BLOCKAGE DETECTION WEATHER DETECTION SYSTEM WITH LIDAR SENSOR

摘要

A method and apparatus detects foreign material on a window of a LIDAR sensor and determines existence of a bad weather condition (fog, spray, rain). The LIDAR sensor has an illumination portion including a light source; a receiving portion having at least one photodetector for receiving light, sent from the light source, that is reflected from an object in a field of view of receiving optics; a blockage detection portion adjacent to the illumination portion; and a window portion extending from the illumination portion to the blockage detection portion. The method prevents light, from the light source that is scattered when foreign material is on a surface of the window or when a bad weather condition exists, to pass into the receiving portion and permits such scattered light to pass into the blockage detection portion. The scattered light is collected on a photodiode disposed in the blockage detection portion.