Use of conjugate focal plane to generate target information in a LIDAR system

US11768280B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Aeva, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Keith Gagne · Santa Clara, US
• Oguzhan Avci · Cupertino, US
• Behsan Behzadi · Menlo Park, US
• Mina Rezk · Haymarket, US
• Kevin Pollock · Mountain View, US
• Pierre Hicks · San Francisco, US
• Gautam Prabhakar · Los Altos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 2020
• Grant date: Sep 26, 2023
• Expiry date: Dec 2, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/34
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes an optical source to emit an optical beam, 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. LIDAR system 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 may also include 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.