US 11,858,533 B2
Systems and methods for autonomous vehicle control using depolarization ratio of return signal
Stephen Crouch, Bozeman, MT (US); Zeb Barber, Bozeman, MT (US); Emil Kadlec, Bozeman, MT (US); Ryan Galloway, Bozeman, MT (US); and Sean Spillane, Bozeman, MT (US)
Assigned to AURORA OPERATIONS, INC., Mountain Views (CA)
Filed by AURORA OPERATIONS, INC., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 5, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/494,188.
Application 17/494,188 is a continuation of application No. 17/167,864, filed on Feb. 4, 2021, granted, now 11,161,526.
Application 17/167,864 is a continuation of application No. 16/916,981, filed on Jun. 30, 2020, granted, now 10,960,900, issued on Mar. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0024487 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60W 60/00 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 17/34 (2020.01); G01S 17/58 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/4912 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 60/0025 (2020.02) [G01S 7/4811 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G01S 7/4912 (2013.01); G01S 17/34 (2020.01); G01S 17/58 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); B60W 2420/52 (2013.01); B60W 2552/05 (2020.02); B60W 2552/53 (2020.02); B60W 2554/4029 (2020.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (lidar) system comprising:
a laser source configured to output a beam;
a transmitter configured to transmit a transmit signal that is generated based on the beam;
a receiver configured to receive a return signal reflected by an object;
one or more optics configured to generate a first signal and a second signal based on the return signal, wherein the first signal and the second signal have different polarizations; and
a processor configured to
calculate a reflectivity value of the object based on a ratio of a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value of the first signal and a SNR value of the second signal, and
determine a type of the object based on the reflectivity value of the object.