16 patents in this list
Updated: July 01, 2024
For many applications, especially in the area of autonomous vehicles, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology is essential.
But LiDAR systems are not immune to interference from the sun, other LiDAR systems, or even flaws in the LiDAR itself. The precision and dependability of the information gathered may be jeopardized by this influence.
This page examines several innovative solutions to the problem of interference in LiDAR systems.
INNOVUSION, INC., 2023
LiDAR system with tunable filters to avoid interference from sunlight and other radiation sources. The system uses wavelength monitoring to track the laser's output wavelength and then tunes the filters in the receive path to match that wavelength. This filters out background light at other wavelengths while passing the laser light. This allows using narrower filters to reduce interference while still accommodating the laser's temperature-induced wavelength drift.
Suteng Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., 2023
Enhancing accuracy and reliability of LiDAR devices for applications like autonomous vehicles through improved scanning, detection, and control methods. The methods include scanning selected regions, refining regions based on detection results, and using sensors to monitor and adjust scanning. This allows focusing resources on areas of interest and improving accuracy.
MOURO LABS S.L., 2023
LiDAR system that cancels out Doppler frequency shifts due to target movement to improve object detection accuracy for autonomous vehicles. The system uses a reference channel that measures the unshifted Doppler signal. It then uses mathematical properties of signal mixing to shift the frequency of the imaging channels to cancel or reduce the Doppler shift. This allows extracting the Doppler-shifted information from the imaging channels while suppressing the Doppler shift.
Waymo LLC, 2023
Protecting a LiDAR device from external light sources that could interfere with its operation, by using proactive and reactive mitigation procedures. The proactive procedure involves operating the LiDAR to emit and detect light with specific timing, wavelengths, intensities, etc., and then adjusting those characteristics if external light is detected to match. The reactive procedure involves activating a shutter or varying emitted/detected light characteristics upon detecting external light. The LiDAR device may also include filters like interference, absorptive, adaptive, or spatial filters to block unwanted wavelengths or light angles.
Seagate Technology LLC, 2023
Mitigating interference in mechanical scanning LiDAR systems. The method involves detecting interference from another non-co-located light source and adjusting the LiDAR scanning parameters to avoid interference. When interference is detected, the LiDAR system randomly modifies its scanning trajectory and timing to differentiate its light from the interfering source.
SUTENG INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., 2022
LiDAR system design that improves heat dissipation and reduces electromagnetic interference for better performance and reliability. The LiDAR design separates functions onto multiple boards inside the housing - analog processing, digital processing, emitting, receiving, and interfaces - to isolate signals and prevent heat buildup. The emitting and receiving boards are shielded to reduce interference. Heat-generating components are attached to the housing for better dissipation.
Quanzhou Equipment Manufacturing Research Institute, 2022
Target detection using radar, LiDAR, and camera sensors for applications like autonomous vehicles. The targets detected by radar and camera are used as anchor points to generate 3D regions of interest. The LiDAR point cloud and camera image are projected onto the regions of interest and fused. This fused image is processed to output the final detection result.
Robert Bosch GmbH, 2022
LiDAR system for vehicles that can detect and locate interference sources on its window that can impair performance. The system uses secondary detectors positioned on the window to capture scattered light from defects like scratches, dirt or drops inside the window. It compares the scattered light intensity detected by the secondary detectors to locate and identify interference sources.
SUTENG INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., 2022
Laser receiving device for LiDAR systems that mitigates crosstalk and increases signal-to-noise ratio. The device has multiple parallel sensor-amplifier-collector-power supply channels for receiving laser echoes. It uses electromagnetic isolation between parallel sensors and amplifiers to prevent noise coupling. The parallel channels are arranged such that each forms an independent current loop, reducing crosstalk and improving signal quality compared to densely packed parallel channels without isolation. The device is used in LiDAR systems for autonomous vehicles and other applications.
Waymo LLC, 2021
Techniques for reducing crosstalk between adjacent channels of a LiDAR system to ensure accurate detection. The techniques involve locking the wavelengths of the adjacent channel's light emitters to different values using feedback signals. For example, volume Bragg gratings or optical filters can be used to select and feedback a narrowband portion of each emitter's output. This prevents adjacent channels from interfering with each other's detection. The gratings/filters can also narrow the emitter bandwidth and reduce temperature dependence.
Download a PDF report with complete details of all 16 patents for offline reading.
These patents present an extensive list of solutions to different problems pertaining to avoiding LiDAR interference. Among many other advancements, these included reducing crosstalk between internal channels, adjusting for target movement, and mitigating external light interference.