Patent · US Active

Increasing operational safety of a lidar system

US11119198B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
71References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 28, 2018
Grant dateSep 14, 2021
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 16, 2040

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S17/931
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A light-based detection system includes a light source configured to emit light as a series of one or more light pulses, a transmitter configured to direct the one or more light pulses toward a remote target located a distance from the system, a receiver configured to detect a light pulse scattered by the remote target, and a controller. The pulses are at a wavelength between approximately 1400 nanometers and approximately 1600 nanometers, with pulse duration between 10 picoseconds and 20 nanoseconds and a pulse energy less than 2 microjoules. The controller is configured to determine the distance from the system to the target based on a time of flight for the detected light pulse, detect a fault condition indicating that the distance to the target is less than a threshold distance, and shut down the light source in response to detecting the fault condition.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.