Coherent LIDAR system including an optical antenna array

Abstract

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) transceiver includes an optical antenna array and an optical switch. Some of the optical antenna arrays include multiple optical antennas and a beam splitter coupled to the optical antenna. The beam splitter may include multiple passive beam splitters. The beam splitter provides a portion of an input signal to the optical antenna. The optical switch is configured to selectively provide the input signal to at least one of the multiple optical antenna arrays. The optical switch enables addressable field of view scanning by selectively providing the input signal to the multiple antenna arrays one array at a time.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 17 / 558,476 filed on December 21, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 129,847 filed on December 23, 2020, which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to coherent light detection and ranging (LIDAR), and more particularly to optical antenna architectures for coherent LIDAR. Background Art

[0004] Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LIDAR directly measures the distance and velocity of an object by directing a frequency modulated collimated beam at the target. Both the distance and velocity information of the target can be derived from the FMCW LIDAR signal. Designs and techniques that improve the accuracy of LIDAR signals are desirable.

[0005] The automotive industry is currently developing autonomous features that control vehicles in certain situations. According to SAE International Standard J3016, there are 6 levels of autonomy, from Level 0 (no autonomy) to Level 5 (the vehicle is able to operate in all conditions without operator input). Vehicles with autonomous features utilize sensors to perceive the environment through which the vehicle navigates. Acquiring and processing data from the sensors allows the vehicle to navigate in its environment. An autonomous vehicle may include one or more LIDAR devices for sensing its environment. Summary of the invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a transceiver for a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system. The transceiver includes a plurality of optical antenna arrays and an optical switch. At least two of the plurality of optical antenna arrays include a plurality of optical antennas and an optical splitter coupled to the plurality of optical antennas. The optical switch is coupled to the plurality of optical antenna arrays. The optical switch is configured to selectively provide an input signal to at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0007] In an embodiment, the input signal is a modulated laser signal. The optical switch includes an active optical splitter that selectively couples the modulated laser signal to only one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0008] In an embodiment, the input signal is a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) laser signal. The optical switch includes an active optical splitter that selectively couples the FMCW laser signal to only one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0009] In an embodiment, an optical switch optically couples an input signal to at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays one at a time during a scan period of the transceiver.

[0010] In an embodiment, the optical splitter includes a plurality of passive optical splitters configured to split a portion of an input signal between a plurality of optical antennas in a selected one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0011] In an embodiment, the optical splitter is configured to enable concurrent transmission of input signals from multiple optical antennas.

[0012] In an embodiment, the plurality of optical antennas are arranged in a one-dimensional pattern or a two-dimensional pattern.

[0013] In an embodiment, at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays comprises an optical pixel. The optical pixel comprises at least one of the plurality of optical antennas and an optical combiner. The optical combiner is coupled to at least one of the plurality of optical antennas. The optical combiner is configured to receive a local oscillator signal and receive a return LIDAR signal from at least one of the plurality of optical antennas. The optical combiner is configured to provide a combined output signal.

[0014] In an embodiment, the optical pixel further includes a plurality of photodiodes configured to convert the combined output signal into an electrical signal representative of the LIDAR beat note.

[0015] In an embodiment, the transceiver for the LIDAR sensor system according to claim 1 further comprises a local oscillator configured to provide a plurality of local oscillator signals to the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0016] In an embodiment, the local oscillator includes a plurality of optical splitters configured to provide a plurality of oscillator signals to a plurality of optical antenna arrays, and includes a second optical switch coupled to the plurality of optical splitters and configured to selectively provide a portion of the input signal to at least one of the plurality of optical splitters.

[0017] In an embodiment, at least one of the plurality of optical splitters comprises a plurality of passive optical splitters configured to split a portion of an input signal between a plurality of optical antennas in a selected one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0018] In an embodiment, at least two of the plurality of optical antenna arrays include an output signal bus. The plurality of optical antennas of a first optical antenna array of the plurality of optical antenna arrays share the output signal bus with a second optical antenna array of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0019] In an embodiment, the output signal bus includes electrical signal lines for in-phase signals and quadrature signals from each of the plurality of optical antennas.

[0020] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system. The LIDAR sensor system includes a light source and a transceiver. The light source is configured to generate an input signal. The transceiver is coupled to the light source to receive the input signal. The transceiver includes a plurality of optical antenna arrays and an optical switch. At least two of the plurality of optical antenna arrays include a plurality of optical antennas and a splitter coupled to the plurality of optical antennas. The optical switch is coupled to the plurality of optical antenna arrays. The optical switch is configured to selectively provide the input signal to at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0021] In an embodiment, the LIDAR sensor system further comprises a lens. The transceiver is optically coupled to the lens to provide solid-state scanning of a field of view patch of the lens.

