METHOD FOR OPERATING A LIDAR SYSTEM, LIDAR SYSTEM AND VEHICLE WITH AT LEAST ONE LIDAR SYSTEM

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a LiDAR system, in particular a LiDAR system for a vehicle, in which at least one optical beam is sent into at least one monitoring area with at least one transmitting device, at least one optical beam reflected from at least one object present in the at least one monitoring area is received with at least one receiving area with at least one receiving device and converted into at least one received quantity, and at least one object information about at least one object reflecting the optical beam is determined from at least one received quantity.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a LiDAR system, in particular a LiDAR system for a vehicle, with at least one transmitting device for sending optical rays into at least one monitoring area, wherein the at least one transmitting device has at least one ray source for generating optical rays, with at least one receiving device which has at least one receiving area for receiving optical rays reflected by objects in the at least one monitoring area and for converting received optical rays into corresponding received quantities, and with at least one evaluation device for determining object information about at least one optically reflective object from determined received quantities.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with at least one LiDAR system. State of the art

[0004] From WO 2019 / 020591 A1, a scanning optical detection system of a vehicle for monitoring a surveillance area for objects is known, comprising at least one transmitting device, with at least one light source for generating at least one optical transmit signal and with at least one diffractive diffraction unit acting on the at least one transmit signal for controlling at least one beam direction of the at least one transmit signal, at least one receiving device for receiving at least one optical receive signal originating from at least one transmit signal reflected by an object, and at least one control and / or evaluation device for controlling the at least one transmitting device and / or the at least one receiving device and / or for evaluating received signals received by the at least one receiving device.German patent DE 102020206006 discloses a method for calibrating and / or adjusting a lidar system in which an optical beam is transmitted into a monitoring area by a transmitter and the beam reflected from an object is received by a detector unit. The optical beam has a beam profile that includes beam profile segments with different intensities. To determine the orientation of the transmitter relative to the detector unit, this document proposes evaluating the optical beam received by the detector unit to identify a center position and / or width of the position data distribution and to compare this with expected position data or an expected center position. Different beam profile segments of the received beam with different reception ranges are also received.

[0005] The invention is based on the objective of designing a method, a LiDAR system and a vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the detection of objects in at least one monitoring area, in particular of objects with different reflectances and / or objects with differently reflecting areas, can be improved. Disclosure of the invention

[0006] The problem is solved in the method according to the invention by the fact that at least one optical beam with an intensity distribution defined by its beam profile is sent, at least two beam profile sections of the beam profile of the at least one optical beam are mapped onto at least two adjacent receiving areas, are received by the receiving areas and converted into respective received quantities, wherein the at least one optical beam is sent with different intensities in the at least two beam profile sections and wherein the ratios of the spatial extent of the beam profile sections in a spatial direction with different intensities correspond to the ratios of the distances of the centers of the at least two receiving areas.

[0007] According to the invention, optical beams with defined intensity distributions are transmitted via their respective beam profiles. At least two beam profile segments are transmitted with different intensities. On the side of an illuminated object, adjacent areas are illuminated by the beam profile segments with different intensities. No adjustment of the transmission power of the transmitting light sources and / or transmitting optics on the side of the at least one transmitting device is required for this. The reflected beam profile segments are imaged onto adjacent receiving areas of the at least one receiving device, received by these devices, and converted into corresponding received quantities.

[0008] The realization of different intensities in adjacent areas can thus be achieved with correspondingly little technical effort. This allows a weakly reflective area on the object side to be scanned simultaneously with a beam profile segment of higher intensity, and an adjacent highly reflective, especially retroreflective, area with a beam profile segment of lower intensity. The higher intensity enables even weakly reflective areas to be detected by the receiving device. The lower intensity prevents highly reflective areas from causing saturation and overexposure effects, especially crosstalk, on the receiving device.

[0009] In a measurement using a high-intensity beam profile segment, at least one optical beam can illuminate an object, particularly a region of an object. The lower intensities of the adjacent beam profile segments may be sufficient to detect neighboring highly reflective areas of objects.

[0010] The at least one receiving device receives at least one reflected optical beam and converts it into at least one received quantity. This received quantity can then be further processed using appropriate evaluation equipment, particularly that of the LiDAR system.

[0011] Advantageously, at least one received variable can be an electrical received variable. Electrical received variables can be evaluated and further processed using electrical evaluation equipment.

