True 3D, angle resolved, ultrasensitive IR laser sensor for autonomous vehicles

An angle-resolved, true 3D laser sensor system for autonomous vehicles and driverless cars has been developed. This paper will describe the principle and architecture of autonomous vehicle laser sensors with the potential for nanowatt, single digit angular resolution at low false alarm rates, and wide angular coverage demonstrated so far for lasers in the 450-1550 nm spectral band, but with the capability for near-mid, mid-IR and longwave IR, as well as active/passive operation. The true 3D sensor determines in real-time, the range, angle and intensity of every resolved feature in the 3D point-cloud unlike conventional lidar sensor systems that can determine only the range of objects accurately. The underlying technology is based on ultra high gain, low excess noise, linear-mode APD detectors, angle resolving optics and open architecture software and interfaces all in a small form-factor. It is also based on a breakthrough tactical laser sensing technology, which have successfully undergone lab and outdoor testing and has demonstrated broadband, widefield- of-view operation with high sensitivity and low false alarm rates. The sensor architecture, design concepts, measured performance and projections will be presented, as well as trade-off characteristics among performance specifications, such as sensitivity, false alarm rates and detection probability.