Propulsion device lidar system and method

• US 9,678,199 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hutson, Donald Bolden
• Primary Examiner(s): RATCLIFFE, LUKE D
• Application Number:
  US14/611,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20160223653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• 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

Abstract

Remote sensing systems and methods for using the same are disclosed. The remote sensing systems may include mirrors coupled to propulsion portions of a vehicle with which the remote sensing systems are integrated. The remote sensing systems may further include light transmitters and light receivers coupled to fixed portions of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A remote sensing system coupled to a vehicle, the remote sensing system comprising:

a first plurality of mirrors coupled to a first propulsion portion of the vehicle;

a first set of one or more light transmitters, coupled to a first fixed portion of the vehicle, and configured to emit light at the first plurality of mirrors to be reflected to a first measuring area; and

a first set of one or more light receivers, coupled to the first fixed portion of the vehicle, and configured to receive portions of the emitted light reflected from the first measuring area;

wherein the first propulsion portion of the vehicle is a portion of the vehicle that rotates about a first axis to cause the vehicle to be propelled in movement;

wherein a first light transmitter of the first set of one or more light transmitters is arranged relative to a first mirror of the first plurality of mirrors in order to reflect light emissions from the first light transmitter off of the first mirror at a first angle relative to the first axis;

wherein the first light transmitter is arranged relative to a second mirror of the first plurality of mirrors in order to reflect light emissions from the first light transmitter off of the second mirror at a second angle relative to the first axis, the first angle being different than the second angle.

2. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein the first propulsion portion of the vehicle comprises a motor configured to propel the vehicle.

3. The remote sensing system of claim 2,

wherein the motor comprises at least one of an outrunner motor, an inrunner motor, a hollow bore motor, and a gas powered motor.

4. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein the first propulsion portion of the vehicle comprises at least one of:

a rotor, an axle, and a wheel.

5. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein the first fixed portion of the vehicle is a portion of the vehicle that does not rotate in order to cause the vehicle to be propelled in movement.

6. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein a first mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a first angle relative to the first axis;

wherein a second mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a second angle relative to the first axis, axis; and

wherein the first angle is different than the second angle.

7. The remote sensing system of claim 6,

wherein the first mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a third angle relative to a second axis,

wherein the second mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a fourth angle relative to the second axis,

wherein the third angle is different than the fourth angle, and

wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis.

8. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein the first plurality of mirrors comprises a band of mirrors around at least a portion of a circumference of the first propulsion portion of the vehicle.

9. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein a second light transmitter of the first set of one or more light transmitters is arranged relative to the second mirror in order to reflect light emissions from the second light transmitter off of the second mirror at the second angle relative to the first axis;

and

wherein the first light transmitter emits light to be reflected off of the first mirror at the first angle simultaneously in time with the second light transmitter emitting light to be reflected off of the second mirror at the second angle.

10. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein, at a first time, the first light transmitter emits light to be reflected off of the first mirror at the first angle;

wherein, at a second time, the first light transmitter emits light to be reflected off of the second mirror at the second angle; and

wherein the first time is different than the second time.

11. The remote sensing system of claim 10,

wherein, at the second time, a second light transmitter of the first set of one or more light transmitters emits light to be reflected off of the first mirror at the first angle.

12. The remote sensing system of claim 11,

wherein, at a third time, the first light transmitter emits light to be reflected off of a third mirror of the first plurality of mirrors at a third angle relative to the first axis, axis;

and

wherein, at the third time, the second light transmitter emits light to be reflected off of the second mirror at the second angle.

13. The remote sensing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first set of one or more light detectors, coupled to the first set of one or more light receivers, configured to generate first remote sensing data signals based on the portions of the emitted light reflected from the first measuring area and received by the first set of one or more light receivers; and

a processor configured to receive the first remote sensing data signals from the first set of one or more light detectors.

14. The remote sensing system of claim 13,

wherein the processor is configured to process the first remote sensing data signals received from the first set of one or more light detectors in order to determine a distance from the vehicle to the first measuring area.

15. The remote sensing system of claim 14,

wherein the processor is configured to provide the determined distance to the first measuring area to a controller of the vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle in motion through a surrounding environment including the first measuring area.

