US 11,714,173 B2
LIDAR system for autonomous vehicle
Stephen C. Crouch, Bozeman, MT (US); Edward Joseph Angus, Bozeman, MT (US); and Michelle Milvich, Livingston, MT (US)
Assigned to BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by Blackmore Sensors & Analytics, LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/99,982.
Application 17/099,982 is a continuation of application No. 16/725,349, filed on Dec. 23, 2019, granted, now 10,866,312.
Application 16/725,349 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/043482, filed on Jul. 25, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/711,893, filed on Jul. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0255290 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 7/493 (2006.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/4911 (2020.01); G01S 7/4914 (2020.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 7/493 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G01S 7/4911 (2013.01); G01S 7/4914 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G05D 1/0231 (2013.01); B60W 60/001 (2020.02); B60W 2420/52 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, comprising:
one or more scanning optics configured to transmit a transmit signal at a scan rate over an angle range defined by a first angle and a second angle; and
one or more processors configured to:
receive a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value associated with the scan rate responsive to operation of the one or more scanning optics;
receive a second SNR value associated with an integration time of processing a return signal received responsive to operation of the one or more scanning optics;
identify a target range for a particular angle of the angle range, wherein the target range is greater than or equal to 1 meter and less than or equal to 15 meters or greater than or equal to 100 meters and less than or equal to 500 meters;
determine a particular scan rate, for the particular angle and using the target range, responsive to comparing the first SNR value to an SNR threshold;
determine a particular integration time, for the particular angle, responsive to comparing the second SNR value to the SNR threshold;
determine a scan pattern using the particular scan rate and the particular integration time; and
control operation of the one or more scanning optics using the scan pattern.