirror 140. In other words, the reverse receiving path can be separated from the forward transmitting path at the plane mirror 140. Thus, by means of the plane mirror 140 with an aperture, the vehicle-mounted LiDAR system 100 can achieve coaxial transmission and reception. Advantageously, coaxial transmission and reception can avoid the imaging position deviation problem of the near-range and far-range detection return spot caused by the separation of their optical axes, thereby avoiding the additional calibration caused by this problem and facilitating mass production. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that this application could also be a non-coaxial lidar system.

[0067] The inventors of this application recognized that the precision requirements for the manufacturing and assembly of a plane mirror with an aperture are relatively relaxed, as long as the emitted light beam can pass through. Based on this, by reducing the size of the aperture, the loss of reflected light can be reduced.

[0068] Therefore, in some embodiments, the emitted beam is focused when passing through the aperture. For example, by designing the beam characteristics of the emitted beam and / or adjusting the position of the plane mirror relative to the emitting device, it can be ensured that the emitted beam is focused when passing through the aperture. Advantageously, by focusing the emitted beam at the aperture, the aperture can be minimized while ensuring the emitted beam passes through, thereby minimizing the loss of reflected light and further reducing the precision requirements for the manufacturing and assembly of the aperture. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that this application is not limited thereto.

[0069] The aforementioned aperture is typically located at the center of a plane mirror, but this application is not limited to this. Furthermore, to reduce the loss of reflected light, the shape of the aperture can correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the emitted light beam as it passes through the aperture, and therefore does not necessarily have to be circular.

[0070] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that other methods can also be used to achieve coaxial transmission and reception. However, compared to other methods such as beam splitters, the perforated plane mirror proposed in this disclosure can reduce light loss and improve efficiency.

[0071] In various embodiments, a scanning device 120, such as a rotating mirror, can be configured to rotate about a rotation axis oriented in a vertical direction (a first direction, the Y-axis direction in the figure) to guide the emitted beam to scan a target object within the field of view. The target object can be any object within the scanning field of view of the lidar system that can reflect the scanning laser, such as vehicles, pedestrians, animals, road signs, obstacles, trees, shelves, furniture, etc.

[0072] After the emitted beam illuminates the target object, it is scattered and reflected back. A portion of it returns as a received beam to the vehicle-mounted lidar system 100 and is received by the receiving device 130.

[0073] In various embodiments, the receiving device 130 may be configured to receive and detect a received light beam returning from the target object. For example, a received light beam scattered back by the target object may return along its original path to the scanning device 120, then be guided by the scanning device 120 to the plane mirror 140, and then reflected by the plane mirror 140 back to the receiving device 130.

[0074] In some embodiments, the receiving device 130 may include a photodetector 131. The photodetector 131 may measure the power, phase, or time characteristics of the received light and generate a corresponding current output.

[0075] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the photodetector 131 may include a plurality of photodetector units 1310 arranged along one direction. Different photodetector units 1310 are configured to receive and detect light signals returned from a target object at different relative angles in the vertical direction within the field of view. The photodetector 131 may also include receiving circuitry (not shown) associated with each photodetector unit 1310. Each receiving circuitry can be used to process the output electrical signal of the corresponding photodetector unit 1310.

[0076] The photodetector unit 1310 may include various forms of photodetector devices or one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrays of photodetector devices. Correspondingly, the receiving circuit may be a single circuit or an array of multiple circuits. In various embodiments, the photodetector device may be an avalanche photodiode (APD), a single-photon avalanche photodiode (SPAD), a PN-type photodiode, or a PIN-type photodiode.

[0077] For example, the photodetector unit 1310 can be a photodetector SPAD or a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array thereof, thus the photodetector 131 is an array of SPADs. Advantageously, due to the very small spacing and close arrangement of the SPADs, spatial resolution can be greatly improved. Moreover, different SPADs can simultaneously and individually perform direct time-of-flight (dToF) measurements without the need for time-division lighting of the light source, which can greatly improve temporal resolution.

[0078] In some embodiments, the receiving device 130 may further include a receiving optical system 132. The receiving optical system 132 may be configured to image the received light onto the photodetector 131. For example, in some embodiments, the receiving optical system 132 may include a receiving lens and an aperture stop. The receiving lens and aperture stop are located upstream of the photodetector 131 in the receiving path. For example, the receiving lens may include an imaging system lens such that the focal point of the received beam is in front of or behind the receiving surface of the photodetector, or exactly above the receiving surface. In some cases, instead of existing as a separate component, the receiving lens may also be integrated into the photodetector 131. The aperture stop is used to limit the angle of incident light onto the photodetector 131, block stray light, etc.

[0079] As described above, the light spot projected into the field of view by the vehicle-mounted lidar system 100 can be a uniform line extending vertically or a narrow rectangle. Therefore, the received light beam returning from the target object will form a similar pattern on the receiving surface of the photodetector 131. By arranging multiple photodetector units 1310 correspondingly along the long side of the line or rectangle, and using the receiving optical system 132 to image the light returned from the target object at different relative angles in the vertical direction of the field of view onto different photodetector units 1310, these photodetector units 1310 can be made to correspond to the target object at different relative angles in the vertical direction of the field of view. That is, different photodetector units 1310 are configured to receive and detect the light signals returned from the target object at different relative angles in the vertical direction of the field of view. Therefore, based on the arrangement information of the photodetector units 1310 and the parameter information of the optical system, the relative angle of the corresponding target object can be accurately calculated.

[0080] Because a uniform linear (or narrow rectangular) emission beam is used, only simple assembly and adjustment of the vehicle-mounted lidar system 100 are required. This ensures that the received light spot imaged on the photodetector 131 by the receiving optics 132 covers the receiving surface of the photodetector unit 1310 (i.e., the photosensitive surface of all photodetector units 1310), eliminating the need for separate alignment of the transmitting and receiving modules. Here, "covering" the receiving surface can be understood as the receiving light spot at least partially overlapping the receiving surface, allowing each photodetector unit to receive the light signal returned from the target object. For example, in some embodiments, the size of the receiving light spot can be relatively small, covering only a portion of the receiving surface, thereby maximizing the reception of the returned light signal by the photodetector units and minimizing waste. Therefore, advantageously, the solution proposed in this disclosure greatly simplifies assembly and adjustment, facilitating automated production.

[0081] The angular resolution δθ of the vehicle-mounted lidar system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in the vertical direction V =Δθ V / Q, where Q is the number of photodetector units 1310 included in the photodetector 131. By reducing the emission angle Δθ V Increasing the number Q of photodetector units 1310 in photodetector 131 can reduce the angular resolution δθ in the vertical direction. V The value of this improves the angular resolution in the vertical direction.

[0082] It is worth noting that, in some embodiments, each photodetector unit 1310 may include a plurality of photodetector devices (such as SPADs) arranged along one direction, wherein the arrangement direction of the plurality of photodetector devices is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the plurality of photodetector units 1310. This arrangement allows for an increase in the number of photodetector devices in each photodetector unit 1310 without affecting the spacing between the photodetector units 1310, thereby improving detection accuracy without compromising spatial resolution.

[0083] See Figure 2 , Figure 2 An adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown, comprising:

[0084] The power module 31 includes a power submodule 311 and a network submodule 312 that are interconnected.

[0085] Power surge protection circuit 32 and network surge protection circuit 33;

[0086] The power surge protection circuit 32 is connected to the power submodule 311 and to the vehicle-mounted lidar 34; the network surge protection circuit 33 is connected to the network submodule 312 and to the vehicle-mounted lidar 34; both the power surge protection circuit 32 and the network surge protection circuit 33 are connected to the ground zero potential point 36.

[0087] The power module 31 includes a power submodule 311 and a network submodule 312, which are electrically connected. The surge protection circuit includes a power surge protection circuit 32 and a network surge protection circuit 33, which are respectively connected to the ground zero potential point and to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR 34. In a specific implementation, the vehicle-mounted LiDAR 34 may include a LiDAR interface, allowing the power surge protection circuit 32 and the network surge protection circuit 33 to connect to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR 34 via the LiDAR interface.

