Optical device as a driving aid

• US 5,504,480 A
• Filed: 11/15/1994
• Issued: 04/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valeo Electronique, Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Bourbin, Yannic
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US08/340,279
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/903, 340/904, 340/905, 340/942, 340/435, 356/1, 356/3.01, 348/118, 348/149, 180/167, 180/169, 372/71, 362/61, 362/65
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/483 Details of pulse systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical device used as a driving aid. According to the invention, a lidar is formed by a sample of glass doped with erbium and pumped by a fraction of the light flux generated by a xenon discharge lamp with a concentrator. The unit is disposed in a headlamp or other light, optionally making use of their lighting means, and enables a receiver and circuitry generating navigational aid parameters to be activated.

Claims

1. An optical device intended as a driving aid for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one generator disposed in a vehicle headlamp and operable to generate a laser beam in a pre-determined direction having a wavelength and an energy or power compatible with ocular safety;

said laser beam output through a first optical system;

at least one discharge lamp of the kind comprising a rare gas, said discharge lamp capable of pumping said generator and acting as a non-laser illumination source for said vehicle headlamp;

at least a portion of light flux generated by the discharge lamp output through a second optical system;

a sample of an optical material doped with erbium or with at least one dopant intended to provide the sample of optical material with qualities of stimulated light emission;

a third optical system for concentrating at least part of the light flux generated by the discharge lamp on the sample of optical material to pump said generator; and

a laser beam receiver.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said generator is disposed in a first headlamp, and said receiver is disposed in a second headlamp.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said receiver makes use of a heterodyne arrangement.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the doped optical material is a glass doped with erbium.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said laser beam receiver is formed by a photo-component comprising GaAs or InP.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver of the laser beam is formed by a laser generator, having material doped with erbium, operating as an amplifier and receiving the light emission induced by its laser illumination.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a control device adapted to determine the characteristics and the mode of operation of the generator and of the receiver.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a detection device producing navigational aid parameters, including those based on the detection of energy retro-diffused or retro-reflected by a medium or a target disposed opposite at least the receiver, it being possible to perform the operation of the detection device in Doppler mode.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an optic for producing an illumination light flux.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said laser beam also passes through the optic for producing the illumination light flux.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said receiver is disposed in a vehicle headlamp.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sample of optical material comprises an output face for outputting said laser beam and an opposing face, and said generator further comprises a semi-reflective mirror disposed on said output face and a reflective mirror disposed on said opposing face.