Integrated laser lighting and LIDAR system

• US 10,345,446 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Raring, James W., McLaurin, Melvin, Rudy, Paul, Novotny, Vlad
• Primary Examiner(s): Hansen, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US16/011,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20190179016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/487 Extracting wanted echo signals , e.g. pulse detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0085 for modulating the output, i.e. the laser beam is modulated outside the laser cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0215 Bonding to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0217 Removal of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02212 Can-type, e.g. TO-CAN housings with emission along or parallel to symmetry axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02251 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02255 using beam deflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02345 Wire-bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02375 Positioning of the laser chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02469 Passive cooling, e.g. where heat is removed by the housing as a whole or by a heat pipe without any active cooling element like a TEC
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0287 : Facet reflectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/22 : having a ridge or stripe structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 : with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 : Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 : Edge-emitting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 : emitting more than one wavelength

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a mobile machine including a laser diode based lighting system having an integrated package holding at least a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode and a wavelength conversion member. The gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode is configured to emit a first laser beam with a first peak wavelength. The wavelength conversion member is configured to receive at least partially the first laser beam with the first peak wavelength to excite an emission with a second peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength and to generate the white light mixed with the second peak wavelength and the first peak wavelength. The mobile machine further includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system configured to generate a second laser beam and manipulate the second laser beam to sense a spatial map of target objects in a remote distance.

Claims

1. A LIDAR system comprising:

a power source;

a processor coupled to the power source and configured to supply power to a driver to generate a first driving current and a second driving current including modulation signals based on input data from an external source;

a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode configured to be driven by the first driving current to emit a first light with a first peak wavelength;

a sensing laser diode configured to be driven by the second driving current to emit a second light with a second peak wavelength configured to be a sensing light signal;

a wavelength conversion member configured to receive at least partially the first light to reemit a third light with a third peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength, the third light being combined with at least partially the first light to yield a white light and configured to pass, scatter, or reflect the second light substantially without absorption;

one or more optical elements coupled to the wavelength conversion member to receive the white light and to collimate, steer, and project a first beam of the white light for illuminating one or more remote objects, and to receive the second light to project a second beam of the sensing light signal centered with the second peak wavelength for mapping an area including the one or more remote objects and their surroundings; and

a detector configured to detect reflected signals of the sensing light signal for mapping the one or more remote objects.

2. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode is configured to generate the first light with the first peak wavelength in violet or blue color range.

3. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the sensing laser diode comprises an infrared laser diode for emitting the second light with the second peak wavelength in infrared range selected from one of 905nm, 1000 nm, 1064nm, 1300nm, or 1550nm.

4. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the wavelength conversion member comprises a yellow phosphor configured to generate the third light with the third peak wavelength in yellow color range.

5. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the wavelength conversion member further comprises a blue phosphor configured to receive the second light and let the second light to pass substantially without absorption.

6. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more optical elements comprises a first collimator configured to collimate the white light to the first beam to less than 15 degrees and a steering element for scanning the first beam of illumination with a first pattern over at least part of the one or more remote objects,

the one or more optical elements comprises a second collimator to collimate the second light to the second beam of the sensing light signal to less than 1 or 2 degrees and comprises a projector configured to project the second beam of the sensing light signal with a second pattern to the one or more remote objects and their surroundings, the second pattern being wider than the first pattern, and

the projector comprises one optical device selected from a MEMS controlled scanner, a digital-light processing (DLP) chip, and a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) chip for generating a mapping pattern with a plurality of pixels and dynamically scanning over the one or more remote objects to generate a 3D map thereof.

7. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein:

the processor comprises a first modulator configured to provide a first modulation signal with a first rate to drive the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode to emit the first light with the first peak wavelength which is interrupted with a second rate, wherein the second rate is substantially synchronized with a delayed modulation rate of the second light,

the first modulator is configured to provide the first modulation signal based on input data from an external source for amplitude modulation of the first light with the first peak wavelength in violet or blue range,

the processor comprises a second modulator configured to provide a second modulation signal to drive the sensing laser diode to emit the second light with the second peak wavelength and drive a transmitter component to transmit the sensing light signal with pulse modulation, and

the second modulator is configured to provide a second modulation signal based on feedback information from the detector based on reflected signals from the one or more remote objects with optimal view angle and pattern for LIDAR sensing.

8. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein:

the detector comprises at least one selected from a photodiode, a photoresistor, a CCD camera, an antenna, a scanning mirror or a microdisplay coupled to a photodiode to convert the reflected light signals to electrical signals, the electrical signals being time-dependent, and

the detector further comprises a signal receiver configured to convert the electrical signals to an image of the one or more remote objects and their surroundings, the image being characterized substantially by the second peak wavelength and being time- dependent.

19. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the first beam of the white light and the second beam of the sensing light signal are combined in one beam.

20. The LIDAR system of claim 1, wherein the first beam of the white light and the second beam of the sensing light signal are separate beams.

9. A LIDAR system comprising:

a power source;

a processor coupled to the power source and configured to supply power to a driver to generate a first driving current and a second driving current including modulation signals based on input data from an external source;

a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode configured to be driven by the first driving current to emit a first light with a first peak wavelength;

a sensing laser diode configured to be driven by the second driving current to emit a second light with a second peak wavelength;

a wavelength conversion member configured to receive at least partially the first light to reemit a third light with a third peak wavelength that is longer than the first peak wavelength, the third light combined with at least partially the first light yielding a white light, and configured to pass, scatter, and/or reflect the second light substantially without absorption;

a first set of optical elements coupled to the wavelength conversion member to receive the white light and to collimate, steer, and project a first beam of the white light for illuminating one or more remote objects;

a second set of optical elements configured to receive the second light and generate a sensing light signal centered with the second peak wavelength and transmit a second beam of the sensing light signal for scanning over an area including the one or more remote objects and their surroundings; and

a detector configured to detect reflected signals of the sensing light signal for mapping the one or more remote objects.

10. The LIDAR system of claim 9, wherein the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode is configured to generate the first light with the first peak wavelength in violet or blue color range.

11. The LIDAR system of claim 9, wherein the sensing laser diode comprises an infrared laser diode for emitting the third light with the third peak wavelength in infrared range selected from one of 905nm, 1000 nm, 1064nm, 1300nm, or 1550nm.

12. The LIDAR system of claim 9, wherein:

the wavelength conversion member comprises a yellow phosphor configured to generate the third light with the third peak wavelength in yellow color range, and

the wavelength conversion member further comprises a blue phosphor configured to transmit the second light through substantially without absorption.

13. The LIDAR system of claim 9, wherein:

the first set of optical elements comprises a first collimator to collimate the first beam of the white light to less than 15 degrees with a first pattern and comprises a steering element for directing the first beam with the first pattern to illuminate at least part of the one or more remote objects, and

the second set of optical elements comprises a second collimator configured to collimate the second light as the second beam of the sensing light signal to less than 1 or 2 degrees with a second pattern and comprises a projector configured to project the second beam of the sensing light signal with the second pattern for mapping the one or more target objects and their surroundings, the second pattern being wider than the first pattern.

14. The LIDAR system of claim 13, wherein the projector comprises one optical device selected from a MEMS controlled scanner, a digital-light processing (DLP) chip, and a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) chip for generating a mapping pattern with a plurality of pixels and dynamically scanning over the one or more remote objects to generate a 3D map thereof.

15. The LIDAR system of claim 9, wherein the processor comprises a first modulator configured to provide a first modulation signal with a first rate to drive the gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode to emit the first light with the first peak wavelength which is interrupted with a second rate, wherein the second rate is substantially synchronized with a delayed modulation rate of the second light.

16. The LIDAR system of claim 15, wherein the first modulator is configured to provide the first modulation signal based on input data from an external source for amplitude modulation of the first light with the first peak wavelength in violet or blue range.

17. The LIDAR system of claim 15, wherein:

the processor comprises a second modulator configured to provide a second modulation signal to drive the sensing laser diode to emit the second light with the second peak wavelength and drive a transmitter component to transmit the sensing light signal with amplitude modulation, and

the second modulator is configured to provide a second modulation signal based on feedback information from the detector based on reflected signals dynamically from the one or more remote objects.

18. The LIDAR system of claim 9, wherein:

the detector comprises at least one selected from a photodiode, a photoresistor, a CCD camera, an antenna, a scanning mirror or a microdisplay coupled to a photodiode to convert the reflected light signals to electrical signals, the electrical signals being time-dependent, and

the detector further comprises a signal receiver configured to convert the electrical signals to an image of the one or more remote objects and their surroundings, the image being characterized substantially by the second peak wavelength and being time- dependent.