US 12,345,817 B2
Method for operating a LIDAR system
Frank Höller, Aalen (DE); Thomas Wollweber, Eckartsberga (DE); Jan Horn, Munich (DE); and Peter Westphal, Jena (DE)
Assigned to Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed by Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed on Dec. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/125,574.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 135 570.2 (DE), filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0190951 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
Int. Cl. G01S 17/32 (2020.01); B60Q 1/00 (2006.01); B60Q 1/04 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/32 (2013.01) [B60Q 1/0023 (2013.01); B60Q 1/0408 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a LIDAR system configured to determine a distance of an object in a scanning fashion, wherein the LIDAR system comprises:
at least one spectrally tunable light source configured to emit at least one light beam having a temporally varying frequency, and
a protective shield configured to protect the LIDAR system against environmental pollution, wherein the protective shield is arranged in a light path of the at least one light beam and is transparent for the at least one light beam,
wherein the method comprises the following steps:
a) determining distance values of the object on the basis of beat frequencies of beat signals resulting from a superposition of partial signals, which are obtained from partial reflection of the at least one light beam at the object, with reference signals not reflected at the object, wherein each distance value is determined from a peak in a signal spectrum obtained on the basis of a Fourier transformation of the beat signal;
b) diagnosing a degree of soiling of the protective shield by analyzing the signal spectrum in a predefined analysis frequency range that corresponds to a distance of the protective shield, wherein the predefined analysis frequency range is distinct from a frequency range associated with determining the distance of the object; and
c) automatically modifying an operation of the LIDAR system depending on the diagnosed degree of soiling of the protective shield.