[0012] From at least one received signal, at least one piece of object information is determined for at least one object from which the at least one optical beam is reflected. This object information can include distances, directions, and / or velocities of objects detected by the LiDAR system relative to the LiDAR system.

[0013] "Optical" within the meaning of the invention refers to visible and invisible ranges of electromagnetic radiation, in particular light radiation. The components designated as "optical" are accordingly suitable for use in connection with electromagnetic radiation that is visible to humans and invisible to humans. The optical radiation can be light radiation, in particular laser radiation, in the visible or invisible range.

[0014] Advantageously, a laser beam can be transmitted as at least one optical beam. Laser beams can be specifically generated with defined intensity distributions via their beam profiles.

[0015] Advantageously, at least one optical signal, in particular a laser signal, can be transmitted as at least one optical beam. In this way, the optical beam can carry additional information, in particular encodings or the like.

[0016] Advantageously, at least one optical beam can be implemented in the form of signal pulses, especially laser pulses. Signal pulses can be more easily assigned on the receiving end.

[0017] Advantageously, the LiDAR system can operate using a time-of-flight method. With a time-of-flight method, the distance to an object from which the optical beam is reflected can be determined based on the travel time of a transmitted optical beam.

[0018] Advantageously, the LiDAR system can be designed as a laser-based distance measurement system. Laser-based distance measurement systems can utilize lasers, particularly diode lasers, as beam sources. Lasers can be used to emit pulsed laser beams as optical beams. Optical beams can be emitted from lasers in wavelength ranges visible or invisible to the human eye. Accordingly, the receiving areas of the LiDAR system can be implemented with sensors designed for the wavelength of the emitted optical beams, in particular point sensors, line sensors, and / or area sensors, specifically (avalanche) photodiodes, photodiode arrays, CCD sensors, active pixel sensors, especially CMOS sensors, or the like. Advantageously, the invention can be used in vehicles, particularly motor vehicles.Advantageously, the invention can be used in land vehicles, in particular passenger cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, or the like, aircraft, in particular drones, and / or watercraft. The invention can also be used in vehicles that can be operated autonomously or at least semi-autonomously. However, the invention is not limited to vehicles. It can also be used in stationary applications, in robotics, and / or in machines, in particular construction or transport machinery such as cranes, excavators, or the like.

[0019] The LiDAR system can advantageously be connected to, or be part of, at least one electronic control device of a vehicle and / or machine, in particular a driver assistance system or the like. In this way, at least some of the functions of the vehicle and / or machine can be performed autonomously or semi-autonomously.

[0020] The LiDAR system can be used to detect stationary or moving objects, in particular vehicles, people, animals, plants, obstacles, road surface irregularities, in particular potholes or stones, road boundaries, traffic signs, open spaces, in particular parking spaces, precipitation or the like, and / or movements and / or gestures.

[0021] With an advantageous design of the procedure, At least one optical beam is emitted whose beam profile has an intensity distribution symmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis, and / or at least one optical beam is emitted whose beam profile has an intensity distribution asymmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis, and / or at least one optical beam is emitted whose beam profile has at least three beam profile segments with different intensities. In this way, depending on the intended use and / or design of the LiDAR system, a suitable beam profile with a correspondingly defined intensity distribution can be generated.

[0022] Advantageously, the beam profile of at least one optical beam can exhibit a symmetrical intensity distribution. Symmetrical intensity distributions can be easily implemented.

[0023] Alternatively or additionally, the beam profile of at least one optical beam can advantageously exhibit an asymmetric intensity distribution. In this way, a larger number of different intensities with corresponding beam profile sections can be realized simultaneously.

[0024] Alternatively or additionally, the beam profile of at least one optical beam can advantageously have at least three beam profile segments with different intensities. In this way, the monitored area can be scanned simultaneously with three different beam intensities. This reduces the overall measurement time.

[0025] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, at least two optical beams can be sent into the at least one monitoring area in different directions, with a time offset, in particular one after the other. In this way, the at least one monitoring area can be scanned with the optical beams in at least two sections. Thus, several areas of an object or several objects within the at least one monitoring area can be detected.

[0026] A beam direction is the direction in which an optical beam is sent.

[0027] In a further advantageous design of the procedure, Changes in the beam directions of at least two optical beams are realized with at least one beam deflection device and / or changes in beam directions are realized, in particular, by activating at least two beam sources, to which different beam directions are assigned, in a time-off-simultaneous manner.

[0028] With at least one beam deflection device, the direction of optical beams generated by a signal source can be deflected. A change in the orientation of the signal source is not required.

[0029] Alternatively or additionally, the beam direction can be achieved, in particular by activating beam sources with different beam directions at different times. The beam sources can be assigned to different beam directions. The beam sources themselves and / or the transmitting optics assigned to each beam source can be oriented differently. In this way, the optical beams can be sent in different directions into the at least one monitoring area. By activating the beam sources at different times, the direction in which the at least one monitoring area is scanned with the optical beams can be changed.

[0030] Advantageously, at least two beam sources can be activated simultaneously. In this way, the monitored area can be scanned simultaneously with the respective optical beams.

[0031] Advantageously, at least two beam sources can be activated at different times, particularly sequentially, either alternatively or additionally. This allows the corresponding areas of the monitored region to be scanned at different times, particularly sequentially.

[0032] Alternatively or additionally, at least two beam sources can be used, each with its own beam deflection device or a separate one. This combines the advantages of at least two beam sources with those of a beam deflection device.

[0033] The beam deflection device can be a deflecting mirror, a swiveling mirror, a oscillating mirror, in particular a micro-oscillating mirror, a diffractive optical element, or the like. Such beam deflection devices can be modified to change the beam direction accordingly, in particular by tilting or pivoting relative to an optical axis of a beam source.

[0034] In a further advantageous design of the procedure, The direction of the at least two transmitted optical beams can be adjusted differently by a measure, in particular an angle, which on the receiving side corresponds to an integer multiple of a distance between the centers of adjacent receiving areas, and / or the directions of the at least two transmitted optical beams can be changed in a step size that on the receiving side corresponds to a distance between the centers of adjacent receiving areas. In this way, the at least two beam profile segments of the at least one optical beam can be mapped onto the respective adjacent receiving areas.

[0035] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, received parameters from receiving areas onto which beam profile segments of the reflected at least one optical beam with different intensities are mapped can be combined to determine object information. In this way, the dynamic range of the LiDAR system can be increased. In particular, received parameters from receiving areas onto which beam profile segments with high intensities are mapped can be combined with received parameters from receiving areas onto which beam profiles with relatively lower intensities are mapped.

[0036] In a further advantageous design of the procedure, at least two adjacent receiving areas, onto which at least two beam profile sections are mapped, are read out in parallel, in particular simultaneously, and / or at least two adjacent receiving areas, onto which at least two beam profile sections are mapped, are read out serially, in particular one after the other, and / or only the receiving area of ​​the at least two receiving areas, onto which the at least two beam profile sections are mapped, is read out, on which the beam profile section with the greater intensity is mapped.

[0037] By reading out adjacent reception areas in parallel, a correspondingly larger part of the monitored area can be captured simultaneously during a measurement.

[0038] By serially reading adjacent reception areas, the processing speed at which the received data is processed can be reduced on the receiving device side. This allows the use of evaluation units with lower performance.

[0039] By reading only the receiving area that receives the highest intensity, the amount of data to be processed can be reduced.

[0040] In the embodiment of the method according to the invention, at least one optical beam with a defined beam profile is emitted, in which the ratios of the spatial extent of the beam profile segments in a spatial direction with different intensities correspond to the ratios of the distances between the centers of the at least two receiving areas. In this way, the beam profile segments can be imaged onto the respective receiving areas even if the beam direction of the at least one optical beam changes.

[0041] Furthermore, the object of the invention is achieved in the LiDAR system by the fact that the at least one transmitting device has at least one means for defining an intensity distribution in beam profiles of optical beams, the at least one receiving device having at least two receiving areas which are arranged adjacently, the at least one receiving device having at least one imaging means for imaging at least two beam profile sections of beam profiles of optical rays onto the at least two adjacent receiving areas, wherein the intensity in beam profile sections of transmitted optical rays before their reflection, which correspond to the at least two beam profile sections of the reflected optical rays imaged onto the at least two receiving areas, are different.

[0042] According to the invention, the at least one transmitting device comprises at least one means for defining intensity distributions in beam profiles of optical beams. In this way, different intensities can be transmitted simultaneously with one optical beam into the at least one monitoring area. Different intensities can thus be achieved without requiring any changes to the transmitting power of corresponding beam sources and / or any changes to the transmitting optics.

