LiDAR Pulse Profile Matching for High-Resolution Distance Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LiDAR systems face challenges in achieving high spatial and temporal resolution without requiring high clock frequencies, leading to increased hardware and operational costs, and existing enhancements strain processing resources in vehicles like self-driving cars.
Innovation Solution
A LiDAR system that populates a library with template pulse profiles and retrieves resolution parameters using similarity parameters between discrete digital values and template pulse profiles, allowing for increased spatial and temporal resolution without high clock frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ADC is operated at high clock frequency (1 GHz) to improve distance measurement precision, then measurement precision is improved, but hardware complexity and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores correction values in a lookup table before actual distance measurements are performed. During operation, the system simply retrieves the appropriate correction value based on the measured distance, avoiding the need for complex real-time calculations and high-speed processing hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive high-frequency ADC hardware with a simpler, lower-frequency ADC combined with a software-based correction approach using pre-stored lookup tables. This substitutes costly hardware with more economical components while achieving the same measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If ADC sampling rate is increased to improve spatial and temporal resolution, then spatial and temporal resolution are improved, but processing resources are strained
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes correction values for various distance ranges and stores them in lookup tables during system initialization or calibration. During actual operation, the ADC operates at standard sampling rates, and the pre-computed correction values are applied directly, eliminating the need for resource-intensive real-time high-rate processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the correction relationship between distance and sampling timing in the form of lookup tables. Instead of performing complex real-time calculations at high sampling rates, the system uses these pre-created digital models to quickly determine the appropriate corrections, significantly reducing processing resource requirements.
3Measurement precision
If high clock frequency is used to achieve accurate distance determination, then distance determination accuracy is improved, but hardware cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive high-frequency clock hardware and high-speed ADC components with a combination of lower-frequency hardware and software-based correction using pre-stored lookup tables. This substitution achieves the same distance determination accuracy while using more economical, lower-specification hardware components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical solution of using high-frequency clock hardware with a software-based solution using lookup tables and correction algorithms. This substitution eliminates the need for expensive high-frequency hardware while maintaining measurement accuracy through computational correction.
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
The system achieves enhanced spatial and temporal resolution while maintaining cost-effectiveness and reducing hardware complexity, enabling accurate distance determination and vehicle control.
Implementation Method 1
The position and distance of the object can be computed using time-of-flight calculations of the emitted and detected light beam
Implementation Method 2
the reflected light beams are converted to the corresponding electrical pulses
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed systems, and methods are directed to determining distance to an in-use object from a LiDAR system, the systems and methods comprising: acquiring a series of discrete digital values representative of an optical return pulse, accessing, a pre-populated library stored in a memory for retrieving a resolution parameter, the accessing including: determining, similarity parameters between (i) the series of discrete values and (ii) respective ones of the list of template pulse profiles, a given similarity parameter being determined between (i) the series of discrete values and (i) a respective template pulse profile from the list of template pulse profiles; retrieving, from the library, at least the respective resolution parameter of the template pulse profile having a highest similarity parameter; and using, the respective resolution parameter for determining the distance of the in-use object from the LiDAR system.