LADAR enabled impact mitigation system
A collision mitigation system makes use of ladar sensors to identify obstacles and to predict unavoidable collisions therewith, and a duplex radio link in communication with secondary vehicles, and a number of external airbags deployable under the control of an airbag control unit, to reduce the forces of impact on the host vehicle, secondary vehicles, and bipeds and quadrupeds wandering into the roadway. A suspension modification system makes use of ladar sensors to identify road hazards, and make adaptations to a number of active suspension components, each with the ability to absorb shock, elevate or lower the vehicle, and adjust the spring rate of the individual wheel suspensions.
1. An impact mitigation system for a vehicle, comprising:
a ladar sensor having a ladar sensor output;
a visible light video camera having at least one video output;
a digital processor connected to said ladar sensor output and to said video output and adapted to develop object data therefrom and to make an impact determination;
an impact mitigation device;
an impact mitigation control unit operably connected to activate said impact mitigation device upon an impact determination;
said ladar sensor further comprising
a receiving lens assembly,
a laser transmitter with a modulated laser light output and a diffusing optic for illuminating a scene in a field of view,
a two-dimensional array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal plane of said receiving lens assembly, each of said light sensitive detectors with an output producing an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of said modulated laser light output,
a readout integrated circuit with a plurality of unit cell electrical circuits, each of said unit cell electrical circuits having an input connected to one of said light sensitive detector outputs, each unit cell electrical circuit having an electrical response signal demodulator and a range measuring circuit connected to an output of said electrical response signal demodulator, said range measuring circuit further connected to a reference signal providing a zero range reference for the said range measuring circuit,
a detector bias circuit connected to at least one voltage distribution grid of said array of light sensitive detectors, and
a temperature stabilized frequency reference connected to said readout integrated circuit.
2. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 further comprising a duplex radio link connected to the digital processor and adapted to interconnect with a second digital processor in a second vehicle.
3. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 wherein said impact mitigation device is mounted to the vehicle in a location selected from the set of a front bumper, a rear bumper, and a side panel.
4. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 wherein said laser transmitter comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser formed in a semiconducting gain medium with at least one element selected from the set of indium, gallium, arsenic, phosphorus.
5. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 wherein said modulated laser light output is modulated with a waveform selected from the set of a single Gaussian pulse profile, multiple Gaussian profile pulses, a single flat-topped pulse profile, multiple flat-topped pulses, a pulsed sinewave, and a chirped sinewave pulse.
6. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 wherein said laser transmitter comprises an optically pumped solid state laser formed in a gain medium selected from the set of yttrium aluminum garnet, erbium doped glass, neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet, and erbium doped yttrium aluminum garnet.
7. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 wherein said two-dimensional array of light sensitive detectors is mounted directly to said readout integrated circuit.
8. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 wherein said ladar sensor is integrated into a headlight assembly.
9. The impact mitigation system of claim 1 wherein said ladar sensor is integrated into an auxiliary lamp assembly selected from the set of a turn signal, taillight, parking light, mirror assembly, and brake light.
10. A proactive vehicle suspension system comprising:
a ladar sensor having a ladar sensor output and being mountable to a vehicle;
a visible light video camera having a video output and being mountable to the vehicle;
a digital suspension control processor connected to said ladar sensor output and said video output and adapted to develop scene data therefrom and to produce a suspension control signal; and
an active suspension component attachable to a suspension arm of a wheel of the vehicle and a chassis of the vehicle, and said active suspension component connected to said digital suspension control processor and adapted to actively raise or lower the wheel in response to the suspension control signal;
said ladar sensor comprising
a receiving lens assembly,
a laser transmitter with a modulated laser light output and a diffusing optic for illuminating a scene in the field of view,
a two-dimensional array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal plane of said receiving lens assembly, each of said light sensitive detectors with an output producing an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of said modulated laser light output,
a readout integrated circuit with a plurality of unit cell electrical circuits, each of said unit cell electrical circuits having an input connected to one of said light sensitive detector outputs, each said unit cell electrical circuit having an electrical response signal demodulator and a range measuring circuit connected to an output of said electrical response signal demodulator, said range measuring circuit further connected to a reference signal providing a zero range reference for the said range measuring circuit,
a detector bias circuit connected to at least one voltage distribution grid of said array of light sensitive detectors, and
a temperature stabilized frequency reference connected to said readout integrated circuit.
11. The suspension system of claim 10 wherein said laser transmitter comprises a semiconductor laser formed in a semiconducting gain medium with at least one element selected from the set of indium, gallium, arsenic, phosphorus.
12. The suspension system of claim 10 wherein said modulated laser light output is modulated with a waveform selected from the set of a single Gaussian pulse profile, multiple Gaussian profile pulses, a single flat-topped pulse profile, multiple flat-topped pulses, a pulsed sinewave, and a chirped sinewave pulse.
13. The suspension system of claim 10 wherein said laser transmitter comprises an optically pumped solid state laser formed in a gain medium selected from the set of yttrium aluminum garnet, erbium doped glass, neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet, and erbium doped yttrium aluminum garnet.
14. The suspension system of claim 10 wherein said two-dimensional array of light sensitive detectors is mounted directly to said readout integrated circuit.
15. The suspension system of claim 10 wherein said control input is selected from the set of a gas pressure, a hydraulic pressure, an electrical current, and an electrical voltage.
16. The system of claim 10 wherein said two-dimensional array of light sensitive detectors is formed in a semiconducting film having an element selected from the set of silicon, indium, gallium, arsenic, phosphorus, aluminum, boron, antimony, magnesium, germanium, and nitrogen.
17. A proactive occupant restraint system for a vehicle, comprising:
a ladar sensor having a ladar sensor output and being mountable to the vehicle;
a visible light video camera having a video output and being mountable to the vehicle;
a digital occupant restraint control processor connected to said ladar sensor output and said video output and adapted to develop scene data therefrom and to produce at least one occupant restraint control signal through an occupant restraint control output;
an occupant restraint subsystem having a plurality of occupant restraint devices, each having an occupant restraint control input connected to the occupant restraint control output of said digital occupant restraint control processor and adapted to deploy upon said occupant restraint control signal;
said ladar sensor comprising
a laser transmitter and said laser transmitter with a modulated laser light output and a diffusing optic for illuminating a scene in a field of view,
a receiving lens assembly,
a two-dimensional array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal plane of said receiving lens assembly, each of said light sensitive detectors with an output producing an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of said modulated laser light output,
a readout integrated circuit with a plurality of unit cell electrical circuits, each of said unit cell electrical circuits having an input connected to one of said light sensitive detector outputs, each said unit cell electrical circuit having an electrical response signal demodulator and a range measuring circuit connected to an output of said electrical response signal demodulator, said range measuring circuit further connected to a reference signal providing a zero range reference for the said range measuring circuit,
a detector bias circuit connected to at least one voltage distribution grid of said array of light sensitive detectors, and
a temperature stabilized frequency reference connected to said readout integrated circuit.
18. The proactive occupant restraint system of claim 17 wherein said occupant restraint devices are selected from the set of a seat belt pre-tensioner, a drive side airbag, a passenger side airbag, a side airbag, and a curtain airbag.
19. The proactive occupant restraint system of claim 17 wherein said ladar sensor is integrated into a lamp assembly selected from the set of a headlight, turn signal, taillight, parking light, and brake light.
20. The proactive occupant restraint system of claim 19 wherein said laser transmitter comprises a semiconductor laser formed in a semiconducting gain medium with at least one element selected from the set of indium, gallium, arsenic, and phosphorus.