Systems and Methods for LIDARs With Adjustable Resolution and Failsafe Operation

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods operable to provide point cloud information about an environment based on reconfigurable spatial light emission patterns and reconfigurable light detector arrangements that correspond to the light emission patterns. Additionally, a LIDAR device with a plurality of light emitters and photodetectors may be operated in a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. The first mode of operation could be a normal mode of operation. The second mode of operation could be a failsafe mode of operation that is used when a fault condition is detected.

1 - 23 : (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of light-emitter devices;   at least one light-detecting device; and   a lens optically coupled to the plurality of light-emitter devices and the at least one light-detecting device,   wherein the plurality of light-emitter devices includes a first set of light-emitter devices that emit pulses according to a first light pattern and a second set of light-emitter devices that emit light pulses according to a second light pattern, wherein the first light pattern and the second light pattern have different spatial resolutions and/or different temporal resolutions, and   wherein the at least one light-detecting device is configured to detect at least a portion of the light pulses emitted according to the first light pattern so as to provide first reflected light data and at least a portion of the light pulses emitted according to the second light pattern so as to provide second reflected light data.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one light-detecting device is a plurality of light-detecting devices, and wherein the plurality of light-detecting devices includes a first set of light-detecting devices configured to detect the at least the portion of the light pulses emitted according to the first light pattern so as to provide the first reflected light data and a second set of light-detecting devices configured to detect the at least the portion of the light pulses emitted according to the second light pattern so as to provide the second reflected light data. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first light pattern has a first spatial resolution, wherein the second light pattern has a second spatial resolution, and wherein the second spatial resolution is higher than the first spatial resolution. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first light pattern has a first temporal resolution, wherein the second light pattern has a second temporal resolution, and wherein the second temporal resolution is higher than the first temporal resolution. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a controller operable to form point cloud data based on the first reflected light data and the second reflected light data.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the controller comprises at least one processor and a memory, wherein the at least one processor executes program instructions stored in the memory so as to carry out operations, the operations comprising:
 causing, during a first time period, the first set of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into the environment according to the first light pattern;   causing, during a second time period, the second set of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into the environment according to the second light pattern.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the first set of light-emitter devices includes fewer light-emitter devices than the second set of light-emitter devices, wherein causing the first set of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into the environment comprises a coarse scan, and wherein causing the second set of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into the environment comprises a fine scan. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the operations comprise at least one of:
 interleaving at least one fine scan among a plurality of coarse scans; or   alternating between fine scans and coarse scans.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 during the first time period, operating the light-emitter devices and light-detecting devices at a first operating frequency; and   during the second time period, operating the light-emitter devices and light-detecting devices at a second operating frequency, wherein the second operating frequency is higher than the first operating frequency.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a first substrate, wherein the first set of light-emitter devices and the first set of light-detecting devices are coupled to the first substrate; and   a second substrate, wherein the second set of light-emitter devices and the second set of light-detecting devices are coupled to the second substrate.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a housing, wherein the first set of light-emitter devices, the first set of light-detecting devices, the second set of light-emitter devices, and the second set of light-detecting devices are housed within the housing.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the housing is configured to rotate about a rotational axis. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the lens is mounted to the housing. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the lens is configured to collimate light emitted by the plurality of light-emitter devices for transmission into an environment of the system, and wherein the lens is configured to focus light reflected from one or more objects in the environment onto the at least one light-detecting device. 
     
     
         38 . A method, comprising:
 causing, during a first time period, a first set of light-emitter devices of a plurality of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into an environment according to a first light pattern, wherein a lens is optically coupled to the plurality of light-emitter devices;   obtaining, with a first set of light-detecting devices of a plurality of light-detecting devices, first reflected light data by detecting at least a portion of the light pulses emitted into the environment according to the first light pattern, wherein the lens is optically coupled to the plurality of light-detecting devices;   causing, during a second time period, a second set of light-emitter devices of the plurality of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into the environment according to a second light pattern, wherein the first light pattern and the second light pattern have different spatial resolutions and/or different temporal resolutions;   obtaining, with a second set of light-detecting devices of the plurality of light-detecting devices, second reflected light data by detecting at least a portion of the light pulses emitted into the environment according to the second light pattern; and   forming point cloud data based on the first reflected light data and the second reflected light data.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the first set of light-emitter devices has fewer light-emitter devices of the plurality of light-emitter devices than the second set of light-emitter devices, wherein causing the first set of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into the environment comprises a coarse scan, and wherein causing the second set of light-emitter devices to emit light pulses into the environment comprises a fine scan. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising at least one of:
 interleaving at least one fine scan among a plurality of coarse scans; or   alternating between fine scans and coarse scans.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 during the first time period, operating the light-emitter devices and light-detecting devices at a first operating frequency; and   during the second time period, operating the light-emitter devices and light-detecting devices at a second operating frequency, wherein the first operating frequency is lower than the second operating frequency.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 collimating, by the lens, light emitted by the plurality of light-emitter devices for transmission into an environment.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 focusing, by the lens, light reflected from one or more objects in the environment onto the plurality of light-detecting devices.