LIDAR DEVICE, METHOD OF OPERATION AND METHOD OF GENERATING INFORMATION THEREOF

Abstract

In one embodiment, a LIDAR device according to the present invention includes a light-emitting unit that generates an output optical signal and irradiates it onto a target area, a light-receiving unit that receives an input optical signal that is reflected from the target area and then input, an information generating unit that generates information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light-receiving unit, and a control unit that controls the light-emitting unit, the light-receiving unit, and the information generating unit, wherein the light-emitting unit has a field of view (FOV) that is pre-fixed in a first direction, and the control unit controls the FOV of the light-emitting unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lidar device, a method of operation and a method of generating information therefrom. [Background technology]

[0002] LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) devices measure the distance to a target object and visualize it using laser pulses that are emitted from the device and reflected back from the target object. LiDAR devices are used in a variety of technical fields that require 3D images. For example, LiDAR devices can be used in a variety of technical fields such as meteorology, aviation, space, and vehicles. Recently, LiDAR devices have rapidly become more important in the field of autonomous driving.

[0003] In general, a light emitting unit of a LIDAR device generates an output optical signal and irradiates it onto an object, a light receiving unit receives an input optical signal reflected from the object, and an information generating unit generates information about the object using the input optical signal received by the light receiving unit.

[0004] The light-emitting unit of the LIDAR device includes a scanner, which scans a predetermined field of view (FOV). The farther away from the LIDAR device is, the larger the area of ​​the target area corresponding to the FOV becomes. As the area of ​​the target area becomes larger, the longer it takes for the scanner to scan the target area, and the more power it consumes.

[0005] In addition, the detection rate is low due to ambient light, the reflection angle between the optical signal sent from the scanner and the reflector, and the various reflectivity characteristics of the reflector, making it difficult to obtain accurate information about the surrounding environment. Furthermore, there are problems with using an excessively strong light source, which can pose a risk to visual safety, and with highly reflective objects, the dynamic range of the optical detector's signal reception range can be exceeded, resulting in saturation due to the full-well phenomenon. These problems can affect the acquisition of signals from surrounding pixels and accurate distance information. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a LIDAR device with a fast response speed and excellent power efficiency, and a method for generating information therefrom.

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a LIDAR device and an information generating method thereof in which the FOV is adaptively adjusted according to the environment.

[0008] The technical problem that the present invention aims to achieve is to provide a lidar device and an operating method that improves the signal-to-noise ratio and improves signal detection capabilities.

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a lidar device and method of operation that can maintain the signal-to-noise ratio by measuring the intensity of ambient light and adjusting the current value of the incident laser signal accordingly.

[0010] The problems to be solved by the examples are not limited to these, and may also include the objectives and effects that can be grasped from the means for solving the problems and embodiments described below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] A LIDAR device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a light-emitting unit that generates an output optical signal and irradiates it onto a target area, a light-receiving unit that receives an input optical signal that is reflected from the target area and then input, an information generating unit that generates information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light-receiving unit, and a control unit that controls the light-emitting unit, the light-receiving unit, and the information generating unit, wherein the light-emitting unit has a field of view (FOV) that is pre-fixed in a first direction, and the control unit controls the FOV of the light-emitting unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0012] The light emitting unit has a predetermined overall FOV in the second direction, and the control unit can control the light emitting unit to scan only a portion of the overall FOV in the second direction based on information about the target area.

[0013] The control unit can extract an effective area from the target area based on information about the target area, and reduce the FOV of the light emitting unit in the second direction so that the light emitting unit scans the effective area.

[0014] The device may further include a sensing unit including at least one of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, and the control unit may control the FOV in the second direction of the light emitting unit based on a sensing result of the sensing unit.

[0015] The control unit may expand the FOV in the second direction, which has been reduced based on information about the target region, according to a sensing result of the sensing unit.

[0016] The light emitting unit may sequentially scan a plurality of lines extending in the first direction along the second direction.

[0017] The first direction may be a horizontal direction and the second direction may be a vertical direction.

[0018] The first direction may be a vertical direction and the second direction may be a horizontal direction.

[0019] An information generating method for a LIDAR device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of a light emitting unit generating an output optical signal and irradiating it onto a target area, a step of a light receiving unit receiving an input optical signal that is reflected from the target area and then input, a step of an information generating unit generating information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light receiving unit, and a step of a control unit controlling an FOV (field of view) of the light emitting unit, which has a predetermined FOV in a first direction, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0020] Controlling the FOV in the second direction may include reducing the FOV in the second direction based on information about the region of interest.

[0021] The controlling of the FOV in the second direction may further include expanding the FOV in the second direction, which has been reduced based on the information about the target region, according to a sensing result of a sensing unit.

[0022] A LIDAR device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a light-emitting unit that generates an output optical signal and irradiates it onto a target area; a light-receiving unit that receives an input optical signal that has been reflected from the target area and then input; an information generating unit that generates information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light-receiving unit; and a control unit that controls the light-emitting unit, the light-receiving unit, and the information generating unit, wherein the light-emitting unit includes a plurality of emitters arranged in an array, and the control unit extracts an effective area from the target area based on the information about the target area and drives only a portion of the plurality of emitters so that the light-emitting unit scans only the effective area.

[0023] The sensor may further include a sensing unit including at least one of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, and the control unit may control driving of the plurality of emitters based on the sensing result of the sensing unit.

[0024] A LIDAR device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an output unit that outputs an optical signal, a detection unit that detects a first signal generated when the optical signal is reflected from an observation target and a second signal that is ambient light, a depth information generation unit that generates depth information for the observation target based on the optical signal and the first signal, and a control unit that compares the intensity of the first signal with the intensity of the second signal and adjusts the intensity of the optical signal.

[0025] The detector can detect a third signal that is noise.

[0026] The controller may increase the intensity of the optical signal when a ratio of the intensity of the first signal to the sum of the intensity of the second signal and the intensity of the third signal decreases.

[0027] The controller may decrease the period of the optical signal when the ratio decreases.

[0028] The control unit may decrease or maintain the time width of the first signal when the intensity of the first signal increases.

[0029] The control unit may reduce the time width of the first signal when the intensity of the first signal is at a maximum value.

[0030] The control unit may control the intensity and the time width of the first signal so that the product of the intensity and the time width of the first signal is constant.

[0031] The control unit adjusts the period of the optical signal by comparing a first difference with a second difference, the first difference being a difference between a maximum value of intensity of the first signal in a first frame and an average value of intensity of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal, the second difference being a difference between a maximum value of intensity of the first signal in a second frame and an average value of intensity of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal, the second frame being a frame measured after the first frame.

[0032] When the second difference is smaller than the first difference, the control unit can decrease the period of the optical signal in proportion to the difference between the first difference and the second difference.

[0033] The control unit can adjust the intensity of the optical signal in response to a change in the second signal.

[0034] An operating method of a LIDAR device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step of detecting a first signal generated when the optical signal is reflected from an observation target and a second signal which is ambient light by a detection unit, a step of generating depth information for the observation target based on the optical signal and the first signal by a depth information generation unit, and a step of adjusting the intensity of the optical signal by comparing the intensity of the first signal with the intensity of the second signal by a control unit.

[0035] The detecting step may include the step of the detector detecting a third signal that is noise.

[0036] The adjusting step may include the control unit increasing the intensity of the optical signal when a ratio of the intensity of the first signal to the sum of the intensity of the second signal and the intensity of the third signal decreases.

[0037] The adjusting step may include the controller decreasing a period of the optical signal when the ratio decreases.

[0038] The adjusting step may include the control unit decreasing or maintaining the time width of the first signal when the magnitude of the first signal increases.

[0039] The adjusting step may include the control unit decreasing a time width of the first signal when the intensity of the first signal is at a maximum value.

