RU2824434C2 - Lidar systems and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to lidar systems. Method of controlling scanning in a lidar system is carried out by a controller and involves controlling a scanning mirror for scanning space with a plurality of light beams exiting the lidar system and formed by the light source of the system, rotating the scanning mirror at a first speed in a first direction of rotation and at a second speed greater than the first speed in a second direction of rotation, detection by the array of sensors of the lidar system of light reflected from the scanning mirror to the array of sensors, formation of a cloud of distance data points during rotation of the scanning mirror in the first direction and forming an image of the scanning area around the lidar system during rotation of the scanning mirror in the second direction.

EFFECT: high density of data obtained using a lidar system.

16 cl, 6 dwg

Description

Field of technology to which the invention relates

[001] This technology relates to laser detection and ranging systems – lidar (LIDAR, Light Detection and Ranging) systems, in general – to methods of detecting objects in the surrounding space of an autonomous vehicle and, in particular, to the formation of images in lidar systems.

State of the art

[002] In devices using lidar systems, such as self-driving vehicles, the adaptation of the lidar system often involves solving problems related to the accuracy and density of information. In general, the surrounding space is scanned by a light beam and the lidar system collects the light flux reflected from surrounding objects.

[003] The prior art discloses (US 2021325663) a scanner for a lidar system designed to direct emitted light to scan the field of view of the lidar system. The scanner includes a mirror that has a reflective surface and a back surface and can rotate along the mirror axis. A drive unit is located along the back surface of the mirror and is designed to apply a torque to the mirror to cause the mirror to rotate around the mirror axis.

[004] In some cases, it may be useful to simultaneously acquire multiple images of the surrounding space of a particular lidar system. This typically requires additional imaging channels, such as additional cameras or two-dimensional sensors located in or near the lidar system housing. However, installing additional imaging equipment may be a disadvantage, such as increasing the manufacturing cost and/or weight of the lidar system.

[005] Therefore, there remains a need to improve lidar systems.

Disclosure of invention

[006] Thus, there is a need for systems and methods that can eliminate, reduce or overcome these shortcomings of known technical solutions.

[007] According to a first broad aspect of the present technology, a lidar system is implemented that is capable of operating in both a lidar ranging mode based on a point cloud and an imaging mode. When a scanning mirror of the lidar system moves in a first scanning direction, a point cloud of distances determined based on the time of flight is formed. When the scanning mirror moves in a second scanning direction to return to the initial scanning position, the system implementing the present technology additionally obtains images of the surrounding space. The same sensor array is used to perform lidar time-of-flight measurements and to obtain images. Obtaining images of the surrounding space during the return of the scanning mirror to the initial position, when lidar measurements are not available, makes it possible to collect additional information about the surrounding space without interrupting the normal operation of the lidar system. Since the same sensor array is used to obtain images as for measurements for the purpose of forming a point cloud, additional separate cameras and sensors are not required.

[008] According to a second broad aspect of the present technology, a method for controlling scanning in a lidar system is implemented, which is implemented by a lidar system controller. The method involves controlling a scanning mirror of the lidar system for scanning a space with a plurality of light beams exiting the lidar system and generated by a light source of the lidar system, which includes providing rotation of the scanning mirror at a first speed in a first direction of rotation and providing rotation of the scanning mirror at a second speed greater than the first speed in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, detecting by a sensor array of the lidar system light reflected from the scanning mirror onto the sensor array, forming a cloud of data points about the distance based on the light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at the first speed in the first direction of rotation, and forming an image of the scanning zone around the lidar system based on the light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at the second speed in the second direction of rotation.

[009] In some embodiments, generating a point cloud of distance data based on light collected by a sensor array includes generating a point cloud of distance data based on light collected by a selected sensor of the sensor array.

[010] In some embodiments, rotating the scanning mirror at the second speed includes rotating the scanning mirror at a speed that is at least twice the first speed.

[011] In some embodiments, rotating the scanning mirror at the second speed includes rotating the scanning mirror at a speed that is approximately ten times greater than the first speed.

[012] In some embodiments, forming an image of a scanning area includes receiving light information from each of a plurality of detectors forming a sensor array and constructing an image using an image reconstruction method based on at least the received light information.

[013] In some embodiments, controlling the scanning mirror for scanning includes rotating the scanning mirror at a first speed for at least 90% of the operating time and rotating the scanning mirror at a second speed for no more than 10% of the operating time.

[014] In some embodiments, the scanning mirror rotates about a first axis and the scanning element is further controlled to rotate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

[015] In some embodiments, controlling the scanning element includes controlling the scanning element to rotate it at a rotation speed that is approximately ten times greater than the first speed of the scanning mirror.

[016] In some embodiments, the method further comprises controlling the light source such that the plurality of light beams are generated only during rotation of the scanning mirror at the first speed in the first direction of rotation.

[017] According to another broad aspect of the present technology, a lidar system is implemented, comprising a controller, a light source operatively connected to the controller, a sensor array operatively connected to the controller and comprising a plurality of detectors, and a scanning system operatively connected to the controller. The scanning system comprises a scanning mirror capable of oscillating about a first axis, as well as rotating about the first axis at a first speed in a first direction of rotation and at a second speed in a second direction of rotation, a scanning element capable of rotating about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a sensor array and a controller, capable of forming a cloud of distance data points based on light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at the first speed in the first direction of rotation, and forming an image of the scanning zone based on the light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at the second speed in the second direction of rotation.

[018] In some embodiments, the second rotation speed of the scanning mirror is higher than the first rotation speed of the scanning mirror.

[019] In some embodiments, the second rotational speed is approximately ten times the first rotational speed.

[020] In some embodiments, the system is capable of generating a point cloud of distance data based on the time of flight determined using at least one of the plurality of detectors.

[021] In some embodiments, the plurality of detectors includes at least sixteen detectors located in the same plane.

[022] In some embodiments, the scanning element is a rotating prism capable of rotating about a second axis.

[023] In some embodiments, the rotating prism is capable of rotating about the second axis at a speed approximately ten times greater than the first speed of the scanning mirror.

[024] In some embodiments, the scanning mirror is capable of rotating at a first speed for at least 90% of the time the system is operating and at a second speed for no more than 10% of the time the system is operating.

[025] In the context of this description, the term "light source" in a broad sense refers to any device capable of emitting radiation, in particular emitting a signal in the form of a beam, such as, inter alia, a light beam with one or more wavelengths in the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. In one embodiment, the light source may be a laser source. Thus, said light sources may comprise at least one laser, such as a solid-state laser, a laser diode, a high-power laser, or an alternative light source, such as a light source based on light emitting diodes. Some (non-limiting) examples of a laser source are a Fabry-Perot laser diode, a quantum well laser, a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) laser, a Distributed FeedBack (DFB) laser, a fiber laser, or a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL). In addition, laser sources may emit light beams in various forms, such as light pulses, continuous oscillations, quasi-continuous oscillations, etc. In some non-limiting examples, laser sources may comprise a laser diode capable of emitting light with a wavelength in the range of about 650-1150 nm. Alternatively, light sources may comprise a laser diode capable of emitting light with a wavelength in the range of about 800-1000 nm, about 850-950 nm, about 1300-1600 nm, or any other suitable range. For example, the wavelength of light sources may vary from 400 to 2000 nm depending on the specific elements. Unless otherwise specified, the term "about" with respect to a numerical value is defined as a deviation that does not exceed 10% of the specified value.

[026] In the context of the present description, the term "output beam" may also refer to a beam of radiation, such as a beam of light generated by a radiation source and directed toward a region of interest (ROI). The output beam may be characterized by one or more parameters such as radiation duration, beam angular divergence, wavelength, instantaneous power, photon density at different distances from the light source, average power, beam power density, beam width, radiation pulse repetition rate, emitted pulse sequence, pulse duty cycle, wavelength, phase, etc. The output beam may be unpolarized or randomly polarized, may have no defined or constant polarization (e.g., polarization may change over time), or may have a defined polarization (e.g., linear, elliptical, or circular polarization).

[027] As used herein, an "input beam" is radiation or light that enters the system, typically after being reflected or scattered from one or more objects in the region of interest. An input beam may also be referred to as a radiation beam or a light beam. The term "reflected" means that at least a portion of the output beam is incident on and reflected from one or more objects in the region of interest. The input beam may be characterized by one or more parameters such as time of flight (i.e., the time from the moment of emission to the moment of detection), instantaneous power (e.g., power signature), average power of the return pulse, distribution of photons in the signal over the period of the return pulse, etc. In some applications, some of the radiation or light in the input beam may not be the reflected output beam, but radiation from other sources. For example, at least some portion of the input beam may represent glitches, light noise from the surrounding environment (including diffuse sunlight) or from other light sources external to the system.

[028] In the context of the present description, the term "surrounding space" or "environment" of a vehicle refers to the area or volume around that vehicle, including that portion of its current environment that is accessible for scanning using one or more sensors mounted on that vehicle, such as to form a three-dimensional map of the surrounding space or to detect objects therein. In some non-limiting examples, objects may include, in whole or in part, a person, a vehicle, a motorcycle, a truck, a train, a bicycle, a wheelchair, a baby carriage, a pedestrian, an animal, a road sign, a traffic light, a lane marking, a pavement marking, a parking space, a pylon, a guardrail, a road barrier, a pothole, a railroad crossing, an obstruction on or near a road, a curb, a stopped vehicle on or near a road, a utility pole, a house, a building, a garbage can, a mailbox, a tree, any other suitable object, or any suitable combination, in whole or in part, of two or more objects.

[029] In the context of the present description, the term "region of interest" in a broad sense may include a portion of the observed surrounding space of the lidar system in which one or more objects can be detected. It should be noted that the region of interest of the lidar system may be influenced by various conditions, such as, among others, the orientation of the lidar system (e.g., the direction of the optical axis of the lidar system), the position of the lidar system in the surrounding space (e.g., the distance above the ground, as well as the terrain and obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the system), the operating parameters of the lidar system (e.g., the radiant power, computing settings, specified operating angles), etc. The region of interest of the lidar system can be defined, for example, by a plane or solid angle. In one example, the region of interest can also be defined by a range (e.g., up to approximately 200 m).

[030] In the context of the present description, a "controller" or "electronic device" is any computer hardware capable of running software suitable for the task and/or controlling the operation of connected elements. In the context of the present description, the term "electronic device" implies that the device can function as a server for other electronic devices, although this is not a requirement for the present technology. Thus, non-limiting examples of electronic devices are an unmanned module, personal computers (desktop computers, laptops, netbooks, etc.), smartphones and tablets, as well as network equipment such as routers, switches and gateways. It should be understood that in this context, the fact that equipment functions as an electronic device does not mean that it cannot function as a server for other electronic devices.

[031] The functions of the various elements described or shown in the drawings, including all functional blocks designated as a "processor", may be implemented using dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of running associated software. If a processor is used, these functions may be performed by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple separate processors, some of which may be shared. Furthermore, explicit use of the term "processor" or "controller" shall not be construed as referring exclusively to hardware capable of running software, and may include, but are not limited to, a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), ROM for storing software, RAM, and non-volatile memory. Other general-purpose and/or custom hardware may also be included.

[032] Software modules or simply modules, the implementation of which is intended to be in the form of software, may be represented here as any combination of flow chart elements or other elements indicating the execution of process steps and/or containing a text description. Such modules may be implemented using hardware, shown explicitly or implied.

[033] In the context of the present description, the numerals "first," "second," "third," etc., serve merely to indicate a distinction between the nouns to which they refer, and do not describe any specific relationships between those nouns. Furthermore, as occurs in other contexts in the present description, references to a "first" element and a "second" element do not exclude the possibility that these two elements may in fact be the same element.

[034] Each embodiment of the present technology relates to at least one of the above-mentioned objectives and/or one of the above-mentioned aspects, but not necessarily to all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology associated with an attempt to achieve the above-mentioned objective may not correspond to this objective and/or may correspond to other objectives not explicitly mentioned herein.

[035] Additional and/or alternative features, aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present technology are contained in the following description, in the attached drawings and in the claims.

Brief description of the drawings

[036] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present technology are contained in the following description, in the appended claims and in the following drawings.

[037] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a networked computing environment suitable for use with certain non-limiting embodiments of the present technology.

[038] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an electronic device suitable for implementing certain non-limiting embodiments of the present technology.

[039] Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a lidar system according to non-limiting embodiments of the present technology.

[040] Fig. 4 schematically shows the sensor matrix of the lidar system shown in Fig. 3 in the first operating mode.

[041] Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the sensor array shown in Fig. 4 in a second operating mode.

[042] Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the operating principle of the lidar system shown in Fig. 3.

[043] Unless otherwise stated, figures may not be drawn to scale.