[0088] When the vehicle-mounted LiDAR 34 is exposed to lightning, the power surge protection circuit 32 protects the internal power supply unit of the vehicle-mounted LiDAR 34 from damage caused by lightning surges, thereby ensuring normal power supply to the power submodule; the network surge protection circuit 33 protects the communication network from damage caused by lightning surges, thereby ensuring network communication of the network submodule 312. The power surge protection circuit 32 and the network surge protection circuit 33 work together to protect the vehicle-mounted LiDAR from damage caused by lightning surges.

[0089] The aforementioned vehicle-mounted lidar can be applied to various locations where there is a risk of lightning strikes.

[0090] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the power surge protection circuit 32 includes a primary protection unit 321, a secondary protection unit 322, and a tertiary protection unit 323;

[0091] The primary protection unit 321 is connected to the power supply submodule 311 and to the ground zero potential point;

[0092] The secondary protection unit 322 is connected to the power submodule 311 and to the vehicle-mounted lidar 34;

[0093] The third-level protection unit 323 is connected to the second-level protection unit 322 and to the ground zero potential point.

[0094] The power surge protection circuit protects the power module 31 through three levels of protection.

[0095] Among them, the primary protection unit 321, as the first-level protection, can quickly discharge or suppress surges in the line by connecting to the ground zero potential point and the power supply submodule, clamping transient voltages of thousands of volts to a relatively low voltage. The primary protection unit 321 can adopt high-voltage, high-current-carrying devices such as diode or multi-electrode gas discharge tubes, varistors, and printed circuit board (PCB) air gap discharge structures, and can be used alone or in combination as the primary protection unit.

[0096] The secondary protection unit 322 serves as the second level of protection, connected to the power supply submodule and the vehicle-mounted lidar. It has the function of limiting current. The secondary protection unit can use devices such as resettable fuses or inductors.

[0097] The third-level protection unit 323, as the third level of protection, is connected to the second-level protection unit and the ground zero potential point. It can play a clamping role, which can clamp the voltage within the input range of the subsequent circuit. Transient voltage suppressor diodes such as transient voltage suppressor (TVS) or thyristor suppressor suppressors (TSS) can be used as the third-level protection unit.

[0098] Through the protection provided by the three-level protection units, the voltage can be gradually reduced to an acceptable range for the subsequent input, thereby protecting the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0099] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first-level protection unit includes a first sub-unit and a second sub-unit, the second-level protection unit includes a third sub-unit and a fourth sub-unit, and the third-level protection unit includes a fifth sub-unit and a sixth sub-unit;

[0100] The first end of the first sub-unit is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply sub-module 311, the second end of the first sub-unit is connected to the ground zero potential point, the first end of the second sub-unit is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply sub-module 311, and the second end of the second sub-unit is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0101] The first end of the third subunit is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply submodule 311, the second end of the third subunit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar 34, the first end of the fourth subunit is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply submodule 311, and the second end of the fourth subunit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar 34.

[0102] The first end of the fifth subunit is connected to the second end of the third subunit 322, and the second end of the fifth subunit is connected to the ground zero potential point. The first end of the sixth subunit is connected to the second end of the fourth subunit 322, and the second end of the sixth subunit is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0103] In this embodiment, the first-level protection unit may include two protection sub-units, namely the first sub-unit and the second sub-unit; the second-level protection unit may include two protection sub-units, namely the third sub-unit and the fourth sub-unit; and the third-level protection unit may include two protection sub-units, namely the fifth sub-unit and the sixth sub-unit.

[0104] like Figure 2 As shown, the first subunit is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply submodule 311 and to the ground zero potential point, while the second subunit is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply submodule 311 and to the ground zero potential point. The first and second subunits, as the first level of protection, can quickly discharge or suppress surges in the line, clamping transient voltages of thousands of volts to a relatively low voltage.

[0105] The third subunit connects the positive terminal of the power supply submodule 311 to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR 34, and the fourth subunit connects the negative terminal of the power supply submodule 311 to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR 34. The third and fourth subunits serve as the second level of protection, limiting the current in the circuit.

[0106] The fifth subunit connects to the second terminal of the third subunit and the zero potential point, and the sixth subunit connects to the second terminal of the fourth subunit and the zero potential point. The fifth and sixth subunits, as the third level of protection, clamp the voltage within the input range of the subsequent circuit.

[0107] Through the above three-level protection, the voltage is gradually reduced to a range acceptable to the subsequent input voltage, thereby protecting the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0108] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the power surge protection circuit also includes a filter unit 324, which includes a common-mode filter capacitor and a differential-mode filter capacitor.

[0109] The common-mode filter capacitor is connected to the second terminal of the third subunit, the second terminal of the fourth subunit, and the ground zero potential point.

[0110] The first end of the differential mode filter capacitor is connected to the second end of the third subunit 322, and the second end of the differential mode filter capacitor is connected to the second end of the fourth subunit 322.

[0111] The filter unit 324 includes common-mode filter capacitors (C1 and C2 as shown in the figure) and differential-mode filter capacitors (C3 as shown in the figure). The differential-mode and common-mode capacitors utilize the energy storage characteristics of capacitors to suppress and absorb residual spike pulses from lightning surges after passing through the protection circuit, thereby reducing common-mode and differential-mode interference in the circuit. The filter unit 324 can effectively filter out residual differential-mode and common-mode components in the circuit.

[0112] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the network surge protection circuit 33 includes a transformer 331, a primary network protection unit 332, and a secondary network protection unit 333;

[0113] The transformer 331 is connected to the network submodule 312, the vehicle-mounted lidar 34, the primary network protection unit 332, and the secondary network protection unit 333, respectively.

[0114] The primary network protection unit 332 is also connected to the ground zero potential point, and the secondary network protection unit 333 is also connected to the first zero potential point, which is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0115] Transformer 331 is the primary protection unit for network surge protection. It can be a network transformer, such as T1, T2, T3, or T4 shown in the diagram. Transformer 331 is connected to network submodule 312 and vehicle-mounted lidar 34, and is connected to the ground zero potential point through primary network protection unit 332 and secondary network protection unit 333. Transformer 331 has an isolation voltage of several kilovolts. Primary network protection unit 332, along with resistors R1, R2, R3, R4, and capacitor C4, forms a discharge unit. Primary network protection unit 332 can quickly discharge or suppress surges in the line, reducing transient voltages of several kilovolts to a relatively low voltage. Primary network protection unit 332 can employ high-voltage, high-current-carrying devices such as diodes or multi-pole gas discharge tubes, varistors, or PCB board air gap discharge structures, used individually or in combination as the primary network protection unit. Secondary network protection unit 332 can be devices with low clamping voltages, such as TVS diodes or ESD (electro-static discharge) diodes.

[0116] The primary protection unit is connected to the ground zero potential point, and the secondary protection unit is connected to the first zero potential point. The first zero potential point can be the zero potential point of the internal circuit of the conversion connector. By connecting the first zero potential point to the ground zero potential point, an electrical connection can be achieved from the internal zero potential point to the ground of the vehicle-mounted lidar casing, thereby discharging the lightning surge to the ground through the protection units at each level.

[0117] The network submodule 312 is protected by a primary network protection unit and a secondary network protection unit.

[0118] Optionally, the network surge protection circuit 33 further includes a common-mode inductor 334;

[0119] The common-mode inductor is connected to the transformer 331, the vehicle-mounted lidar 34, and the secondary network protection unit 333, respectively. The secondary network protection unit 333 is also connected to the first zero potential point.

[0120] In this embodiment, the network surge protection circuit 33 also includes a common mode inductor 334. The network transformer 331 and the common mode inductor 334 can be separate devices or packaged together.

[0121] Common-mode signals on the line are suppressed by common-mode inductors 334. Common-mode inductors 334 are shown as T5, T6, T7, and T8 in the figure. The figure is only for illustration and the specific number is not limited.

[0122] Optionally, the number of transformers 331, primary network protection units, and common-mode inductors is M, and the number of secondary network protection units is N, where N = 2 * M, M is an integer greater than 0, and N is an integer greater than 1; the M transformers include a target transformer, the M primary network protection units include a primary target protection unit connected to the target transformer, the M common-mode inductors include a target common-mode inductor connected to the target transformer, and the N secondary network protection units include a secondary first protection unit and a secondary second protection unit connected to the common-mode inductor;

[0123] The first end of the target transformer is connected to the network submodule 312;

[0124] The second terminal of the target transformer is connected to the first terminal of the target common-mode inductor, and the second terminal of the target common-mode inductor is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0125] The third terminal of the target transformer is connected to the first terminal of the primary target protection unit, and the second terminal of the primary target protection unit is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0126] The second end of the target common-mode inductor includes a first connection end and a second connection end. The first connection end is connected to the first end of the secondary first protection unit, and the second end of the secondary first protection unit is connected to the first zero potential point. The second connection end is connected to the first end of the secondary second protection unit, and the second end of the secondary second protection unit is connected to the first zero potential point.

[0127] The number of transformers, primary network protection units, and common-mode inductors are all M, with the value of M related to the number of signal lines in the network submodule. The number of secondary network protection units is N = 2*M. For example, ... Figure 2 As shown, when the network submodule interface is a pair of differential lines, M=4 and N=8.

[0128] Taking the structure corresponding to a pair of differential lines as an example, the structure connected to the differential line includes a target transformer, a primary target protection unit, and a target common-mode inductor. The target transformer can be any one of the M transformers, and the primary target protection unit, target common-mode inductor, and secondary target protection unit are devices located on the same pair of differential lines as the target transformer.

[0129] The second terminal of the primary target protection unit is connected to the ground zero potential point, and the first terminal is connected to the third terminal of the target transformer. The first terminal of the target transformer is connected to network submodule 312, and the second terminal of the target transformer is connected to the first terminal of the common-mode inductor. The second terminal of the common-mode inductor includes two connection terminals, which are connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar and also to the first terminals of the secondary first protection unit and the secondary second protection unit, respectively. Furthermore, the second terminals of the secondary first protection unit and the secondary second protection unit are also connected to the first zero potential point.

[0130] When there are M transformers, the other devices on the differential line where each transformer is located correspond one-to-one with the transformer. Their specific connection structure is the same as the connection method described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0131] In this embodiment, surge protection is provided for the network submodule 312 through a multi-level protection device, including a transformer, a common-mode inductor, a primary network protection circuit, and a secondary network protection circuit.

[0132] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the network surge protection circuit 33 also includes a capacitor 335 and a resistor 336 connected in parallel;

[0133] The first end of the capacitor 335 is connected to the first zero potential point, and the second end of the capacitor 335 is connected to the ground zero potential point.

[0134] In this embodiment, a zero-potential junction is formed using capacitors and resistors, which is then connected to a single-point grounding network on the chassis. The vehicle-mounted lidar casing is connected to the zero-potential point of the earth, forming a discharge circuit. This method protects the vehicle-mounted lidar.

[0135] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the adapter also includes a network conversion unit 35;

[0136] The first end of the network conversion unit 35 is connected to the network surge protection circuit 33, and the second end of the network conversion unit 35 is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar 34.

[0137] The network conversion unit 35 is used to convert the network from a first standard to a second standard, thereby making the network suitable for the current application scenario. For example, the network conversion unit is used to convert the network from vehicular Ethernet (T1) to standard Ethernet (T or TX).

[0138] Vehicle-mounted LiDAR uses automotive Ethernet (T1) as its communication interface. However, in outdoor scenarios (such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, standard Ethernet (T or TX) is required to transmit LiDAR data to a switch or computer. This necessitates network conversion for the vehicle-mounted LiDAR. Commercially available network conversion modules require cables to connect to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR, and exposed cables are susceptible to lightning strikes, potentially damaging the LiDAR. This embodiment addresses this issue by including a network conversion unit in the adapter. This unit converts the LiDAR's network while protecting it from lightning surge damage.

[0139] The automotive Ethernet standard is 100 / 1000Base-T1, which has one pair of differential lines and uses one pair of twisted-pair cables for transmission. Standard Ethernet uses 100Base-TX and 1000Base-T, which generally have two or four pairs of differential lines and use two or four pairs of twisted-pair cables for transmission. Connecting to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR via a network unit enables the transmission of data from the vehicle-mounted LiDAR (such as point clouds, configuration information, monitoring information, etc.).