[0040] The adjusting step may include the step of the control unit controlling the intensity and the time width of the first signal so that the product of the intensity and the time width of the first signal is constant.

[0041] the adjusting step includes a step in which the control unit compares a first difference with a second difference to adjust a period of the optical signal, the first difference being a difference between a maximum value of intensity of the first signal in a first frame and average values ​​of intensity of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal, and the second difference being a difference between a maximum value of intensity of the first signal in a second frame and average values ​​of intensity of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal;

[0042] The second frame may be a frame measured after the first frame.

[0043] In the adjusting, the control unit may decrease the period of the optical signal in proportion to the difference between the first difference and the second difference if the second difference is smaller than the first difference.

[0044] The adjusting step may include the controller adjusting the intensity of the optical signal in response to a change in the second signal.

[0045] A LIDAR device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an optical output device (VCSEL, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) that outputs an optical signal, a group of lenses that focus the optical signal and output the focused optical signal to the outside, an optical detection device (SPAD, Single Photon Avalanche Diode) that detects a first signal generated when the optical signal is reflected from an observation target and a second signal that is ambient light, a depth information generation unit that generates depth information for the observation target based on the optical signal and the first signal, a control unit that compares the intensity of the first signal with the intensity of the second signal and adjusts the intensity of the optical signal, and a memory that stores data on the intensity of the first signal adjusted according to changes in the intensity of the second signal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a LIDAR device with a fast response speed and excellent power efficiency and a method for generating information therefrom can be provided.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a LIDAR device and a method for generating information therefrom in which an FOV is adaptively adjusted according to the environment can be provided.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a dToF LiDAR capable of maintaining a signal detection rate even when ambient light is detected.

[0049] According to embodiments of the present invention, signal detection rates can be maintained by measuring the intensity of ambient light and adjusting the laser intensity accordingly to improve the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0050] The various beneficial advantages and effects of the present invention are not limited to the above, but will be more easily understood in the course of describing specific embodiments of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0051] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a LIDAR device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a flowchart of an information generating method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart of a method for controlling the FOV of a light-emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is another example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10 is another example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]10 is yet another example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a lidar device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart of an information generating method according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart of a method for controlling the FOV of a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12A] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12B] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13A] 10 is another example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13B] 10 is another example of a target area to which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a light-emitting unit included in a LIDAR device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a LIDAR device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a LIDAR device according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] 1 is a schematic conceptual diagram of an operation method of a lidar device according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 18] 6 is a graph showing the intensities of first and second signals according to an example. [Figure 19] 10 is an image of a histogram showing a case where the intensity of a second signal increases according to an embodiment. [Figure 20] 10 is an image showing a change in a signal when adjusting the intensity of an optical signal according to an embodiment. [Figure 21] 10 is an image showing a change in a signal when the period of an optical signal according to an embodiment is adjusted. [Figure 22]10 is an image showing a change in a signal when the width of a first signal is adjusted according to an embodiment. [Figure 23] 10 is an image showing a first difference and a second difference in a first frame and a second frame according to an embodiment. [Figure 24] 1 is a flowchart of a rider operation method according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] However, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments and may be embodied in various different forms, and one or more of the components of the embodiments may be selectively combined or substituted within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0054] Furthermore, unless otherwise clearly defined and described, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the embodiments of the present invention may be interpreted in a way that would be commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, and commonly used terms, such as dictionary-defined terms, may be interpreted in light of the contextual meaning of the relevant art.

[0055] Furthermore, the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are intended to explain the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0056] In this specification, the singular can also include the plural unless otherwise specified in the context, and when it is stated as "A and (and) at least one (or more) of B and C," it can include one or more of all possible combinations of A, B, and C.

[0057] Additionally, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used to describe components of embodiments of the present invention.

[0058] Such terms are merely used to distinguish a component from other components, and are not intended to limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components.

[0059] Furthermore, when a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it can include not only cases where the component is directly coupled, coupled, or connected to the other component, but also cases where the component is "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" by yet another component between the component and the other component.

[0060] Furthermore, when something is described as being formed or disposed "above or below" a component, "above" or "below" includes not only the case where two components are in direct contact with each other, but also the case where one or more other components are formed or disposed between the two components. Furthermore, when something is expressed as "above or below," it can mean not only the upper direction but also the lower direction based on one component.

[0061] The LIDAR device according to the embodiment of the present invention may refer to, but is not limited to, a LIDAR device mounted on a vehicle to measure the distance between the vehicle and an object. The LIDAR device according to the embodiment of the present invention may extract depth information using a Time of Flight (ToF) principle or a Frequency Modulation Continuous Wave (FMCW) principle. In this specification, the LIDAR device may be referred to as an information generating device, a depth information generating device, or a camera device.

[0062] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a lidar device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 1, a LIDAR device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a light emitting unit 100, a light receiving unit 200, an information generating unit 300, and a control unit 400.

[0064] The light-emitting unit 100 may generate and output an output optical signal in the form of a pulse wave or a continuous wave. The continuous wave may be in the form of a sinusoid wave or a squared wave. By generating the output optical signal in the form of a pulse wave or a continuous wave, the LIDAR device 1000 can detect a time difference or phase difference between the output optical signal output from the light-emitting unit 100 and the input optical signal reflected from the target area and input to the light-receiving unit 200. In this specification, output light refers to light output from the light-emitting unit 100 and incident on an object, and input light refers to light output from the light-emitting unit 100, reaches the target area, reflects from the target area, and inputs to the light-receiving unit 200. In this specification, the pattern of the output light may be referred to as an emission pattern, and the pattern of the input light may be referred to as an incident pattern. From the perspective of the target area, the output light may be incident light, and the input light may be reflected light.

[0065] The light emitting unit 100 includes a light source and a lens group.

[0066] The light source generates and outputs laser pulses. The light source may be a light-emitting diode (LED), or may have a configuration in which multiple LEDs are arranged in a regular pattern. Alternatively, the light source may include an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) or a laser diode (LD). Alternatively, the light source may be a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). A VCSEL is a type of laser diode that converts electrical signals into optical signals and can output a wavelength of approximately 800 to 1000 nm, for example, approximately 850 nm or approximately 940 nm. The light source repeatedly flashes (on / off) at regular time intervals to generate an output optical signal in the form of a pulse wave or a continuous wave. The regular time interval may be the frequency of the output optical signal.

[0067] The lens group may collect light output from the light source and output the collected light to the outside. The lens group may be disposed above the light source and spaced apart from the light source. Here, above the light source may refer to the side from which light is output from the light source. The lens group may include at least one lens, and when the lens group includes multiple lenses, the lenses may be aligned based on a central axis to form an optical system. Here, the central axis may be the same as the optical axis of the optical system. The lens group may include a diffusion member that receives light output from the light source and then refracts or diffracts the received light to output it.

[0068] The light receiving unit 200 may receive an optical signal reflected from the target area. At this time, the received optical signal may be an optical signal output from the light emitting unit 100 that is reflected from the target area.

[0069] The light receiving section 200 includes an image sensor, a filter disposed on the image sensor, and a lens group disposed on the filter.

[0070] The optical signal reflected from the target area can pass through the lens group of the light receiving unit 200. The optical axis of the lens group of the light receiving unit 200 can be aligned with the optical axis of the image sensor. A filter can be disposed between the lens group of the light receiving unit 200 and the image sensor. The filter can be disposed on the optical path between the target area and the image sensor. The filter can filter out light having a predetermined wavelength range. The filter can pass light of a specific wavelength. For example, the filter can pass light in the infrared band and block light other than the infrared band. The image sensor can receive the optical signal and output the received optical signal as an electrical signal. The image sensor can detect light of a wavelength corresponding to the wavelength of the light output by the light emitting unit 100. For example, the image sensor can detect light in the infrared band.

