Patent ID: 11899139
Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 18:
19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that cause a vehicle onboard unit (OBU) of a computer-assisted or autonomous driving (CA/AD) vehicle, in response to execution of the instructions by the OBU, to:
monitor, by a monitor unit, one or more operational parameters of one or more optical components of a LiDAR sensor disposed on the CA/AD vehicle, wherein the LiDAR sensor is a LiDAR sensor of a LiDAR system of the CA/AD vehicle that includes a plurality of LiDAR sensors, wherein the LiDAR sensor includes:
a first optical component of the LiDAR sensor and a second optical component of the LiDAR sensor coupled to a third component of the LiDAR sensor, wherein when the first optical component or the second optical component is enabled, the enabled one of the first and second optical components is to provide a first input to the third component, or to receive a second input from the third component, and wherein the first optical component and the second optical component are redundant of one another, the first optical component is arranged to perform a first function, the second optical component is arranged to perform the first function, and wherein only one of the first optical component and the second optical component is enabled at a time; and
a fourth optical component of the LiDAR sensor and a fifth optical component of the LiDAR sensor, the fourth and fifth optical components coupled to the third component of the LiDAR sensor or a sixth component of the LiDAR sensor, wherein when the fourth optical component or the fifth optical component is enabled, the enabled one of the fourth and fifth optical components is to provide a third input to the third or sixth component, or to receive a fourth input from the third component, and wherein the fourth optical component and the fifth optical component are redundant of one another, the fourth optical component is arranged to perform a second function, the fifth optical component is arranged to perform the second function, and wherein only one of the fourth optical component and the fifth optical component is enabled at a time; and

control, by a control unit, power or current supplied to the first optical component, the second optical component, the fourth optical component, or the fifth optical component of the LiDAR sensor, in response to a trigger event received from the monitor unit or from another device coupled to the control unit, and wherein the trigger event is related to data about the CA/AD vehicle speed, location, sensor fusion detection data, or weather condition;
wherein the first optical component is enabled when the second component fails to perform the first function, and wherein performance of the LiDAR sensor when the first optical component is enabled prior to failure of the first optical component is the same as performance of the LiDAR sensor when the second optical component is enabled subsequent to failure of the first optical component;
wherein the fourth optical component is enabled when the fifth component fails to perform the second function, and wherein performance of the LiDAR sensor when the fourth optical component is enabled prior to failure of the fourth optical component is the same as performance of the LiDAR sensor when the fifth optical component is enabled subsequent to failure of the fourth optical component; and
wherein the first optical component, the second optical component, the fourth optical component, or the fifth optical component includes an amplifier, an optical collimator, an optical switch, an optical discriminator, or a photo diode.