[0043] The at least one receiving device has at least two receiving areas. The beam profile sections of reflected optical rays can be mapped onto these at least two receiving areas.

[0044] In an advantageous embodiment, at least one transmitting device, at least one beam shaping means, in particular at least one optical lens or the like, for shaping defined beam profiles of optical beams generated with the at least one beam source, and / or at least one transmitting device has several beam sources, each for generating individual optical beams, which are arranged in such a way that the individual optical beams are combined to form optical beams with beam profiles with defined intensity distributions.

[0045] By using at least one beam shaping device, only one beam source is required to create a corresponding beam profile.

[0046] Alternatively or additionally, multiple beam sources can be provided. These beam sources can have individual beam profiles. The individual beams with their respective beam profiles can be combined to create a single optical beam with a desired beam profile and defined intensity distribution. In this way, the spatial extent of the optical beam can be increased, allowing a larger section of the monitored area to be scanned with the optical beam.

[0047] Advantageously, different beam directions can be assigned to the beam sources. In this way, a larger section of at least one monitored area can be scanned simultaneously with optical beams.

[0048] In a further advantageous embodiment, at least one transmitting device can comprise at least one beam deflection device, in particular at least one deflection mirror, at least one swivel mirror, at least one oscillating mirror, and / or at least one diffractive optical element or the like. In this way, the direction of the optical beams can be changed. Thus, the at least one monitoring area can be scanned accordingly with optical beams.

[0049] Furthermore, the problem is solved in the vehicle according to the invention by the fact that the vehicle has at least one LiDAR system according to the invention.

[0050] According to the invention, the vehicle has at least one LiDAR system according to the invention, with which at least one monitoring area in an environment and / or in an interior of the vehicle can be monitored, in particular for objects.

[0051] Advantageously, the vehicle can have at least one driver assistance system. With the help of a driver assistance system, at least some of the vehicle's functions, in particular driving functions, can be operated autonomously or semi-autonomously.

[0052] Advantageously, at least one LiDAR system can be functionally linked to at least one driver assistance system of the vehicle. In this way, information about the monitoring area, in particular about objects within the monitoring area, which is determined by the at least one LiDAR system, can be used by the at least one driver assistance system for the autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of the vehicle.

[0053] Furthermore, the features and advantages identified in connection with the inventive method, the inventive LiDAR system, and the inventive vehicle, and their respective advantageous embodiments, apply mutatis mutandis to one another and vice versa. The individual features and advantages can, of course, be combined with one another, potentially resulting in further advantageous effects that exceed the sum of the individual effects. Brief description of the drawings

[0054] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. The person skilled in the art will expediently consider the features disclosed in the drawing, the description, and the claims individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations. The drawing schematically illustrates Figure 1 shows a passenger car in front view with a driver assistance system and a LiDAR system for monitoring a monitoring area in the direction of travel in front of the passenger car; Figure 2 shows a functional diagram of the LiDAR system and the driver assistance system from the Figure 1 Figure 3 shows a beam profile of a LiDAR system equipped with a transmitter. Figure 2 transmitted optical beam; Figure 4 shows an intensity distribution according to a first embodiment along the beam profile of the optical beam from the Figure 3 Figure 5 shows a front view of a receiver of a receiving device of the LiDAR system from the Figure 2 , to receive the reflected optical ray from the Figure 4 Figure 6 shows the intensity distributions of three optical beams, each of which has an intensity distribution according to Figure 4exhibits signals which are sent successively into the monitoring area in directions altered by a defined degree; Figure 7 shows the front view of the receiver from the Figure 5 , to receive the reflected optical rays from Figure 6 Figure 8 shows the intensity distributions of three optical beams according to a second embodiment, each of which has an asymmetric intensity distribution, which are successively sent into the monitoring area in directions changed by a defined amount; Figure 9 shows the front view of the receiver from the Figure 5 , to receive the reflected optical rays from Figure 8 Figure 10 shows a front view of a laser arrangement with three lasers arranged side by side, of a transmitting device according to a third embodiment of the LiDAR system from the Figures 1 and 2 Figure 11 shows a beam profile of an optical beam generated by the laser arrangement from the Figure 10is generated, wherein the optical beam is composed of the individual optical beams generated by the three lasers; Figure 12 shows an intensity distribution of the beam profile of the optical beam from the Figure 11 Figure 13: The front view of the receiver from the Figure 7 , to receive the reflected optical ray from the Figures 11 and 12 .

