Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system with dual beam steering

• US 10,061,020 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Slobodyanyuk, Volodimir, Gousev, Evgeni Petrovich, Arabi, Karim
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolda, Eric L
• Application Number:
  US14/859,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20170082735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,073 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus includes dual beam scanners with dual beam steering. A first beam scanner in the LIDAR apparatus scans a wider area in one or more of a first plurality of scan patterns, and a second beam scanner in the LIDAR apparatus scans a narrower area in one or more of a second plurality of scan patterns different from the first plurality of scan patterns.

Claims

1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus, comprising:

a first beam scanner configured to

scan a first area using a first laser beam in one or more of a first plurality of scan patterns, and

obtain target data based on reflections of the first laser beam from one or more targets in the first area;

a second beam scanner configured to scan a second area using a second laser beam in one or more of a second plurality of scan patterns different from said one or more of the first plurality of scan patterns, the first area being wider than the second area; and

a controller coupled to the first beam scanner and the second beam scanner, the controller configured to

drive the first beam scanner to scan the first area to obtain the target data,

determine from the target data which of the one or more targets are targets of interest, and

drive the second beam scanner to spots within the second area to monitor the targets of interest determined from the target data.

2. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first beam scanner comprises a laser beam reflector.

3. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 2, wherein the laser beam reflector comprises a mechanically controlled reflector.

4. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 2, wherein the laser beam reflector comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) controlled reflector.

5. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second beam scanner comprises a beam scanner configured for foveation.

6. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second beam scanner comprises a diffraction-based beam scanner.

7. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 6, wherein the diffraction-based beam scanner comprises a liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) based beam scanner.

8. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second laser beams have a same wavelength.

9. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second laser beams have different wavelengths.

10. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to distinguish targets of different materials based on reflections of the first laser beam and the second laser beam at different wavelengths.

11. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second area is entirely within the first area.

12. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus, comprising:

means for scanning a first area using a first laser beam in one or more of a first plurality of scan patterns, the means for scanning the first area obtaining target data based on reflections of the first laser beam from one or more targets in the first area;

means for scanning a second area using a second laser beam in one or more of a second plurality of scan patterns different from said one or more of the first plurality of scan patterns, the first area being wider than the second area; and

means for controlling the means for scanning the first area and the means for scanning the second area, comprising;

means for driving the means for scanning the first area to scan the first area to obtain the target data;

means for determining from the target data which of the one or more targets are targets of interest; and

means for driving the means for scanning the second area to spots within the second area to monitor the targets of interest determined from the target data.

13. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for scanning the first area scans at a faster rate than the means for scanning the second area.

14. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for scanning the first area comprises a laser beam reflector.

15. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 14, wherein the laser beam reflector comprises a mechanically controlled reflector.

16. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 14, wherein the laser beam reflector comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) controlled reflector.

17. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for scanning the second area comprises a beam scanner configured for foveation.

18. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for scanning the second area comprises a diffraction-based beam scanner.

19. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 18, wherein the diffraction-based beam scanner comprises a liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) based beam scanner.

20. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first and second laser beams have a same wavelength.

21. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first and second laser beams have different wavelengths.

22. The LIDAR apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second area is entirely within the first area.

23. A method of scanning one or more laser beams, comprising:

scanning a first area using a first laser beam in one or more of a first plurality of scan patterns;

obtaining target data based on reflections of the first laser beam from one or more targets in the first area;

determining from the target data which of the one or more targets are targets of interest; and

scanning a second area using a second laser beam in one or more of a second plurality of scan patterns different from said one or more of the first plurality of scan patterns to monitor the targets of interest determined from the target data,

wherein first area is wider than the second area.

24. The method of claim 23,

wherein scanning the first area is performed by a laser beam reflector, and

wherein scanning the second area performed by a diffraction-based beam scanner.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second laser beams have the same wavelength.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second laser beams have different wavelengths.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the second area is entirely within the first area.

28. An apparatus for scanning one or more laser beams, comprising:

logic configured to scan a first area using a first laser beam in one or more of a first plurality of scan patterns;

logic configured to obtain target data based on reflections of the first laser beam from one or more targets in the first area;

logic configured to determine from the target data which of the one or more targets are targets of interest; and

logic configured to scan a second area using a second laser beam in one or more of a second plurality of scan patterns different from said one or more of the first plurality of scan patterns to monitor the targets of interest determined from the target data,

wherein first area is wider than the second area.

29. The apparatus of claim 28,

wherein the logic configured to scan the first area comprises logic configured to scan by a laser beam reflector, and

wherein the logic configured to scan the second area comprises logic configured to scan by a diffraction-based beam scanner.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the second area is entirely within the first area.