公开(公告)号：US10571567B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-25

申请号：US15965197

申请日：2018-04-27

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Scott R. Campbell ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell ,  John G. Hughes

IPC: G01S17/08 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G02B26/10 ,  G02B26/12 ,  H01L27/146 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G02B5/09 ,  G02B7/182 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G02B27/09 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/30 ,  H01L25/16 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G02B5/08 ,  G02B5/18 ,  G02B5/22

Abstract: A lidar system comprises a light source configured to emit light, a scanner configured to direct the emitted light to scan a field of regard of the lidar system in accordance with a scan pattern, a receiver configured to detect the light scattered by one or more remote targets, and a controller configured to control motion of at least the second mirror to modify the scan pattern. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror having a block having a first wall, a second wall, and reflective surfaces extending between the first and second walls, the reflective surfaces being angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the block. The scanner also includes a polygon mirror axle extending into the block through at least one of the first and second walls, about which the block rotates, and a second mirror pivotable along an axis orthogonal to the polygon mirror axle.

公开(公告)号：US10545240B2

公开(公告)日：2020-01-28

申请号：US15917628

申请日：2018-03-10

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Scott R. Campbell ,  Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/93

Abstract: A lidar system includes a transmitter that encodes successive transmit pulses with different pulse characteristics and a receiver that detects the pulse characteristics of each received (scattered or reflected) pulse and that distinguishes between the received pulses based on the detected pulse characteristics. The lidar system thus resolves range ambiguities by encoding pulses of scan positions in the same or different scan periods to have different pulse characteristics, such as different pulse widths or different pulse envelope shapes. The receiver includes a pulse decoder configured to detect the relevant pulse characteristics of the received pulse and a resolver that determines if the pulse characteristics of the received pulse matches the pulse characteristics of the current scan position or that of a previous scan position.

公开(公告)号：US10418776B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-17

申请号：US15901838

申请日：2018-02-21

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： David Welford ,  Martin A. Jaspan ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Lane A. Martin ,  Matthew D. Weed

IPC: G01S17/88 ,  H01S3/11 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/484 ,  H01S3/06 ,  H01S3/113 ,  H01S3/094 ,  G01S17/10 ,  H01S3/30 ,  G01S7/481 ,  H01S3/102 ,  H01S3/0941 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/16 ,  H01S3/00

Abstract: A lidar system can include a solid-state laser to emit pulses of light. The solid-state laser can include a Q-switched laser having a gain medium and a Q-switch. The lidar system can also include a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard and a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the scanned pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system can also include 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 to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system.

公开(公告)号：US10310058B1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-04

申请号：US15965288

申请日：2018-04-27

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

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

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G02B26/10 ,  G01S17/93

Abstract: A lidar system includes one or more light sources configured to generate a first and second beams of light, a scanner configured to synchronously scan a field of regard of the lidar system using the two beams, and a receiver configured to detect light of the two beams scattered by one or more remote targets. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror having a block having a first wall, a second wall, and reflective surfaces extending between the first and second walls, the reflective surfaces being angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the block; a polygon mirror axle extending into the block, about which the block rotates; optical elements configured to direct the first and second beams of light respectively to two adjacent reflective surfaces of the rotatable polygon mirror; and a second mirror pivotable along an axis orthogonal to the polygon mirror axle.

公开(公告)号：US10254762B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-09

申请号：US15915902

申请日：2018-03-08

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： John E. McWhirter ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G01S17/02 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/497

Abstract: To compensate for the effects of vibration on a lidar system in a vehicle, a vibration sensor within the lidar system and/or the vehicle detects vibration, such as a gyroscope, accelerometer, inertial measurement unit (IMU), etc. The detected vibration is then used to generate a compensation signal. The compensation signal is combined with a drive signal that drives a scanner configured to direct light pulses across a field of regard. The combined signal is provided to the scanner, and accordingly, the light pulses are accurately directed across the field of regard.

公开(公告)号：US20190079167A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-14

申请号：US16185427

申请日：2018-11-09

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Stephen D. Gaalema ,  Austin K. Russell ,  Joseph G. LaChapelle ,  Scott R. Campbell ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Tue Tran

IPC: G01S7/489 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

Abstract: To decrease the likelihood of a false detection when detecting light from light pulses scattered by remote targets in a lidar system, a receiver in the lidar system includes a photodetector and a pulse-detection circuit having a gain circuit with a varying amount of gain over time. The gain circuit operates in a low-gain mode for a time period T1 beginning with time t0 when a light pulse is emitted to prevent the receiver from detecting return light pulses during the threshold time period T1. Upon expiration of the threshold time period T1, the gain circuit operates in a high-gain mode to begin detecting return light pulses until a subsequent light pulse is emitted.

公开(公告)号：US20190064331A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-28

申请号：US16170601

申请日：2018-10-25

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Austin K. Russell ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Laurance S. Lingvay

IPC: G01S7/497

Abstract: To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses provided by the light pulse. Triggering events may include exceeding a threshold speed, being within a threshold distance of a person or other object, an atmospheric condition, etc. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.

公开(公告)号：US20180284780A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：US15915902

申请日：2018-03-08

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： John E. McWhirter ,  Jason M. Eichenholz ,  Austin K. Russell

IPC: G05D1/02 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G05D1/00

CPC classification number: G05D1/024 ,  G01S7/4812 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/023 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/936 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  G05D1/0214 ,  G05D2201/0212

Abstract: To compensate for the effects of vibration on a lidar system in a vehicle, a vibration sensor within the lidar system and/or the vehicle detects vibration, such as a gyroscope, accelerometer, inertial measurement unit (IMU), etc. The detected vibration is then used to generate a compensation signal. The compensation signal is combined with a drive signal that drives a scanner configured to direct light pulses across a field of regard. The combined signal is provided to the scanner, and accordingly, the light pulses are accurately directed across the field of regard.

公开(公告)号：US20180284247A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：US15938650

申请日：2018-03-28

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC

Inventor： Scott R. Campbell ,  Jason M. Eichenholz

IPC: G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481

Abstract: A light-based detection system includes a light source configured to emit light as a series of one or more light pulses, a transmitter configured to direct the one or more light pulses toward a remote target located a distance from the system, a receiver configured to detect a light pulse scattered by the remote target, and a controller. The pulses are at a wavelength between approximately 1400 nanometers and approximately 1600 nanometers, with pulse duration between 10 picoseconds and 20 nanoseconds and a pulse energy less than 2 microjoules. The controller is configured to determine the distance from the system to the target based on a time of flight for the detected light pulse, detect a fault condition indicating that the distance to the target is less than a threshold distance, and shut down the light source in response to detecting the fault condition.

公开(公告)号：US20180284237A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：US15941677

申请日：2018-03-30

Applicant: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

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

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/486

CPC classification number: G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/936

Abstract: A lidar system includes a light source configured to emit light, a scanner configured to scan a field of regard of the lidar system using (i) a first output beam that includes at least a portion of the emitted light and has a first amount of power and (ii) a second output beam that includes at least a portion of the emitted light and has a second amount of power different from the first amount of power, with an angular separation between the first output beam and the second output beam along a vertical dimension of the field of regard, and a receiver configured to detect light associated with the first output beam and light associated with the second output beam scattered by one or more remote targets.