Lidar apparatus and method
US11662463B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 2017 |
| Grant date | May 30, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 26, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/42
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved lidar apparatus (11) that can scan a surrounding volume without requiring the rotation or other movement of any component other than a scanning mirror (17). The apparatus (11) comprises: a receiving lens (16) having an optical axis; the scanning mirror (17) that is angled to the optical axis of the receiving lens (16) and controlled to rotate about the optical axis of the receiving lens; at least one stationary laser source (12) that is positioned to emit light along an associated emission beam path (14) to be reflected by the scanning mirror (17) along an associated scanning beam path (18); and at least one detector (19), associated with a laser source (12) and positioned to receive light from said laser source (12) that is reflected by external objects and returned through the receiving lens (16) via the scanning mirror (17). The apparatus (11) is characterised in that the emission beam path (14) is located at an angle to the optical axis of the receiving lens (16). Embodiment of the invention comprise a plurality of laser sources (12) such that the apparatus can scan a 3D volume surrounding the apparatus (11) whilst holding each source …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.