[0071] The image sensor may have a structure in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a grid.

[0072] The light receiving unit 200 and the light emitting unit 100 may be arranged side by side. The light receiving unit 200 may be arranged next to the light emitting unit 100. The light receiving unit 200 may be arranged in the same direction as the light emitting unit 100.

[0073] The information generator 300 generates information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light receiver 200. The information about the target area may include three-dimensional information about the target area. For example, the information about the target area may include depth information about the target area. For example, the information generator 300 may calculate depth information about the object using the time of flight it takes for the output optical signal output from the light emitter 100 to be reflected from the object and input to the light receiver 200. For example, the information generator 300 may calculate a time difference between the output optical signal and the input optical signal using the electrical signal received by the image sensor, and calculate the distance between the target area and the LIDAR device 1000 using the calculated time difference. For example, the information generator 300 may calculate a phase difference between the output optical signal and the input optical signal using the electrical signal received from the image sensor, and calculate the distance between the target area and the LIDAR device 1000 using the calculated phase difference.

[0074] The control unit 400 controls the operation of the light emitting unit 100, the light receiving unit 200, and the information generating unit 300. The information generating unit 300 and the control unit 400 may be implemented in the form of a printed circuit board (PCB). Alternatively, the information generating unit 300 and the control unit 400 may be implemented in different configurations. Alternatively, the control unit 400 may be included in a terminal or a vehicle in which the LIDAR device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed. For example, the control unit 400 may be implemented in the form of an application processor (AP) of a smartphone in which the LIDAR device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed, or in the form of an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle in which the LIDAR device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

[0075] The LIDAR device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a fixed-type (solid-state) LIDAR. Unlike mechanical LIDARs that rotate 360°, fixed-type LIDARs do not include mechanical components that rotate the LIDAR device 1000, and therefore have the advantages of being inexpensive and compact. The fixed-type LIDAR may be, for example, one of a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) LIDAR, a flash LIDAR, and an OPA (Optical Phase Array) LIDAR. In a MEMS LIDAR, the tilt angle of a mirror can be minutely changed by an electrical signal. In a flash LIDAR, an optical flash is used to illuminate the forward environment with a single large-area laser pulse. In an OPA, an optical phase modulator controls the speed of light passing through a lens, thereby controlling the shape of the optical wavefront.

[0076] According to an embodiment of the present invention, to implement a fixed-type LIDAR, the light emitting unit 100 may include a scanner. In the fixed-type LIDAR, the scanner may include a mirror or a diffusing member, or may be implemented in the form of a chip.

[0077] Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting unit 100 of the LIDAR device 1000 irradiates an output optical signal onto a target area. Here, the target area may correspond to a field of view (FOV) area preset for the light emitting unit 100. The area of ​​the target area corresponding to the FOV increases as the distance from the LIDAR device 1000 increases, and the larger the area of ​​the target area, the longer it takes the light emitting unit 100 to scan the target area and the more power is consumed.

[0078] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is desired to adaptively adjust the area where the output optical signal is irradiated. Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the FOV of the light emitting unit is controlled to adaptively adjust the area where the output optical signal is irradiated will be described.

[0079] Fig. 2 is a flowchart of an information generating method according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a method of controlling the FOV of a light-emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 4 and 5 are examples of a target area onto which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 6 and 7 are other examples of a target area onto which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 8 is yet another example of a target area onto which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] 1 and 2, the light emitting unit 100 generates an output optical signal and irradiates the output optical signal onto a target area (S200). At this time, the light emitting unit 100 may irradiate the output optical signal onto the target area with a preset FOV. The preset FOV may include a first direction FOV and a second direction FOV. In one embodiment, the first direction FOV may be a horizontal direction FOV, and the second direction FOV may be a vertical direction FOV. In another embodiment, the first direction FOV may be a vertical direction FOV, and the second direction FOV may be a horizontal direction FOV. Here, the first direction FOV and the second direction FOV are not limited to the vertical direction FOV and the horizontal direction FOV.

[0081] Next, the light receiving unit 200 receives the input optical signal reflected from the target area (S210), and the information generating unit 300 generates information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light receiving unit 200 (S220). Regarding steps S200 to S220, the same content as that described with reference to FIG. 1 will not be described again.

[0082] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 400 controls the FOV of the light emitting unit 300 (S230). The light emitting unit 300 has a preset FOV, and the control unit 400 can reduce or expand the preset FOV of the light emitting unit 100.

[0083] 3, the light emitting unit 100 scans a preset FOV, i.e., the entire FOV, of the light emitting unit 100 (S300). Here, the entire FOV may include at least one of a first direction entire FOV and a second direction entire FOV.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 4, the light-emitting unit 100 may have a predetermined FOV in the horizontal direction, which is illustrated as a first direction. That is, the horizontal FOV of the predetermined FOV of the light-emitting unit 100 may be a fixed FOV. The light-emitting unit 100 may then sequentially scan a plurality of lines extending in the horizontal direction along a vertical direction, which is illustrated as a second direction. In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 100 may be implemented as a MEMS lidar. That is, a plurality of lines extending in the horizontal direction may be sequentially scanned in the vertical direction using a mirror angle that is finely adjusted according to a voltage applied to the light-emitting unit 100.

[0085] 6, the light-emitting unit 100 may have a predetermined FOV in the vertical direction, which is illustrated as a first direction. That is, the vertical FOV of the predetermined FOV of the light-emitting unit 100 may be a fixed FOV. The light-emitting unit 100 may then sequentially scan a plurality of lines extending in the vertical direction along the horizontal direction, which is illustrated as a second direction. In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 100 may be implemented as a MEMS lidar. That is, a plurality of lines extending in the vertical direction may be sequentially scanned in the horizontal direction using a mirror angle that is finely adjusted according to a voltage applied to the light-emitting unit 100.

[0086] 8, the light emitting unit 100 may be implemented as a flashlight lidar. That is, the light emitting unit 100 may irradiate an output optical signal onto a target area in a flash manner so as to cover the entire predetermined vertical and horizontal FOVs.

[0087] Referring back to FIG. 3, the information generation unit 300 then detects an abnormality in the surrounding FOV (S310). If there is an object to be detected in the surrounding FOV, it may be determined that there is an abnormality in the surrounding FOV. For example, if the LIDAR device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle, if another vehicle, person, animal, or other obstacle is detected in the surrounding FOV, it may be determined that there is an abnormality in the surrounding FOV. The abnormality in the surrounding FOV may be detected based on information about the target area in the surrounding FOV. That is, step S300 in which the light-emitting unit 100 scans the entire FOV and step S310 in which the information generation unit 300 detects an abnormality in the surrounding FOV may be performed by steps S200 to S220 of FIG. 2.

[0088] As described above, the light emitting unit 100 has a preset overall horizontal FOV and an overall vertical FOV.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 4, if a predetermined FOV is set in the horizontal direction (illustrated as the first direction), the entire vertical direction FOV (illustrated as the second direction) may include an effective FOV and a peripheral FOV. The effective FOV may be an area where the object to be detected is relatively likely to exist, i.e., an area including the center of the target area, and the peripheral FOV may be an area where the object to be detected is relatively unlikely to exist, i.e., an area located around the effective FOV. The effective FOV may be located between the upper peripheral FOV and the lower peripheral FOV. The effective FOV and the peripheral FOV may be set in advance or adaptively set by the control unit 300. For example, the control unit 300 may extract an effective area from the entire FOV. Although the heights of the effective FOV, upper peripheral FOV, and lower peripheral FOV along the second direction are illustrated as being similar to each other, this is not limiting. The height of the effective FOV along the second direction may be 30% to 90% of the entire FOV, preferably 40% to 85%, and more preferably 50% to 80%. This allows the power consumption of the LIDAR device 1000 to be reduced while still ensuring a sufficient effective FOV.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 6, if a predetermined FOV is set in the vertical direction (illustrated as the first direction), the entire horizontal FOV (illustrated as the second direction) may include an effective FOV and a peripheral FOV. The effective FOV may be an area where the object to be detected is relatively likely to exist, i.e., an area including the center of the target area, and the peripheral FOV may be an area where the object to be detected is relatively unlikely to exist, i.e., an area located around the effective FOV. The effective FOV may be located between the right peripheral FOV and the left peripheral FOV. The effective FOV and the peripheral FOV may be set in advance or adaptively set by the control unit 300. For example, the control unit 300 may extract an effective area from the entire FOV. Although the widths of the effective FOV, right peripheral FOV, and left peripheral FOV along the second direction are illustrated as being similar to each other, this is not limiting. The width of the effective FOV along the second direction may be 30% to 90% of the entire FOV, preferably 40% to 85%, and more preferably 50% to 80%. This allows the power consumption of the LIDAR device 1000 to be reduced while still ensuring a sufficient effective FOV.

[0091] Next, if the information generating unit 300 detects an abnormality in the surrounding FOV in step S310, it is necessary to generate information on the target area for the surrounding FOV, so the control unit 400 controls the light emitting unit 100 to scan the entire FOV (S300).

[0092] If the information generator 300 does not detect an abnormality in the peripheral FOV in step S310, the controller 400 controls the light-emitting unit 100 to scan only the effective FOV (S320). That is, if the light-emitting unit 100 has a pre-fixed FOV in the horizontal direction (shown as a first direction) as shown in FIG. 4, the controller 400 may control the light-emitting unit 100 to scan only the effective FOV of the entire vertical FOV (shown as a second direction) as shown in FIG. 5. For example, the controller 400 may extract an effective area from the entire vertical FOV based on information about the target area and reduce the vertical FOV of the light-emitting unit 100 so that the light-emitting unit 100 scans only the effective area. Alternatively, if the light-emitting unit 100 has a pre-fixed FOV in the vertical direction (shown as a first direction) as shown in FIG. 6, the controller 400 may control the light-emitting unit 100 to scan only the effective FOV of the entire horizontal FOV (shown as a second direction) as shown in FIG. 7. For example, the control unit 400 can extract an effective area from the entire horizontal FOV based on information about the target area, and reduce the horizontal FOV of the light emitting unit 100 so that the light emitting unit 100 scans only the effective area.

[0093] According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the time and power consumed by the light emitting unit 100 for scanning the entire FOV, and accordingly, it is possible to increase the resolution of the information generating unit 300.

[0094] Fig. 9 is a block diagram of a LIDAR device according to another embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 10 is a flowchart of an information generating method according to another embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 11 is a flowchart of a method for controlling the FOV of a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 12 is an example of a target area onto which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 13 is another example of a target area onto which output light is irradiated by a light-emitting unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] 9, a LIDAR device 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a light emitting unit 100, a light receiving unit 200, an information generating unit 300, and a control unit 400. Duplicate descriptions of the light emitting unit 100, the light receiving unit 200, the information generating unit 300, and the control unit 400 that are the same as those described above will be omitted.

[0096] A LIDAR device 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention further includes a sensor unit 500. The sensor unit 500 may include at least one of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor. A gyro sensor is a sensor that measures angular velocity using three axes, and can thereby measure rotation. The sensor unit 500 may be included in the LIDAR device 1000, but is not limited thereto. The sensor unit 500 may be disposed outside the LIDAR device 1000, for example, inside a vehicle in which the LIDAR device 1000 is mounted, and a sensing result sensed by the sensor unit 500 may be transmitted to the LIDAR device 1000.

[0097] 9 and 10, the light emitting unit 100 generates an output optical signal and irradiates it onto a target area (S1000), the light receiving unit 200 receives an input optical signal reflected from the target area and then input (S1010), and the information generating unit 300 generates information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light receiving unit 200 (S1020). Regarding steps S1000 to S1020, the same content as that described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 will not be described again.

[0098] Next, the control unit 400 controls the FOV of the light emitting unit 100 using the information about the target area generated in step S1020 (S1030). With respect to step S1030, the same explanations as for step S230 of FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3 to 8 may be applied.

[0099] Next, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 400 further controls the FOV (S1040) using the sensing result of the sensing unit 500. To explain step S1040 in more detail, referring to Fig. 11, when the light emitting unit 100 scans only the effective FOV (S1100), and the control unit 400 receives the sensing result of the sensing unit 500 (S1110), the control unit 400 controls the light emitting unit 100 to expand the FOV according to the sensing result (S1120).

[0100] For example, referring to Figures 12(a), 12(b), 13(a) and 13(b), it is assumed that the light emitting unit 100 is controlled by the control unit 400 to scan only the effective FOV.

[0101] 12(a), if the sensor unit 500 detects that the vehicle equipped with the LIDAR device 1000 is moving uphill, the control unit 400 may control the light emitting unit 100 to further scan the lower peripheral FOV. Conversely, if the sensor unit 500 detects that the vehicle equipped with the LIDAR device 1000 is moving downhill, as shown in FIG. 12(b), the control unit 400 may control the light emitting unit 100 to further scan the upper peripheral FOV.

[0102] 13(a), if the sensor unit 500 detects that the vehicle on which the LIDAR device 1000 is mounted is turning left, the control unit 400 may control the light emitting unit 100 to further scan the left peripheral FOV. Conversely, if the sensor unit 500 detects that the vehicle on which the LIDAR device 1000 is mounted is turning right, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the control unit 400 may control the light emitting unit 100 to further scan the right peripheral FOV.

[0103] In this way, when the control unit 400 controls the light emitting unit 100 based on the sensing result of the sensor unit 500, the FOV can be adaptively expanded according to the environment in which the vehicle is moving. As a result, the light emitting unit 100 does not need to constantly scan the entire FOV, which increases the response speed of the LIDAR device 1000, reduces power consumption, and enables the FOV to be expanded in real time according to the environment.

[0104] While the above description focuses on an embodiment in which the FOV of the light-emitting unit is controlled to adaptively adjust the area illuminated with the output optical signal, the present invention is not limited thereto. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the area illuminated with the output optical signal may be adaptively adjusted by controlling the driving of the light-emitting unit 100.

[0105] FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram of a light-emitting unit included in a LIDAR device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] 14, the light source of the light emitting unit 100 includes a plurality of emitters arranged in an array, and the emitters are arranged in an m*n matrix, and the driving of the plurality of emitters is controlled individually. That is, the control unit 400 can control some of the plurality of emitters to be turned on and the remaining some to be turned off.

[0107] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 400 extracts an effective area from the target area based on information about the target area, and drives only some of the emitters so that the light emitting unit 100 scans only the effective area. For example, the control unit 400 may drive only the emitters included in M1 or only the emitters included in M2 among the multiple emitters based on the position of the effective area. For example, when the light emitting unit 100 emits light having an effective FOV in the horizontal direction, the light emitting unit 100 may drive only the emitters included in M1 among the multiple emitters, and when the light emitting unit 100 emits light having an effective FOV in the vertical direction, the light emitting unit 100 may drive only the emitters included in M2 among the multiple emitters. For detailed descriptions of generating information about the target area and extracting the effective area, please refer to the contents described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13.

[0108] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 400 may further control the driving of the plurality of emitters according to the sensing result of the sensing unit 500. For example, when it is necessary to expand the effective area of ​​the sensing result of the sensing unit 500 while only the emitters included in M1 among the plurality of emitters are driven by the control unit 400, the control unit 400 may control at least some of the emitters not included in M1 to be further driven. For a detailed description of the sensing result of the sensing unit 500 and the associated expansion of the effective area, please refer to the contents described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13.

[0109] FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a LIDAR device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0110] The LIDAR device may include a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit. However, since components such as the substrate 10, holder 30, and shielding can 50 are integrally formed and shared by both the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit, it may be difficult to distinguish between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit. In this case, each of the above components may be understood as a component of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit, respectively. However, as a variant, the shared components such as the substrate 10, holder 30, and shielding can 50 may be provided separately for the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit.

[0111] The light-emitting section can include a substrate 10, a light source 20, a holder 30, a diffusing member 41, a diffuser ring 42, and a shielding can 50. The light-receiving section can include a substrate 10, a sensor 60, a filter 80, a holder 30, a lens 70, a barrel 71, and a shielding can 50.

[0112] The substrate 10 may include a printed circuit board (PCB). The substrate 10 may be connected to a connector through an FPCB 91. The substrate 10 and the FPCB 91 may be formed of an RFPCB (Rigid Flexible PCB). The light source 20 and the sensor 60 may be disposed on the substrate 10. The substrate 10 may be disposed below the holder 30. The substrate 10 may include terminals. The terminals of the substrate 10 may be coupled to coupling portions of the shielding can 50. The terminals of the substrate 10 may include multiple terminals. The terminals of the substrate 10 may include two terminals.

[0113] The light source 20 may be disposed on the substrate 10. The light source 20 may be disposed in contact with the substrate 10. The light source 20 may be disposed above the substrate 10. The light source 20 may be disposed on the substrate 10. The light source 20 may correspond to the light source 110 described above.

[0114] The holder 30 may be disposed on the substrate 10. The holder 30 may be disposed in contact with the substrate 10. The holder 30 may be disposed on top of the substrate 10. The holder 30 may be disposed on the substrate 10. The holder 30 may be fixed to the substrate 10 by an adhesive. The holder 30 may house the light source 20, the diffuser module 40, the sensor 60, and the filter 80 inside. The holder 30 may be a plastic injection molding. The holder 30 may be formed by injection molding.

[0115] The diffuser module 40 may include a diffusion member 41 and a diffuser ring 42. The diffuser module 40 may be integrally formed as in the modified example, but in this embodiment, the diffusion member 41 and the diffuser ring 42 may be separately manufactured to increase moldability during injection molding. The diffusion member 41 and the diffuser ring 42 may be separated from each other.

[0116] The diffusing member 41 may be a diffuser lens. The diffusing member 41 may correspond to the diffusing member 120 or 400 described above. The diffusing member 41 may be disposed within the holder 30. The diffusing member 41 may be coupled to the holder 30. The diffusing member 41 may be fixed to the holder 30. The diffusing member 41 may be disposed on the optical path of light emitted from the light source 20. The diffusing member 41 may be disposed on the light source 20. The diffusing member 41 may be disposed above the light source 20. The diffusing member 41 may be a plastic injection molding. The diffusing member 41 may be formed by plastic injection molding. The height of the upper end of the diffusing member 41 may correspond to the height of the upper end of the lens 70. The diffusing member 41 may be inserted upward in the vertical direction and coupled to the holder 30. In this case, the upward direction may be from the bottom of the holder 30 to the top of the holder 30. A portion of the diffusing member 41 may overlap the holder 30 in the upward direction.

[0117] The diffuser ring 42 can be disposed in the holder 30. The diffuser ring 42 can be fixed to the holder 30. The diffuser ring 42 can be bonded to the holder 30. The diffuser ring 42 can be disposed below the diffusing member 41. The diffuser ring 42 can support the diffusing member 41. The diffuser ring 42 can be in contact with the diffusing member 41. The diffuser ring 42 can be a plastic injection product. The diffuser ring 42 can be formed by plastic injection.

[0118] The shielding can 50 may cover the body of the holder 30. The shielding can 50 may include a cover. The shielding can 50 may include a cover can. The shielding can 50 may be made of a non-magnetic material. The shielding can 50 may be formed of a metal material. The shielding can 50 may be formed of a metal plate. The shielding can 50 may be electrically connected to the substrate 10. The shielding can 50 may be connected to the substrate 10 through solder balls, through which the shielding can 50 may be grounded. The shielding can 50 may block electromagnetic interference (EMI). In this case, the shielding can 500 may be referred to as an "EMI shielding can." In this embodiment, the use of high voltage inside the optical device may increase electromagnetic interference, but the shielding can 50 may block the electromagnetic interference.

[0119] The sensor 60 may be disposed on the substrate 10. The sensor 60 may be disposed on the other side of the partition wall of the holder 30 on the substrate 10. That is, the sensor 60 may be disposed on the opposite side of the light source 20 with respect to the partition wall of the holder 30. The sensor 60 may detect infrared light. The sensor 60 may detect light of a specific wavelength among infrared light. The sensor 60 may detect light that has passed through the filter 80. The sensor 60 may detect light in the wavelength band of the light source 20. As a result, the sensor 60 may detect light emitted from the light source 20 and reflected by the subject, thereby sensing 3D image information of the subject. The effective sensing area of ​​the sensor 60 is disposed to correspond to the diffusion member 41, but the sensor 60 may be disposed as a whole biased toward the partition wall. A circuit pattern of the sensor 60 may be disposed on the portion of the sensor 60 biased toward the partition wall.

[0120] The lens 70 may be fixed within the barrel 71. The lens 70 may be a plastic injection product. The lens 70 may be formed by plastic injection. The lens 70 may include multiple lenses.

[0121] The filter 80 may be disposed between the lens 70 and the sensor 60. The filter 80 may be a band pass filter that passes light in a specific wavelength band. The filter 80 may pass infrared light. The filter 80 may pass light of a specific wavelength among infrared light. The filter 80 may pass light in the wavelength band of light emitted by the light source 20. The filter 80 may block visible light. The filter 80 may be coupled to the holder 30. A groove of a size corresponding to the filter 80 may be formed in the holder 30, and the filter 80 may be inserted into the groove and fixed with an adhesive. The groove in the holder 30 may also be formed with an adhesive injection groove for injecting adhesive between the filter 80 and the holder 30. The filter 80 may be disposed at a position lower than the position of the diffuser ring 42.

[0122] FIG. 16 is a configuration diagram of a LIDAR device according to an embodiment.

[0123] 16, a LIDAR device 2000 may include an output unit 2100, a receiving unit 2200, a detecting unit 2300, a control unit 2400, and a depth information generating unit 2500. Only components related to this embodiment are shown in the LIDAR device 2000 illustrated in FIG. 1. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the LIDAR device 2000 may further include other general components in addition to the components illustrated in FIG.

[0124] The LIDAR device 2000 according to the embodiment may use a point scanning method, and therefore, the intensity of light received by the detector 2300 may be lower than that of other methods, such as a flash method. The LIDAR device 2000 may also use a line scanning method or a flash method in addition to the point scanning method. Therefore, an avalanche photodiode (APD) or a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), which have high sensing sensitivity, may be adopted as the detector 2300. Depending on whether the detector 2300 includes an APD or a SPAD light receiving element, specific circuit configurations such as an analog front end (AFE) and a time-to-digital converter (TDC) may vary.

[0125] FIG. 17 is a schematic conceptual diagram of an operation method of a lidar device according to an embodiment.

[0126] 16 and 17, the LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include an output unit that outputs an optical signal, a detection unit that detects a first signal generated when the optical signal is reflected from an observation target and a second signal that is ambient light, a depth information generation unit that generates depth information for the observation target based on the optical signal and the first signal, and a control unit that compares the intensity of the first signal with the intensity of the second signal and adjusts the intensity of the optical signal.

