Multi-beam lidar system with polygon mirror
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lidar system comprising:
- a light source configured to produce a first beam of light and a second beam of light;
a scanner configured to scan a field of regard of the lidar system using the first beam of light and the second beam of light, the scanner including;
a first scan mirror configured to;
receive the first beam of light from the light source and reflect the first beam of light toward a polygon mirror, andpivot along a first scan-mirror pivot axis to scan the first beam of light along a first direction;
a second scan mirror configured to;
receive the second beam of light from the light source and reflect the second beam of light toward the polygon mirror; and
pivot along a second scan-mirror pivot axis to scan the second beam of light along the first direction, wherein the scanner controls at least one of a scanning speed or range of pivoting of the second scan-mirror independently of the first scan-mirror; and
the polygon mirror that comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the polygon mirror, the polygon mirror configured to;
receive the first beam of light from the first scan mirror and reflect the first beam of light toward the field of regard,receive the second beam of light from the second scan mirror and reflect the second beam of light toward the field of regard, androtate about a polygon-mirror rotation axis to scan the first and second beams of light along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction;
a first receiver configured to detect scattered light from the first beam of light; and
a second receiver configured to detect scattered light from the second beam of light.
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Abstract
A lidar system includes a light source configured to produce a first and second beams of light, receivers to configured to detect light from the first and second beams of light and scattered by one or more remote targets, and a scanner including a first scan mirror configured to pivot along a first-mirror pivot axis to scan the first beam of light along a first direction, a second scan mirror configured to pivot along a second-mirror pivot axis to scan the second beam of light along the first direction, and a polygon with multiple reflective surfaces configured to rotate about a polygon-mirror rotation axis to scan the first and second beams of light along a second direction.
184 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A lidar system comprising:
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a light source configured to produce a first beam of light and a second beam of light; a scanner configured to scan a field of regard of the lidar system using the first beam of light and the second beam of light, the scanner including; a first scan mirror configured to; receive the first beam of light from the light source and reflect the first beam of light toward a polygon mirror, and pivot along a first scan-mirror pivot axis to scan the first beam of light along a first direction; a second scan mirror configured to; receive the second beam of light from the light source and reflect the second beam of light toward the polygon mirror; and pivot along a second scan-mirror pivot axis to scan the second beam of light along the first direction, wherein the scanner controls at least one of a scanning speed or range of pivoting of the second scan-mirror independently of the first scan-mirror; and the polygon mirror that comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the polygon mirror, the polygon mirror configured to; receive the first beam of light from the first scan mirror and reflect the first beam of light toward the field of regard, receive the second beam of light from the second scan mirror and reflect the second beam of light toward the field of regard, and rotate about a polygon-mirror rotation axis to scan the first and second beams of light along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction; a first receiver configured to detect scattered light from the first beam of light; and a second receiver configured to detect scattered light from the second beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method in a lidar system for scanning a field of regard, the method comprising:
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pivoting a first scan mirror along a first scan-mirror pivot axis; pivoting a second scan mirror along a second scan-mirror pivot axis, including controlling at least one of a scanning speed or range of pivoting of the second scan-mirror independently of the first scan-mirror; rotating a polygon mirror about a polygon-mirror rotation axis substantially orthogonal to the first scan-mirror pivot axis and the second scan-mirror pivot axis, the polygon mirror including a plurality of reflective surfaces angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the polygon mirror; concurrently directing a first beam of light toward the first scan mirror and a second beam of light toward the scan mirror, wherein the first scan mirror reflects the first beam toward the polygon mirror to scan the first beam of light along a first direction, wherein the second scan mirror reflects the second beam toward the polygon mirror to scan the second beam of light along the first direction, and wherein the polygon mirror reflects the first beam of light and the second beam of light toward a field of regard to scan the first beam of light and the second beam of light along a second direction; and detecting the first beam of light scattered by one or more remote targets using a first detector and the second beam of light scattered by the one or more remote targets using a second detector, to generate values for a first pixel and a second pixel. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification