U.S. patent application number 17/592265 was filed with the patent office on 2022-08-25 for lidar system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Blackmore Sensors & Analytics, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Blackmore Sensors & Analytics, LLC. Invention is credited to Edward Joseph Angus, Zeb Barber, Ryan Moore Galloway.
Application Number | 20220266853 17/592265 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006122110 |
Filed Date | 2022-08-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220266853 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Angus; Edward Joseph ; et
al. |
August 25, 2022 |
LIDAR SYSTEM
Abstract
A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first lens, and a
second lens. The laser source is configured to output a first beam.
The first lens includes a planar portion and a convex portion. The
first lens is configured to receive the first beam and output a
second beam responsive to the first beam. The second lens includes
a concave portion and a planar portion. The second lens is
configured to receive the second beam and output a third beam
responsive to the second beam.
Inventors: |
Angus; Edward Joseph;
(Bozeman, MT) ; Barber; Zeb; (Bozeman, MT)
; Galloway; Ryan Moore; (Bozeman, MT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Blackmore Sensors & Analytics, LLC |
Palo Alto |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Blackmore Sensors & Analytics,
LLC
Palo Alto
CA
|
Family ID: |
1000006122110 |
Appl. No.: |
17/592265 |
Filed: |
February 3, 2022 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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17182455 |
Feb 23, 2021 |
11260881 |
|
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17592265 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01S 7/4817 20130101;
G01S 7/4814 20130101; B60W 10/20 20130101; B60W 2420/52 20130101;
G01S 17/58 20130101; G01B 21/22 20130101; G01S 17/06 20130101; G01S
7/481 20130101; B60W 60/001 20200201; B60W 30/0956 20130101; B60W
10/18 20130101; B60W 30/09 20130101; B60W 2554/404 20200201; G01S
17/931 20200101; B60W 2554/80 20200201 |
International
Class: |
B60W 60/00 20060101
B60W060/00; G01S 7/481 20060101 G01S007/481; G01B 21/22 20060101
G01B021/22; B60W 30/09 20060101 B60W030/09; B60W 10/18 20060101
B60W010/18; B60W 10/20 20060101 B60W010/20; B60W 30/095 20060101
B60W030/095; G01S 17/931 20060101 G01S017/931; G01S 17/06 20060101
G01S017/06; G01S 17/58 20060101 G01S017/58 |
Claims
1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, comprising: a
laser source configured to output a first beam; a first lens
comprising one of a convex portion or a concave portion, the first
lens configured to receive the first beam to output a second beam;
and a second lens comprising the other of the convex portion or the
concave portion, the second lens configured to receive the second
beam to output a third beam, wherein at least one of the first lens
or the second lens is rotatable about an axis that is offset from
the at least one of the first lens or the second lens and that
passes through a particular area of curvature of the convex portion
or the concave portion of the at least one of the first lens or the
second lens.
2. The LIDAR system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator
configured to rotate the at least one of the first lens or the
second lens about the axis.
3. The LIDAR system of claim 2, wherein the axis is a first axis,
and the actuator is configured to rotate the at least one of the
first lens or the second lens relative to a second axis along which
the first lens receives the first beam and adjusts an angle of the
third beam relative to the first beam.
4. The LIDAR system of claim 2, further comprising at least one of
a spring or an actuated flexure coupled with the at least one of
the first lens or the second lens to provide a linear restorative
force to rotation of the at least one of the first lens or the
second lens.
5. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the convex portion of the
at least one of the first lens or the second lens is
cylindrical.
6. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the convex portion of the
at least one of the first lens or the second lens is spherical.
7. The LIDAR system of claim 1, further comprising a modulator
configured to modulate at least one of a phase or a frequency of
the first beam and transmit the modulated first beam to the first
lens.
8. The LIDAR system of claim 1, further comprising a position
sensor configured to detect a position of at least one of the first
lens or the second lens.
9. The LIDAR system of claim 8, further comprising one or more
processors configured to control operation of an actuator based on
the position of the at least one of the first lens or the second
lens.
10. An autonomous vehicle control system, comprising: a laser
source configured to output a first beam; a first lens comprising
one of a convex portion or a concave portion, the first lens
configured to receive the first beam to output a second beam; and a
second lens comprising the other of the convex portion or the
concave portion, the second lens configured to receive the second
beam to output a third beam, wherein at least one of the first lens
or the second lens is rotatable about an axis offset from the at
least one of the first lens or the second lens and that passes
through a particular area of curvature of the convex portion or the
concave portion of the at least one of the first lens or the second
lens; and one or more processors configured to: receive a signal
from at least one of reflection or scattering of the third beam by
an object; determine at least one of a range to the object or a
velocity of the object based on the signal; and control operation
of an autonomous vehicle responsive to the at least one of the
range or the velocity.
11. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10, further
comprising an actuator configured to rotate the at least one of the
first lens or the second lens about the axis.
12. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 11, wherein the
axis is a first axis, and the actuator is configured to rotate at
least one of the first lens or the second lens relative to a second
axis along which the first lens receives the first beam and adjusts
an angle of the third beam relative to the first beam.
13. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10, wherein the
convex portion of the at least one of the first lens or the second
lens is cylindrical.
14. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10, wherein the
convex portion of the at least one of the first lens or the second
lens is spherical.
15. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10, further
comprising a modulator configured to modulate at least one of a
phase or a frequency of the first beam and transmit the modulated
first beam to the first lens.
16. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 10, further
comprising a position sensor configured to detect a position of at
least one of the first lens or the second lens.
17. An autonomous vehicle, comprising: a laser source configured to
output a first beam; a first lens comprising one of a convex
portion or a concave portion, the first lens configured to receive
the first beam to output a second beam; a second lens comprising
the other of the convex portion or the concave portion, the second
lens configured to receive the second beam to output a third beam,
wherein at least one of the first lens or the second lens is
rotatable about an axis offset from the at least one of the first
lens or the second lens and that passes through a particular area
of curvature of the convex portion or the concave portion of the at
least one of the first lens or the second lens; a steering system;
a braking system; and one or more processors configured to: receive
a signal from at least one of reflection or scattering of the third
beam by an object; determine at least one of a range to the object
or a velocity of the object based on the signal; and control
operation of at least one of the steering system or the braking
system based on the at least one of the range or the velocity.
18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, further comprising an
actuator configured to rotate the at least one of the first lens or
the second lens about the axis to adjust an azimuth angle of the
third beam.
19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the convex portion
of the at least one of the first lens or the second lens is
cylindrical.
20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the convex portion
of the at least one of the first lens or the second lens is
spherical.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 17/182,455, filed Feb. 23, 2021. The
disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/182,455 is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Optical detection of range using lasers, often referenced by
a mnemonic, LIDAR, for light detection and ranging, also sometimes
called laser RADAR, is used for a variety of applications,
including imaging and collision avoidance. LIDAR provides finer
scale range resolution with smaller beam sizes than conventional
microwave ranging systems, such as radio-wave detection and ranging
(RADAR).
SUMMARY
[0003] At least one aspect relates to a light detection and ranging
(LIDAR) system. The LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first
lens, and a second lens. The laser source is configured to output a
first beam. The first lens includes a planar portion and a convex
portion. The first lens is configured to receive the first beam and
output a second beam responsive to the first beam. The second lens
includes a concave portion and a planar portion. The second lens is
configured to receive the second beam and output a third beam
responsive to the second beam.
[0004] At least one aspect relates to an autonomous vehicle control
system. The autonomous vehicle control system includes a laser
source, a first lens, a second lens, and one or more processors.
The laser source is configured to output a first beam. The first
lens includes a planar portion and a convex portion. The first lens
is configured to receive the first beam and output a second beam
responsive to the first beam. The second lens includes a concave
portion and a planar portion. The second lens is configured to
receive the second beam and output a third beam responsive to the
second beam. The one or more processors are configured to determine
at least one of a range to an object or a velocity of the object
using a return beam received responsive to the third beam and
control operation of an autonomous vehicle responsive to the at
least one of the range or the velocity.
[0005] At least one aspect relates to an autonomous vehicle. The
autonomous vehicle includes a LIDAR system, at least one of a
steering system or a braking system, and a vehicle controller. The
LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first lens, and a second
lens. The laser source is configured to output a first beam. The
first lens includes a planar portion and a convex portion. The
first lens is configured to receive the first beam and output a
second beam responsive to the first beam. The second lens includes
a concave portion and a planar portion. The second lens is
configured to receive the second beam and output a third beam
responsive to the second beam. The vehicle controller includes one
or more processors configured to determine at least one of a range
to an object or a velocity of the object using a return beam
received responsive to the third beam and control operation of the
at least one of the steering system and the braking system
responsive to the at least one of the range or the velocity.
[0006] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is
illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting.
Any of the features described herein may be used with any other
features, and any subset of such features can be used in
combination according to various embodiments. Other aspects,
inventive features, and advantages of the devices and/or processes
described herein, as defined solely by the claims, will become
apparent in the detailed description set forth herein and taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Implementations are illustrated by way of example, and not
by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings
in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in
which:
[0008] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an example of a system
environment for autonomous vehicles;
[0009] FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an example of a system
environment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles;
[0010] FIG. 1C is a block diagram of an example of a system
environment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles;
[0011] FIG. 1D is a block diagram of an example of a system
environment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example of a LIDAR
system;
[0013] FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of an example of optics of a
LIDAR system that include cylindrical lenses;
[0014] FIG. 3B is a cross-section of an example of the optics of
FIG. 3A;
[0015] FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram of an example of optics of a
LIDAR system that include spherical lenses;
[0016] FIG. 3D is a cross-section of an example of the optics of
FIG. 3C;
[0017] FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams of examples of
articulation of a lens using the LIDAR system of FIGS. 3A and
3B;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of a LIDAR
system;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a chart of an example of angle profiles of lens
articulation and beam output using the LIDAR system of FIG. 5;
[0020] FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram of an example of a LIDAR
system that includes a flexure;
[0021] FIG. 7B is a perspective view of an example of a flexure
assembly of a LIDAR system;
[0022] FIG. 7C is a finite element analysis diagram of an example
of the flexure assembly of FIG. 7B;
[0023] FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams of examples of
articulation of a lens using various LIDAR systems described
herein;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an example of a LIDAR
system;
[0025] FIGS. 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams of examples of
articulation of two lenses of a LIDAR system;
[0026] FIG. 11 is a chart of an example of angle profiles of lens
articulation and beam output using the LIDAR system of FIGS. 10A
and 10B;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an example of articulation
of a LIDAR system using spherical lenses;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an example of articulation
of multiple spherical lenses of a LIDAR system; and
[0029] FIG. 14 is a chart of an example of a scan pattern performed
using a LIDAR system including optics having multiple spherical
lenses.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] A LIDAR system can generate and transmit a light beam that
an object can reflect or otherwise scatter as a return beam
corresponding to the transmitted beam. The LIDAR system can receive
the return beam, and process the return beam or characteristics
thereof to determine parameters regarding the object such as range
and velocity. The LIDAR system can apply various frequency or phase
modulations to the transmitted beam, which can facilitate relating
the return beam to the transmitted beam in order to determine the
parameters regarding the object.
[0031] The LIDAR system can include a laser source, a first lens,
and a second lens. The laser source can be configured to output a
first beam. The first lens can include a first, planar portion and
a second, convex portion. The first lens can be configured to
receive the first beam and output a second beam responsive to the
first beam. The second lens can include a third, concave portion
and a fourth, planar portion. The second lens can be configured to
receive the second beam and output a third beam responsive to the
second beam.
[0032] Systems and methods in accordance with the present
disclosure can use the LIDAR system to output a highly linear
transmitted beam, such as a transmitted beam that is within a
threshold of having a triangular waveform over time. This can
enable more consistent sampling of angles scanned by the
transmitted beam, and can improve performance characteristics of
the LIDAR system, such as signal to noise ratio, for determining
parameters of objects in the environment around the LIDAR system
using the transmitted beam and return beams that are scattered by
the objects in the environment. For example, improved performance
characteristics can enable the LIDAR system to more accurately
determine range, velocity, and Doppler shift information regarding
objects, which can enable a maximum design range of the LIDAR
system to increase. For example, the LIDAR system can be
effectively used for long range applications (e.g., maximum range
greater than 400 meters), such as autonomous trucking.
1. System Environments for Autonomous Vehicles
[0033] FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
system environment for autonomous vehicles according to some
implementations. FIG. 1A depicts an example autonomous vehicle 100
within which the various techniques disclosed herein may be
implemented. The vehicle 100, for example, may include a powertrain
102 including a prime mover 104 powered by an energy source 106 and
capable of providing power to a drivetrain 108, as well as a
control system 110 including a direction control 112, a powertrain
control 114, and a brake control 116. The vehicle 100 may be
implemented as any number of different types of vehicles, including
vehicles capable of transporting people and/or cargo, and capable
of traveling in various environments. The aforementioned components
102-116 can vary widely based upon the type of vehicle within which
these components are utilized, such as a wheeled land vehicle such
as a car, van, truck, or bus. The prime mover 104 may include one
or more electric motors and/or an internal combustion engine (among
others). The energy source may include, for example, a fuel system
(e.g., providing gasoline, diesel, hydrogen, etc.), a battery
system, solar panels or other renewable energy source, and/or a
fuel cell system. The drivetrain 108 can include wheels and/or
tires along with a transmission and/or any other mechanical drive
components to convert the output of the prime mover 104 into
vehicular motion, as well as one or more brakes configured to
controllably stop or slow the vehicle 100 and direction or steering
components suitable for controlling the trajectory of the vehicle
100 (e.g., a rack and pinion steering linkage enabling one or more
wheels of the vehicle 100 to pivot about a generally vertical axis
to vary an angle of the rotational planes of the wheels relative to
the longitudinal axis of the vehicle). In some implementations,
combinations of powertrains and energy sources may be used (e.g.,
in the case of electric/gas hybrid vehicles), and in some instances
multiple electric motors (e.g., dedicated to individual wheels or
axles) may be used as a prime mover.
[0034] The direction control 112 may include one or more actuators
and/or sensors for controlling and receiving feedback from the
direction or steering components to enable the vehicle 100 to
follow a desired trajectory. The powertrain control 114 may be
configured to control the output of the powertrain 102, e.g., to
control the output power of the prime mover 104, to control a gear
of a transmission in the drivetrain 108, etc., thereby controlling
a speed and/or direction of the vehicle 100. The brake control 116
may be configured to control one or more brakes that slow or stop
vehicle 100, e.g., disk or drum brakes coupled to the wheels of the
vehicle.
[0035] Other vehicle types, including but not limited to off-road
vehicles, all-terrain or tracked vehicles, construction equipment,
may utilize different powertrains, drivetrains, energy sources,
direction controls, powertrain controls and brake controls.
Moreover, in some implementations, some of the components can be
combined, e.g., where directional control of a vehicle is primarily
handled by varying an output of one or more prime movers.
[0036] Various levels of autonomous control over the vehicle 100
can be implemented in a vehicle control system 120, which may
include one or more processors 122 and one or more memories 124,
with each processor 122 configured to execute program code
instructions 126 stored in a memory 124. The processors(s) can
include, for example, graphics processing unit(s) ("GPU(s)"))
and/or central processing unit(s) ("CPU(s)").
[0037] Sensors 130 may include various sensors suitable for
collecting information from a vehicle's surrounding environment for
use in controlling the operation of the vehicle. For example,
sensors 130 can include radar sensor 134, LIDAR (Light Detection
and Ranging) sensor 136, a 3D positioning sensors 138, e.g., any of
an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, or a satellite
navigation system such as GPS (Global Positioning System), GLONASS
(Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, or Global
Navigation Satellite System), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
(BDS), Galileo, Compass, etc. The 3D positioning sensors 138 can be
used to determine the location of the vehicle on the Earth using
satellite signals. The sensors 130 can include a camera 140 and/or
an IMU (inertial measurement unit) 142. The camera 140 can be a
monographic or stereographic camera and can record still and/or
video images. The IMU 142 can include multiple gyroscopes and
accelerometers capable of detecting linear and rotational motion of
the vehicle in three directions. One or more encoders (not
illustrated), such as wheel encoders may be used to monitor the
rotation of one or more wheels of vehicle 100. Each sensor 130 can
output sensor data at various data rates, which may be different
than the data rates of other sensors 130.
[0038] The outputs of sensors 130 may be provided to a set of
control subsystems 150, including a localization subsystem 152, a
planning subsystem 156, a perception subsystem 154, and a control
subsystem 158. The localization subsystem 152 can perform functions
such as precisely determining the location and orientation (also
sometimes referred to as "pose") of the vehicle 100 within its
surrounding environment, and generally within some frame of
reference. The location of an autonomous vehicle can be compared
with the location of an additional vehicle in the same environment
as part of generating labeled autonomous vehicle data. The
perception subsystem 154 can perform functions such as detecting,
tracking, determining, and/or identifying objects within the
environment surrounding vehicle 100. A machine learning model in
accordance with some implementations can be utilized in tracking
objects. The planning subsystem 156 can perform functions such as
planning a trajectory for vehicle 100 over some timeframe given a
desired destination as well as the static and moving objects within
the environment. A machine learning model in accordance with some
implementations can be utilized in planning a vehicle trajectory.
The control subsystem 158 can perform functions such as generating
suitable control signals for controlling the various controls in
the vehicle control system 120 in order to implement the planned
trajectory of the vehicle 100. A machine learning model can be
utilized to generate one or more signals to control an autonomous
vehicle to implement the planned trajectory.
[0039] Multiple sensors of types illustrated in FIG. 1A can be used
for redundancy and/or to cover different regions around a vehicle,
and other types of sensors may be used. Various types and/or
combinations of control subsystems may be used. Some or all of the
functionality of a subsystem 152-158 may be implemented with
program code instructions 126 resident in one or more memories 124
and executed by one or more processors 122, and these subsystems
152-158 may in some instances be implemented using the same
processor(s) and/or memory. Subsystems may be implemented at least
in part using various dedicated circuit logic, various processors,
various field programmable gate arrays ("FPGA"), various
application-specific integrated circuits ("ASIC"), various real
time controllers, and the like, as noted above, multiple subsystems
may utilize circuitry, processors, sensors, and/or other
components. Further, the various components in the vehicle control
system 120 may be networked in various manners.
[0040] In some implementations, the vehicle 100 may also include a
secondary vehicle control system (not illustrated), which may be
used as a redundant or backup control system for the vehicle 100.
In some implementations, the secondary vehicle control system may
be capable of fully operating the autonomous vehicle 100 in the
event of an adverse event in the vehicle control system 120, while
in other implementations, the secondary vehicle control system may
only have limited functionality, e.g., to perform a controlled stop
of the vehicle 100 in response to an adverse event detected in the
primary vehicle control system 120. In still other implementations,
the secondary vehicle control system may be omitted.
[0041] Various architectures, including various combinations of
software, hardware, circuit logic, sensors, and networks, may be
used to implement the various components illustrated in FIG. 1A.
Each processor may be implemented, for example, as a microprocessor
and each memory may represent the random access memory ("RAM")
devices comprising a main storage, as well as any supplemental
levels of memory, e.g., cache memories, non-volatile or backup
memories (e.g., programmable or flash memories), read-only
memories, etc. In addition, each memory may be considered to
include memory storage physically located elsewhere in the vehicle
100, e.g., any cache memory in a processor, as well as any storage
capacity used as a virtual memory, e.g., as stored on a mass
storage device or another computer controller. One or more
processors illustrated in FIG. 1A, or entirely separate processors,
may be used to implement additional functionality in the vehicle
100 outside of the purposes of autonomous control, e.g., to control
entertainment systems, to operate doors, lights, convenience
features, etc.
[0042] In addition, for additional storage, the vehicle 100 may
include one or more mass storage devices, e.g., a removable disk
drive, a hard disk drive, a direct access storage device ("DASD"),
an optical drive (e.g., a CD drive, a DVD drive, etc.), a solid
state storage drive ("SSD"), network attached storage, a storage
area network, and/or a tape drive, among others.
[0043] Furthermore, the vehicle 100 may include a user interface
164 to enable vehicle 100 to receive a number of inputs from and
generate outputs for a user or operator, e.g., one or more
displays, touchscreens, voice and/or gesture interfaces, buttons
and other tactile controls, etc. Otherwise, user input may be
received via another computer or electronic device, e.g., via an
app on a mobile device or via a web interface.
[0044] Moreover, the vehicle 100 may include one or more network
interfaces, e.g., network interface 162, suitable for communicating
with one or more networks 170 (e.g., a Local Area Network ("LAN"),
a wide area network ("WAN"), a wireless network, and/or the
Internet, among others) to permit the communication of information
with other computers and electronic device, including, for example,
a central service, such as a cloud service, from which the vehicle
100 receives environmental and other data for use in autonomous
control thereof. Data collected by the one or more sensors 130 can
be uploaded to a computing system 172 via the network 170 for
additional processing. In some implementations, a time stamp can be
added to each instance of vehicle data prior to uploading.
[0045] Each processor illustrated in FIG. 1A, as well as various
additional controllers and subsystems disclosed herein, generally
operates under the control of an operating system and executes or
otherwise relies upon various computer software applications,
components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc., as
will be described in greater detail below. Moreover, various
applications, components, programs, objects, modules, etc. may also
execute on one or more processors in another computer coupled to
vehicle 100 via network 170, e.g., in a distributed, cloud-based,
or client-server computing environment, whereby the processing
required to implement the functions of a computer program may be
allocated to multiple computers and/or services over a network.
[0046] In general, the routines executed to implement the various
implementations described herein, whether implemented as part of an
operating system or a specific application, component, program,
object, module or sequence of instructions, or even a subset
thereof, will be referred to herein as "program code". Program code
can include one or more instructions that are resident at various
times in various memory and storage devices, and that, when read
and executed by one or more processors, perform the steps necessary
to execute steps or elements embodying the various aspects of the
present disclosure. Moreover, while implementations have and
hereinafter will be described in the context of fully functioning
computers and systems, it will be appreciated that the various
implementations described herein are capable of being distributed
as a program product in a variety of forms, and that
implementations can be implemented regardless of the particular
type of computer readable media used to actually carry out the
distribution.
[0047] Examples of computer readable media include tangible,
non-transitory media such as volatile and non-volatile memory
devices, floppy and other removable disks, solid state drives, hard
disk drives, magnetic tape, and optical disks (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs,
etc.) among others.
[0048] In addition, various program code described hereinafter may
be identified based upon the application within which it is
implemented in a specific implementation. Any particular program
nomenclature that follows is used merely for convenience, and thus
the present disclosure should not be limited to use solely in any
specific application identified and/or implied by such
nomenclature. Furthermore, given the typically endless number of
manners in which computer programs may be organized into routines,
procedures, methods, modules, objects, and the like, as well as the
various manners in which program functionality may be allocated
among various software layers that are resident within a typical
computer (e.g., operating systems, libraries, API's, applications,
applets, etc.), the present disclosure is not limited to the
specific organization and allocation of program functionality
described herein.
2. LIDAR for Automotive Applications
[0049] A truck can include a LIDAR system (e.g., vehicle control
system 120 in FIG. 1A, LIDAR system 200 in FIG. 2, among others
described herein). In some implementations, the LIDAR system can
use frequency modulation to encode an optical signal and scatter
the encoded optical signal into free-space using optics. By
detecting the frequency differences between the encoded optical
signal and a returned signal reflected back from an object, the
frequency modulated (FM) LIDAR system can determine the location of
the object and/or precisely measure the velocity of the object
using the Doppler effect. In some implementations, an FM LIDAR
system may use a continuous wave (referred to as, "FMCW LIDAR") or
a quasi-continuous wave (referred to as, "FMQW LIDAR"). In some
implementations, the LIDAR system can use phase modulation (PM) to
encode an optical signal and scatters the encoded optical signal
into free-space using optics.
[0050] In some instances, an object (e.g., a pedestrian wearing
dark clothing) may have a low reflectivity, in that it only
reflects back to the sensors (e.g., sensors 130 in FIG. 1A) of the
FM or PM LIDAR system a low amount (e.g., 10% or less) of the light
that hit the object. In other instances, an object (e.g., a shiny
road sign) may have a high reflectivity (e.g., above 10%), in that
it reflects back to the sensors of the FM LIDAR system a high
amount of the light that hit the object.
[0051] Regardless of the object's reflectivity, an FM LIDAR system
may be able to detect (e.g., classify, recognize, discover, etc.)
the object at greater distances (e.g., 2.times.) than a
conventional LIDAR system. For example, an FM LIDAR system may
detect a low reflectively object beyond 300 meters, and a high
reflectivity object beyond 400 meters.
[0052] To achieve such improvements in detection capability, the FM
LIDAR system may use sensors (e.g., sensors 130 in FIG. 1A). In
some implementations, these sensors can be single photon sensitive,
meaning that they can detect the smallest amount of light possible.
While an FM LIDAR system may, in some applications, use infrared
wavelengths (e.g., 950 nm, 1550 nm, etc.), it is not limited to the
infrared wavelength range (e.g., near infrared: 800 nm-1500 nm;
middle infrared: 1500 nm-5600 nm; and far infrared: 5600
nm-1,000,000 nm). By operating the FM or PM LIDAR system in
infrared wavelengths, the FM or PM LIDAR system can broadcast
stronger light pulses or light beams than conventional LIDAR
systems.
[0053] Thus, by detecting an object at greater distances, an FM
LIDAR system may have more time to react to unexpected obstacles.
Indeed, even a few milliseconds of extra time could improve
response time and comfort, especially with heavy vehicles (e.g.,
commercial trucking vehicles) that are driving at highway
speeds.