16. The remote sensing system of claim 13, further comprising:

a second plurality of mirrors coupled to a second propulsion portion of the vehicle;

a second set of one or more light transmitters, coupled to a second fixed portion of the vehicle, configured to emit light at the second plurality of mirrors to be reflected to a second measuring area;

a second set of one or more light receivers, coupled to the second fixed portion of the vehicle, configured to receive portions of the emitted light reflected from the second measuring area; and

a second set of one or more light detectors, coupled to the second set of one or more light receivers, configured to generate second remote sensing data signals based on the portions of the emitted light reflected from the second measuring area and received by the second set of one or more light receivers;

wherein the processor is configured to receive the first remote sensing data signals from the first set of one or more light detectors and the second remote sensing data signals from the second set of one or more light detectors; and

wherein the first propulsion portion of the vehicle and the second propulsion portion of the vehicle are separate physical structures that each rotate in order to cause the vehicle to be propelled in movement.

17. The remote sensing system of claim 16,

wherein the processor is configured to process the first remote sensing data signals received from the first set of one or more light detectors and the second remote sensing data signals from the second set of one or more light detectors in order to determine a distance from the vehicle to the first measuring area and a distance from the vehicle to the second measuring area.

18. The remote sensing system of claim 17,

wherein the processor is configured to provide the determined distance to the first measuring area and the determined distance to the second measuring area to a controller of the vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle in motion through a surrounding environment including the first measuring area and the second measuring area.

19. The remote sensing system of claim 16,

wherein the processor is configured to process remote sensing data signals in order to determine distances from the vehicle to measuring areas in substantially all directions around the vehicle.

20. The remote sensing system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors, coupled to the first fixed portion of the vehicle, configured to detect a rotational speed of the first propulsion portion.

21. The remote sensing system of claim 20, further comprising:

a first set of one or more light detectors, coupled to the first set of one or more light receivers, configured to generate first remote sensing data signals based on the portions of the emitted light reflected from the first measuring area and received by the first set of one or more light receivers; and

a processor configured to receive the first remote sensing data signals from the first set of one or more light detectors and configured to receive information based on the detected rotational speed of the first propulsion portion.

22. The remote sensing system of claim 21,

wherein the processor is configured to process the first remote sensing data signals received from the first set of one or more light detectors and the information based on the detected rotational speed of the first propulsion portion in order to determine a distance from the vehicle to the first measuring area.

23. The remote sensing system of claim 1,

wherein the first plurality of mirrors comprises a ring-shaped sequence of individual mirrors located around a circumference of the first propulsion portion of the vehicle.

24. A method of remote sensing in a space around a vehicle, the method comprising:

emitting light from a first set of one or more light transmitters at a first plurality of mirrors to be reflected to a first measuring area, the first plurality of mirrors coupled to a first propulsion portion of the vehicle and the first set of one or more light transmitters coupled to a first fixed portion of the vehicle; and

receiving portions of the emitted light reflected from the first set of first measuring area at a first set of one or more light receivers, the first set of one or more light receivers coupled to the first fixed portion of the vehicle;

wherein the first propulsion portion of the vehicle is a portion of the vehicle that rotates about a first axis to cause the vehicle to be propelled in movement;

wherein light emissions of a first light transmitter of the first set of one or more light transmitters reflect off of a first mirror of the first plurality of mirrors at a first angle relative to the first axis;

wherein light emissions of the first light transmitter of the first set of one or more light transmitters reflect off of a second mirror of the first plurality of mirrors at a second angle relative to the first axis, the first angle being different than the second angle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first propulsion portion of the vehicle comprises a motor configured to propel the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 24,

wherein the first fixed portion of the vehicle is a portion of the vehicle that does not rotate in order to cause the vehicle to be propelled in movement.

27. The method of claim 24,

wherein a first mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a first angle relative to the first axis;

wherein a second mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a second angle relative to the first axis; and

wherein the first angle is different than the second angle.

28. The method of claim 27,

wherein the first mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a third angle relative to a second axis,

wherein the second mirror of the first plurality of mirrors is fixed at a fourth angle relative to the second axis,

wherein the third angle is different than the fourth angle, and

wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis.