LIDAR system with vehicle-integrated beam guide
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a laser range finder mounted on a vehicle, the laser range finder having a field of view, anda beam guide, the beam guide comprising;
a first end to receive a laser beam from the laser range finder in an input direction,a lens located at a second end of the beam guide to transmit the laser beam beyond the vehicle with an output direction based on the input direction, wherein the lens and the laser range finder are separated by at least a portion of a cavity behind a body panel, andwherein the beam guide extends at least in part within the cavity located behind the body panel on the vehicle, and further wherein the laser beam travels in the cavity from the first end to the second end of the beam guide.
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Abstract
Mounting a LIDAR above or external to a vehicle can enhance the LIDAR field of view but can conflict with vehicle aesthetics and ergonomics. Within embodiments, vehicle-integrated systems for distributing laser beams around a vehicle to increase coverage with a low-profile laser range finder are disclosed. A LIDAR can be embedded beneath a roof or body panel of a vehicle as part of a laser distribution system including a set of reflectors and lenses operable to adapt the LIDAR field of view to the vehicle shape. The set of embedded reflectors can guide laser beams parallel (e.g. within the roof structure), to and from the set of lenses at the roof edge to transmit the guided laser into regions of the surrounding beyond the direct field of view of the LIDAR. In other embodiments a beam guide (e.g. including a headlight assembly) can enable a LIDAR to perform ranging from behind a vehicle body panel.
80 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a laser range finder mounted on a vehicle, the laser range finder having a field of view, and a beam guide, the beam guide comprising; a first end to receive a laser beam from the laser range finder in an input direction, a lens located at a second end of the beam guide to transmit the laser beam beyond the vehicle with an output direction based on the input direction, wherein the lens and the laser range finder are separated by at least a portion of a cavity behind a body panel, and wherein the beam guide extends at least in part within the cavity located behind the body panel on the vehicle, and further wherein the laser beam travels in the cavity from the first end to the second end of the beam guide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20)
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8. A system comprising:
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a laser range finder mounted on a vehicle, the laser range finder having a field of view; and a beam guide comprising; a first end to receive, from the laser range finder, a plurality of laser beams each with a corresponding input direction in an input angular range, and a lens, separate from the laser range finder, the lens being located at a second end of the beam guide, wherein the lens functions to transmit each of the plurality of laser beams beyond the vehicle with a corresponding output direction that is based on the input direction, wherein the lens and the laser range finder are separated by at least a portion of a cavity behind a body panel further wherein the beam guide extends at least in part within the cavity located behind the body panel on the vehicle, to guide the plurality of laser beams from the first end to the second end of the beam guide. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for guiding a laser within a cavity behind a body panel of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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generating with a laser range finder a laser beam; at a beam guide comprising a first end, a second end with a lens and the cavity located behind the body panel of a vehicle, receiving the laser beam in an input direction at the first end, wherein the lens and the laser range finder are separated by at least a portion of the cavity behind the body panel; guiding the laser beam in the cavity extending behind the body panel of the vehicle to the second end; and transmitting with the lens, the laser beam beyond the bounds of the vehicle in an output direction that is based at least in part on the input direction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification