公开(公告)号：US11226414B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-18

申请号：US16751686

申请日：2020-01-24

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mina A. Rezk ,  Jean-Marie Bussat

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/486

Abstract: A light ranging and detection (LiDAR) device may combine the transmission of laser pulses. Different trains of pulses from different transmitters may be combined and transmitted to an environment via a common optical path. The laser pulses transmitted from one train of pulses may be in a polarization state that is orthogonal to a polarization state for the laser pulses of the other train of pulses. Reflections for the different trains of pulses may be received via the common optical path and separated according to polarization state. Reflections of the train of pulses may be directed to one receiver and reflections of the other train of pulses may be directed to a different receiver. The transmission delta between the different trains of pulses may be dynamically configured. The pulse repetition rate of each train of pulses may also be configured.

公开(公告)号：US10795001B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-06

申请号：US16714739

申请日：2019-12-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/4865

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which is configured to emit at least one beam of light. A beam steering device is configured to transmit and scan the at least one beam across a target scene. In an array of sensing elements, each sensing element is configured to output a signal indicative of incidence of photons on the sensing element. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array, wherein the beam steering device scans the at least one beam across the target scene with a spot size and scan resolution that are smaller than a pitch of the sensing elements. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.

公开(公告)号：US10775507B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-15

申请号：US15673428

申请日：2017-08-10

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shingo Mandai ,  Cristiano L Niclass ,  Richard E Bills ,  Moshe Laifenfeld ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Ron Sokolovsky ,  Tal Kaitz ,  Ronen Akerman ,  Jason D. Mudge ,  Andrew J Sutton

IPC: G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G02F1/29

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser, which is configured to emit toward a scene pulses of optical radiation. An array of detectors are configured to receive the optical radiation that is reflected from points in the scene and to output signals indicative of respective times of arrival of the received radiation. A controller is coupled to drive the laser to emit a sequence of pulses of the optical radiation toward each of a plurality of points in the scene and to find respective times of flight for the points responsively to the output signals, while controlling a power of the pulses emitted by the laser by counting a number of the detectors outputting the signals in response to each pulse, and reducing the power of a subsequent pulse in the sequence when the number is greater than a predefined threshold.

公开(公告)号：US20200158831A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-21

申请号：US16714739

申请日：2019-12-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which is configured to emit at least one beam of light. A beam steering device is configured to transmit and scan the at least one beam across a target scene. In an array of sensing elements, each sensing element is configured to output a signal indicative of incidence of photons on the sensing element. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array, wherein the beam steering device scans the at least one beam across the target scene with a spot size and scan resolution that are smaller than a pitch of the sensing elements. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.

公开(公告)号：US20170176579A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-22

申请号：US15372411

申请日：2016-12-08

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/481

CPC classification number: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which emits at least one beam of light pulses, a beam steering device, which transmits and scans the at least one beam across a target scene, and an array of sensing elements. Each sensing element outputs a signal indicative of a time of incidence of a single photon on the sensing element. Light collection optics image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.

公开(公告)号：US10305247B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US15250962

申请日：2016-08-30

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Richard E. Bills ,  Andrew J. Sutton ,  Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Mina A. Rezk

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  H01S5/00 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G02B26/08 ,  G02F1/29 ,  H01S5/42 ,  G01S17/42 ,  H01S5/042

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes an array of lasers, which are arranged in a grid pattern having a predefined spatial pitch and are configured to emit respective beams of pulses of optical radiation. Projection optics having a selected focal length project the beams toward a target with an angular pitch between the beams defined by the spatial pitch and the focal length. A scanner scans the projected beams over a range of scan angles that is less than twice the angular pitch. Control circuitry drives the lasers and the scanner so that the pulses cover the target with a resolution finer than the angular pitch. A receiver receives and measures a time of flight of the pulses reflected from the target.

公开(公告)号：US20180081061A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-22

申请号：US15673428

申请日：2017-08-10

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shingo Mandai ,  Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Richard E. Bills ,  Moshe Laifenfeld ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Ron Sokolovsky ,  Tal Kaitz ,  Ronen Akerman ,  Jason D. Mudge ,  Andrew J. Sutton

IPC: G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G02F1/29

CPC classification number: G01S17/89 ,  G01B11/026 ,  G01S7/4814 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G02F1/292

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser, which is configured to emit toward a scene pulses of optical radiation. An array of detectors are configured to receive the optical radiation that is reflected from points in the scene and to output signals indicative of respective times of arrival of the received radiation. A controller is coupled to drive the laser to emit a sequence of pulses of the optical radiation toward each of a plurality of points in the scene and to find respective times of flight for the points responsively to the output signals, while controlling a power of the pulses emitted by the laser by counting a number of the detectors outputting the signals in response to each pulse, and reducing the power of a subsequent pulse in the sequence when the number is greater than a predefined threshold.

公开(公告)号：US20200158871A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-21

申请号：US16751686

申请日：2020-01-24

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mina A. Rezk ,  Jean-Marie Bussat

IPC: G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/486

Abstract: A light ranging and detection (LiDAR) device may combine the transmission of laser pulses. Different trains of pulses from different transmitters may be combined and transmitted to an environment via a common optical path. The laser pulses transmitted from one train of pulses may be in a polarization state that is orthogonal to a polarization state for the laser pulses of the other train of pulses. Reflections for the different trains of pulses may be received via the common optical path and separated according to polarization state. Reflections of the train of pulses may be directed to one receiver and reflections of the other train of pulses may be directed to a different receiver. The transmission delta between the different trains of pulses may be dynamically configured. The pulse repetition rate of each train of pulses may also be configured.

公开(公告)号：US10545238B1

公开(公告)日：2020-01-28

申请号：US15275090

申请日：2016-09-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mina A. Rezk ,  Jean-Marie Bussat

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/486

Abstract: A light ranging and detection (LiDAR) device may combine the transmission of laser pulses. Different trains of pulses from different transmitters may be combined and transmitted to an environment via a common optical path. The laser pulses transmitted from one train of pulses may be in a polarization state that is orthogonal to a polarization state for the laser pulses of the other train of pulses. Reflections for the different trains of pulses may be received via the common optical path and separated according to polarization state. Reflections of the train of pulses may be directed to one receiver and reflections of the other train of pulses may be directed to a different receiver. The transmission delta between the different trains of pulses may be dynamically configured. The pulse repetition rate of each train of pulses may also be configured.

公开(公告)号：US10775508B1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-15

申请号：US15680015

申请日：2017-08-17

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mina A. Rezk ,  Alexander Shpunt

IPC: G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S7/481

Abstract: A compact remote sensing device is described that includes a transmit component that scans a beam of light across a scene or object field, and a receive component that receives return light from the object field. The transmit component includes a small, fast scanning mechanism such as a MEMS mirror or a piezo mirror that scans a beam of light emitted by a light source across a field of view (FOV). The receive component includes a focal plane array (FPA) with a FOV at least large enough to capture the FOV of the scanning mechanism. The FPA may be a low resolution FPA (i.e., with fewer pixels than the resolution of the scanning mechanism), and the light beam may be scanned and captured at multiple spots within the pixels of the FPA.