[0022] In an embodiment, the LIDAR sensor system further includes a processing engine configured to receive the LIDAR return signal from the transceiver and configured to generate a LIDAR data frame based on the LIDAR return signal.

[0023] Embodiments of the present disclosure include an autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor. The LIDAR sensor includes a light source configured to generate an input signal and a transceiver. The transceiver is coupled to the light source to receive the input signal. The transceiver includes a plurality of optical antenna arrays and an optical switch. At least two of the plurality of optical antenna arrays include a plurality of optical antennas and a splitter coupled to the plurality of optical antennas. The optical switch is coupled to the plurality of optical antenna arrays. The optical switch is configured to selectively provide the input signal to at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

[0024] In an embodiment, the autonomous vehicle further comprises a lens. The transceiver is optically coupled to the lens to provide a horizontal scan of a patch of the autonomous vehicle operating environment.

[0025] In an embodiment, the autonomous vehicle further includes a processing engine configured to receive the LIDAR return signals from the transceiver and configured to generate a point cloud representation of the operating environment of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the LIDAR return signals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.

[0027] Figure 1 A diagram of a chip for a LIDAR sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0028] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D Various implementations of coherent pixels according to embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0029] Figure 3 A diagram of a chip for a LIDAR sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0030] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B Various implementations of coherent pixels according to embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0031] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C Various embodiments of optical switches that may be used in a LIDAR system according to embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0032] Figure 6 A LIDAR system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0033] FIG. 7A to FIG. 7B An electrical wiring scheme for routing output signals according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0034] Figure 8 A diagram of a coherent pixel according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0035] Fig. 9 A system diagram of a LIDAR system based on a switchable coherent pixel array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0036] Fig. 10A An autonomous vehicle including an example sensor array is illustrated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Fig. 10B Illustrated is a top view of an autonomous vehicle including an example sensor array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Fig. 10C An example vehicle control system including sensors, a powertrain system, and a control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Embodiments of coherent light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems are described herein. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the techniques described herein can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or using other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring certain aspects.

[0040] References throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0041] Throughout this specification, several technical terms are used. These terms have their ordinary meaning in the fields from which they come, unless specifically defined herein or the context of their use would clearly imply otherwise. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "autonomous vehicle" includes vehicles having autonomous features at any autonomy level of SAE International Standard J3016.

[0042] This paper discusses a scalable and switchable optical antenna array architecture that, when combined with a lens, forms a real-time addressable focal plane array for solid-state beam steering in coherent LIDAR systems.

[0043] Conventional LIDAR systems rely on mechanical moving parts to control the direction of the laser beam. As a result, they can be bulky, costly, and unreliable for many applications such as automotive and robotics. The disclosed LIDAR system is a solid-state LIDAR system that overcomes these problems by eliminating or reducing mechanical moving parts used to control the direction of the beam for LIDAR operation.

[0044] Coherent LIDAR systems include modulation, continuous wave (CW) and other types of LIDAR systems. Modulation LIDAR systems include frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LIDAR systems and phase shift keying (PSK) systems, among others. Coherent LIDAR systems can directly measure the distance and speed of an object by directing a frequency modulated or CW collimated beam onto the object. The light reflected from the object is combined with a tapped version of the beam. Once corrected for the Doppler shift that may be based on a second measurement, the frequency of the resulting beat note is proportional to the distance of the object from the LIDAR system. These two measurements (which may or may not be performed simultaneously) provide both range and speed information.

[0045] One consideration when designing solid-state beam steering technology for LIDAR systems is the complexity of the control circuitry. Reducing complexity has numerous advantages in terms of cost, reliability, and scalability.

[0046] Another consideration in the design of solid-state beam steering techniques is the scan pattern, which is the sequence in which a scene is illuminated by one or more lasers. If parallel optical channels (e.g., of optical antennas) can be spatially lumped together, smaller contiguous blocks within the full field of view of the LIDAR system can be dynamically addressed and adjusted as needed by the application. The ability to dynamically address blocks or portions of the field of view can advantageously reduce artifacts that can appear in the point cloud generated from the scan. Additionally, concurrent operation of adjacent / closely positioned groups of optical antennas can occur with low latency, which can provide improved resolution and improved object recognition over traditional scanning techniques.