[0054] The FM LIDAR system can provide accurate velocity for each
data point instantaneously. In some implementations, a velocity
measurement is accomplished using the Doppler effect which shifts
frequency of the light received from the object based at least one
of the velocity in the radial direction (e.g., the direction vector
between the object detected and the sensor) or the frequency of the
laser signal. For example, for velocities encountered in on-road
situations where the velocity is less than 100 meters per second
(m/s), this shift at a wavelength of 1550 nanometers (nm) amounts
to the frequency shift that is less than 130 megahertz (MHz). This
frequency shift is small such that it is difficult to detect
directly in the optical domain. However, by using coherent
detection in FMCW, PMCW, or FMQW LIDAR systems, the signal can be
converted to the RF domain such that the frequency shift can be
calculated using various signal processing techniques. This enables
the autonomous vehicle control system to process incoming data
faster.
[0055] Instantaneous velocity calculation also makes it easier for
the FM LIDAR system to determine distant or sparse data points as
objects and/or track how those objects are moving over time. For
example, an FM LIDAR sensor (e.g., sensors 130 in FIG. 1A) may only
receive a few returns (e.g., hits) on an object that is 300 m away,
but if those return give a velocity value of interest (e.g., moving
towards the vehicle at >70 mph), then the FM LIDAR system and/or
the autonomous vehicle control system may determine respective
weights to probabilities associated with the objects.
[0056] Faster identification and/or tracking of the FM LIDAR system
gives an autonomous vehicle control system more time to maneuver a
vehicle. A better understanding of how fast objects are moving also
allows the autonomous vehicle control system to plan a better
reaction.
[0057] The FM LIDAR system can have less static compared to
conventional LIDAR systems. That is, the conventional LIDAR systems
that are designed to be more light-sensitive typically perform
poorly in bright sunlight. These systems also tend to suffer from
crosstalk (e.g., when sensors get confused by each other's light
pulses or light beams) and from self-interference (e.g., when a
sensor gets confused by its own previous light pulse or light
beam). To overcome these disadvantages, vehicles using the
conventional LIDAR systems often need extra hardware, complex
software, and/or more computational power to manage this
"noise."
[0058] In contrast, FM LIDAR systems do not suffer from these types
of issues because each sensor is specially designed to respond only
to its own light characteristics (e.g., light beams, light waves,
light pulses). If the returning light does not match the timing,
frequency, and/or wavelength of what was originally transmitted,
then the FM sensor can filter (e.g., remove, ignore, etc.) out that
data point. As such, FM LIDAR systems produce (e.g., generates,
derives, etc.) more accurate data with less hardware or software
requirements, enabling smoother driving.
[0059] The FM LIDAR system can be easier to scale than conventional
LIDAR systems. As more self-driving vehicles (e.g., cars,
commercial trucks, etc.) show up on the road, those powered by an
FM LIDAR system likely will not have to contend with interference
issues from sensor crosstalk. Furthermore, an FM LIDAR system uses
less optical peak power than conventional LIDAR sensors. As such,
some or all of the optical components for an FM LIDAR can be
produced on a single chip, which produces its own benefits, as
discussed herein.
2.1 Commercial Trucking
[0060] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
system environment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles,
according to some implementations. The environment 100B includes a
commercial truck 102B for hauling cargo 106B. In some
implementations, the commercial truck 102B may include vehicles
configured to long-haul freight transport, regional freight
transport, intermodal freight transport (i.e., in which a
road-based vehicle is used as one of multiple modes of
transportation to move freight), and/or any other road-based
freight transport applications. In some implementations, the
commercial truck 102B may be a flatbed truck, a refrigerated truck
(e.g., a reefer truck), a vented van (e.g., dry van), a moving
truck, etc. In some implementations, the cargo 106B may be goods
and/or produce. In some implementations, the commercial truck 102B
may include a trailer to carry the cargo 106B, such as a flatbed
trailer, a lowboy trailer, a step deck trailer, an extendable
flatbed trailer, a sidekit trailer, etc.
[0061] The environment 100B includes an object 110B (shown in FIG.
1B as another vehicle) that is within a distance range that is
equal to or less than 30 meters from the truck.
[0062] The commercial truck 102B may include a LIDAR system 104B
(e.g., an FM LIDAR system, vehicle control system 120 in FIG. 1A,
LIDAR system 200 in FIG. 2A) for determining a distance to the
object 110B and/or measuring the velocity of the object 110B.
Although FIG. 1B shows that one LIDAR system 104B is mounted on the
front of the commercial truck 102B, the number of LIDAR system and
the mounting area of the LIAR system on the commercial truck are
not limited to a particular number or a particular area. The
commercial truck 102B may include any number of LIDAR systems 104B
(or components thereof, such as sensors, modulators, coherent
signal generators, etc.) that are mounted onto any area (e.g.,
front, back, side, top, bottom, underneath, and/or bottom) of the
commercial truck 102B to facilitate the detection of an object in
any free-space relative to the commercial truck 102B.
[0063] As shown, the LIDAR system 104B in environment 100B may be
configured to detect an object (e.g., another vehicle, a bicycle, a
tree, street signs, potholes, etc.) at short distances (e.g., 30
meters or less) from the commercial truck 102B.
[0064] FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
system environment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles,
according to some implementations. The environment 100C includes
the same components (e.g., commercial truck 102B, cargo 106B, LIDAR
system 104B, etc.) that are included in environment 100B.
[0065] The environment 100C includes an object 110C (shown in FIG.
1C as another vehicle) that is within a distance range that is (i)
more than 30 meters and (ii) equal to or less than 150 meters from
the commercial truck 102B. As shown, the LIDAR system 104B in
environment 100C may be configured to detect an object (e.g.,
another vehicle, a bicycle, a tree, street signs, potholes, etc.)
at a distance (e.g., 100 meters) from the commercial truck
102B.
[0066] FIG. 1D is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
system environment for autonomous commercial trucking vehicles,
according to some implementations. The environment 100D includes
the same components (e.g., commercial truck 102B, cargo 106B, LIDAR
system 104B, etc.) that are included in environment 100B.
[0067] The environment 100D includes an object 110D (shown in FIG.
1D as another vehicle) that is within a distance range that is more
than 150 meters from the commercial truck 102B. As shown, the LIDAR
system 104B in environment 100D may be configured to detect an
object (e.g., another vehicle, a bicycle, a tree, street signs,
potholes, etc.) at a distance (e.g., 300 meters) from the
commercial truck 102B.
[0068] In commercial trucking applications, it is important to
effectively detect objects at all ranges due to the increased
weight and, accordingly, longer stopping distance required for such
vehicles. FM LIDAR systems (e.g., FMCW and/or FMQW systems) or PM
LIDAR systems are well-suited for commercial trucking applications
due to the advantages described above. As a result, commercial
trucks equipped with such systems may have an enhanced ability to
move both people and goods across short or long distances. In
various implementations, such FM or PM LIDAR systems can be used in
semi-autonomous applications, in which the commercial truck has a
driver and some functions of the commercial truck are autonomously
operated using the FM or PM LIDAR system, or fully autonomous
applications, in which the commercial truck is operated entirely by
the FM or LIDAR system, alone or in combination with other vehicle
systems.
3. LIDAR Systems
[0069] FIG. 2 depicts an example of a LIDAR system 200. The LIDAR
system 200 can be used to determine parameters regarding objects,
such as range and velocity, and output the parameters to a remote
system. For example, the LIDAR system 200 can output the parameters
for use by a vehicle controller that can control operation of a
vehicle responsive to the received parameters (e.g., vehicle
controller 298) or a display that can present a representation of
the parameters. The LIDAR system 200 can be a coherent detection
system. The LIDAR system 200 can be used to implement various
features and components of the systems described with reference to
FIGS. 1A-1D. The LIDAR system 200 can include components for
performing various detection approaches, such as to be operated as
an amplitude modular LIDAR system or a coherent LIDAR system. The
LIDAR system 200 can be used to perform time of flight range
determination.
[0070] The LIDAR system 200 can include a laser source 204 that
emits a beam 206, such as a carrier wave light beam. A splitter 208
can split the beam 206 into a beam 210 and a reference beam 212
(e.g., reference signal).
[0071] A modulator 214 can modulate one or more properties of the
input beam 210 to generate a beam 216 (e.g., target beam). In some
implementations, the modulator 214 can modulate a frequency of the
input beam 210. For example, the modulator 214 can modulate a
frequency of the input beam 210 linearly such that a frequency of
the beam 216 increases or decreases linearly over time. As another
example, the modulator 214 can modulate a frequency of the input
beam 210 non-linearly (e.g., exponentially). In some
implementations, the modulator 214 can modulate a phase of the
input beam 210 to generate the beam 216. However, the modulation
techniques are not limited to the frequency modulation and the
phase modulation. Any suitable modulation techniques can be used to
modulate one or more properties of a beam. Returning to FIG. 2, the
modulator 214 can modulate the beam 210 subsequent to splitting of
the beam 206 by the splitter 208, such that the reference beam 212
is unmodulated, or the modulator 214 can modulate the beam 206 and
provide a modulated beam to the splitter 208 for the splitter 208
to split into a target beam and a reference beam.