[0127] The output unit 2100 can output an optical signal and transmit it to the receiving unit 2200 .

[0128] The output unit 2100 may include a light source such as an edge-emitting laser, a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), a distributed feedback laser, a light-emitting diode (LED), or a superluminescent diode (SLD). The output unit 2100 may generate and emit light of multiple different wavelength bands. The output unit 2100 may generate pulsed light or continuous light. The continuous light may be in the form of a sinusoid wave or a square wave. By generating the output optical signal in the form of pulsed light or continuous light, the LIDAR device 2000 can detect a time difference or phase difference between the output optical signal output from the output unit 2100 and the input optical signal reflected from an object and input to the receiver 2200. In this specification, the output optical signal may be referred to as an optical signal, and the object may be referred to as an observed object. From the perspective of the observed object, the output optical signal may be incident light.

[0129] The output unit 2100 may include a light source, a lens group disposed on the light source, and a diffusion member disposed on the lens group. The light source generates and outputs light. The light generated by the light source may be infrared light with a wavelength of 770 to 3000 nm, or may be visible light with a wavelength of 380 to 770 nm. The light source may be a light-emitting diode (LED), and may have a configuration in which multiple LEDs are arranged in a regular pattern. Alternatively, the light source may include an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) or a laser diode (LD). Alternatively, the light source may be a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). A VCSEL is a type of laser diode that converts electrical signals into optical signals and can output light with a wavelength of approximately 800 to 1000 nm, for example, approximately 850 nm or approximately 940 nm. The light source repeatedly flashes (on / off) at regular time intervals to generate an output optical signal in the form of a pulse wave or a continuous wave. The regular time interval may be the frequency of the output optical signal.

[0130] The lens group may condense light output from the light source and output the condensed light to the outside. The lens group may be disposed above the light source and spaced apart from the light source. Here, above the light source may refer to the side from which light is output from the light source. The lens group may include at least one lens. When the lens group includes multiple lenses, the lenses may be aligned based on a central axis to form an optical system. Here, the central axis may be the same as the optical axis of the optical system.

[0131] The diffusion member receives the light output from the light source and the lens group, and then refracts or diffracts the received light and outputs it.

[0132] The optical signals output from the output unit 2100 may be controlled by the control unit 2400. The output unit 2100 may output optical signals having different intensities or periods.

[0133] The receiving unit 2200 may receive the reflected light reflected from the object. At this time, the received reflected light may be the optical signal output from the output unit 100 reflected from the object.

[0134] The receiving unit 2200 may include an image sensor, a filter disposed on the image sensor, and a lens group disposed on the filter. An optical signal reflected from an object may pass through the lens group. The optical axis of the lens group may be aligned with the optical axis of the image sensor. The filter may be disposed between the lens group and the image sensor. The filter may be disposed on the optical path between the object and the image sensor. The filter may filter light having a predetermined wavelength range. The filter may transmit a specific wavelength band of light. The filter may pass light of a specific wavelength. For example, the filter may pass light in the infrared band and block light other than the infrared band. The image sensor may sense light. The image sensor may receive an optical signal. The image sensor may detect the optical signal and output it as an electrical signal. The image sensor may detect light of a wavelength corresponding to the wavelength of light output from the light source. For example, the image sensor may detect light in the infrared band.

[0135] The image sensor may have a structure in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a grid. The image sensor may be a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor or a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor. The image sensor may also include a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor that receives IR light reflected from an object and measures distance using a time difference or phase difference.

[0136] The receiving unit 2200 can receive an optical signal from the output unit 2100 and emit incident light toward an observation target. The receiving unit 2200 can also receive reflected light generated when the incident light is reflected from the observation target. The receiving unit 2200 can also transmit a first signal, which is the received reflected light, to the detecting unit 2300.

[0137] The detecting unit 2300 can receive a first signal, which is light reflected from an object to be observed, from the receiving unit and detect the first signal. The detecting unit 2300 can include a plurality of photodiodes, which can be light receiving elements that generate an electrical signal based on optical energy. The type of the light receiving element is not particularly limited.

[0138] The detector 2300 can receive and detect not only a first signal, which is reflected light, but also a second signal, which is ambient light, and a third signal, which is noise. Ambient light can include various types of light, including sunlight, that enter the detector 2300. Noise can include dark noise and thermal noise, which are characteristics of the detector 2300 itself. The second signal is ambient light and is affected by sunlight, etc., so its intensity can change in real time. The stronger the intensities of the second and third signals, the more difficult it can be to detect the first signal.

[0139] The detector 2300 may detect the first, second, and third signals and measure the signal strength over time. Data on the measured signals may be stored in a memory within the LIDAR device 2000 and transmitted to the controller 2400.

[0140] The control unit 2400 controls the operation of the output unit 2100, the receiving unit 2200, and the depth information generating unit 2500. The depth information generating unit 2500 and the control unit 2400 may be implemented in the form of a printed circuit board (PCB). Alternatively, the depth information generating unit 2500 and the control unit 2400 may be implemented in other configurations. Alternatively, the control unit 2400 may be included in a terminal or a vehicle in which the LIDAR device 2000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed. For example, the control unit 2400 may be implemented in the form of an application processor (AP) of a smartphone in which the LIDAR device 2000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed, or in the form of an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle in which the LIDAR device 2000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

[0141] The control unit 2400 can control the output unit 2100 to adjust the intensity, period, etc. of the optical signal. The control unit 2400 can receive detection result data of the first, second, and third signals from the detection unit 2300 and send a command to the output unit 2100 to adjust the intensity or period of the optical signal according to the data result. For example, when the intensity of the second signal increases, the control unit 2400 can increase the intensity of the optical signal or shorten the output period of the optical signal. In addition, the control unit 2400 can control the power supply to the output unit 2100, perform on / off control, and control the generation of pulse waves or continuous waves.

[0142] The depth information generator 2500 may generate depth information of the observation object using the input optical signal input to the receiver 2200. For example, the depth information generator 2500 may calculate depth information of the observation object using the time of flight it takes for the output optical signal output from the output unit 2100 to be reflected from the object and input to the receiver 2200. For example, the depth information generator 2500 may calculate a time difference between the output optical signal and the reflected optical signal using the electrical signal received by the image sensor, and calculate the distance between the observation object and the LIDAR device 2000 using the calculated time difference. For example, the depth information generator 2500 may calculate a phase difference between the output optical signal and the reflected optical signal using the electrical signal received from the sensor, and calculate the distance between the observation object and the LIDAR device 2000 using the calculated phase difference.

[0143] FIG. 18 is a graph showing the intensities of the first and second signals according to the example.

[0144] Referring to FIG. 18, the strength of the first and second signals may vary.

[0145] The first signal may correspond to a signal generated by reflected light reflected from an object to be observed. Therefore, the intensity of the first signal may vary depending on the intensity of incident light of the optical signal output from the output unit. The intensity of the first signal may increase as the current value of the incident light increases.

[0146] The second signal may correspond to a signal due to ambient light. Therefore, as the intensity of ambient light, such as sunlight, increases, the intensity of the second signal may increase. As the intensity of the second signal increases, it may become more difficult for the detector to detect the first signal. Therefore, when the intensity of the ambient light increases and the intensity of the second signal increases, a method may be proposed in which the current value of the incident light is increased to increase the intensity of the first signal.

[0147] FIG. 19 is an image of a histogram showing a case where the intensity of the second signal increases according to an embodiment.

[0148] The histogram in FIG. 19 is a bar graph showing the intensity of the signal detected by the detection unit over time.

[0149] Referring to FIG. 19, when the strength of the second signal increases, the detectability of the first signal may decrease.

