Mitigating interference for lidar systems of autonomous vehicles

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle having a lidar sensor system is described. A computing system is configured to determine that the lidar sensor system is to update a code that is included in light signals emitted by the lidar sensor system. The computing system transmits a command signal to the lidar sensor system, wherein the command signal causes the lidar sensor system to transition from emitting light signals with a first code therein to emitting light signals with a second code therein, wherein the first code is different from the second code.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A remote computing system, comprising:
 a processor; and   memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
 receiving a first indication specifying a first geospatial position of a first autonomous vehicle; 
 receiving a second indication specifying a second geospatial position of a second autonomous vehicle; 
 determining that the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle are in geographic proximity based on the first indication specifying the first geospatial position of the first autonomous vehicle and the second indication specifying the second geospatial position of the second autonomous vehicle; and 
 based on determining that the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle are in geographic proximity, transmitting an instruction to the first autonomous vehicle that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update a code included in light signals emitted by a first lidar sensor system of the first autonomous vehicle such that the first lidar sensor system transitions from a first code being included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system to a second code being included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system, wherein the first code is different from the second code. 
   
     
     
         2 . The remote computing system of  claim 1 , the acts further comprising:
 determining that the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are emitting light signals including a same code;   wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on determining that the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are emitting light signals including the same code.   
     
     
         3 . The remote computing system of  claim 2 , wherein the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are determined to be emitting light signals including the same code based on respective code identifiers received from the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle, wherein the respective code identifiers identify respective codes included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system. 
     
     
         4 . The remote computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the instruction is transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle to facilitate avoidance of interference with respect to light signals emitted by a light source other than the first lidar sensor system. 
     
     
         5 . The remote computing system of  claim 1 , the acts further comprising:
 based on determining that the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle are in geographic proximity, transmitting a second instruction to the second autonomous vehicle that causes the second autonomous vehicle to update a code included in light signals emitted by a second lidar sensor system of the second autonomous vehicle.   
     
     
         6 . The remote computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first code is a first sequence of pulses and the second code is a second sequence of pulses. 
     
     
         7 . The remote computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on an orientation of the first autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The remote computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on detected interference. 
     
     
         9 . The remote computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on a comparison between a time when the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system was last updated and a threshold. 
     
     
         10 . A method performed by a remote computing system in communication with a first autonomous vehicle and a second autonomous vehicle, comprising:
 receiving a first indication specifying a first geospatial position of the first autonomous vehicle;   receiving a second indication specifying a second geospatial position of the second autonomous vehicle;   determining that the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle are in geographic proximity based on the first indication specifying the first geospatial position of the first autonomous vehicle and the second indication specifying the second geospatial position of the second autonomous vehicle; and   based on determining that the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle are in geographic proximity, transmitting an instruction to the first autonomous vehicle that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update a code included in light signals emitted by a first lidar sensor system of the first autonomous vehicle such that the first lidar sensor system transitions from a first code being included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system to a second code being included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system, wherein the first code is different from the second code.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining that the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are emitting light signals including a same code;   wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on determining that the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are emitting light signals including the same code.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system are determined to be emitting light signals including the same code based on respective code identifiers received from the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle, wherein the respective code identifiers identify respective codes included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system and the second lidar sensor system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the instruction is transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle to facilitate avoidance of interference with respect to light signals emitted by a light source other than the first lidar sensor system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 based on determining that the first autonomous vehicle and the second autonomous vehicle are in geographic proximity, transmitting a second instruction to the second autonomous vehicle that causes the second autonomous vehicle to update a code included in light signals emitted by a second lidar sensor system of the second autonomous vehicle.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first code is a first sequence of pulses and the second code is a second sequence of pulses. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on an orientation of the first autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on detected interference. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the instruction that causes the first autonomous vehicle to update the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system is further transmitted to the first autonomous vehicle based on a comparison between a time when the code included in the light signals emitted by the first lidar sensor system was last updated and a threshold. 
     
     
         19 . An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
 a lidar sensor system that comprises a lidar emitter; and   a computing system in communication with the lidar sensor system, wherein the computing system comprises:
 a processor; and 
 memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
 receiving an instruction from a remote computing system, wherein the instruction specifies an identity of a code to be employed by the lidar sensor system; and 
 responsive to receiving the instruction, controlling the lidar sensor system to employ the code such that the lidar sensor system transitions from including a first code in light signals emitted by the lidar sensor system to a second code being included in the light signals emitted by the lidar sensor system, wherein the first code is different from the second code. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 19 , the acts further comprising:
 transmitting a code identifier to the remote computing system, wherein the code identifier identifies the first code included in the light signals emitted by the lidar sensor system, and wherein the instruction is received based on the code identifier.