[0055] In the figures, identical components are labelled with the same reference symbols. embodiment(s) of the invention

[0056] In Figure 1 A vehicle 10 in the form of a passenger car is shown in a front view. The vehicle 10 includes a LiDAR system 12 and a driver assistance system 14. The LiDAR system 12 and the driver assistance system 14 are in the Figure 2 shown in a functional diagram.

[0057] The LiDAR system 12 is located, for example, in the front bumper of the vehicle 10 and is directed towards a monitoring area 16 in the direction of travel in front of the vehicle 10. The LiDAR system 12 can also be located elsewhere on the vehicle 10 and oriented differently. The vehicle 10 can also have several LiDAR systems 12, which may be oriented differently.

[0058] The LiDAR system 12 is functionally connected to the driver assistance system 14. Information about the monitoring area 16, which can be acquired by the LiDAR system 12, can be transmitted to the driver assistance system 14 via this connection. The driver assistance system 14 enables the vehicle 10 to be operated autonomously or semi-autonomously.

[0059] The LiDAR system 12 can detect objects 18 located within the monitoring area 16. Object information, such as distances, directions, and / or speeds of detected objects 18 relative to the LiDAR system 12, i.e., relative to the vehicle 10, can be determined.

[0060] The LiDAR system 12 can detect stationary or moving objects 18, such as vehicles, people, animals, plants, obstacles, road surface irregularities, such as potholes or stones, lane boundaries, traffic signs, open spaces, especially parking spaces, precipitation or the like, and / or movements of objects 18 and / or gestures. Figure 2 Object 18 is shown as an example.

[0061] For better orientation, the corresponding coordinate axes of a Cartesian xyz coordinate system are shown in some of the figures. In the illustrated embodiments, the x-axis extends, for example, parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle 10, the y-axis extends parallel to a transverse axis of the vehicle, and the z-axis extends vertically upwards perpendicular to the xy-plane. When the vehicle 10 is operating on a horizontal roadway, the x-axis and the y-axis extend horizontally, and the z-axis extends vertically.

[0062] In the Figure 2 The LiDAR system 12 and the exemplary object 18 are shown in a top view from above, viewed against the z-axis. The illustration is not to scale.

[0063] The LiDAR system 12 comprises a transmitting unit 20, a receiving unit 22 and a control and evaluation unit 24.

[0064] The transmitting device 20 comprises an optical beam source in the form of a laser 26, a beam shaping device in the form of a transmitting lens 28, and a beam deflection device 32, for example, in the form of a swiveling mirror. The laser 26 and the beam deflection device 32 are controllably connected to the control and evaluation unit 24.

[0065] The laser 26 can generate optical beams 32 in the form of laser pulses and send them towards the transmitting lens 28.

[0066] With the transmitting lens 28, the beam profile of the optical rays 32 can be shaped into a beam profile 34 with a defined intensity distribution 36.

[0067] In the Figure 3 An elliptical beam profile 34 of an optical beam 32 according to a first embodiment is shown as an example. The corresponding intensity distribution 36 is shown in the Figure 4The intensity distribution 36 is symmetrical with respect to a beam axis 37 and has approximately the form of a Gaussian curve. The beam axis 37 is, for example, perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the optical beam 32, or, for example, approximately parallel to the z-axis. The beam direction is, for example, the principal direction of propagation of the optical beam 32.

[0068] The beam profile 34 has, by way of example, three beam profile sections 38, namely 38a, 38b and 38c, with respective intensities 40, namely 40a, 40b and 44c.

[0069] The beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c are arranged side by side along an imaginary beam profile axis 39 of the beam profile 34. The beam profile axis 39 extends perpendicular to the beam direction of the optical beam 32, for example parallel to the xy-plane, and perpendicular to the beam axis 37. The dimensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c in the direction of the beam profile axis 39 are identical.

[0070] Beam profile section 38b lies at the center of beam profile 34 and encompasses the maximum of intensity distribution 36. The two beam profile sections 38a and 38c lie symmetrically on opposite sides of the central beam profile section 38b. The intensities 40a and 40c of the optical beam 32 in the two outer beam profile sections 38a and 38c are equal and each greater than the intensity 40b in the central beam profile section 38b.

[0071] The optical beams 32 with the defined beam profile 34 can be sent from the transmitting lens 28 to the beam deflection device 30. The beam deflection device 30 allows the beam directions of the optical beams 32 to be adjusted. In this way, the optical beams 32 can be directed into the monitoring area 16 with the respective beam direction.

[0072] The beam deflection device 30 can, for example, be controlled by the control and evaluation unit 24 to adjust the beam direction of the optical beams 32 in the monitoring area 16. In this way, by appropriately controlling the beam deflection device 30, the beam direction of the optical beams 32 in the monitoring area 16 can be pivoted, thus allowing the area to be scanned with the optical beams 32. For example, the beam deflection device 30 can be designed such that it can pivot the beam directions of the optical beams 32 in a plane, for example, parallel to the xy-plane, a normal operating orientation of the vehicle 10 in the horizontal plane.

[0073] The optical rays 32 striking object 18 can be reflected by object 18. The optical rays 32 reflected towards the receiving device 22 can be received by the receiving device 22. The intensity of the optical rays 32 changes depending on the reflectivity of the reflecting point on object 18.

[0074] The receiving device 22 comprises a receiver 42 and an optical imaging means in the form of a receiving lens 44.

[0075] The receiving lens 44 is positioned in front of the receiver 42 as viewed from the monitoring area 16. The receiving lens 44 can focus optical rays 32 reflected in the monitoring area 16 onto the receiver 42.

[0076] The receiver 42 according to a first embodiment is in the Figure 5The front view is shown with the viewing direction parallel to the x-axis. The receiver 42 is implemented as an example photodiode array. The receiver 42 has nine pixels, each forming an optical reception area 46 for optical beams 32. For clarity, the reception areas 46 are designated 46-1 to 46-9. The receiver 34 can convert the optical beams 32 incident on the reception areas 46 into electrical received quantities, for example, electrical received signals.

[0077] The receiver 42 is functionally connected to the control and evaluation unit 24. The control and evaluation unit 24 allows the receiver 42 to be controlled and information acquired by the receiver 42, such as electrical received parameters, to be evaluated.

[0078] The receiving areas 46 are arranged side by side in a row along an imaginary receiver axis 48. For example, the receiving area axis 48 runs parallel to the y-axis and perpendicular to the x-axis. For example, the distances 50 between the centers 52 of adjacent receiving areas 46 are identical.

[0079] The receiving lens 44 can focus the incident optical rays 32 onto the receiving areas 46 depending on their direction. From the positions of the illuminated receiving areas 46 within the photodiode array of the receiver 42, a direction can be determined from which the optical rays 32 originate, i.e., in which the reflecting object 18 is located relative to the LiDAR system 12.

[0080] Both the distances 50 of the centers 52 of the receiving areas 46 and the dimensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38 are identical. Therefore, the ratios of the distances 50 of the centers 52 to each other and the ratios of the dimensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38 to each other are also identical, in this embodiment being equal to 1.

[0081] The receiving lens 44 is adapted to the receiver 42 such that the dimensions 41 of the beam profile sections 38 of the reflected optical rays 32, which are imaged onto the receiving areas 46, correspond to the distances 50 between the centers 52. Thus, the three beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c can each be focused onto one of three adjacent receiving areas 46. Figure 5 for example, on the reception areas 46-4, 46-5 and 46-6.

[0082] If the direction of the reflected optical rays 32 is changed by an angle which causes a displacement of the beam profile 34 projected onto the receiving areas 46 along the receiver axis 48 by the value of the distance 50 between the centers 52 or by an integer multiple of the value of the distance 50, the respective beam profile sections 38 can each be shifted to a different receiving area 46.

[0083] In the Figure 6 The intensity distributions 36 of the beam profiles 34 of three optical beams 32 are shown as examples in three measurements. Figure 7Figure 1 shows the corresponding receiving areas 46 of the receiver 42. The beam direction of the optical beams 32 was changed by an angle at each measurement, which causes a shift of the beam profile 32 projected onto the receiving areas 46 by a distance 50. As a result, the beam profile sections 38a, 38b and 38c move to the adjacent receiving areas 46 from measurement to measurement.

[0084] In the first measurement, with the intensity distribution 36 represented by the solid line, the intensity 40a of beam profile section 38a is received by receiver 46-3 as an example. The maximum intensity 40b of beam profile section 38b is received by the adjacent receiver 46-4, and the intensity 40c of beam profile section 38c is received by receiver 46-5. The receivers 46 are read out simultaneously, so that the beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c reflected from the respective locations of the object 18 are recorded simultaneously by the corresponding receivers 46-3, 46-4, and 46-5.

[0085] In the second measurement, with the intensity distribution 36' shown by the dashed line, the intensity 40a of beam profile section 38a is received by the receiving area 46-4, the maximum intensity 40b of beam profile section 38b by the adjacent receiving area 46-5 and the intensity 40c of beam profile section 38c by the receiving area 46-6.

[0086] In the third measurement, with the intensity distribution 36" shown by the dotted line, the intensity 40a of beam profile section 38a is received by the receiving area 46-5, the maximum intensity 40b of beam profile section 38b by the adjacent receiving area 46-6 and the intensity 40c of beam profile section 38c by the receiving area 46-7.

[0087] In total, the locations of object 18 where the respective beam profile sections 38a, 38b, and 38c are reflected according to the beam direction of the transmitted optical beams 32 during the respective measurement are scanned with two different intensities 40 in the three measurements: 40a and 40c on the one hand, and 40b on the other. No change to the transmitting lens 28 and / or the transmitting power of the laser 26 is required for this. Thus, both weakly reflective areas of object 18 can be detected with the high intensity 40b of the second beam profile section 38b, and strongly reflective areas, such as retroreflective areas, of object 18, which would lead to crosstalk effects between the receiving areas 46 at high intensities, can be detected with the lower intensities 40a and 40b of the first beam profile section 38a and the third beam profile section 38c.Overall, this allows the dynamics of the LiDAR system 12 to be increased with respect to the reflectivity of detectable objects 18.

[0088] In the Figure 8 An intensity distribution 36 of a beam profile 34 of optical rays 32 is shown according to a second embodiment. Figure 9 shows the receiver 42 accordingly. Those elements which correspond to those of the first embodiment from the Figures 3 to 7Similar embodiments are provided with the same reference numerals. The second embodiment differs from the first in that the intensity distribution 36 of the beam profile 34 of the optical rays 32 is asymmetrical with respect to the beam axis 37. The intensity 40a of the first beam profile section 38a is lower than the intensity 40c of the third beam profile section 38c. In this way, three beam profile sections 38 with three different intensities 40 are realized in the beam profile 34. Thus, by appropriately swiveling the beam direction of the optical rays 32, the locations of the object 18 can be scanned successively with three different intensities 40a, 40b, and 40c.

[0089] In the Figure 10 An arrangement of three lasers 26 of a transmitter 20 of a LiDAR system 12 is shown in the third embodiment. Figure 11A beam profile 234 of an optical beam 32 is shown, which is composed of the individual beam profiles 34 of optical beams generated with the lasers 26. Figure 12 Figure 1 shows the intensity distribution 236 of the beam profile 234. The individual intensity distributions 36 of the individual beam profiles 34 correspond to the asymmetric intensity distribution 36 of the beam profile 34 of the second embodiment from the Figure 8

[0090] The three lasers 26 are arranged side by side along an imaginary transmitter transverse axis 254. The transmitter transverse axis 254 runs parallel to the receiver axis 48 of the receiver 42. The receiver 42 is located in the Figure 13 shown.

[0091] The lasers 26 and their respective, in the Figure 10The transmitting lenses 28 (not shown) are adapted to one another such that the beam profile sections 38 of the adjacent individual beam profiles 34 connect to one another. For example, the first beam profile section 38a of the second individual beam profile 34, in the Figure 12 in the middle, at the third beam profile section 38c of the first individual beam profile 34, in the Figure 12 left, on. In this way, a larger spatial area is scanned simultaneously with the composite beam profile 234. With the beam profile 234 of the reflected optical rays 32, all nine receiving areas 46 of the receiver 42 are covered simultaneously.