Implementation of the invention

[044] The examples and conventional language provided herein are intended to provide a better understanding of the principles of the present technology, and not to limit its scope to such specifically provided examples and conditions. It should be understood that those skilled in the art are capable of developing various methods and devices that are not explicitly described or shown, but implement the principles of the present technology within its spirit and scope.

[045] In addition, to facilitate better understanding, the following description may contain simplified embodiments of the present technology. Those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiments of the present technology may be significantly more complex.

[046] In some cases, supposedly useful examples of modifications of the present technology are given. They are intended to facilitate understanding and also do not define the scope or boundaries of the present technology. The presented list of modifications is not exhaustive and a person skilled in the art can develop other modifications within the scope of the present technology. In addition, if in some cases modifications are not described, this does not mean that they are impossible and/or that the description contains the only possible embodiment of a particular element of the present technology.

[047] The description of the principles, aspects and embodiments of the present technology, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to cover their structural and functional equivalents, regardless of whether they are currently known or will be developed in the future. For example, those skilled in the art should understand that all block diagrams provided herein correspond to conceptual representations of illustrative circuit diagrams implementing the principles of the present technology. It should also be understood that all block diagrams, process diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudocodes, etc. correspond to various processes that can be represented on a machine-readable physical storage medium and can be executed by a computer or processor, regardless of whether such a computer or processor is shown explicitly or not.

[048] Taking into account the above principles, some non-limiting examples are discussed below to illustrate various embodiments of aspects of the present technology.

[049] Referring now to Fig. 1, a networked computing environment 100 suitable for use with certain non-limiting embodiments of the present technology is illustrated. The networked computing environment 100 comprises an electronic device 110 coupled to a vehicle 120 and/or to a user (not shown) coupled to the vehicle 120 (in particular, an operator of the vehicle 120). The networked computing environment 100 also comprises a server 135 coupled to the electronic device 110 via a communications network 140 (e.g., via the Internet, etc., as described in more detail below).

[050] Fig. 2 is a diagram of an embodiment of an electronic device 110 suitable for use in some embodiments of the present technology. Electronic device 110 comprises various hardware elements, including one or more single-core or multi-core processors, collectively represented by processor 113, solid-state drive 115, and memory 117, which may be random access memory or any other type of memory.

[051] Communication between the elements of device 110 may be accomplished via one or more internal and/or external buses (not shown), such as a PCI bus, a USB bus, an IEEE 1394 FireWire bus, a SCSI bus, a Serial-ATA bus, etc., to which the various hardware elements are electronically connected. According to embodiments of the present technology, solid-state drive 115 stores software instructions suitable for loading into memory 117 and executing by processor 113 to determine the presence of an object. For example, software instructions may be part of a vehicle control application executed by processor 113. It should be noted that device 110 may contain additional and/or optional elements (not shown), such as network communication modules, location determination modules, etc.

[052] According to the present technology, there are no particular limitations on the implementation of the electronic device 110. For example, the electronic device 110 can be implemented as a vehicle engine control unit, a vehicle central processor, a vehicle navigation device (e.g., TomTom™, Garmin™), a tablet, a personal computer built into the vehicle 120, etc. It should be noted that the electronic device 110 may or may not be permanently connected to the vehicle 120. Additionally or alternatively, the electronic device 110 can be implemented as a wireless communication device, such as a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone or a radiotelephone). In some embodiments of the invention, the electronic device 110 comprises a display 170.

[053] In the present embodiment, the electronic device 110 comprises elements of the computer system 100 shown in Fig. 2, where some elements may be excluded or modified depending on the particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 is an on-board computer device and comprises a processor 113, a solid-state drive 115, and a memory 117. In other words, the electronic device 110 comprises hardware and/or software and/or firmware, or a combination thereof, for performing data processing, as described in more detail below.

[054] As shown in Fig. 1, in some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the networked computer environment 100 may include a GPS satellite (not shown) that transmits a GPS signal to the electronic device 110 and/or receives a GPS signal from it. It should be understood that the present technology is not limited to the use of the GPS system and can be implemented based on any other positioning technology. It should be noted that a GPS satellite may be completely absent.

[055] The vehicle 120 to which the electronic device 110 is associated may be any recreational or other vehicle, such as a personal or commercial automobile, a truck, a motorcycle, etc. Although the vehicle 120 is depicted as a land vehicle, this is not required for every non-limiting embodiment of the present technology. In particular, in some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the vehicle 120 may be a watercraft, such as a boat, or an aircraft, such as a flying drone.

[056] The vehicle 120 may be controlled by a user or may be an unmanned vehicle. In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, it is contemplated that the vehicle 120 may be implemented as a self-driving car (SDC). It should be noted that there are no restrictions on the specific parameters of the vehicle 120, which include, for example, the manufacturer of the vehicle, the model of the vehicle, the year of manufacture of the vehicle, the mass of the vehicle, the dimensions of the vehicle, the distribution of the mass of the vehicle, the surface area of the vehicle, the height of the vehicle, the type of transmission (e.g., two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive), the type of tires, the braking system, the fuel system, the mileage, the identification number of the vehicle, and the engine displacement.

[057] In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the communication network 140 is the Internet. In other non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the communication network 140 may be implemented as any suitable local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), private communication network, etc. It should be understood that the embodiments of the communication network 140 are provided for illustrative purposes only. A communication line (not separately indicated) is provided between the electronic device 110 and the communication network 140, the implementation of which depends, among other things, on the implementation of the electronic device 110. For example, in those non-limiting embodiments of the present technology where the electronic device 110 is implemented as a wireless communication device, such as a smartphone or a navigation device, the communication line may be implemented as a wireless communication line. Examples of wireless communication lines may include, among other things, a 3G communication network channel, a 4G communication network channel, etc. Network 140 may also use a wireless connection to server 135.

[058] In some embodiments of the present technology, server 135 is implemented as a computer server and may include some or all of the elements of device 110 shown in Fig. 2, such as processors, solid-state drives, and/or memory devices. In one non-limiting example, server 135 is implemented as a Dell™ PowerEdge™ server running a Microsoft™ Windows Server™ operating system, but it may also be implemented on any other suitable types of hardware, software, and/or firmware, or a combination thereof. In the presented non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, server 135 is a single server. In other non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the functions of server 135 may be distributed among multiple servers (not shown).

[059] In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, processor 113 of electronic device 110 may be coupled to server 135 to receive one or more updates. Such updates may include, among other things, software updates, map updates, route updates, weather data updates, and the like. In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, processor 113 is also capable of sending to server 135 some operational data, such as information about routes taken, traffic data, operational data, and the like. Some or all of such data transmitted between vehicle 120 and server 135 may be encrypted and/or anonymized.

[060] It should be noted that the electronic device 110 may use a variety of sensors and systems to collect information about the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 120 may be equipped with a plurality of sensor systems 180. It should be noted that different sensor systems from the plurality of sensor systems 180 may be used to collect different types of data about the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120.

[061] In one example, the plurality of sensor systems 180 may comprise various optical systems, including one or more camera-type sensor systems mounted on the vehicle 120 and coupled to the processor 113 of the electronic device 110. In general, the one or more camera-type sensor systems may collect image data about different portions of the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120. In some cases, the image data provided by the one or more camera-type sensor systems may be used by the electronic device 110 to perform object detection procedures. For example, the electronic device 110 may transmit the image data provided by the one or more camera-type sensor systems to an Object Detection Neural Network (ODNN) trained to determine the location and classify potential objects in the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120.

[062] In another example, the plurality of sensor systems 180 may comprise one or more radar sensor systems mounted on the vehicle 120 and coupled to the processor 113. In general, the one or more radar sensor systems may use radio waves to collect data about different portions of the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120. For example, the one or more radar sensor systems may collect radar data about potential objects in the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120, and such data may relate to the distance from the radar sensor system to the objects, the orientation of the objects, the absolute and/or relative speed of the objects, and the like.

[063] It should be noted that within the scope of the present technology, the plurality of sensor systems 180 may include sensor systems of other types in addition to those described above as examples.

[064] In accordance with the present technology, as shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 120 is equipped with at least one laser detection and ranging system (lidar system), such as a lidar system 200, for collecting information about the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120. Although described herein in the context of installation on the vehicle 120, it is also contemplated that the lidar system 200 may operate independently or in connection with another system.

[065] Depending on the embodiment, the vehicle 120 may include more or fewer lidar systems 300 than shown in the drawings. Depending on the particular embodiment, the selection of particular systems from the plurality of sensor systems 180 may correspond to a particular embodiment of the lidar system 200. The lidar system 200 may be installed on the vehicle 120 initially or as a retrofit in different locations and/or in different configurations.

[066] For example, depending on the design of the vehicle 120 and the lidar system 200, the lidar system 200 may be mounted in the upper portion of the windshield of the vehicle 120 on the inside thereof. However, as shown in FIG. 1, mounting the lidar system 200 in other locations, including the rear window, side windows, front hood, roof, front grille, front bumper, and side of the vehicle 120, is within the scope of the present technology. In some cases, the lidar system 200 may be mounted in a special housing installed on top of the vehicle 120. In some non-limiting embodiments of the invention, such as that shown in FIG. 1, one lidar system 200 of a plurality of such systems is mounted on the roof of the vehicle 120 and is capable of rotation. For example, a lidar system 100 mounted on a vehicle 120 and capable of rotation may include at least some elements capable of rotating 360 degrees about the axis of rotation of the lidar system 200. The lidar system 200 mounted with the ability to rotate may collect data about a large portion of the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120.

[067] In other non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, also illustrated in Fig. 1, the lidar system 200 may be mounted on a sidewall or on a front grille, for example, without the ability to rotate. In particular, the lidar system 200 mounted on the vehicle 120 without the ability to rotate may include at least some elements that are not capable of rotating 360 degrees, but are capable of collecting data about specified portions of the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120.

[068] Regardless of the specific installation location and/or the specific embodiment, the lidar system 200 is capable of collecting data about the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120, for example, to construct a multidimensional map of objects in the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120. In those embodiments where the lidar system 200 is installed outside the vehicle 120, the lidar system 200 can collect data about certain specified portions of the surrounding space at the installation location of the lidar system 200.

[069] It should be noted that in the description given herein, the lidar system 200 is implemented as a “time-of-flight lidar system” and therefore contains the corresponding elements characteristic of such an implementation, while other embodiments of the lidar system 200 are also possible without departing from the essence and scope of the present technology.

[070] Fig. 3 is a diagram of one specific embodiment of a lidar system 200 implemented in accordance with certain non-limiting embodiments of the present technology.

[071] In general, lidar system 200 includes a plurality of internal components, including (1) a light source 210 (also referred to as a “laser source” or “radiation source”), (2) a light-splitting element 220, (3) a scanning system 230 (also referred to as a “scanning node”), (4) a sensor array 250 (also referred to as a “detection system,” “receiver node,” or “detector array”), and (5) a controller 280. It is contemplated that, in addition to the components non-exhaustively listed above, lidar system 200 may include a plurality of sensors (e.g., a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, etc.), which are not shown in Fig. 3 for simplicity.

[072] In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, one or more internal components of the lidar system 200 are housed in a common housing 205, as shown in Fig. 3. In some embodiments of the present technology, the controller 280 may be located outside of the common housing 205, but is connected to the components therein. For example, in at least some embodiments, the controller 280 may be implemented on the basis of the electronic device 110.

[073] In general, the lidar system 200 operates as follows: the light source 210 of the lidar system 200 emits light pulses, forming an output beam 212, the scanning system 230 scans the surrounding space 150 of the vehicle 120 with the output beam 212 to collect data about previously unknown objects located therein and to determine their location, for example, in order to form a multidimensional map of the surrounding space 150, the objects on which are represented as one or more data points. The light source 210 and the scanning system 230 are described in more detail below.

[074] When the output beam 212 reaches one or more objects in the surrounding space, at least a portion of the light from the output beam 212 is typically reflected from such objects, and some of the reflected light beams may be returned to the lidar system 200 as the input beam 214. It should be noted that the light from the output beam 212 may be partially absorbed or scattered by objects in the surrounding space.

[075] Upon entering the lidar system 200, the input beam 214 is received by the scanning system 230, which directs it toward the sensor array 250. The input beam 214 is then captured and recorded by the sensor array 250. In response, the sensor array 250 is capable of generating one or more representative data signals. For example, the sensor array 250 can generate an output electrical signal (not shown) that represents the input beam 214. In addition, the sensor array 250 can transmit the electrical signal thus generated to the controller 280 for further processing. Finally, by measuring the time between the emission of the output beam 212 and the reception of the input beam 214, the controller 280 calculates distances to objects in the surrounding space 150 (as described below).

[076] Uses and embodiments of these elements of the lidar system 200 in accordance with certain non-limiting embodiments of the present technology are described below.

[077] Light source 210 is coupled to controller 280 and is capable of emitting light at a predetermined operating wavelength. To this end, in some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, light source 210 may comprise at least one laser configured to operate at a predetermined operating wavelength. The operating wavelength of light source 210 may be in the infrared, visible, or ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The selection of the operating wavelength may generally be limited by various factors, including, but not limited to, the parameters of narrow-band filters used in the system and the sensitivity of the detectors in the system. For example, light source 210 may comprise at least one laser with an operating wavelength in the range of approximately 650-1150 nm. In another embodiment, light source 210 may comprise a laser diode capable of emitting light with a wavelength in the range of approximately 800-1000 nm, approximately 850-950 nm, or approximately 1300-1600 nm. In some other embodiments of the invention, light source 210 may comprise a light emitting diode.

[078] Typically, the light source 210 of the lidar system 200 is a vision-safe laser, in other words, the lidar system 200 may be classified as a vision-safe laser system or a vision-safe laser product. In general, a vision-safe laser, laser system, or laser product may be considered to be a system with such a combination of characteristics, namely, emission wavelength, average power, peak power, peak intensity, pulse energy, beam size, beam divergence, irradiation duration, or such a scanning output beam, that the probability of visual impairment of a person due to exposure to light emitted by this system is small or equal to zero.

[079] In order to provide time-of-flight lidar measurements, the light source 210 is typically a pulsed source capable of generating or emitting light pulses of a certain duration. For example, in some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the light source 210 can emit pulses with a duration (i.e., a pulse width) in the range of 10 to 100 ns. In other non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the light source 210 can emit pulses with a repetition rate in the range of approximately 100 kHz to 5 MHz or with a pulse repetition period (i.e., a time interval between adjacent pulses) in the range of approximately 200 ns to 10 μs. However, in general, the light source 210 may generate an output beam 212 with any suitable average optical power, wherein the output beam 212 may represent optical pulses with any pulse energy or peak optical power suitable for a given application.

[080] In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, light source 210 may comprise one or more laser diodes, including, but not limited to, a Fabry-Perot laser diode, a quantum well laser, a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser, a distributed feedback (DFB) laser, or a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). By way of example only, the laser diode in light source 210 may be an aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP) laser diode, or any other suitable laser diode. It is also contemplated that light source 210 may comprise one or more current-modulated laser diodes for generating optical pulses.

[081] In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the light source 210 is typically capable of generating an output beam 212 that is a collimated optical beam, however, it is contemplated that such a beam may have any divergence suitable for a given application. In general, the divergence of the output beam 212 is an angular measure of the increase in the transverse size of the beam (e.g., the radius or diameter of the beam) as the output beam 212 moves away from the light source 210 or the lidar system 200. In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the output beam 212 may have a substantially circular cross-section. It is also contemplated that the output beam 212 emitted by the light source 210 may be unpolarized or randomly polarized, may not have a specific or constant polarization (e.g., its polarization may change over time), or may have a specific polarization (e.g., the output beam 212 may have a linear, elliptical, or circular polarization).

[082] In at least some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the output beam 212 and the input beam 214 may be substantially coaxial. That is, the output beam 212 and the input beam 214 may at least partially overlap or have a common direction of propagation, and the input beam 214 and the output beam 212 travel along substantially the same optical path (but in opposite directions). However, in other non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the output beam 214 and the input beam 214 may be non-coaxial, or, in other words, may not overlap or have a common direction of propagation within the lidar system 200, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present technology. In the schematic illustration of Fig. 3, the beams 212, 214 are shown spaced apart simply for ease of reference.

[083] As shown in Fig. 3, a light-splitting element 220 is further provided, located in the housing 205. For example, as mentioned earlier, the light-splitting element 220 is capable of directing the output beam 212 from the light source 210 to the scanning system 230. The light-splitting element 220 is also capable of directing the input beam 314, reflected from the surrounding space, to the sensor array 250 for further processing by the controller 310. It should be noted that some portion (for example, up to 10%) of the intensity of the output beam 212 may be absorbed by the material of the light-splitting element 220, depending on the design of the latter.

[084] Depending on the embodiment of the lidar system 200, the beam-splitting element 220 may be in various forms, including, but not limited to, a glass prism-based beam-splitting element, a half-silvered mirror-based beam-splitting element, a dichroic mirror prism-based beam-splitting element, a fiber optic beam-splitting element, and the like. Thus, in accordance with non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, an open list of adjustable parameters associated with the beam-splitting element 220, depending on the specific area of its application, may include, for example, an operating wavelength range, which may vary from a finite number of wavelengths to a broader light spectrum (e.g., from 1200 to 1600 nm), an input angle of incidence, the presence or absence of polarization, and the like. In a specific non-limiting example, the beam-splitting element 220 may be implemented as a fiber optic beam-splitting element available from OZ Optics Ltd., 219 Westbrook Rd Ottawa, Ontario K0A 1L0 Canada. It is understood that the beam-splitting element 304 may be implemented using any other suitable equipment.

[085] It should be noted that in various non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the lidar system 200 may include additional optical elements. For example, the lidar system 200 may include one or more optical elements that are capable of changing the parameters and shape, filtering and modifying, and changing or setting the direction of the output beam 212 and/or the input beam 214. For example, the lidar system 200 may include lenses, mirrors, filters (e.g., bandpass or notch), optical fibers, circulators, beam splitters, polarizers, polarizing beam splitters, wave (e.g., half-wave or quarter-wave) plates, diffraction elements, microelectromechanical (MEM) elements, collimating elements, or holographic elements in an amount of one or more units.

[086] In general, the scanning system 230 directs the output beam 212 in one or more directions toward the surrounding space 150, and vice versa, directs the input beam 214 after it enters the lidar system 200 toward the sensor array 250. The scanning system 230 is coupled to a controller 280. Accordingly, the controller 280 is capable of controlling the scanning system 230 by directing the output beam 212 in a desired direction and/or in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern. In general, in the context of the present description, a “scanning characteristic” may be a pattern or path along which the scanning system 230 directs the output beam 212 during operation.

[087] According to the present embodiments, the scanning system 230 comprises a scanning mirror 232 configured to oscillate about a first axis 233. In the present embodiment, the scanning mirror 232 is a scanning mirror with a galvanometer, also referred to as a galvanometric mirror 232. It is contemplated that the features of the scanning mirror 232 may vary depending on the embodiment. In the present embodiment, the first axis 233 is positioned generally horizontally (as shown in the schematic top view of Fig. 3) so that when the scanning mirror 232 oscillates, the light reflected therefrom scans up or down vertically.

[088] While oscillating about the axis 233, the scanning mirror 232 rotates in two directions. In particular, the scanning mirror 232 rotates about the axis 233 in a first direction 241 of rotation and in a second direction 243 of rotation, wherein the second direction 243 of rotation is directly opposite to the first direction 241 of rotation (see Figs. 4 and 5). When the scanning mirror 232 moves in the first direction 241 of rotation, the output beam 212 of the light source 210 is reflected from it and scans the surrounding space 150, as a rule, downwards vertically. When the scanning mirror 232 reaches the end of the scanning area, it returns to the initial scanning position, moving in the second direction 243 of rotation, wherein the reflective surface of the scanning mirror 232 is rotated upwards. When the scanning mirror 232 is rotated in the second rotation direction 243 to return to the initial scanning position, the light source 210 does not generate an output beam (i.e., lidar system data points are not collected).

[089] As noted above, the scanning mirror 232 rotates in a first direction 241 of rotation when scanning the surrounding space 150 and in a second direction 243 of rotation when the scanning mirror 232 returns to its initial position. Since lidar measurements are not performed during the rotation of the scanning mirror 232 in the second rotation direction 243, it is preferable to quickly return the scanning mirror 232 to the initial scanning position so that the scanning mirror 232 scans (rotates in the first rotation direction 241) for at least most of the operating time of the lidar system 200. Thus, in the present embodiment, the scanning mirror 232 is capable of rotating at the first speed in the first rotation direction 241 for at least 90% of the operating time of the system 200 and at the second speed in the second rotation direction 243 for no more than 10% of the operating time of the system 200. In order to ensure such a time balance between the scanning mode (movement in the first rotation direction 241) and the returning to the initial position mode (movement in the second rotation direction 243), the second rotation speed of the scanning mirror 232 is set higher than the first rotation speed of the scanning mirror 232. In the present embodiment, the second rotation speed is approximately ten times exceeds the first rotation speed. It is contemplated that the relative operating time in each mode and, therefore, the relative difference between the first and second rotation speeds may vary in different non-limiting embodiments.

[090] The scanning system 230 also comprises a scanning element 236 capable of receiving the output beam 212 from the scanning mirror 232 and scanning the surrounding space 150 with the output beam 212. The scanning element 236 in the present embodiments is, in particular, a rotating (rotary) prism 236, wherein the features of the scanning element 236 may vary depending on the embodiment. The prism 236 rotates about a second axis 237, which is perpendicular to the first axis 233 and, in particular, in the present embodiment is, as a rule, vertical. During the rotation of the prism 236 about the axis 237, the output beam 212 scans the surrounding space 150, as a rule, horizontally. Thus, when scanning vertically, the scanning mirror 232 ensures that the output beam 212 scans a two-dimensional region of the surrounding space. In the present embodiment, the rotating prism 236 is capable of rotating about the axis 237 at a speed approximately ten times greater than the first rotation speed (in the first direction 241) of the scanning mirror 232, wherein the relative speeds of the prism 236 and the mirror 232 may vary depending on the embodiment.

[091] In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the scanning system 230 may further comprise a number of other optical and/or mechanical elements for scanning the output beam 212. For example, the scanning system 230 in some embodiments may comprise mirrors, prisms, lenses, microelectromechanical elements, piezoelectric elements, optical fibers, splitters, diffractive elements, collimating elements, and the like in an amount of one or more units. It should be noted that the scanning system 230 may also comprise one or more additional actuators (not separately shown) that actuate at least some other optical elements, such as for rotating, tilting, rotating, or changing their angle about one or more axes.

[092] According to some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the sensor array 250 is coupled to the controller 310 and can be implemented in a variety of ways. In accordance with the present technology, the sensor array 250 comprises a plurality of detectors 252 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). In the illustrated example, the sensor array 250 is a linear array consisting of sixteen detectors 252 arranged in a single plane, wherein the specific arrangement and total number of detectors 252 can vary. It should also be noted that the array 250 is schematically shown as being arranged vertically, but other arrangements of the detectors 252 are also possible, such as horizontally, diagonally, with a non-uniform distribution and/or in the form of a two-dimensional array. The specific arrangement method is selected taking into account a number of factors, including, among other things, the type of detector, the design features of the scanning system 230, the features of the image reconstruction method and the desired image resolution. As described in more detail below, a specific detector 255 of the 252 detectors is used for lidar measurements, while the remaining 252 detectors operate in image acquisition mode (described below).

[093] In this example, each detector 252 is a photodetector, but may also include a photodetector, an optical receiver, an optical sensor, a detector, an optical detector, optical fibers, and the like, without limitation. As noted above, in some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the sensor array 250 may receive or detect at least a portion of the input beam 214 and generate an electrical signal corresponding to the input beam 214. For example, if the input beam 214 includes an optical pulse, one or more detectors 252 of the sensor array 250 may generate an electrical current or voltage pulse corresponding to the optical pulse detected by the sensor array 250. It is contemplated that in various non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, detectors 252 may be implemented using one or more avalanche photo diodes (APD), one or more single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD), one or more PN photodiodes (e.g., a photodiode structure with a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor), one or more PIN photodiodes (e.g., a photodiode structure with an undoped region of the semiconductor that has intrinsic conductivity and is located between the p-type and n-type regions), etc.

[094] In some non-limiting embodiments, the sensor array 250 and/or the controller 280 may also comprise electronic circuitry or software that performs amplification, sampling, signal filtering, waveform conversion, analog-to-digital conversion, time-to-digital conversion, pulse detection, threshold detection, leading edge detection, trailing edge detection, and the like. In particular, the sensor array 250 may comprise electronic elements that are capable of converting a received photocurrent (e.g., a current produced by an APD diode in response to a received optical signal) into a voltage signal. The sensor array 250 may also comprise additional circuitry for generating an analog or digital output signal corresponding to one or more characteristics (e.g., a leading edge, a trailing edge, an amplitude, a duration, and the like) of the received optical pulse.

[095] Depending on the implementation, the controller 280 may comprise one or more processors, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and/or other suitable circuits. The controller 280 may also comprise non-volatile computer-readable memory for storing instructions executed by the controller 280, as well as data that the controller 280 may generate based on signals received from other internal elements of the lidar system 200 and/or for signals output to other internal elements of the lidar system 200. The memory may comprise volatile (e.g., RAM) and/or non-volatile (e.g., flash memory, hard drive) elements. The controller 280 is capable of generating data during operation and storing it in the memory. For example, such data generated by controller 280 may be associated with data points in a distance data point cloud relative to lidar system 200.

[096] It is contemplated that in at least some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the controller 280 may be implemented similarly to the electronic device 110 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present technology. In addition to collecting data from the sensor array 250, the controller 280 is also capable of providing control signals to the light source 210 and the scanning system 230 and, possibly, receiving diagnostic data from them.

[097] As noted above, controller 280 is coupled to light source 210, scanning system 230, and sensor array 250. In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, controller 280 is configured to receive electrical trigger pulses from light source 210, wherein each electrical trigger pulse corresponds to the emission of an optical pulse by light source 210. Controller 280 may further provide light source 210 with commands, a control signal, and/or a trigger signal indicating when light source 210 is to generate optical pulses, such as for output beam 212. It is also contemplated that controller 280 may cause light source 210 to change one or more characteristics of output beam 212 generated by light source 210, such as, among other things, frequency, period, duration, pulse energy, peak power, average power, and wavelength of the optical pulses.

[098] According to the present technology, the controller 280 is configured to determine a "time of flight" value of an optical pulse for calculating a distance between the lidar system 200 and one or more objects in the field of view, as described below. The time of flight is determined based on timing information associated with (1) a first time when an optical pulse (e.g., output beam 212) was emitted by light source 210, and (2) a second time when a portion of this optical pulse (e.g., from input beam 214) was detected or received by sensor array 250, in particular if input beam 214 is detected by a specific detector 255 of detectors 252 of sensor array 250. In some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology, the first time may correspond to the time when the controller 280 transmits an electrical pulse associated with the optical pulse, and the second time may correspond to the time when the controller 280 receives from the sensor array 250 an electrical signal generated in response to receiving a portion of the optical pulse of the input beam 214.

[099] According to the present technology, the controller 280 is capable of determining, based on the first and second instants of time, a time-of-flight value and/or a phase modulation value for the emitted pulse of the output beam 212. The time-of-flight value T in a sense represents the time it takes for the emitted pulse to travel “there and back”, i.e., from the lidar system 200 to the object and back to the lidar system 200. Thus, the controller 280 is generally capable of determining the distance to the object using the following formula:

(1)

where D is the distance being determined, T is the time of flight, and c is the speed of light (approximately 3.0×10 ⁸ m/s).

[0100] Thus, the lidar system 200 is capable of determining a distance to one or more other potential objects located in the surrounding space 150. By scanning the output beam 212 of the region of interest of the lidar system 200 in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern (typically, as already noted, in a two-dimensional region of the surrounding space 150), the controller 280 is capable of displaying distances to corresponding data points in the region of interest of the lidar system 200. Based on this, the controller 280 is typically capable of representing these successively obtained data points (e.g., point clouds) in the form of a multi-dimensional map. In some embodiments, data associated with a certain time of flight and/or distance to an object can be displayed in a different information format.

[0101] For example, such a multidimensional map may be used by the electronic device 110 to detect or otherwise identify objects or to determine the shape or distance to potential objects in the area of interest of the lidar system 200. It is contemplated that the lidar system 200 is capable of repeatedly or iteratively acquiring and/or generating point clouds at any rate suitable for the application.

[0102] According to embodiments of the present technology, the lidar system 200 is further capable of operating in an image capturing mode in addition to the lidar measurement mode. The lidar measurement mode broadly refers to emitting and collecting light to form the above-described distance data point cloud during movement of the scanning mirror 232 in the first rotational direction 241 at a first rotational speed. In accordance with the present technology, the system 200 is further capable of obtaining images of the surrounding space 150, which refers to the image capturing mode, when the scanning mirror 232 moves in the second rotational direction 243 at a second rotational speed.

[0103] To implement these modes, the sensor array 250 and the controller 280 are capable of generating a cloud of distance data points based on light collected by the sensor array 250 during rotation of the scanning mirror 232 at a first speed in a first direction of rotation 241 (see Fig. 4). In particular, the scanning system 230 can direct an input beam 214 to a selected detector 255 of the sensor array 250, whereby the controller 280 receives time-of-flight information to generate a cloud of distance data points, as described above. As shown in Fig. 5, in the image capturing mode, the sensor array 250 and the controller 280 are capable of generating an image of the scanning zone (surrounding space 150) based on light collected by the sensor array 250 during rotation of the scanning mirror 232 at a second speed in a second direction of rotation 243. In particular, signals from individual light beams entering the scanning system 230 and incident on one of the detectors 252 are collected by the controller 280 during the return of the scanning mirror 232 to the initial scanning position. As shown in the drawings, light entering from different regions of the field of view of the system 200 is directed by the scanning system 230 to individual detectors 252 of the sensor array 250. Since the light source 210 does not emit light when the scanning mirror 232 moves in the second direction 243 of rotation, the light beams entering the system 200 and collected to form images are related to the ambient light in the surrounding space 150. In at least some embodiments, the detectors 232 of the sensor array 250 may have a limited range of received wavelengths. Although the light reaching the 250 sensor array in image acquisition mode may have a wide range of wavelengths, it should be noted that only light within the range of receivable wavelengths is collected to form images.

[0104] The controller 280 is further configured to form an image of at least some portions of the surrounding space 150 using an image reconstruction method. The particular image reconstruction method is selected depending on a variety of factors associated with the system 200 and is therefore not further described here. Because light from the surrounding space 150 is collected outside of the measurement process to form a distance point cloud, images of the surrounding space can be collected without increasing the downtime of the system 200, and no additional optical path or separate sets of sensors (other than the plurality of detectors 252 in the detection plane) are required.

[0105] Accordingly, the controller 280 is capable of implementing a method 300 for operating a lidar system, such as the lidar system 200, to generate a point cloud of distance data and images. Fig. 6 is a flow chart of a method 300 that corresponds to non-limiting embodiments of the present technology. The method 300 may be implemented by the controller 280.

[0106] Step 310: controlling the scanning mirror to scan the space with a plurality of light beams emitted from the lidar system.

[0107] The implementation of the method 300 begins with step 310 - controlling the scanning mirror 232 for scanning the space with a plurality of light beams output from the lidar system 200, for example, with repeated formation of the output beam 212. Controlling the scanning mirror 232 includes rotating the scanning mirror 232 at a first speed in a first direction of rotation 241. Controlling the scanning mirror 232 also includes rotating the scanning mirror 232 at a second speed in a second direction of rotation 243. As mentioned above, the second speed of rotation is higher than the first speed of rotation, and the second direction of rotation is opposite to the first direction.

