Lidar system with improved scanning speed for high-resolution depth mapping
First Claim
1. A lidar system comprising:
- a light source configured to emit a plurality of pulses of light;
a splitter configured to split each of the emitted pulses of light into two or more pulses of angularly separated light comprising a first pulse of light and a second pulse of light that travel along separate, angularly separated paths;
a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light, which are emitted by the light source and split by the splitter, along a scanning direction across a plurality of pixels located downrange from the lidar system, wherein scanning the emitted pulses of light comprises scanning a first light-source field of view associated with the first pulse of light and a second light-source field of view associated with the second pulse of light along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels; and
a detector array comprising a first detector and a second detector separated by a detector-separation distance,wherein the scanner is further configured to;
scan a field of view of the first detector along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels so that (i) the first-detector field of view is offset from the first light-source field of view in a direction opposite the scanning direction and (ii) the first detector detects scattered light from the first pulse of light; and
scan a field of view of the second detector along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels so that (i) the second-detector field of view is offset from the second light-source field of view in the direction opposite the scanning direction and (ii) the second detector detects scattered light from the second pulse of light.
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Abstract
A lidar system can include a light source that emits a pulse of light and a splitter that splits the pulse of light into two or more pulses of angularly separated light. The lidar system can also include a scanner configured to scan pulses of light along a scanning direction across a plurality of pixels located downrange from the lidar system. The lidar system can also include a detector array with a first detector and a second detector. The first and second detectors can be separated by a detector-separation distance along a direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the light pulses. The first detector can be configured to detect scattered light from the first pulse of light and the second detector can be configured to detect scattered light from the second pulse of light.
164 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A lidar system comprising:
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a light source configured to emit a plurality of pulses of light; a splitter configured to split each of the emitted pulses of light into two or more pulses of angularly separated light comprising a first pulse of light and a second pulse of light that travel along separate, angularly separated paths; a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light, which are emitted by the light source and split by the splitter, along a scanning direction across a plurality of pixels located downrange from the lidar system, wherein scanning the emitted pulses of light comprises scanning a first light-source field of view associated with the first pulse of light and a second light-source field of view associated with the second pulse of light along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels; and a detector array comprising a first detector and a second detector separated by a detector-separation distance, wherein the scanner is further configured to; scan a field of view of the first detector along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels so that (i) the first-detector field of view is offset from the first light-source field of view in a direction opposite the scanning direction and (ii) the first detector detects scattered light from the first pulse of light; and scan a field of view of the second detector along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels so that (i) the second-detector field of view is offset from the second light-source field of view in the direction opposite the scanning direction and (ii) the second detector detects scattered light from the second pulse of light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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emitting, by a light source of a lidar system, a plurality of pulses of light; splitting, by a splitter, each of the emitted pulses of light into two or more pulses of angularly separated light comprising a first pulse of light and a second pulse of light that travel along separate, angularly separated paths; scanning, by a scanner, the emitted pulses of light, which are emitted by the light source and split by the splitter, along a scanning direction across a plurality of pixels located downrange from the lidar system, wherein scanning the emitted pulses of light comprises scanning a first light-source field of view associated with the first pulse of light and a second light-source field of view associated with the second pulse of light along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels; scanning, by the scanner, a field of view of a first detector of a detector array along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels so that the first-detector field of view is offset from the first light-source field of view in a direction opposite the scanning direction, wherein the detector array comprises the first detector and a second detector separated by a detector-separation distance; detecting, by the first detector, scattered light from the first pulse of light; scanning, by the scanner, a field of view of the second detector along the scanning direction across the plurality of pixels so that the second-detector field of view is offset from the second light-source field of view in the direction opposite the scanning direction; and detecting, by the second detector, scattered light from the second pulse of light. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification