Patent · US Active

Enhanced hybrid LIDAR with high-speed scanning

US12399279B1 · kind B1 · utility

0Cited by
1,026References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 8, 2021
Grant dateAug 26, 2025
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 26, 2044

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S17/89
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical arrangement for a LIDAR system includes a laser, scanner, fold mirror, lens, and sensors. Adding a wedge-shaped optical element creates an auxiliary field of view, when positioned to overlie an edge portion of the lens. The wedge-shaped optical element may have a variable transparency preventing reception by the sensors of excessive signals from close targets. The sensors may be: a plurality of sensors with unique lengths/widths, arranged to form a linear array; or sensors with the same length/width, but positioned to form an arcuate shape, compensating for an arcuate scan line; or two columns of sensors, one with a field of view in focus at far field positions, and the other in focus at near field positions, correcting for parallax effect/error; or a column of highly sensitive sensors surrounded by a plurality of guard rail sensors having higher immunity to damage from stray laser light.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.