[0150] Referring to FIG. 19, the detection unit of the LIDAR device according to the embodiment can detect a third signal, which is noise.

[0151] The detection power of the detector increases as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increases. The SNR corresponds to the strength (amplitude) of the first signal divided by the strength of the second signal plus the strength of the third signal. In other words, the greater the strength of the ambient light or noise signal, the lower the SNR, and the lower the detection power of the first signal.

[0152] When the intensities of the second and third signals are low, the difference between them and the intensity of the first signal is large, resulting in a high signal-to-noise ratio, making it easy for the detector to detect the first signal. However, when the intensities of the second or third signals are high, the difference between them and the first signal is small, resulting in a low signal-to-noise ratio, making it difficult for the detector to detect the first signal.

[0153] The third signal may be noise. The third signal may include thermal noise generated by heat generated by internal resistance in the detector and dark noise due to the characteristics of the detector itself. Therefore, unlike the second signal, the third signal may not be affected by ambient light and may be affected by the characteristics of the LIDAR device itself.

[0154] In the process of the lidar device module, the sum of the intensities of the second and third signals can be measured depending on the difference in ambient light, and the measurement data can be stored in memory. The memory can be located inside the receiver or controller of the lidar device. The sum of the intensities of the second and third signals of each lidar device module can be measured, and the measurement data can be stored in memory. If it is not possible to collect data from all lidar device modules, the average value of the measurement data for an appropriate number of modules (N) that can represent the characteristics of the entire module can be used. The detection rate of the first signal can be adjusted by adjusting the intensity of the optical signal based on the measurement data.

[0155] FIG. 20 is an image showing a change in signal when adjusting the intensity of an optical signal according to an embodiment.

[0156] Referring to FIG. 20, the control unit of the LIDAR device according to the embodiment can increase the intensity of the optical signal when the ratio of the first signal to the sum of the second and third signals decreases.

[0157] The image on the left side of FIG. 20 is an image of the signal before the intensity of the second signal is increased, and the image on the right side is an image of the signal after the intensity of the second signal is increased to significantly adjust the intensity of the optical signal.

[0158] If the intensity of the first signal before the intensity of the second signal increases is P1, the intensity of the second signal is P2, and the intensity of the third signal is P3, the signal-to-noise ratio is P1 / (P2+P3). In this case, if the intensity of the ambient light increases and P2 increases, the signal-to-noise ratio decreases, making it difficult to detect the first signal.

[0159] After the intensity of the second signal increases, if the adjusted intensity of the first signal is P1', the intensity of the second signal is P2', and the intensity of the third signal is P3', the signal-to-noise ratio is P1' / (P2'+P3'). If the intensity of the second signal detected by the detector increases, the controller can send a command to the output unit to increase the intensity of the optical signal. If the intensity of the optical signal increases, the intensity of the incident light increases, and the intensity of the first signal also increases. Therefore, even if P2' increases, the value of P1' can be increased to maintain the signal-to-noise ratio within a predetermined range.

[0160] FIG. 21 is an image showing a change in a signal when the period of an optical signal according to an embodiment is adjusted.

[0161] Referring to FIG. 21, the control unit of the LIDAR device according to the embodiment can increase the period of the optical signal when the ratio of the first signal to the sum of the second and third signals decreases.

[0162] The image on the left side of FIG. 21 is an image of the signal before the intensity of the second signal is increased, and the image on the right side is an image of the signal after the intensity of the second signal is increased and the period of the optical signal is adjusted to be smaller.

[0163] If the intensity of the first signal before the intensity of the second signal increases is P1, the intensity of the second signal is P2, and the intensity of the third signal is P3, the signal-to-noise ratio is P1 / (P2+P3). In this case, if the intensity of the ambient light increases and P2 increases, the signal-to-noise ratio decreases, making it difficult to detect the first signal. Also, the period of the first signal before the intensity of the second signal increases is T. The output period of the incident light changes depending on the period of the optical signal output by the output unit, and as a result, the period of the first signal detected by the detection unit changes.

[0164] If the intensity of the first signal after the intensity of the second signal is increased is P1', the intensity of the second signal is P2', and the intensity of the third signal is P3', the signal-to-noise ratio is P1' / (P2'+P3'). Also, after the intensity of the second signal is increased, the adjusted period of the first signal is T'. In this case, P2' is greater than P2, and the signal-to-noise ratio decreases. Therefore, to facilitate the detection of the first signal by the detector, the output period of the optical signal can be shortened, allowing more signal data to be detected and secured. As a result, the detection period of the first signal becomes shorter (T' becomes smaller than T), securing more detection data of the first signal and increasing the detection rate.

[0165] FIG. 22 is an image showing a change in a signal when the width of the first signal according to an embodiment is adjusted.

[0166] Referring to FIG. 22, the control unit of the LIDAR device according to the embodiment can decrease or maintain the time width of the first signal when the strength of the first signal increases.

[0167] Referring to FIG. 22, a control unit of a LIDAR device according to another embodiment can reduce the time width of the first signal when the strength of the first signal is at a maximum value.

[0168] Referring to FIG. 22, a control unit of a LIDAR device according to another embodiment can control the intensity and duration of the first signal so that the product of the intensity and duration of the first signal is constant.

[0169] The image on the left side of FIG. 22 is an image of the signal before the intensity of the second signal is increased, and the image on the right side is an image of the signal after the intensity of the second signal is increased and the output time width of the optical signal is adjusted to be shorter.

[0170] The control unit can send a command to the output unit to adjust the output time of the optical signal. When adjusting the output time of the optical signal, the output intensity and period of the optical signal remain constant, and the time the optical signal is exposed to the object of observation is adjusted. Adjusting the output time of the optical signal changes the time width (t, t') of the first signal detected by the detection unit. If the output of the optical signal is lengthened, the time width of the first signal becomes wider, and if the output of the optical signal is shortened, the time width of the first signal becomes narrower.

[0171] Narrowing the time width of the first signal while maintaining the strength and period of the first signal has the advantage of reducing the power consumption of the LIDAR device, while achieving a similar detection effect.

[0172] If the strength of the first signal before the strength of the second signal is increased is P1 and the increased strength of the first signal after the strength of the second signal is increased is P1', the power consumption of the LIDAR device will increase. In this case, the width of the first signal can be reduced from t to t' (t > t') to reduce the power consumption of the LIDAR device.

[0173] If the intensity of the second signal increases excessively and the optical signal output intensity of the output unit is increased to its maximum value, the output intensity of the optical signal can be further increased by reducing the output time of the optical signal and reducing power consumption. In this case, the control unit can control the magnitude and width of the first signal so that the product of the intensity of the first signal and the time width of the first signal is within a predetermined range. The product of the intensity and time width of the first signal is proportional to the LIDAR power consumption. For example, if the intensity of the first signal before the intensity of the second signal is increased is 10 A, the time width is 5 ns, and the optical signal output intensity is at its maximum value, the time width of the first signal after the intensity of the second signal is increased can be reduced to 1 to 2 ns, and the intensity of the first signal can be increased to 25 A.

[0174] FIG. 23 is an image showing the first difference and the second difference in the first frame and the second frame according to the embodiment.

[0175] 23, a controller of a LIDAR device according to an embodiment can adjust the period of an optical signal by comparing a first difference with a second difference, where the first difference is the difference between the maximum value of the first signal and the average values ​​of the first, second, and third signals in a first frame, and the second difference is the difference between the maximum value of the first signal and the average values ​​of the first, second, and third signals in a second frame, and the second frame can be a frame measured after the first frame.

[0176] The control unit may transmit a command to adjust the optical signal output period of the output unit. In this case, frames may be divided according to the detection period of the detected first signal. If the detection rate of the next frame is lower than that of the previous frame, the control unit may transmit a command to adjust the output period.

