Probability of unrecognized LiDAR interference for TCSPC LiDAR

A standard method for distance determination is light detection and ranging (LiDAR), which relies on the emission and detection of reflected laser pulses. When LiDAR systems become common for every vehicle, many simultaneous laser signals will produce mutual LiDAR interference between LiDAR systems. In this paper, we analyze the possibility to recognize mutual interference in time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) LiDAR with particular focus on flash systems. We evaluate the LiDAR interference appearance by deriving the expected event distribution for ego and aggressor signal. From that, we calculate the probability of photon detection within each measured signal. This paper shows the high potential of different pulse repetition frequencies to reduce LiDAR interference. Using signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), we define the extinction distance, beyond which the aggressor signal completely extinguishes the ego signal. Applied on different background and laser event rates, we find the connection between ideal LiDAR system designs and lowest probability for unrecognized LiDAR interference. Furthermore, we show the relationship to a specific LiDAR design, which must fulfill eye safety condition and receives lower intensities with increasing target distances. Finally, we present different solutions for the recognition and reduction of LiDAR interference based on our previous results.