US 12,422,533 B2
System and method for emulating echo signals for lidar sensor
Christopher L. Coleman, Santa Clara, CA (US); Gregory W. Eng, Santa Clara, CA (US); Paul Lewis Corredoura, Redwood City, CA (US); and Bogdan Szafraniec, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Assigned to KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Santa Rosa, CA (US)
Filed by Keysight Technologies, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/551,650.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/150,874, filed on Feb. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0260694 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 7/4865 (2020.01); G01S 7/497 (2006.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G02B 6/26 (2006.01); G02B 27/30 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 7/497 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4815 (2013.01); G01S 7/4816 (2013.01); G01S 7/484 (2013.01); G01S 7/4865 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G02B 6/262 (2013.01); G02B 27/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for emulating return optical pulses from at least one emulated target in response to a lidar signal, the system comprising:
an optical blocker configured to partially reflect or guide optical pulses emitted by a time of flight (TOF) lidar sensor;
a detector configured to detect the partially reflected or guided optical pulses, and to output corresponding electrical pulses;
an electrical delay circuit configured to delay the electrical pulses;
at least one laser configured to reemit return optical pulses in response to the delayed electrical pulses;
a collimator configured to collimate the return optical pulses; and
a diffuser configured to diffuse the collimated return optical pulses over a predetermined range of azimuthal return angles toward the TOF lidar sensor.