[0140] When the adapter includes a network protection unit, the network surge protection circuit is connected to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR via the network conversion unit.

[0141] Optionally, the adapter further includes a housing (not shown in the figure), which is connected to the ground zero potential point;

[0142] The power module 31, the power surge protection circuit 32, the network surge protection circuit 33, and the network conversion unit 35 are all located inside the housing.

[0143] By installing an enclosure and connecting it to the ground zero potential point, the power module 31, surge protection circuit, and network conversion unit inside the enclosure are protected from damage by lightning surges.

[0144] The vehicle-mounted lidar housing is connected to the ground zero potential point. The adapter connector includes a zero potential point inside, which can be connected to the network operator edge router (Provider Edge, PE) on the circuit board via screws through the metallized screw holes, thus achieving an electrical connection from the internal zero potential point to the ground of the vehicle-mounted lidar housing. Simultaneously, the vehicle-mounted lidar housing includes non-oxidized screw holes, which can connect the vehicle-mounted lidar housing ground to the ground zero potential point (not shown in the figure), thereby dissipating lightning surges to the ground through various protection units.

[0145] As another embodiment of this application, such as Figure 3 As shown, this application also includes a vehicle-mounted lidar, comprising:

[0146] Vehicle-mounted LiDAR unit 4;

[0147] The adapter 3 for the vehicle-mounted lidar described in any of the above embodiments;

[0148] The vehicle-mounted lidar body 4 is provided with an interface 41, and the adapter is connected to the interface 41.

[0149] In this embodiment, the structure of the vehicle-mounted lidar is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle-mounted LiDAR includes a LiDAR body 4 and an interface 41. The adapter 3 can be connected to the LiDAR body 4 via the interface 41. The interface 41 can be, for example,... Figure 3 The external interface protruding from the surface of the LiDAR shown can also be formed by recessing the surface of the LiDAR; this is not limited here. The adapter 3 of the vehicle-mounted LiDAR connects to the vehicle-mounted LiDAR body 4 via interface 41. The adapter 3 is connected to the zero-potential point 36, which is connected to ground via a cable. Furthermore, the outer shell of the adapter 3 is connected to the ground zero-potential point. This design protects the vehicle-mounted LiDAR from lightning surges, and the surge protection and network conversion design on the exterior of the vehicle-mounted LiDAR body does not increase its size. By installing or removing the LiDAR adapter, both automotive and outdoor scenarios can be accommodated, expanding the application scenarios of the vehicle-mounted LiDAR and offering flexible usage.

[0150] Optionally, the vehicle-mounted lidar is used in vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication.

[0151] The vehicle-mounted LiDAR in this embodiment is protected from surge damage in outdoor scenarios and can convert the vehicle's Ethernet to standard Ethernet, improving the reliability of vehicle-mounted LiDAR in outdoor environments and enabling its application in vehicle-road cooperative technologies.

[0152] Among them, vehicle-road cooperative technology enables active safety control of vehicles and cooperative management of roads through real-time information interaction between vehicles and between vehicles and roads, as well as the collection of traffic information, thereby achieving effective coordination of people, vehicles and roads, improving traffic safety and traffic efficiency.

[0153] The terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof used in embodiments of this disclosure are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0154] The term "or" in this disclosure means inclusive "or," not exclusive "or." A reference to a "first" component does not necessarily require the provision of a "second" component. Furthermore, unless explicitly indicated, "first" or "second" component does not imply a restriction on the order in which the components are mentioned. The term "based on" means "at least partially based on."

[0155] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A converter for a vehicle-mounted lidar, characterized in that, include: The power module includes interconnected power sub-modules and network sub-modules; Power surge protection circuit and network surge protection circuit; The power surge protection circuit is connected to the power submodule and to the vehicle-mounted lidar; the network surge protection circuit is connected to the network submodule and to the vehicle-mounted lidar; both the power surge protection circuit and the network surge protection circuit are connected to the ground zero potential point.

2. The adapter for vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power surge protection circuit includes a primary protection unit, a secondary protection unit, and a tertiary protection unit; The primary protection unit is connected to the power supply submodule and to the ground zero potential point; The secondary protection unit is connected to the power supply submodule and also to the vehicle-mounted lidar. The third-level protection unit is connected to the second-level protection unit and to the ground zero potential point.

