Chapter 1 • About This Manual
1.1 Manual Scope
1.2 Prerequisite Knowledge
1.3 Audience
1.4 Document Conventions
Chapter 2 • VLP-16 Overview
2.1 Overview
2.2 Product Models
2.3 Time of Flight
2.4 Data Interpretation Requirements
Chapter 3 • Safety Precautions
3.1 Warning and Caution Definitions
3.1.1 Caution Hazard Alerts
3.2 Safety Overview
3.2.1 Electrical Safety
3.2.2 Mechanical Safety
3.2.3 Laser Safety
Chapter 4 • Unboxing & Verification
4.1 What’s in the Box?
4.1.1 Variants
4.2 Verification Procedure
4.2.1 Network Setup in Isolation
4.2.2 Access Sensor’s Web Interface
4.2.3 Visualize Live Sensor Data with VeloView
4.2.3.1 VeloView Operation
Chapter 5 • Installation & Integration
5.1 Overview
5.2 Mounting
5.3 Encapsulation, Solar Hats, and Ventilation
5.4 Connections
5.4.1 Integrated Cable and Interface Box
5.4.2 Operation Without an Interface Box
5.4.3 Power
Chapter 6 • Key Features
6.1 Calibrated Reflectivity
6.2 Laser Return Modes
6.2.1 Single Return Modes: Strongest, Last
6.2.2 Multiple Returns
6.2.3 Dual Return Mode
6.3 Phase Locking Multiple Sensors
Chapter 7 • Sensor Inputs
7.1 Power Requirements
7.2 Interface Box Signals
7.3 Ethernet Interface
7.4 GPS, Pulse Per Second (PPS) and NMEA GPRMC Message
7.4.1 GPS Input Signals
7.4.2 Electrical Requirements
7.4.3 Timing and Polarity Requirements
7.4.4 GPS Connection Scenarios
7.4.4.1 Connecting a Garmin 18x LVC GPS Receiver
7.4.4.2 Connecting to a computer's serial port
7.4.4.3 Connecting to a microcomputer’s UART
7.4.5 NMEA Message Formats
7.4.5.1 Pre-NMEA Version 2.3 Message Format
7.4.5.2 NMEA Version 2.3 Message Format
7.4.6 Accepting NMEA Messages Via Ethernet
Chapter 8 • Sensor Operation
8.1 Firing Sequence
8.2 Throughput Calculations
8.2.1 Data Packet Rate
8.2.2 Position Packet Rate
8.2.3 Total Packet Rate
8.2.4 Laser Measurements Per Second
8.2.4.1 Single Return Mode (Strongest, Last)
8.2.4.2 Dual Return Mode
8.3 Rotation Speed (RPM)
8.3.1 Horizontal Angular (Azimuth) Resolution
8.3.2 Rotation Speed Fluctuation and Point Density
Chapter 9 • Sensor Data
9.1 Sensor Origin and Frame of Reference
9.2 Calculating X,Y,Z Coordinates from Collected Spherical Data
9.3 Packet Types and Definitions
9.3.1 Definitions
9.3.1.1 Firing Sequence
9.3.1.2 Laser Channel
9.3.1.3 Data Point
9.3.1.4 Azimuth
9.3.1.5 Data Block
9.3.1.6 Time Stamp
9.3.1.7 Factory Bytes
9.3.2 Data Packet Structure
9.3.3 Position Packet Structure
9.4 Discreet Point Timing Calculation
9.5 Precision Azimuth Calculation
9.6 Converting PCAP Files to Point Cloud Formats
Chapter 10 • Sensor Communication
10.1 Web Interface
10.1.1 Configuration Screen
10.1.1.1 MAC Address
10.1.1.2 Correctly reset MAC Address to Factory MAC Address
10.1.2 System Screen
10.1.3 Info Screen
10.1.4 Diagnostics Screen
10.2 Sensor Control with curl
10.2.1 Using curl with Velodyne LiDAR Sensors
10.2.2 curl Command Parameters
10.2.3 Command Line curl Examples
10.2.3.1 Get Diagnostic Data
10.2.3.2 Conversion Formulas
