Adaptive coding for lidar systems

Abstract

A Lidar system is provided. The Lidar system comprise: a light source configured to emit a multi-pulse sequence to measure a distance between the Lidar system and a location in a three-dimensional environment, and the multi-pulse sequence comprises multiple pulses having a temporal profile; a photosensitive detector configured to detect light pulses from the three-dimensional environment; and one or more processors configured to: determine a coding scheme comprising the temporal profile, wherein the coding scheme is determined dynamically based on one or more real-time conditions including an environment condition, a condition of the Lidar system or a signal environment condition; and calculate the distance based on a time of flight of a sequence of detected light pulses, wherein the time of flight is determined by determining a match between the sequence of detected light pulses and the temporal profile.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for light detection and ranging, comprising:
 a light source comprising:
 a light emitting device configured to emit a multi-pulse sequence encoded with a temporal profile, 
 an energy storage element coupled to the light emitting device and configured to trigger an emission of the multi-pulse sequence under control of a control signal, 
 a plurality of charging units configured to charge the energy storage element with a pre-determined amount of energy; 
   a light receiving device configured to detect light pulses, and   a processor configured to determine whether a match exists between the light pulses and the temporal profile and a distance based on the light pulses upon determining that the match exists.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate and transmit the control signal to a switching element coupled to the light emitting device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of charging units are further configured to charge the energy storage element under control of a sequence of switch control signals, and wherein the sequence of the switch control signals are configured to control a timing for charging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate and transmit the sequence of the switch control signals to a built-in switching element of the plurality of charging units. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of charging units are connected in parallel. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein a charging unit of the plurality of charging units comprises a built-in switching element configured to charge the energy storage element with the pre-determined amount of energy. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of charging units are further configured to charge the energy storage element under control of a sequence of switch control signals, and wherein a switch control signal of the sequence of the switch control signals is configured to control the built-in switching element to cause the charging unit to charge the energy storage element with the pre-determined amount of energy. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of charging units comprises a first charging unit and configured to charge the energy storage element with a first pre-determined amount of energy and a second charging unit configured to charge the energy storage element with a second pre-determined amount of energy, and the first pre-determined amount of energy is different from the second pre-determined amount of energy. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the temporal profile of the multi-pulse sequence comprises at least two of: amplitude of a pulse of the multi-pulse sequence, duration of the pulse, time intervals of pulses of the multi-pulse sequence, or a number of the pulses. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of charging units are further configured to charge the energy storage element under control of a sequence of switch control signals, and wherein a duration and timing of the sequence of the switch control signals are configured to control the temporal profile. 
     
     
         31 . An emitting device for a system, the emitting device comprising:
 a light emitting device configured to emit a multi-pulse sequence encoded with a temporal profile,   an energy storage element coupled to the light emitting device and configured to trigger an emission of the multi-pulse sequence under the control of a control signal, and   a plurality of charging units configured to charge the energy storage element with a pre-determined amount of energy.   
     
     
         32 . The emitting device of  claim 31 , wherein the control signal controls a switching element coupled to the light emitting device. 
     
     
         33 . The emitting device of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of charging units are further configured to charge the energy storage element under the control of a sequence of switch control signals, and wherein the sequence of the switch control signals control a timing for charging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         34 . The emitting device of  claim 33 , wherein the sequence of the switch control signals control a built-in switching element of the plurality of charging units. 
     
     
         35 . The emitting device of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of charging units are connected in parallel. 
     
     
         36 . The emitting device of  claim 35 , wherein a charging unit of the plurality of charging units comprises a built-in switching element configured to charge the energy storage element with the pre-determined amount of energy. 
     
     
         37 . The emitting device of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of charging units are further configured to charge the energy storage element under the control of a sequence of switch control signals, and wherein a switch control signal of the sequence of the switch control signals is configured to control the built-in switching element to cause the charging unit to charge the energy storage element with the pre-determined amount of energy. 
     
     
         38 . The emitting device of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of charging units comprises a first charging unit and configured to charge the energy storage element with a first pre-determined amount of energy and a second charging unit configured to charge the energy storage element with a second pre-determined amount of energy, and the first pre-determined amount of energy is different from the second pre-determined amount of energy. 
     
     
         39 . The emitting device of  claim 32 , wherein the temporal profile of the multi-pulse sequence comprises at least two of: amplitude of a pulse from the multi-pulse sequence, duration of a pulse, time intervals of pulses of the multi-pulse sequence, or a number of the pulses. 
     
     
         40 . The emitting device of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of charging units are further configured to charge the energy storage element under control of a sequence of switch control signals, and wherein a duration and timing of the sequence of the switch control signals are configured to control the temporal profile.