3. The adapter for vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 2, characterized in that, The primary protection unit includes a first subunit and a second subunit; the secondary protection unit includes a third subunit and a fourth subunit; and the tertiary protection unit includes a fifth subunit and a sixth subunit. The first end of the first sub-unit is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply sub-module, the second end of the first sub-unit is connected to the ground zero potential point, the first end of the second sub-unit is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply sub-module, and the second end of the second sub-unit is connected to the ground zero potential point. The first end of the third subunit is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply submodule, the second end of the third subunit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar, the first end of the fourth subunit is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply submodule, and the second end of the fourth subunit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar. The first end of the fifth subunit is connected to the second end of the third subunit, and the second end of the fifth subunit is connected to the ground zero potential point. The first end of the sixth subunit is connected to the second end of the fourth subunit, and the second end of the sixth subunit is connected to the ground zero potential point.

4. The adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 3, characterized in that, The power surge protection circuit also includes a filtering unit, which includes a common-mode filter capacitor and a differential-mode filter capacitor. The common-mode filter capacitor is connected to the second terminal of the third subunit, the second terminal of the fourth subunit, and the ground zero potential point. The first end of the differential mode filter capacitor is connected to the second end of the third subunit, and the second end of the differential mode filter capacitor is connected to the second end of the fourth subunit.

5. The adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The network surge protection circuit includes a transformer, a primary network protection unit, and a secondary network protection unit; The transformer is connected to the network submodule, the vehicle-mounted lidar, the primary network protection unit, and the secondary network protection unit, respectively. The primary network protection unit is also connected to the ground zero potential point, and the secondary network protection unit is also connected to the first zero potential point, which is connected to the ground zero potential point.

6. The adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 5, characterized in that, The network surge protection circuit also includes a common-mode inductor; The common-mode inductor is connected to the transformer, the vehicle-mounted lidar, and the secondary network protection unit, respectively. The secondary network protection unit is also connected to the first zero potential point.

7. The adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of transformers, primary network protection units, and common-mode inductors is M, and the number of secondary network protection units is N, where N = 2 * M, M is an integer greater than 0, and N is an integer greater than 1. The M transformers include a target transformer, the M primary network protection units include a primary target protection unit connected to the target transformer, the M common-mode inductors include a target common-mode inductor connected to the target transformer, and the N secondary network protection units include a secondary first protection unit and a secondary second protection unit connected to the common-mode inductor. The first end of the target transformer is connected to the network submodule; The second terminal of the target transformer is connected to the first terminal of the target common-mode inductor, and the second terminal of the target common-mode inductor is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar. The third terminal of the target transformer is connected to the first terminal of the primary target protection unit, and the second terminal of the primary target protection unit is connected to the ground zero potential point. The second end of the target common-mode inductor includes a first connection end and a second connection end. The first connection end is connected to the first end of the secondary first protection unit, and the second end of the secondary first protection unit is connected to the first zero potential point. The second connection end is connected to the first end of the secondary second protection unit, and the second end of the secondary second protection unit is connected to the first zero potential point.

8. The adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 5, characterized in that, The network surge protection circuit also includes capacitors and resistors connected in parallel; The first end of the capacitor is connected to the first zero potential point, and the second end of the capacitor is connected to the ground zero potential point.

9. The adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The adapter also includes a network conversion unit; The first end of the network conversion unit is connected to the network surge protection circuit, and the second end of the network conversion unit is connected to the vehicle-mounted lidar.

10. The adapter for a vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 9, characterized in that, The adapter also includes a housing, which is connected to the ground zero potential point; The power module, the power surge protection circuit, the network surge protection circuit, and the network conversion unit are all housed within the housing.

11. A vehicle-mounted lidar, characterized in that, include: Vehicle-mounted LiDAR unit; The adapter for the vehicle-mounted lidar as described in any one of claims 1 to 10; The vehicle-mounted lidar body is provided with an interface, and the adapter is connected to the interface.

12. The vehicle-mounted lidar according to claim 11, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted lidar is used in vehicle-road cooperation.

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