10.2.3.3 Interpret Diagnostic Data
10.2.3.3.1 top:hv
10.2.3.3.2 top:lm20_temp
10.2.3.3.3 top:pwr_5v
10.2.3.3.4 top:pwr_2_5v
10.2.3.3.5 top:pwr_3_3v
10.2.3.3.6 top:pwr_5v_raw
10.2.3.3.7 top:pwr_vccint
10.2.3.3.8 bot:i_out
10.2.3.3.9 bot:lm20_temp
10.2.3.3.10 bot:pwr_1_2v
10.2.3.3.11 bot:pwr_1_25v
10.2.3.3.12 bot:pwr_2_5v
10.2.3.3.13 bot:pwr_3_3v
10.2.3.3.14 bot:pwr_5v
10.2.3.3.15 bot:pwr_v_in
10.2.3.4 Get Snapshot
10.2.3.5 Get Sensor Status
10.2.3.6 Set Motor RPM
10.2.3.7 Set Field of View
10.2.3.8 Set Return Type (Strongest, Last, Dual)
10.2.3.9 Save Configuration
10.2.3.10 Reset System
10.2.3.11 Network Configuration
10.2.3.12 Set Host (Destination) IP Address
10.2.3.13 Set Data Port
10.2.3.14 Set Telemetry Port
10.2.3.15 Set Network (Sensor) IP Address
10.2.3.16 Set Netmask
10.2.3.17 Set Gateway
10.2.3.18 Set DHCP
10.2.4 curl Example using Python
Chapter 11 • Troubleshooting
11.1 Troubleshooting Process
11.1.1 Turned DHCP On, Lost Contact With Sensor
11.2 Service and Maintenance
11.2.1 Fuse Replacement
11.3 Technical Support
11.3.1 Purchased through a Distributor
11.3.2 Factory Support
11.3.3 Support Desk
11.4 Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)
Appendix A • Sensor Specifications
Appendix B • Firmware Update
B.1 Firmware Update Procedure
B.1.1 Special Procedure to Update Firmware
B.1.2 If An Error Occurs
Appendix C • Mechanical Diagrams
C.1 Interface Box Mechanical Drawing
C.2 VLP-16 and Puck LITE Mechanical Drawing
C.3 VLP-16 and Puck LITE Optical Drawing
C.4 VLP-16 and Puck LITE Optical Keep Out Zone
C.5 Puck Hi-Res Mechanical Drawing
C.6 Puck Hi-Res Optical Drawing
C.7 Puck Hi-Res Optical Keep Out Zone
Appendix D • Wiring Diagrams
D.1 Interface Box Wiring Diagram
D.2 Interface Box Schematic
Appendix E • VeloView
E.1 Features
E.2 Install VeloView
E.3 Visualize Streaming Sensor Data
E.4 Capture Streaming Sensor Data to PCAP File
E.5 Replay Captured Sensor Data from PCAP File
Appendix F • Laser Pulse
F.1 The Semiconductor Laser Diode
F.2 Laser Patterns
F.2.1 Laser Spot Pattern
F.2.2 Laser Scan Pattern
F.2.3 Beam Divergence
Appendix G • Time Synchronization
G.1 Introduction
G.2 Background
G.3 PPS Qualifier
G.3.1 Require GPS Receiver Valid
G.3.2 Require PPS Lock
G.3.3 Delay
G.4 GPS Qualifier
G.5 Application
G.6 Logic Tables
Appendix H • Phase Lock
H.1 Phase Lock
H.1.1 Setting the Phase Lock
H.1.2 Application Scenarios
H.2 Field of View
Appendix I • Sensor Care
I.1 Cleaning the Sensor
I.1.1 Required Materials
I.1.2 Determine Method of Cleaning
I.1.3 Method One
I.1.4 Method Two
I.1.5 Method Three
I.1.6 Method Four
Appendix J • Network Configuration
J.1 Ethernet and Network Setup
J.1.1 Defaults
J.1.2 Establishing Communication via Ethernet
J.2 Network Considerations
J.2.1 Throughput Requirements
J.2.2 Single Sensor Transmitting to a Broadcast Address
J.2.3 Multiple Sensors in the Same Network
J.2.3.1 Multiple Sensors Transmitting to a Broadcast Address
J.2.3.2 Multiple Sensors Transmitting to a Specific Address