[0072] The beam 216, which is used for outputting a transmitted
signal, can have most of the energy of the beam 206 outputted by
the laser source 204, while the reference beam 212 can have
significantly less energy, yet sufficient energy to enable mixing
with a return beam 248 (e.g., returned light) scattered from an
object. The reference beam 212 can be used as a local oscillator
(LO) signal. The reference beam 212 passes through a reference path
and can be provided to a mixer 260. An amplifier 220 can amplify
the beam 216 to output a beam 222, which a collimator 224 can
collimate to output a beam 226.
[0073] As depicted in FIG. 2, a circulator 228 can be between the
collimator 224 and optics 232 to receive the beam 226 and output a
beam 230 to the scanning optics 232. The circulator 228 can be
between the laser source 204 and the collimator 224. The circulator
228 can receive return beam 248 from the optics 232 and provide the
return beam 248 to the mixer 260.
[0074] As described further herein, the optics 232 can include a
first lens 236 and a second lens 240. The first lens 236 can
receive the beam 230 (e.g., a first beam, such as the beam 206 from
the laser source 204 or various other beams generated by components
of the LIDAR system 200, such as the beam 226), and output a beam
238 to the second lens 240 responsive to the beam 230. The second
lens 240 can output a beam 242 responsive to the beam 238. The
first lens 236 can cause deflection of the beam 230 to output the
beam 238 (e.g., in a particular plane), and the second lens 240 can
cause deflection of the beam 238 to output the beam 242 (e.g., in
the particular plane). The deflections caused by the lenses 236,
240 can be used to control the angle of the beam 242. The angle of
the beam 242 over time can be substantially linear (e.g., less than
a threshold difference from a linear or triangular waveform, such
as a difference determined based on mean squared error).
[0075] The lenses 236, 240 can be ground or polished lenses. The
lenses 236, 240 can be made from glass or crystalline materials.
The lenses 236, 240 can be transparent to light over a range of
wavelengths that includes a wavelength of the beam 206 or various
other beams between the laser source 204 and the optics 232, such
as a wavelength of about 1550 nm. The lenses 236, 240 can have
indices of refraction from about 1.5 to about 4, including 1.8, or
3.5; for example, increased indices of refraction can enable a
greater angular deflection of the beam 242 relative to articulation
of at least one of the lens 236 or the lens 240. The indices of
refraction of the lenses 236, 240 can be within a threshold of one
another, such as within twenty percent of one another. The radii of
curvature of the curved surfaces of the lenses 236, 240 can be
within a threshold of one another, such as within twenty percent of
one another.
[0076] The lenses 236, 240 can include curved (e.g., concave,
convex) surfaces oriented in a direction facing where an incoming
beam (e.g., beam 230) is received or opposite where the incoming
beam is received. The lenses 236, 240 can be implemented using
Fresnel lenses. The lenses 236, 240 can be implemented using
flattened cylindrical lenses. One or both of the lenses 236, 240
can be articulated; for example, articulating both lenses 236, 240
can enable balancing angular momentum between the movements and
reducing a form factor of the optics 232. The curved surfaces of
the lenses 236, 240 can enable the articulation to control of
angles of beams received and deflected by the lenses 236, 240 in
one or more degrees of freedom corresponding to directions of
curvature along the curved surfaces.
[0077] The optics 232 can define a field of view 244 that
corresponds to angles scanned (e.g., swept) by the beam 242 (e.g.,
a transmitted beam) based on at least one of deflection caused by
the first lens 236 or deflection caused by the second lens 240. For
example, the beam 242 can be scanned in the particular plane, such
as an azimuth plane or elevation plane (e.g., relative to an object
to which the LIDAR system 200 is coupled, such as an autonomous
vehicle). For example, as an orientation of at least one of the
first lens 236 changes relative to a direction of the beam 230
incident on the first lens 236 or the second lens 240 changes
relative to a direction of the beam 238 incident on the second lens
240, an angle (e.g., azimuth angle) of the beam 242 will change,
enabling the optics 232 to scan over the field of view 244. The
optics 232 can be oriented so that the field of view 244 sweeps an
azimuthal plane relative to the optics 232.
[0078] The beam 242 can be outputted from the optics 232 and
reflected or otherwise scattered by an object (not shown) as a
return beam 248 (e.g., return signal). The return beam 248 can be
received on a reception path, which can include the circulator 228,
and provided to the mixer 260.
[0079] The mixer 260 can be an optical hybrid, such as a 90 degree
optical hybrid. The mixer 260 can receive the reference beam 212
and the return beam 248, and mix the reference beam 212 and the
return beam 248 to output a signal 264 responsive to the reference
beam 212 and the return beam 248. The signal 264 can include an
in-phase (I) component 268 and a quadrature (Q) component 272.
[0080] The LIDAR system 200 can include a receiver 276 that
receives the signal 264 from the mixer 260. The receiver 276 can
generate a signal 280 responsive to the signal 264, which can be an
electronic (e.g., radio frequency) signal. The receiver 276 can
include one or more photodetectors that output the signal 280
responsive to the signal 264.
[0081] The LIDAR system 200 can include a processing system 290,
which can be implemented using features of the vehicle control
system 120 described with reference to FIG. 1A. The processing
system 290 can process data received regarding the return beam 248,
such as the signal 280, to determine parameters regarding the
object such as range and velocity. The processing system 290 can
include a scanner controller 292 that can provide scanning signals
to control operation of the optics 232, such as to control
articulation of the optics 232. The processing system 290 can
include a Doppler compensator 294 that can determine the sign and
size of a Doppler shift associated with processing the return beam
248 and a corrected range based thereon along with any other
corrections. The processing system 290 can include a modulator
controller 296 that can send one or more electrical signals to
drive the modulator 214.
[0082] The processing system 290 can include or be communicatively
coupled with a vehicle controller 298 to control operation of a
vehicle for which the LIDAR system 200 is installed (e.g., to
provide complete or semi-autonomous control of the vehicle). For
example, the vehicle controller 298 can be implemented by at least
one of the LIDAR system 200 or control circuitry of the vehicle.
The vehicle controller 298 can control operation of the vehicle
responsive to at least one of a range to the object or a velocity
of the object determined by the processing system 290. For example,
the vehicle controller 298 can transmit a control signal to at
least one of a steering system or a braking system of the vehicle
to control at least one of speed or direction of the vehicle.
[0083] FIGS. 3A and 3B depict an example of a system 300, which can
be used to implement at least a portion of the LIDAR system 200
described with reference to FIG. 2, such as the optics 232. For
example, as depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the system 300 can include
a first lens 304 (which can be used to implement the first lens 236
of FIG. 2) and a second lens 320 (which can be used to implement
the second lens 240 of FIG. 2).
[0084] The first lens 304 can receive a beam 302 along an optical
axis 308 (e.g., as depicted, various rays of the beam 302 can
extend along or parallel to the optical axis 308). In the frame of
reference and arrangement of the first lens 304 and second lens 320
of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the x-z and x-y planes can be orthogonal to the
optical axis 308, which can be orthogonal to a first, planar
portion 312, such as at least a portion of a planar surface, of the
first lens 304. The first lens 304 can include a second, convex
portion 316, such as at least a portion of a curved surface. The
second portion 316 can be on an opposite side of the first portion
312 from which the beam 302 is received. For example, the first
lens 304 can be a cylindrical plano-convex lens, where the first
portion 312 forms the planar surface of the plano-convex lens and
the second portion 316 forms the cylindrical convex surface of the
plano-convex lens. The second convex portion 316 can output (e.g.,
deflect) the beam 302 to provide a beam 318.
[0085] The second lens 320 can be spaced from the first lens 304 on
an opposite side of the first lens 304 from which the beam 302 is
received, and can receive the beam 318 from the first lens 304. The
second lens 320 can include a third, concave portion 324, such as
at least a portion of a concave cylindrical surface, at which the
beam 318 is received, and a fourth, planar portion 328, such as at
least a portion of a planar surface, on an opposite side of the
second lens 320 from the third portion 324. For example, the second
lens 320 can be a cylindrical plano-concave lens, in which the
third portion 324 forms the cylindrical concave surface of the
plano-concave lens and the fourth portion 328 forms the planar
surface of the plano-concave lens.
[0086] The third portion 324 can receive the beam 318 from the
first lens 304, and the fourth portion 328 can output (e.g.,
deflect) the beam 318 as a beam 330. In the arrangement depicted in
FIGS. 3A and 3B in which the first portion 312 is orthogonal to the
optical axis 308 of the beam 302 and the fourth portion 328 is
orthogonal to the optical axis 308 (and thus the first portion 312
and fourth portion 328 are parallel), the beam 330 can be outputted
in a same direction as the beam 302, such as along the optical axis
308.
[0087] A first optical power (e.g., 1/focal length) of the first
lens 304 along the optical axis 308 can be equal to a second
optical power of the second lens 320 with respect to relative
spacing of the lenses 304, 320. As such, a net effect on the
incident light of the beam 302, at least within a threshold
distance of the optical axis 308 in a propagation direction
parallel to the optical axis 308, can be negligible. The first lens
304 can have a first observation plane 332, and the second lens 320
can have a second observation plane 336, defining a distance d1
between the observation planes. Such an arrangement can correspond
to a product of a first transformation matrix of the first lens 304
and a second transformation matrix of the second lens 320 being
nominally equal (e.g., within five percent of equal) to [1, d1; 0,
1] in the arrangement in which the first portion 312 and the fourth
portion 328 are parallel. As such, where the beam 302 is a Gaussian
beam of low divergence (e.g., a collimated beam), a beam quality
can be maintained throughout the system 300.
[0088] FIGS. 3C and 3D depict an example of a system 350, which can
be used to implement at least a portion of the LIDAR system 200
described with reference to FIG. 2, such as the optics 232. For
example, as depicted in FIGS. 3C and 3D, the system 350 can include
a first lens 354 (which can be used to implement the first lens 236
of FIG. 2) and a second lens 370 (which can be used to implement
the second lens 240 of FIG. 2). The system 350 can be similar to
the system 300, and use spherical surfaces for the curved features
of the lenses 354, 370.
[0089] For example, the first lens 354 can receive a beam 352 along
an optical axis 358 (e.g., as depicted, various rays of the beam
352 can extend along or parallel to the optical axis 358). In the
frame of reference and arrangement of the first lens 354 and second
lens 370 of FIGS. 3C and 3D, the x-z and x-y planes can be
orthogonal to the optical axis 358, which can be orthogonal to a
first, planar portion 362, such as at least a portion of a planar
surface, of the first lens 354. The first lens 354 can include a
second, convex portion 366, such as at least a portion of a curved
surface. For example, the first lens 354 can be a spherical
plano-convex lens, where the first portion 362 forms the planar
surface of the plano-convex lens and the second portion 366 forms
the spherical convex surface of the plano-convex lens. The second
convex portion 366 can output (e.g., deflect) the beam 352 to
provide a beam 368.
[0090] The second lens 370 can be spaced from the first lens 354 on
an opposite side of the first lens 354 from which the beam 352 is
received, and can receive the beam 368 from the first lens 354. The
second lens 370 can include a third, concave portion 374, such as
at least a portion of a concave spherical surface, at which the
beam 368 is received, and a fourth, planar portion 378, such as at
least a portion of a planar surface, on an opposite side of the
second lens 370 from the third portion 374. For example, the second
lens 370 can be a spherical plano-concave lens, in which the third
portion 374 forms the cylindrical concave surface of the
plano-concave lens and the fourth portion 378 forms the planar
surface of the plano-concave lens.
[0091] The third portion 374 can receive the beam 368 from the
first lens 354, and the fourth portion 378 can output (e.g.,
deflect) the beam 368 as a beam 380. In the arrangement depicted in
FIGS. 3C and 3D in which the first portion 362 is orthogonal to the
optical axis 358 of the beam 352 and the fourth portion 378 is
orthogonal to the optical axis 358 (and thus the first portion 362
and fourth portion 378 are parallel), the beam 380 can be outputted
in a same direction as the beam 352, such as along the optical axis
358.
[0092] Similar to the lenses 304, 320, a first optical power of the
first lens 354 along the optical axis 358 can be equal to a second
optical power of the second lens 370 with respect to relative
spacing of the lenses 354, 370. The first lens 354 can have a first
observation plane 382, and the second lens 370 can have a second
observation plane 386, defining a distance d2 between the
observation planes. Such an arrangement can correspond to a product
of a first transformation matrix of the first lens 354 and a second
transformation matrix of the second lens 370 being nominally equal
(e.g., within five percent of equal) to [1, d2; 0, 1] in the
arrangement in which the first portion 362 and the fourth portion
378 are parallel.
[0093] At least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320
can be articulated to control a direction of the beam 330, such as
to perform beam steering of the beam 330. At least one of the first
lens 304 or the second lens 320 can define a center of curvature
301 (e.g., relative to respective curved portions 316, 324) about
which the at least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320
can be articulated. For example, the at least one of the first lens
304 or the second lens 320 can be articulated about a rotation axis
that extends through the center of curvature 301 and coincides with
the z axis in the frame of reference depicted with respect to FIGS.
3A and 3B. For example, the at least one of the first lens 304 or
the second lens 320 can be articulated in a plane of curvature,
such as the x-y plane depicted with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B. For
the cylindrical shape of the curved portions 316, 324, the x-y
plane can be a single plane of articulation (e.g., other rotations
may result in the curved portions 316, 324 contacting one another
or other undesired changes to the system 300).
[0094] FIGS. 4A and 4B depict examples of articulations 400, 450
respectively of the second lens 320 with respect to the first lens
304. For example, the second lens 320 can be bidirectionally
articulated, and can be articulated in open loop or closed loop
control schemes as described further herein. For example, the
second lens 320 can be an articulated plano-concave lens, while the
first lens 304 is a static plano-convex lens. For the example of
articulation 400, the second lens 320 is articulated by an angle
404 defined between the center of curvature 301 and the optical
axis 308. The beam 302 passes through the cylindrical pairing
defined by the surfaces of the cylindrical portions 316, 324, and
is deflected by refraction to be outputted at the fourth portion
328 as a beam 408, which has an angle 412 (corresponding to
deflection in the x-y plane) relative to the optical axis 308 (and
relative to the x-z plane).
[0095] For the example of articulation 450, the second lens 320 is
articulated by an angle 454 defined between the center of curvature
301 and the optical axis 308. The beam 302 is deflection by
refraction to be outputted at the fourth portion 328 as a beam 458,
which has an angle 462 (corresponding to deflection in the x-y
plane) relative to the optical axis 308 (and relative to the x-z
plane).
[0096] FIG. 5 depicts an example of a system 500 that can
articulate the at least one of the first lens 304 or the second
lens 320. For example, the system 500 can articulate the at least
one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320 in a manner
corresponding to an inhomogeneous second order dynamical system
with damping. As such, the system 500 can achieve relatively large
sinusoidal angular motion of at least one of the first lens 304 or
the second lens 320 with relatively little torque applied from
actuator 504 as described herein.
[0097] The system 500 can include at least one actuator 504 that
can be coupled to at least one of the first lens 304 or the second
lens 320. The actuator 504 can include a direct current (DC) motor,
such as a permanent magnet DC motor 505. The actuator 504 can
operate as a synchronous motor. The actuator 504 can include a
voice coil.
[0098] The actuator 504 can include or be coupled with a controller
508 (e.g., drive electronics) that controls operation of the
actuator 504 to control rotation of the at least one of the first
lens 304 or the second lens 320. The controller 508 can include a
motor control unit to control operation of the actuator 504.
[0099] For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, the actuator 504 can be
coupled to the second lens 320 to cause rotation of the second lens
320 by an angle 506 in the x-y plane relative to the optical axis
308, resulting in a deflection of the beam 330 by an angle 510 in
the x-y plane relative to the optical axis 308. The actuator 504
can cause sinusoidal control of the angle 506 of rotation of the
second lens 320.
[0100] The system 500 can include at least one energy storage
element 512, such as a mechanical energy storage element that
stores energy mechanically in response to a force applied to the
energy storage element 512. The energy storage element 512 can be a
spring or a flexure (e.g., flexure 708 described with respect to
FIG. 7A). The energy storage element 512 can apply a linear
restorative force to the at least one of the first lens 304 or the
second lens 320 articulated by the actuator 504. For example, the
energy storage element 512 can be a spring (e.g., a torsional
spring) coupled to the at least one of the first lens 304 or the
second lens 320. The energy storage element 512 can be positioned
at the center of curvature 301, such as to be aligned with the z
axis to apply a linear restorative force to the at least one of the
first lens 304 or the second lens 320 in a direction towards the
optical axis 308 in the x-y plane (e.g., in a direction opposite
the articulation of the at least one of the first lens 304 or the
second lens 320 away from the optical axis 308 as caused by the
actuator 504). For example, the energy storage element 512 can be
fixed to a pivot point at the center of curvature 301.
[0101] FIG. 6 depicts an example of a chart 600 of an angle profile
604 corresponding to the angle 506 of articulation of the second
lens 320 using the system 500, and an angle profile 608
corresponding to the angle 510 of the beam 330 resulting from the
articulation of the second lens 320 using the system 500. The angle
profiles 604, 608 correspond to angles (e.g., angles of deflection)
over time (e.g., as depicted, deflection in degrees and time in
seconds), in an example in which the lenses 304, 320 each have
indices of refraction of 1.8, and the second lens 320 is
articulated with an amplitude of 30 degrees at 60 Hz.
[0102] The angle profile 608 can be highly linear in time. For
example, the angle profile 608 can be highly linear in time for
large deflections of the second lens 320, enabling a constant scan
speed and constant point density along the line of scan
corresponding to the beam 330 outputted from the second lens 320.
For various examples of control of the angle 510 of the beam 330
using the system 500, the angle profile 608 can be within eighty
percent of linear over an angle range between negative forty five
degrees and positive forty five degrees. The angle profile 608 can
have a mean squared error relative to a triangular waveform (e.g.,
of same magnitude (for the example depicted, 30 degrees) and
frequency (for the example depicted, of 60 Hz) less than about one
percent, such as less than about 1e.sup.-3.
[0103] FIG. 7A depicts an example of a system 700 that can
articulate at least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens
320. The system 700 can be similar to the system 500. For example,
the system 700 can include the controller 508 of the system 500 to
control operation of an actuator that incorporates features of the
actuator 504.
[0104] The system 700 includes a flexure 708 (e.g., actuated
flexure) to operate as a biasing element (e.g., to perform a
similar function as the energy storage element 512 described with
reference to FIG. 5). The flexure 708 can be useful for optical
scanning, as it can be provided as a monolithic, frictionless
component having infinite resolution, and can operate indefinitely.
For example, the movement of the flexure 708 can be within an
endurance limit of the flexure 708, eliminating structural fatigue
over time.
[0105] For example, the flexure 708 can include a first flexure 712
and a second flexure 716. The flexures 712, 716 can be arranged in
series and can be centered on the center of curvature 301 of the at
least one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320. The
flexures 712, 716 can be leaf-type isosceles trapezoidal
flexures.
[0106] The actuator of the system 700 can include or be coupled
with a rotor 720 and a stator (not shown). The rotor 720 can be a
permanent magnet rotor. The stator can be a coil stator, such as an
electromagnetic coil that receives electrical current from a power
supply included in or coupled with the controller 508 (e.g., the
electrical current can correspond to a control signal from the
controller 508 to control rotation of the rotor 720 using the
stator). Responsive to the control signal (e.g., from controller
508), the actuator can articulate the at least one of the first
lens 304 or the second lens 320, such as to articulate the at least
one of the first lens 304 or the second lens 320 sinusoidally over
time, by controlling operation of the stator, including to apply a
magnetic moment to end 724 of the flexure 716. The end 724 can be
grounded (e.g., fixed to a fixed point, such as a vehicle or a
member fixed relative to a vehicle associated with the system 700).
The movement (e.g., sinusoidal deflection) of the flexure 716 can
be offset by the translation of the end 724 of the flexure 716,
which is coupled to a member 728 (see FIGS. 7B, 7C) opposite the
end 724. As such, structural effects on the flexure 716 due to
movement over time can be reduced or minimized, extending longevity
of the flexure 708, and the lens 320 can be controlled to perform
similar or identical movement to the rigid body movement about the
center of curvature 301 as described with respect to the system
500.
[0107] The flexure 708 can be implemented in various combinations
of multiple instances of the flexure 708, including connecting
flexures 708 in at least one of series or parallel arrangements.
Such combinations can facilitate indefinite lifespan of the
flexures 708 and stiffness for operating in a harmonically resonant
configuration within a target range of scan rates. FIG. 7B depicts
an example of a flexure assembly 750 that can be used to implement
the flexure 708 described with reference to FIG. 7A. The flexure
assembly 750 include one or more flexures 754 that are connected
(e.g., grounded in position) to the member 728 to enable center
translation of the flexures 754 back towards the member 728 to
mitigate parasitic movement associated with deflection of the
flexures 754. For example, as depicted in the finite element
analysis (FEM) diagram 780 of FIG. 7C showing motion of the second
lens 320 using the flexure 754, the flexure 754 can remain grounded
to the member 728 while the second lens 320 is articulated.
[0108] FIGS. 8A and 8B depict examples of articulations 800, 850 in
which the first lens 304 is articulated (e.g., using features of
the system 500 or the system 700), while the second lens 320 is
maintained in a static position. For example, the first lens 304
can be a plano-convex scanning lens, and the second lens 320 can be
a static plano-concave lens. Providing the second lens 320 as a
plano-concave lens can enable the second lens 320 to be an
environmentally sealed optical window to an exterior of a device
that includes the lenses 304, 320, which can reduce component count
and volumetric size of the device.
[0109] As depicted in FIG. 8A, the beam 302 can be received by the
first portion 312, which defines an angle 804 (defined in the x-y
plane relative to the optical axis 308). The beam 302 can be
deflected by the first lens 304 (e.g., at second portion 316) by an
angle 808 (corresponding to the angle 804 and defined in the x-y
plane relative to the optical axis 308) to be outputted as a beam
812. The beam 812 can be received by the third portion 324, and can
be deflected by the fourth portion 328 to be outputted as a beam
816 at an angle 820 defined in the x-y plane relative to the
optical axis 308.
[0110] As depicted in FIG. 8B, the beam 302 can be received by the
first portion 312, which defines an angle 854 (defined in the x-y
plane relative to the optical axis 308). The beam 302 can be
deflected by the first lens 304 (e.g., at second portion 316) by an
angle 858 (corresponding to the angle 854 and defined in the x-y
plane relative to the optical axis 308) to be outputted as a beam
862. The beam 862 can be received by the third portion 324, and can
be deflected by the fourth portion 328 to be outputted as a beam
866 at an angle 870 defined in the x-y plane relative to the
optical axis 308.
[0111] FIG. 9 depicts an example of a system 900 to implement at
least some features of the LIDAR system 200 and the system 300 in a
manner as described with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B. The system
900 can include an enclosure 904, such as a sealed housing. The
system 900 can include optics 908 (e.g., transmission and receiver
optics) positioned within the enclosure 904. For example, the
optics 908 can include components such as at least one of the laser
source 204, splitter 208, modulator 214, amplifier 220, collimator
224, circulator 228, or mixer 260 described with reference to FIG.
2, and can include components such as an actuator (e.g., actuator
504) to control articulation of the first lens 304. The optical
axis 308 can be aligned with the optics 908. The system 900 can
include detection circuitry 912 positioned within the enclosure 904
and coupled with the optics 908. For example, the detection
circuitry 912 can include the receiver 276 described with reference
to FIG. 2. The system 900 can include processing circuitry 916
positioned within the enclosure 904 and coupled with the optics 908
and detection circuitry 912. The processing circuitry 916 can be
used to control articulation of the first lens 304 (e.g., by
controlling an actuator such as the actuator 504 coupled with the
energy storage element 512 or an actuator coupled with the flexure
708, such as to perform a resonant sinusoidal control of the first
lens 304, or the actuator coupled with the flexure 708). The
processing circuitry 916 can include or be coupled with a position
sensor to detect a position, including an angular position relative
to the optical axis 308, of at least one of the first lens 304 or
the second lens 320. The processing circuitry 916 can be used to
perform at least some control and processing for determining at
least one of a range to or a velocity of an object, such as by
including components of the processing system 290 such as the
scanner controller 292, Doppler compensator 294, or modulator
controller 296. The processing circuitry 916 can include or be
communicatively coupled with the vehicle controller 298 (e.g., can
be connected by a wired or wireless connection with one or more
processors of an autonomous vehicle to which the system 900 is
attached that implement the vehicle controller 298).
[0112] The second lens 320 can be positioned within and attached to
the enclosure 904. For example, the system 900 can include a seal
920, such as a sealing bezel, that attaches the second lens 320
with the enclosure 904. The enclosure 904 can define an opening 924
that extends into the enclosure 904 and receives the second lens
320 and the seal 920.
[0113] FIGS. 10A and 10B depicts examples of articulations 1000,
1050 in which both the first lens 304 and the second lens 320 are
articulated (e.g., both articulated in the x-y plane). As depicted
in FIG. 10A, the beam 302 can be received at the first portion 312,
which has been rotated by an angle 1004 relative to the optical
axis 308 in the x-y plane, such that the beam 302 is deflected to
be outputted by the second portion 316 at an angle 1008 relative to
the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane as a beam 1012. The beam 1012
can be received at the third portion 324, which has been rotated at
an angle 1016 relative to the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane,
such that the beam 1012 is deflected to be outputted by the fourth
portion 328 at an angle 1020 relative to the optical axis 308 in
the x-y plane.
[0114] As depicted in FIG. 10B, the beam 302 can be received at the
first portion 312, which has been rotated by an angle 1054 relative
to the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane, such that the beam 302 is
deflected to be outputted by the second portion 316 at an angle
1058 relative to the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane as a beam
1062. The beam 1062 can be received at the third portion 324, which
has been rotated at an angle 1066 relative to the optical axis 308
in the x-y plane, such that the beam 1062 is deflected to be
outputted by the fourth portion 328 at an angle 1070 relative to
the optical axis 308 in the x-y plane.
[0115] FIG. 11 depicts an example of a chart 1100 of an angle
profile 1104 corresponding to rotation of the first lens 304, an
angle profile 1108 corresponding to rotation of the second lens
320, and a resulting angle profile 1112 of the beam outputted by
the lenses 304, 320 in accordance with articulations such as those
described with respect to FIGS. 10A and 10B. In the example
depicted with respect to FIG. 11, the lenses 304, 320 have
refractive indices of 1.8, and are articulated at an amplitude of
22.5 degrees at a rate of 60 Hz. The angle profile 1112 can be a
substantially triangular waveform (e.g., triangular over a half
cycle of articulation of the lenses from zero degrees to a maximum
positive angle deflection and back to zero degrees, or a full cycle
from zero degrees to a maximum positive angle deflection, back to
zero degrees, to a maximum negative angle deflection, and back to
zero degrees) of amplitude of about 55 degrees. For example, the
angle profile 1112 can have a mean squared error relative to a
triangular waveform (e.g., a waveform that has linear segments over
the corresponding period of time) that is less than a threshold
mean squared error, such as a threshold of 0.1 or 0.01; for the
example depicted with respect to FIG. 11, the mean squared error is
0.0001, which can represent a one hundred times improvement as
compared to an angle profile that is sinusoidal.
[0116] Various features of the systems 500, 700 as described with
respect to FIGS. 4A-11 can be implemented to articulate at least
one of the spherical lenses 354, 370 as described with reference to
FIGS. 3C and 3D. Articulation of at least one of the first lens 354
or the second lens 370 can be performed with greater degrees of
freedom than for the lenses of the system 300, due to the spherical
shape of the lenses 354, 370 (including, for example and among
others, directions 1201 depicted in FIG. 12). For example,
articulation can be performed with respect to various planes of
articulation that allow for the spherical surfaces of the lenses
354, 370 to be aligned about the optical axes of the lenses 354,
370 (e.g., radially symmetric optical axes), such as planes of
articulation in which the optical axes wholly lie in the
planes.
[0117] FIG. 12 depicts an example of an articulation 1200 that can
be performed using the lenses 354, 370, in which the second lens
370 is articulated relative to the first lens 354. As depicted in
FIG. 12, the beam 352 can be received along the optical axis 358 at
the first portion 362, and pass through the first lens 354 to be
outputted by the second portion 366 as a beam (not shown) to the
third portion 374 of the second lens 370. The second lens 370 has
been articulated by an angle 1208 with respect to the optical axis
358 (e.g., rotated about center of curvature 351), such that the
beam is deflected by the second lens 370 to be outputted from the
fourth portion 378 as a beam 1212 having an angle 1216 relative to
the optical axis 358. The optical axis 358 and the beams 352, 1204,
and 1212 can lie in a same plane.
[0118] FIG. 13 depicts an example of an articulation 1300 that can
be performed using the lenses 354, 370, such as to enable beam
steering in both azimuth and elevation planes. For example, the
first lens 354 can be a dynamic plano convex lens (e.g.,
articulated in a plane in which the optical axis 358 lies) and the
second lens 370 can be a resonantly actuated plano concave lens.
The first lens 354 can be articulated in various manners, including
but not limited to a linear, monotonic profile 1304. For example,
the first lens 354 can be coupled with a gimbal (not shown)
centered about a curvature of the second portion 366 of the first
lens 350 (e.g., aligned with the optical axis 358).
[0119] The beam 352 can be received at the first portion 362 and
deflected by the second portion 366 to be outputted as a beam (not
shown) at an angle with respect to the optical axis 358. With
respect to the x-y-z frame of reference depicted for FIG. 13, the
beam can be outputted from the second portion 366 in the x-y plane
at an angle relative to the optical axis 358. The beam can be
received at the third portion 374 and deflected to be outputted by
the fourth portion 378 as a beam 1316 at an angle 1320 relative to
the optical axis 358. As depicted for the articulation 1300, the
second lens 370 can be articulate in the x-y plane that is
orthogonal to the x-z plane for which articulation of the first
lens 304 occurs; the articulation of the second lens 370 can occur
in various planes in which the optical axis 358 lies, including but
not limited to the x-z plane. The articulation of the second lens
370 can be performed using resonant motion (e.g., according to
profile 1324), which can mitigate power usage relative to amplitude
of the motion. The articulation of the second lens 370 can be
substantially linear, in a manner analogous to that described for
angle profile 608 described with reference to FIG. 6.
[0120] FIG. 14 depicts an example of a scan pattern 1400 resulting
from the articulation 1300 described with reference to FIG. 13. As
depicted in FIG. 14, the lenses 1354, 1370 can be oriented and
articulated in orthogonal planes with respect to one another to
achieve scanning in both elevation and azimuth.
[0121] Having now described some illustrative implementations, it
is apparent that the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting,
having been presented by way of example. In particular, although
many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations
of method acts or system elements, those acts and those elements
can be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives.
Acts, elements and features discussed in connection with one
implementation are not intended to be excluded from a similar role
in other implementations or implementations.
[0122] The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the
purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The
use of "including" "comprising" "having" "containing" "involving"
"characterized by" "characterized in that" and variations thereof
herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter,
equivalents thereof, and additional items, as well as alternate
implementations consisting of the items listed thereafter
exclusively. In one implementation, the systems and methods
described herein consist of one, each combination of more than one,
or all of the described elements, acts, or components.
[0123] Any references to implementations or elements or acts of the
systems and methods herein referred to in the singular can also
embrace implementations including a plurality of these elements,
and any references in plural to any implementation or element or
act herein can also embrace implementations including only a single
element. References in the singular or plural form are not intended
to limit the presently disclosed systems or methods, their
components, acts, or elements to single or plural configurations.
References to any act or element being based on any information,
act or element can include implementations where the act or element
is based at least in part on any information, act, or element.
[0124] Any implementation disclosed herein can be combined with any
other implementation or embodiment, and references to "an
implementation," "some implementations," "one implementation" or
the like are not necessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to
indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic
described in connection with the implementation can be included in
at least one implementation or embodiment. Such terms as used
herein are not necessarily all referring to the same
implementation. Any implementation can be combined with any other
implementation, inclusively or exclusively, in any manner
consistent with the aspects and implementations disclosed
herein.
[0125] Where technical features in the drawings, detailed
description or any claim are followed by reference signs, the
reference signs have been included to increase the intelligibility
of the drawings, detailed description, and claims. Accordingly,
neither the reference signs nor their absence have any limiting
effect on the scope of any claim elements.
[0126] Systems and methods described herein may be embodied in
other specific forms without departing from the characteristics
thereof. Further relative parallel, perpendicular, vertical or
other positioning or orientation descriptions include variations
within +/-10% or +/-10 degrees of pure vertical, parallel or
perpendicular positioning. References to "approximately," "about"
"substantially" or other terms of degree include variations of
+/-10% from the given measurement, unit, or range unless explicitly
indicated otherwise. Coupled elements can be electrically,
mechanically, or physically coupled with one another directly or
with intervening elements. Scope of the systems and methods
described herein is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather
than the foregoing description, and changes that come within the
meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are embraced
therein.
[0127] The term "coupled" and variations thereof includes the
joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such
joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable
(e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with
the two members coupled directly with or to each other, with the
two members coupled with each other using a separate intervening
member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one
another, or with the two members coupled with each other using an
intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary
body with one of the two members. If "coupled" or variations
thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly
coupled), the generic definition of "coupled" provided above is
modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term
(e.g., "directly coupled" means the joining of two members without
any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower
definition than the generic definition of "coupled" provided above.
Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
[0128] References to "or" can be construed as inclusive so that any
terms described using "or" can indicate any of a single, more than
one, and all of the described terms. A reference to "at least one
of `A` and `B`" can include only `A`, only `B`, as well as both `A`
and `B`. Such references used in conjunction with "comprising" or
other open terminology can include additional items.
[0129] Modifications of described elements and acts such as
variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions
of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting
arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations can occur
without materially departing from the teachings and advantages of
the subject matter disclosed herein. For example, elements shown as
integrally formed can be constructed of multiple parts or elements,
the position of elements can be reversed or otherwise varied, and
the nature or number of discrete elements or positions can be
altered or varied. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and
omissions can also be made in the design, operating conditions and
arrangement of the disclosed elements and operations without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0130] References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., "top,"
"bottom," "above," "below") are merely used to describe the
orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted
that the orientation of various elements may differ according to
other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended
to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
* * * * *