Claims

1. Method for operating a LiDAR system (12), in particular a LiDAR system (12) for a vehicle (10), in which at least one optical beam (32) is transmitted into at least one monitoring area (16) by at least one transmitting device (20), at least one receiving device (22) receives at least one optical beam (32) reflected by at least one object (18) present in at least one receiving area (46) (16), is received and converted into at least one received variable, at least one object piece of information relating to at least one object (18) reflecting the optical beam (32) is determined from at least one received variable, at least one optical beam (32) with an intensity distribution (36; 236) defined by its beam profile (34; 234) is transmitted, at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of the beam profile (34; 234) of the at least one optical beam (32) are imaged onto at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), are received by the receiving areas (46) and converted into respective receiving quantities, wherein the at least one optical beam (32) is transmitted in the at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c), characterized in that the at least one optical beam (32) is transmitted with a defined beam profile (34; 234) in which the ratios of the spatial extent (41) of the beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) in a spatial direction with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c) correspond to the ratios of the distances between the centers (50) of the at least two receiving areas (46).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one optical beam (32) is transmitted whose beam profile (34) has an intensity distribution (36) that is symmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis (37), and / or at least one optical beam (32) is emitted, the beam profile (234) of which has an intensity distribution (36; 236) that is asymmetrical with respect to at least one beam axis (37), and / or at least one optical beam (32) is transmitted whose beam profile (234) has at least three beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least two optical beams (32) are transmitted with a time delay, in particular one after the other, in different beam directions into the at least one monitoring area (16).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that changes in the beam directions of the at least two optical beams (32) are realized with at least one beam deflection device (30) and / or changes in beam directions are implemented in particular by temporally staggered activation of at least two beam sources (26) to which different beam directions are assigned.

5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the direction of the at least two transmitted optical beams (32) is set differently by a quantity, in particular an angle, which corresponds on the side of the receiving areas (46) to an integer multiple of a distance (50) between centers of adjacent receiving areas (46), and / or the directions of the at least two transmitted optical beams (32) are changed in a step size which corresponds on the side of the receiving areas (46) to a distance (50) between centers of adjacent receiving areas (46).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that to determine object information, the reception magnitudes of reception areas (46), are imaged onto the beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of the reflected at least one optical beam (32) with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c), are combined.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), onto which at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) are imaged, are read out in parallel, in particular simultaneously and / or at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), onto which at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) are imaged, are read out serially, in particular one after the other and / or only the receiving area (46) of the at least two receiving areas (46) onto which the at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) are imaged is read out, onto which the beam profile section (38a, 38b, 38c) with the greater intensity (40a, 40b, 40c) is imaged.

8. LiDAR system (12), in particular LiDAR system (12) for a vehicle (10), with at least one transmitting device (20) for transmitting optical beams (32) into at least one monitoring area (16), wherein the at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one beam source (26) for generating optical beams (32), with at least one receiving device (22) which has at least one receiving area (46) for receiving optical beams (32) reflected from objects (18) in the at least one monitoring area (16) and for converting received optical beams (32) into corresponding received values, and with at least one evaluation device (24) for determining object information about at least one object (18) reflecting optical beams (32) from determined reception values, the at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one means (28) for defining an intensity distribution (36; 236) in beam profiles (34; 234) of optical beams (32), (32), the at least one receiving device (22) has at least two receiving areas (46) that are arranged adjacent to each other, the at least one receiving device (22) has at least one imaging means (44) for imaging at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of beam profiles (34; 234) of optical beams (32) onto the at least two adjacent receiving areas (46), wherein the intensity (40a, 40b, 40c) in beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) of transmitted optical beams (32) prior to their reflection, which correspond to the at least two beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) imaged onto the at least two receiving areas (46), 38c) of the reflected optical beams (32) correspond to the at least two receiving areas (46), are different, characterized in that the at least one transmitting device (20) is designed to transmit the at least one optical beam (32) with a defined beam profile (34; 234) in which the ratios of the spatial extent (41) of the beam profile sections (38a, 38b, 38c) in a spatial direction with different intensities (40a, 40b, 40c) correspond to the ratios of the distances between the centers (50) of the at least two receiving areas (46).

9. LiDAR system according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one beam shaping means, in particular at least one optical lens (28) or the like, for shaping defined beam profiles (34; 234) of optical beams (32) generated by the at least one beam source (26) and / or at least one transmitting device (20) has several beam sources (26), each for generating individual optical beams (32), which are arranged such that the individual optical beams (32) are combined to form optical beams (32) with beam profiles (234) with defined intensity distributions (236).

10. LiDAR system according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that at least at least one transmitting device (20) has at least one beam deflection device (30), in particular at least one deflection mirror, at least one swivel mirror, at least one oscillating mirror and / or at least one diffractive optical element or the like.

11. Vehicle (10) with at least one LiDAR system (12), characterized in that the vehicle (10) has at least one LiDAR system (12) according to one of claims 8 to 10.