Light detection and ranging (lidar) device having a light-guide manifold

US12352900B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Waymo LLC · US

Inventors

• Pierre-Yves Droz · Los Altos, US
• Ralph Hamilton Shepard · Menlo Park, US
• Augusto Tazzoli · San Jose, US
• David Hutchison · Mountain View, US
• David Schleuning · Oakland, US
• Nathaniel Golshan · Palo Alto, US
• Nathaniel Quillin · League City, US
• Andrew Abo · Redwood City, US
• Caner Onal · Palo Alto, US
• Michael Tom · Glen Burnie, US
• Robert J. Lockwood · Mountain View, US
• Kelvin Kwong · Cupertino, US
• Daiwei Li · San Jose, US
• Drew Ulrich · San Francisco, US
• Simon Ellgas · Mountain View, US
• Chandra Kakani · Fremont, US
• Erin Eppard · Sunnyvale, US
• Samuel William Lenius · Sunnyvale, US
• Justin Matthew Andrade · San Jose, US
• James Dunphy · South Glastonbury, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 15, 2020
• Grant date: Jul 8, 2025
• Expiry date: Sep 13, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S2013/93273
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to light detection and ranging (lidar) devices having a light-guide manifold. An example lidar device includes a transmit subsystem. The transmit subsystem includes a light emitter. The transmit subsystem also includes a light-guide manifold optically coupled to the light emitter. Further, the transmit subsystem includes a telecentric lens assembly optically coupled to the light-guide manifold. The lidar device also includes a receive subsystem. The receive subsystem includes the telecentric lens assembly. The receive subsystem also includes an aperture plate having an aperture defined therein. The aperture plate is positioned at a focal plane of the telecentric lens assembly. Further, the receive subsystem includes a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) positioned to receive light traveling through the aperture.