Patent ID: 11971507
Assignee: VELODYNE LIDAR USA, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 13:
14. A LIDAR system comprising:
a plurality of lasers;
a passive LIDAR detector;
an active LIDAR detector; and
a controller operable to manage a passive state and an active state of the LIDAR system,
wherein in the passive state, the LIDAR system is configured to (i) suppress laser firing by the plurality of lasers and (ii) receive, by the passive LIDAR detector, a passive return comprising one or more first optical returns from one or more optical sources other than the plurality of lasers,
wherein in the active state, the LIDAR system is configured to (i) fire at least one laser included in the plurality of lasers and (ii) receive, by the active LIDAR detector, an active return comprising one or more second optical returns corresponding to the firing of the at least one laser and one or more third optical returns from the other optical sources,
wherein the LIDAR system is a first LIDAR system and is configured to suppress firing of the plurality of lasers when a second LIDAR system is within a field of view of the first LIDAR system, the field of view of the first LIDAR system being less than a field of view threshold,
wherein the passive LIDAR detector is operable to generate, in the passive state and based on the passive return, a passive signal, and
wherein the active LIDAR detector is operable (i) to generate, in the active state and based on the active return, an active signal, (ii) to compare the passive signal and the active signal, and (iii) based on the comparing of the passive signal and the active signal, to remove, from the active signal, at least a portion of interference corresponding to one or more peaks of the one or more third optical returns from the other optical sources.