公开(公告)号：US20220291353A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-15

申请号：US17752954

申请日：2022-05-25

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Scott R. Campbell ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Lane A. Martin ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G02B26/10

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light along a scan pattern contained within an adjustable field of regard. The scanner includes a first scanning mirror configured to scan the portion of the emitted pulses of light substantially parallel to a first scan axis to produce multiple scan lines of the scan pattern. The scanner also includes a second scanning mirror configured to distribute the scan lines along a second scan axis, where the scan lines are distributed within the adjustable field of regard according to an adjustable second-axis scan profile that includes a minimum scan angle along the second scan axis, a maximum scan angle along the second scan axis, and a scan-line distribution.

公开(公告)号：US11442150B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-13

申请号：US16788762

申请日：2020-02-12

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Philip W. Smith ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Jason M. Eichenholz

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/4863

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit a pulse of light and a scanner configured to direct the emitted pulse of light into a field of regard of the lidar system. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to receive a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The receiver includes a digital micromirror device (DMD) that includes a two-dimensional array of electrically addressable micromirrors, where a portion of the micromirrors are configured to be set to an active-on state to direct the received pulse of light to a detector array. The detector array includes a two-dimensional array of detector elements, where the detector array is configured to detect the received pulse of light and produce an electrical signal corresponding to the received pulse of light.

公开(公告)号：US11415677B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-16

申请号：US16389362

申请日：2019-04-19

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Matthew D. Weed ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Lane A. Martin ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/931

Abstract: To compensate for the uneven distribution of data points around the periphery of a vehicle in a lidar system, a light source transmits light pulses at a variable pulse rate according to the orientation of the light pulses with respect to the lidar system. A controller may communicate with a scanner in the lidar system that provides the orientations of the light pulses to the controller. The controller may then provide a control signal to the light source adjusting the pulse rate based on the orientations of the light pulses. For example, the pulse rate may be slower near the front of the lidar system and faster near the periphery. In another example, the pulse rate may be faster near the front of the lidar system and slower near the periphery.

公开(公告)号：US11415675B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-16

申请号：US16155207

申请日：2018-10-09

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Austin K. Russell ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Liam J. McGregor ,  Jason M. Eichenholz

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/26 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01S7/486

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard. The field of regard contains all or part of a target located a distance from the lidar system that is less than or equal to a maximum range of the lidar system, and one or more of the emitted pulses of light are scattered by the target. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the pulses of light scattered by the target. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for an emitted pulse of light.

公开(公告)号：US11367990B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-21

申请号：US16555304

申请日：2019-08-29

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Laurance S. Lingvay ,  David Welford

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  H01S3/0941 ,  G02B5/20 ,  H01S3/16 ,  H01S3/11 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/10 ,  H01S3/113 ,  G01S7/481 ,  H01S3/094 ,  H01S3/091 ,  H01S5/068 ,  H01S5/125 ,  H01S5/024 ,  G01S17/88 ,  G01S17/32 ,  G02B26/10 ,  G02B26/08 ,  G02B26/12

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit light at one or more wavelengths between 1200 nm and 1400 nm. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan the emitted light across a field of regard of the lidar system and a receiver configured to detect a portion of the emitted light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time for the portion of the emitted light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system.

公开(公告)号：US11353559B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-07

申请号：US16155243

申请日：2018-10-09

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Scott R. Campbell ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Lane A. Martin ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G02B26/10 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light along a scan pattern contained within an adjustable field of regard. The scanner includes a first scanning mirror configured to scan the portion of the emitted pulses of light substantially parallel to a first scan axis to produce multiple scan lines of the scan pattern, where each scan line is oriented substantially parallel to the first scan axis. The scanner also includes a second scanning mirror configured to distribute the scan lines along a second scan axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first scan axis, where the scan lines are distributed within the adjustable field of regard according to an adjustable second-axis scan profile.

公开(公告)号：US20220099813A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-31

申请号：US17475956

申请日：2021-09-15

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： James L. Gates ,  Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Stephen D. Gaalema

IPC: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/08 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit an optical signal and a receiver configured to detect an input optical signal that includes a portion of the emitted optical signal scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The receiver includes an avalanche photodiode (APD) configured to receive the input optical signal and produce a photocurrent signal corresponding to the input optical signal. The APD includes a multiplication region that includes a digital-alloy region that includes two or more semiconductor alloy materials arranged in successive layers. The digital-alloy region is configured to produce at least a portion of the photocurrent signal by impact ionization. The receiver is configured to determine, based on the photocurrent signal produced by the APD, a round-trip time for the portion of the emitted optical signal to travel to the target and back to the lidar system.

公开(公告)号：US11204413B2

公开(公告)日：2021-12-21

申请号：US16893473

申请日：2020-06-05

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Jason M. Eichenholz

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06K9/62 ,  H04N5/232 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/931

Abstract: A system operating in a vehicle includes a lidar module, a camera, and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera and the lidar module. The lidar module includes: a light source configured to emit pulses of light, a scanner configured to direct the emitted pulses of light in accordance with a scan pattern to illuminate a field of regard of the lidar module, and a receiver configured to detect the emitted pulses of light scattered by one or more remote objects to capture a set of lidar pixels of a scan frame, in a sequence defined by the scan pattern. The camera has a field of view that at least partially overlaps the field of regard of the lidar module. The controller is configured to cause the camera to capture multiple images while the receiver of the lidar module captures the set of lidar pixels of the scan frame.

公开(公告)号：US20210356600A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-18

申请号：US17318506

申请日：2021-05-12

Applicant: Luminar, LLC

Inventor： Istvan Peter Burbank ,  Matthew D. Weed ,  Jason Paul Wojack ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Dmytro Trofymov

IPC: G01S17/931 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/10 ,  B60W60/00

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light along a high-resolution scan pattern located within a field of regard of the lidar system. The scanner includes one or more scan mirrors configured to (i) scan the emitted pulses of light along a first scan axis to produce multiple scan lines of the high-resolution scan pattern, where each scan line is associated with multiple pixels, each pixel corresponding to one of the emitted pulses of light and (ii) distribute the scan lines of the high-resolution scan pattern along a second scan axis. The high-resolution scan pattern includes one or more of: interlaced scan lines and interlaced pixels.

公开(公告)号：US11119219B1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-14

申请号：US17183937

申请日：2021-02-24

Applicant: Luminar LLC

Inventor： Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Alex Michael Sincore ,  Lawrence Shah

IPC: G01C22/00 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  B60W60/00 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit an optical signal and a receiver that includes one or more detectors configured to detect a portion of the emitted optical signal scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system also includes a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that includes an input optical element configured to receive the portion of the scattered optical signal and couple the portion of the scattered optical signal into an input optical waveguide. The input optical waveguide is one of one or more optical waveguides of the PIC configured to convey the portion of the scattered optical signal to the one or more detectors of the receiver. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target.