SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING AND MEASURING OBJECT VELOCITY USING SINGLE SCAN LIDAR DETECTION

1 . A method for detecting and measuring object velocity, comprising:

using a spinning Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system, generating a first LiDAR point cloud of an environment surrounding a vehicle;

using a scanning LiDAR system, generating a second LiDAR point cloud of the environment surrounding the vehicle; and

using a processor:

identifying:

points within the first LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of an object; and

points within the second LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of the object;

determining whether the points within the second LiDAR point cloud line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud; and

when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud do not line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determining that the object is moving.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, using the processor, when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud do not line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determining a velocity of the object based on a difference in position between the points within the second LiDAR point cloud and the points within the first LiDAR point cloud.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, using the processor, when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determining that the object is not moving.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first LiDAR point cloud is generated using a single scan from the spinning LiDAR system.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second LiDAR point cloud is generated using a single scan from the scanning LiDAR system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spinning LiDAR system is coupled to the scanning LiDAR system.

7 . A system for detecting and measuring object velocity, comprising:

a spinning Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system, coupled to a vehicle, configured to generate a first LiDAR point cloud of an environment surrounding the vehicle;

a scanning LiDAR system, coupled to the vehicle, configured to generate a second LiDAR point cloud of the environment surrounding the vehicle; and

a processor, configured to:

identify:

points within the first LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of an object; and

points within the second LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of the object;

determine whether the points within the second LiDAR point cloud line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud; and

when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud do not line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determine that the object is moving.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud do not line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determine a velocity of the object based on a difference in position between the points within the second LiDAR point cloud and the points within the first LiDAR point cloud.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determine that the object is not moving.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first LiDAR point cloud is generated using a single scan from the spinning LiDAR system.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the second LiDAR point cloud is generated using a single scan from the scanning LiDAR system.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the spinning LiDAR system is coupled to the scanning LiDAR system.

13 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising the vehicle.

14 . A system for detecting and measuring object velocity, comprising:

a spinning Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system, coupled to a vehicle, configured to generate a first LiDAR point cloud of an environment surrounding the vehicle;

a scanning LiDAR system, coupled to the vehicle, configured to generate a second LiDAR point cloud of the environment surrounding the vehicle; and

a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory, coupled to the vehicle, configured to store programming instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

identify:

points within the first LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of an object; and

points within the second LiDAR point cloud coinciding with a position of the object;

determine whether the points within the second LiDAR point cloud line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud; and

when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud do not line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, determine that the object is moving.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured, when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud do not line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, to cause the processor to determine a velocity of the object based on a difference in position between the points within the second LiDAR point cloud and the points within the first LiDAR point cloud.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured, when executed by the processor, when the points within the second LiDAR point cloud line up with the points within the first LiDAR point cloud, to cause the processor to determine that the object is not moving.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first LiDAR point cloud is generated using a single scan from the spinning LiDAR system.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the second LiDAR point cloud is generated using a single scan from the scanning LiDAR system.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the spinning LiDAR system is coupled to the scanning LiDAR system.

20 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising the vehicle.