Patent ID: 11874401
Assignee: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  Y | IPC G

Claim 13:
14. A lidar system comprising:
a light source configured to emit light pulses;
a scanner configured to scan a field of regard of the lidar system including direct the light pulses at different angles toward different points within the field of regard;
a receiver configured to detect light from some of the light pulses scattered by one or more remote targets to identify return light pulses; and
a controller configured to adjust one or more characteristics of the receiver, including:
determine an atmospheric condition at or near a geolocation of a vehicle wherein determining an atmospheric condition includes:
receive an indication from the receiver of a duration of a falling edge of one of the return light pulses;
compare the indication of the duration of the falling edge to a threshold duration; and
in response to determining that the duration of the falling edge exceeds the threshold duration, identify fog, sleet, snow, rain, dust, smog, exhaust, or insects; and

cause the receiver to adjust one or more characteristics of the receiver to compensate for attenuation or distortion of the return light pulses associated with the atmospheric condition.