A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform acceleration
In the past decade, the automotive light detection and ranging (LiDAR) has been experiencing a rapid expansion stage. Many researchers have been involved in the research of LiDARs and have installed it in vehicles as a means of enhancing autopilot capabilities. Compared with a traditional millimeter...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2023.1290099/full |
| _version_ | 1797491221225013248 |
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| author | Haoyu Li Sihua Xiang Lu Zhang Jianzhong Zhu Song Wang You Wang |
| author_facet | Haoyu Li Sihua Xiang Lu Zhang Jianzhong Zhu Song Wang You Wang |
| author_sort | Haoyu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the past decade, the automotive light detection and ranging (LiDAR) has been experiencing a rapid expansion stage. Many researchers have been involved in the research of LiDARs and have installed it in vehicles as a means of enhancing autopilot capabilities. Compared with a traditional millimeter wave radar, LiDARs have many advantages such as the high imaging resolution, long measurement range, and the ability to reconstruct 3D information around the vehicle. These features make LiDARs one of the crucial research hotspots in the field of autopilot. The basic principles of LiDARs are the same as those of a laser rangefinder. The distance information can be obtained by locating the echo instant corresponding to the laser emission moment. But if the interval between two adjacent laser pulses is extremely narrow, the regions of the light emission and echo will be overlapped. Therefore, a range ambiguity will occur and the distance information calculation process will become abnormal. Besides, the high resolution of LiDARs is also characterized by its extremely high emissions frequency. Whilst the information about the surrounding environment of an automotive car can be retrieved more accurately, it means that the possibility of range ambiguity is also increasing at the same time. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for solving the range ambiguity problem of the LiDARs based on the concept of classification and can be accelerated by the FPGA approach, for the first time in the field of an automotive LiDAR. The algorithm can be performed by employing a single wavelength pulsed laser and can be specifically optimized for the demands of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). While guaranteeing the high resolution of LiDARs, the attenuation of the measurement ability should exceed due to the occurrence of range ambiguity. It can also match the demand for the processing speed of large amounts of point cloud information data. Through controlling the cost of the whole device, the performance of the LiDAR can be greatly improved. The result of this paper might provide a bright future of automotive LiDARs with the high data processing efficiency and the high resolution at the same time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:43:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a71bc06eb4e045a1be88cd33ee6dfd7a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-424X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:43:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a71bc06eb4e045a1be88cd33ee6dfd7a2023-11-23T15:03:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physics2296-424X2023-11-011110.3389/fphy.2023.12900991290099A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform accelerationHaoyu Li0Sihua Xiang1Lu Zhang2Jianzhong Zhu3Song Wang4You Wang5Raytron Technology Co Ltd., Chengdu, ChinaRaytron Technology Co Ltd., Chengdu, ChinaRaytron Technology Co Ltd., Chengdu, ChinaRaytron Technology Co Ltd., Chengdu, ChinaRaytron Technology Co Ltd., Chengdu, ChinaNorla Institute of Technical Physics, Chengdu, ChinaIn the past decade, the automotive light detection and ranging (LiDAR) has been experiencing a rapid expansion stage. Many researchers have been involved in the research of LiDARs and have installed it in vehicles as a means of enhancing autopilot capabilities. Compared with a traditional millimeter wave radar, LiDARs have many advantages such as the high imaging resolution, long measurement range, and the ability to reconstruct 3D information around the vehicle. These features make LiDARs one of the crucial research hotspots in the field of autopilot. The basic principles of LiDARs are the same as those of a laser rangefinder. The distance information can be obtained by locating the echo instant corresponding to the laser emission moment. But if the interval between two adjacent laser pulses is extremely narrow, the regions of the light emission and echo will be overlapped. Therefore, a range ambiguity will occur and the distance information calculation process will become abnormal. Besides, the high resolution of LiDARs is also characterized by its extremely high emissions frequency. Whilst the information about the surrounding environment of an automotive car can be retrieved more accurately, it means that the possibility of range ambiguity is also increasing at the same time. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for solving the range ambiguity problem of the LiDARs based on the concept of classification and can be accelerated by the FPGA approach, for the first time in the field of an automotive LiDAR. The algorithm can be performed by employing a single wavelength pulsed laser and can be specifically optimized for the demands of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). While guaranteeing the high resolution of LiDARs, the attenuation of the measurement ability should exceed due to the occurrence of range ambiguity. It can also match the demand for the processing speed of large amounts of point cloud information data. Through controlling the cost of the whole device, the performance of the LiDAR can be greatly improved. The result of this paper might provide a bright future of automotive LiDARs with the high data processing efficiency and the high resolution at the same time.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2023.1290099/fullautomotive Light Detection and Rangingrange ambiguitylaserFPGA accelerationautopilot |
| spellingShingle | Haoyu Li Sihua Xiang Lu Zhang Jianzhong Zhu Song Wang You Wang A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform acceleration Frontiers in Physics automotive Light Detection and Ranging range ambiguity laser FPGA acceleration autopilot |
| title | A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform acceleration |
| title_full | A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform acceleration |
| title_fullStr | A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform acceleration |
| title_full_unstemmed | A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform acceleration |
| title_short | A range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive LiDAR based on FPGA platform acceleration |
| title_sort | range ambiguity classification algorithm for automotive lidar based on fpga platform acceleration |
| topic | automotive Light Detection and Ranging range ambiguity laser FPGA acceleration autopilot |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2023.1290099/full |
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