Enhancing Resolution for Flash LiDAR with Multi-View Imaging Optics and Range Image Tiling

Flash LiDAR can be used to capture the depth information or contour profile of a target area in one shot and, therefore, has become an important feature in depth sensing devices. Current flash LiDAR devices still suffer from resolution issues due to difficulties in reducing the pixel size of the array sensor. In this paper, a solution has been proposed to resolve this resolution issue by introducing multi-view imaging optics into the flash LiDAR device. Together with scanning illumination over the target area and range image tiling, a fourfold increase in spatial resolution has been achieved, and the working concept can be further extended for resolution enhancement via array expansion. A calibration procedure and shielding mechanism have also been developed to compensate for the issues of crosstalk and stray light, ensuring the quality of the tiled range image. The prototype and corresponding experiment have demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed architecture as an optical solution for enhancing the resolution of flash LiDAR.