Adjustable LIDAR Beam Pattern for Dynamic Granularity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fixed-beam LIDAR systems in autonomous vehicles face challenges in maintaining sufficient granularity for detecting obstacles at varying speeds, leading to increased power, processing, and cost requirements.
Innovation Solution
A LIDAR sensor configuration system with adjustable-beam parameters, such as beam pattern, rotational speed, scan rate, and photodetector sensitivity, dynamically adjusted based on vehicle speed, road conditions, and other feedback data to optimize detection capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of beams is increased to maintain detection granularity at high speeds, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam pattern adjustment where the LIDAR system transitions from a fixed number of beams to a variable beam configuration based on vehicle speed. At high speeds, the system uses a higher number of beams to maintain detection granularity, while at lower speeds, it reduces the number of beams. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system flexible rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the beam pattern parameter (number of beams) according to operating conditions (vehicle speed). The controller adjusts the beam configuration from a first beam pattern at high speeds to a second beam pattern at lower speeds, thereby optimizing detection precision while controlling system complexity and power consumption.
2Measurement precision
If the number of beams is increased to maintain detection granularity at high speeds, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power consumption by varying the number of active beams based on vehicle speed. During high-speed operation where high detection granularity is needed, more beams are activated consuming more power. During low-speed operation, fewer beams are used reducing power consumption, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and energy usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller modifies the beam pattern parameter to optimize the trade-off between detection precision and power consumption. By switching between different beam patterns based on speed conditions, the system achieves high measurement precision when necessary while minimizing power consumption during normal operation.
3Measurement precision
If the beam pattern is fixed for high-speed operation, then measurement precision is maintained, but adaptability to different speeds decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a fixed beam pattern designed for high-speed operation to a dynamic beam pattern that adapts to different speeds. The controller selectively applies different beam patterns based on actual vehicle speed, maintaining measurement precision at high speeds while improving adaptability across all speed ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The LIDAR system achieves multi-functionality by implementing multiple beam patterns that can be selectively activated. The first beam pattern optimizes for high-speed detection precision, while the second beam pattern optimizes for lower-speed operation. This universal design allows the system to adapt to various operating conditions rather than being specialized for a single speed range.
Data Source
AI summary
A LIDAR sensor for an autonomous vehicle (AV) can include one or more lasers outputting one or more laser beams, one or more non-mechanical optical components to (i) receive the one or more laser beams, (ii) configure a field of view of the LIDAR sensor, and (iii) output modulated frequencies from the one or more laser beams, and one or more photodetectors to detect return signals based on the outputted modulated frequencies from the one or more laser beams.