Parallax Compensating Spatial Filters for LIDAR
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Solution Overview
Problem
Light detection systems, particularly in LIDAR devices, face challenges in separating background light from intended light and mitigating parallax errors, which affect the accuracy and uniformity of light detection.
Innovation Solution
The use of an opaque material with a plurality of apertures, including a primary and secondary aperture, is employed to filter and focus light, allowing only specific portions to reach light detectors, thereby reducing background noise and mitigating parallax effects by varying aperture sizes and positions based on object distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single primary aperture is used in the spatial filter, then the detection area is maximized for distant objects, but the signal uniformity deteriorates for near objects due to parallax errors
Solution Approach 1:
The single primary aperture is divided into multiple secondary apertures arranged in an array. Each secondary aperture captures light from different angular directions, allowing the system to maintain a large effective detection area while compensating for parallax-induced signal non-uniformity across different object distances
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the aperture array are optimized for different functions: the central region captures on-axis light from distant objects, while peripheral regions capture off-axis light from near objects. This local optimization allows each aperture region to contribute to signal uniformity for its specific angular range
2Adaptability or versatility
If the LIDAR device operates in a bistatic configuration with separated transmit and receive lenses, then the field of view is expanded, but parallax errors increase affecting detection accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The spatial filter transforms the problem from a one-dimensional aperture to a two-dimensional aperture array. This dimensional expansion allows the system to capture light from multiple angular directions simultaneously, compensating for the parallax effects introduced by the bistatic configuration's spatial separation between transmit and receive lenses
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 configuration enhances the detection area and signal uniformity, improving the accuracy and efficiency of light detection in LIDAR systems by effectively filtering background light and compensating for parallax errors.
Implementation Method 1
a lens disposed relative to a scene and configured to focus light from the scene
Implementation Method 2
an opaque material. The opaque material defines a plurality of apertures including a primary aperture and one or more secondary apertures
Data Source
AI summary
One example system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene and configured to focus light from the scene. The system also includes an opaque material. The opaque material defines a plurality of apertures including a primary aperture and one or more secondary apertures. The system also includes one or more light detectors (e.g., a single element detector or an array of detectors) configured to intercept and detect diverging light focused by the lens and transmitted through at least one of the plurality of apertures defined by the opaque material.