Lidar Optical Component Defect Detection via Temporal Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lidar devices and cameras used in autonomous vehicles often suffer from defects such as cracks, condensation, or debris in their optical components, leading to erroneous object detection and navigation issues, which can result in transportation slowdowns or collisions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a modulated light source to illuminate optical components, allowing a detector to distinguish between background signals and defect-induced signals, enabling the identification and remediation of defects through computing devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a light source is used to illuminate the optical component for defect detection, then defect detection capability is improved, but the ability to distinguish defect signals from background signals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination from the light source is modulated at a specific frequency, creating periodic illumination patterns. The detector is synchronized to this modulation frequency, allowing it to selectively detect only the modulated light signal while filtering out unmodulated background signals. This periodic modulation enables clear distinction between defect-induced reflections and ambient background light.
Solution Approach 2:
The light source parameters are changed by applying temporal modulation at a specific frequency. This parameter change transforms the illumination from a static signal that mixes with background light into a dynamically varying signal that can be selectively detected. The modulation frequency serves as a distinguishing parameter that separates defect signals from background signals in the frequency domain.
2Area of stationary object
If continuous illumination is used to detect defects, then detection coverage is improved, but the ability to differentiate defect signals from background signals worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using static illumination, the system employs continuous periodic modulation of the light source. This allows the entire optical component surface to be continuously illuminated and scanned, maintaining comprehensive coverage while the temporal modulation enables precise signal differentiation through frequency-selective detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively disambiguates defect signals from background signals, allowing for timely remedial actions such as cleaning or replacement, thereby improving the accuracy of object detection and navigation in autonomous vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
A first light source illuminates a first portion of the optical component with a first light signal that is modulated according to a first modulation frequency
Data Source
AI summary
Example embodiments relate to temporally modulated light emission and defect detection in light detection and ranging (lidar) devices and cameras. An example embodiment includes a method. The method includes detecting, by a first detector via an optical component, a background signal corresponding to a surrounding environment. The method also includes illuminating, by a first light source, a first portion of the optical component with a first light signal. Additionally, the method includes detecting, by the first detector when one or more defects are present in a body of the first portion of the optical component or on a surface of the first portion of the optical component, the first light signal. Further, the method includes determining, by a computing device, when one or more defects are present in the body of the first portion of the optical component or on the surface of the first portion of the optical component.