Coaxial local oscillator generation at a conjugate focal plane in an FMCW lidar system
US10908267B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 2020 |
| Grant date | Feb 2, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 24, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/34
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes an optical source to emit an optical beam, and free-space optics coupled with the optical source to focus the optical beam at a first focal plane, where a local oscillator (LO) signal is generated from a partial reflection of the optical beam from a partially-reflecting surface proximate to the first focal plane, and where a transmitted portion of the optical beam is directed toward a scanned target environment. The free-space optics configured to focus the LO signal and a target return signal at a second focal plane comprising a conjugate focal plane to the first focal plane. The system also includes a photodetector with a photosensitive surface proximate to the conjugate focal plane to mix the LO signal with the target return signal to generate target information.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.