[0177] An output period including any detected first signal is defined as a first frame. An output period including any first signal after the first frame is defined as a second frame. For example, the second frame may correspond to the output period immediately following the first frame, but is not limited to this.

[0178] In this case, if the maximum intensity of the first signal in the first frame is P1 and the average intensity of the signal including the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal is A1, the difference D1 (P1 - A1) is calculated as the first difference. Similarly, if the maximum intensity of the first signal in the second frame is P2 and the average intensity of the signal including the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal is A2, the difference D2 (P2 - A2) is calculated as the second difference. In this case, the control unit can compare the first difference with the second difference and adjust the output period of the optical signal. For example, if the first difference is greater than the second difference, the signal-to-noise ratio is high and the first signal is easy to detect, so the output period can be lengthened. On the other hand, if the first difference is smaller than the second difference, the signal-to-noise ratio is low and the first signal is difficult to detect, so the output period can be shortened.

[0179] When the second difference is smaller than the first difference, the control unit of the LIDAR device according to the embodiment can reduce the period of the optical signal in proportion to the difference between the first difference and the second difference.

[0180] FIG. 24 is a flowchart of a method of operating a LIDAR device according to an embodiment.

[0181] Referring to FIG. 24, the operating method (S2000) of the LIDAR device according to the embodiment includes a step (S2100) in which an output unit outputs an optical signal, a step (S2200) in which a detection unit detects a first signal generated when the optical signal is reflected from an observation target and a second signal which is ambient light, a step (S2300) in which a depth information generation unit generates depth information for the observation target based on the optical signal and the first signal, and a step (S2400) in which a control unit compares the intensity of the first signal with the intensity of the second signal and adjusts the intensity of the optical signal.

[0182] The detecting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include a step of detecting a third signal, which is noise, by the detection unit.

[0183] The adjusting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include a step of the control unit increasing the intensity of the optical signal when the ratio of the first signal to the sum of the second signal and the third signal decreases.

[0184] The adjusting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include a step of the control unit decreasing the period of the optical signal when the ratio of the first signal to the sum of the second signal and the third signal decreases below a predetermined range.

[0185] The adjusting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include a step in which the control unit decreases or maintains the time width of the first signal when the strength of the first signal increases.

[0186] The adjusting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include the step of the control unit decreasing the time width of the first signal when the strength of the first signal is at a maximum value.

[0187] The adjusting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include a step in which the control unit controls the intensity and the time width of the first signal so that the product of the intensity and the time width of the first signal is constant.

[0188] The adjusting step of the operating method of the LIDAR device according to the embodiment includes a step in which the control unit adjusts the period of the optical signal by comparing the first difference with the second difference, where the first difference is the difference between the maximum intensity of the first signal in the first frame and the average intensities of the first, second, and third signals, and the second difference is the difference between the maximum intensity of the first signal in the second frame and the average intensities of the first, second, and third signals, and the second frame may be a frame measured after the first frame.

[0189] In the adjusting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment, when the second difference is smaller than the first difference, the control unit can reduce the period of the optical signal in proportion to the difference between the first difference and the second difference.

[0190] The adjusting step of the method for operating a LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include a step in which the control unit adjusts the intensity of the optical signal in response to a change in the second signal.

[0191] The LIDAR device according to the embodiment may include an optical output device (VCSEL, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) that outputs an optical signal, a group of lenses that focus the optical signal and output the focused optical signal to the outside, an optical detection device (SPAD, Single Photon Avalanche Diode) that detects a first signal generated when the optical signal is reflected from an observation target and a second signal that is ambient light, a depth information generation unit that generates depth information for the observation target based on the optical signal and the first signal, a control unit that compares the intensity of the first signal with the intensity of the second signal and adjusts the intensity of the optical signal, and a memory that stores data on the intensity of the first signal adjusted according to changes in the intensity of the second signal.

[0192] Although the above description focuses on a LIDAR device that extracts depth information using a ToF method, embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. The LIDAR device according to embodiments of the present invention may also refer to a LIDAR device that extracts depth information using a structured light method. That is, the LIDAR device according to embodiments of the present invention may use structured light having a predetermined pattern as an output light signal and generate depth information using the disparity of the structured light.

[0193] According to one embodiment, methods of operation according to various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded commercially. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily generated on a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or an intermediary server.

[0194] Specifically, the disclosed embodiments may be embodied as a computer program product including a recording medium storing a program for performing the operating methods according to the disclosed embodiments.

[0195] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0196] The term "module" used in this embodiment refers to software or hardware components such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an ASIC, and the "module" performs a certain function. However, the term "module" is not limited to software or hardware. A "module" may be configured to reside on an addressable storage medium or to execute one or more processors. Thus, by way of example, a "module" includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The components and functionality provided within the "modules" may be combined into fewer components and "modules" or further separated into additional components and "modules." Furthermore, the components and "modules" may be embodied to execute one or more CPUs within a device or security multimedia card.

[0197] The above description has focused on the embodiments, but these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and applications not exemplified above are possible within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention. For example, each component specifically illustrated in the embodiments can be modified and implemented. Differences related to such modifications and applications should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. a light emitting unit that generates an output optical signal and irradiates the target area; a light receiving unit that receives an input optical signal after reflection from the target area; an information generating unit that generates information about the target area using an input optical signal input to the light receiving unit; and a control unit that controls the light emitting unit, the light receiving unit, and the information generating unit, The light emitting unit has a field of view (FOV) pre-fixed in a first direction, A lidar device, wherein the control unit controls the FOV of the light-emitting unit in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The light emitting unit has a predetermined overall FOV in the second direction, The LIDAR device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the light emitting unit to scan only a portion of the entire FOV in the second direction based on information about the target area.

3. 3. The LIDAR device of claim 2, wherein the control unit extracts an effective area from the target area based on information about the target area, and reduces an FOV in the second direction of the light-emitting unit so that the light-emitting unit scans the effective area.

4. further including a sensing unit including at least one of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor; The LIDAR device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit controls the FOV of the light emitting unit in the second direction based on the sensing result of the sensing unit.

5. The LIDAR device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit expands the FOV in the second direction, which has been reduced based on information about the target area, based on the sensing result of the sensing unit.

6. the light emitting unit sequentially scans a plurality of lines extending in the first direction along the second direction; The lidar device of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction and the second direction is a vertical direction.

7. The lidar device of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a vertical direction and the second direction is a horizontal direction.

8. 1. A method for generating information for a LIDAR device, comprising: a step in which a light emitting unit generates an output light signal and irradiates the target area; receiving an input optical signal reflected from the target area by a light receiving unit; an information generating unit generating information about the target area using the input optical signal input to the light receiving unit; and The information generating method includes a step of controlling a field of view (FOV) of the light emitting unit, which has a field of view (FOV) pre-fixed in a first direction, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The step of controlling the FOV in the second direction includes: reducing the FOV in the second direction based on information about the region of interest; and The information generating method of claim 8 , further comprising: expanding the FOV in the second direction, which is reduced based on the information about the target region, based on a sensing result of a sensing unit.

10. a light emitting unit that generates an output optical signal and irradiates the target area; a light receiving unit that receives an input optical signal after reflection from the target area; an information generating unit that generates information about the target area using an input optical signal input to the light receiving unit; a control unit that controls the light emitting unit, the light receiving unit, and the information generating unit; and a sensing unit including at least one of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor; the light-emitting portion includes a plurality of emitters arranged in an array, The control unit extracts an effective area from the target area based on information about the target area, drives only a portion of the plurality of emitters so that the light-emitting unit scans only the effective area, and controls the driving of the plurality of emitters based on the sensing results of the sensing unit.

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