[0108] In at least some embodiments, rotating the scanning mirror 232 at the second speed includes rotating the scanning mirror 232 at a speed that is at least twice the first speed. In order to minimize the time during which the system 200 is not generating a cloud of distance data points, when returning to the initial position, the scanning mirror 232 rotates faster than when performing the scan. In the present non-limiting embodiment, rotating the scanning mirror 232 at the second speed specifically includes rotating the scanning mirror 232 at a speed that is approximately ten times the first speed. In at least some embodiments, controlling the scanning mirror 232 for scanning includes rotating the scanning mirror 232 at the first speed for at least 90% of the operating time and rotating the scanning mirror 232 at the second speed for no more than 10% of the operating time.

[0109] In at least some embodiments, method 300 further comprises controlling scanning element 236 (prism 236) to rotate about a second axis 237 that is perpendicular to the first axis 233. In some cases, rotating prism 236 includes rotating prism 236 at a rotation speed that is approximately ten times greater than the first speed of scanning mirror 232 (in scanning mode).

[0110] Step 320: detecting by the sensor array light reflected from the scanning mirror onto the sensor array.

[0111] The next step in the method 300 is step 320 - detecting by the sensor array 250 light reflected from the scanning mirror 232 onto the sensor array 250. During rotation of the scanning mirror 232 in the first rotation direction 241, the input beam 214 is detected by a selected detector of the sensor array 250 to form an array of point clouds of distance data. During rotation of the scanning mirror 232 in the second rotation direction 243, light reflected from the surrounding space 150 is detected by at least one of the detectors 252 of the sensor array 250 to construct images of portions of the surrounding space 150.

[0112] Step 330: generating a distance data point cloud based on light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at a first speed in a first rotation direction.

[0113] The next step in the method 300 is step 330 - generating a cloud of distance data points based on the light collected by the sensor array 250 during rotation of the scanning mirror 232 at a first speed in a first direction 241 of rotation.

[0114] In some embodiments, generating a distance data point cloud based on light collected by sensor array 250 includes generating a distance data point cloud based on light collected by a selected sensor 255 of sensor array 250.

[0115] Step 340: forming an image of the scanning zone around the lidar system based on the light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at the second speed in the second direction of rotation.

[0116] The next step in the method 300 is step 340 - forming an image of the scanning zone around the lidar system 200 based on the light collected by the sensor array 250 during rotation of the scanning mirror 232 at the second speed in the second direction 243 of rotation. It should be noted that the scanning zone can include both the same field of view as when forming the point cloud of distance data, and a different field of view.

[0117] In some embodiments, forming one or more images of the surrounding space 150 includes receiving light information from each of the detectors 252 forming the sensor array 250. Then, the method 300 further includes constructing an image or several images by the controller 180 using an image reconstruction method based on at least the received light information.

[0118] This completes the implementation of method 300.

[0119] In at least some non-limiting embodiments, the method 300 further comprises controlling the light source 210 such that the plurality of light beams are generated only during rotation of the scanning mirror 232 at the first speed in the first direction of rotation 241.

[0120] Although embodiments of the invention have been described above with specific steps performed in a particular order, it should be understood that these steps may be combined, divided into parts, or reordered without departing from the spirit and scope of the present technology. Accordingly, the order and grouping of steps are not limiting for the present technology.

[0121] Possible changes and improvements to the above-described embodiments of the present technology may be obvious to a person skilled in the art. The preceding description is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of protection of the present technology is determined solely by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (25)

1. A method for controlling scanning in a lidar system, carried out by a lidar system controller and including: - controlling the scanning mirror of the lidar system for scanning the space with a plurality of light beams emerging from the lidar system and formed by the light source of the lidar system, including ensuring rotation of the scanning mirror at a first speed in a first direction of rotation and ensuring rotation of the scanning mirror at a second speed greater than the first speed in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation; - detection by the matrix of sensors of the lidar system of light reflected from the scanning mirror onto the matrix of sensors; - generating a distance data point cloud based on light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at a first speed in a first direction of rotation; and - forming an image of the scanning zone around the lidar system based on light collected by the sensor matrix during rotation of the scanning mirror at a second speed in a second direction of rotation, wherein the plurality of light rays are formed by the light source only during rotation of the scanning mirror at the first speed in the first direction of rotation. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating a cloud of distance data points based on light collected by the sensor array includes generating a cloud of distance data points based on light collected by a selected sensor from the sensor array. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the scanning mirror at the second speed includes rotating the scanning mirror at a speed at least twice the first speed. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the scanning mirror at the second speed includes rotating the scanning mirror at a speed approximately ten times greater than the first speed. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming an image of the scanning zone includes receiving information about light from each of a plurality of detectors forming a matrix of sensors, and constructing an image using an image reconstruction method based on at least the received information about light. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein controlling the scanning mirror for scanning includes rotating the scanning mirror at a first speed for at least 90% of the operating time and rotating the scanning mirror at a second speed for no more than 10% of the operating time. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the scanning mirror rotates around the first axis and additional control of the scanning element is provided to implement its rotation around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein controlling the scanning element includes controlling the scanning element to implement its rotation at a rotation speed approximately ten times greater than the first speed of the scanning mirror. 9. A lidar system containing - controller; - a light source functionally connected to the controller; - a sensor matrix functionally connected to the controller and containing a plurality of detectors; and - a scanning system operatively connected to a controller, which comprises a scanning mirror capable of oscillating relative to a first axis, and a scanning element capable of rotating about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the scanning mirror is capable of rotating about the first axis at a first speed in a first direction of rotation and rotating about the first axis at a second speed in a second direction of rotation, and the sensor array and the controller are capable of forming a cloud of distance data points based on light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at a first speed in the first direction of rotation, and of forming an image of the scanning zone based on light collected by the sensor array during rotation of the scanning mirror at a second speed in the second direction of rotation, wherein the light source forms a plurality of light beams only during rotation of the scanning mirror at the first speed in the first direction of rotation. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the second speed of rotation of the scanning mirror is higher than the first speed of rotation of the scanning mirror. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second rotation speed is approximately ten times greater than the first rotation speed. 12. The system of claim 9, which is capable of generating a point cloud of distance data based on the time of flight determined using at least one of the plurality of detectors. 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of detectors includes at least sixteen detectors located in the same plane. 14. The system of claim 9, wherein the scanning element is a rotating prism that rotates around a second axis. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the rotating prism is capable of rotating about the second axis at a speed approximately ten times greater than the first speed of the scanning mirror. 16. The system of claim 9, wherein the scanning mirror is capable of rotating at the first speed for at least 90% of the time the system is operating and rotating at the second speed for no more than 10% of the time the system is operating.