[0047] The disclosed coherent LIDAR system may be a modulated (e.g., FMCW) LIDAR system, a CW LIDAR system, or another coherent LIDAR system configured to determine depth information (e.g., distance, velocity, acceleration of one or more objects) of the field of view of the system. The coherent LIDAR system may include a switchable coherent pixel array (SCPA) on a LIDAR chip (e.g., a photonic integrated circuit). The LIDAR chip may include one or more transceivers. The transceiver may include an optical antenna array and an optical switch. The optical antenna array includes an optical antenna group (subarray) and a beam splitter coupled to the optical antenna. The beam splitter provides a portion of the input signal to each optical antenna. The input signal may be an electrical signal, an electro-optical signal, or an optical signal. The optical switch is configured to selectively provide the input signal to at least one of the multiple optical antenna arrays as part of a scanning operation. The optical switch implements addressable field of view scanning by selectively providing the input signal to multiple antenna arrays (one array at a time). Each optical antenna may be part of a coherent pixel including an optical antenna, an optical combiner, a beam splitter, and / or a photodiode. Thus, a sub-array or group of coherent pixels may comprise a sub-array or group of optical antennas.

[0048] A coherent LIDAR system can be configured to control the direction of light (e.g., a light beam, a laser beam) emitted from the LIDAR system in at least one dimension. In some embodiments, the optical antennas are arranged in two dimensions so that the LIDAR system can control the direction of light in two dimensions. The ability to control the direction of light without moving parts can reduce form factor, cost, and reliability issues present in many traditional mechanically driven LIDAR systems.

[0049] The apparatus and system of the optical antenna architecture for coherent LIDAR transceiver of the present disclosure realizes a solid-state addressable field of view and scalable focal plane array, which can be used, for example, in autonomous vehicles. These and other embodiments are combined Figures 1 to 10C Describe in more detail.

[0050] Figure 1A diagram of a chip of a LIDAR sensor 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. According to various embodiments, the LIDAR sensor 100 may be part of a coherent LIDAR system, such as a modulated LIDAR system, a CW LIDAR system, an FMCW LIDAR system, or another coherent LIDAR system. According to an embodiment, the LIDAR sensor 100 is a switchable coherent pixel array (SCPA) LIDAR sensor on a chip that includes optical antennas configured to concurrently scan a portion of the field of view of the LIDAR system. The LIDAR sensor 100 may be a photonic integrated circuit and may be configured to perform block scanning with beams having dense spacing. Advantageously, the block scanning environment may reduce artifacts that may appear in a point cloud generated during a scanning operation. Additionally, concurrent operation of adjacent / closely positioned optical antenna groups supports low-latency operation, thereby providing improved resolution and improved object recognition in multiple applications, such as autonomous vehicle operations.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the LIDAR sensor 100 includes an input port 102 coupled to provide an input signal to a transceiver 104. The input signal may be an electrical signal, an electro-optical signal, or an optical signal. The input signal may be a CW laser signal. The input signal may be a modulated laser signal. The input signal may be an FMCW laser signal. The transceiver 104 includes an optical switch 106 and a plurality of optical antenna arrays 110 configured to enable block scanning of an environment with a LIDAR system. The optical switch 106 receives the input signal from the input port 102 through a communication channel 108 (e.g., a waveguide). The optical switch 106 selectively distributes at least a portion of the input signal to the optical antenna arrays 110, one at a time. According to an embodiment, the optical switch 106 is an active switch including M output channels and may be implemented as a silicon nitride switch with high power handling capabilities.

[0052] In one embodiment, the optical switch 106 routes the input signal from the input port 102 to each optical antenna array 110, one at a time during a scanning operation (e.g., during each scan of the field of view). Each of the optical antenna arrays 110 is a block or group of components that routes a portion of the input signal to an optical antenna group (subarray) for concurrent transmission of the input signal. The components of each optical antenna array 110 are also configured to receive a return LIDAR signal and convert the return LIDAR signal from an optical signal to one or more electrical signals.

[0053] As shown, according to an embodiment, the transceiver 104 includes a plurality of optical antenna arrays 110 (for clarity, only one array is highlighted in a dashed box). Each optical antenna array 110 includes an optical splitter 112 coupled to an optical switch 106 via a communication channel 114 (e.g., a waveguide). Each optical antenna array 110 includes a group (e.g., a subarray) of coherent pixels 116, which is composed of a number (e.g., 8, 50, 100, etc.) of individual coherent pixels 118. Each of the individual coherent pixels 118 is spatially located near other individual coherent pixels 118 in a one-dimensional pattern (e.g., a line) or in a two-dimensional pattern (e.g., a rectangle, another shape, or in a non-uniform distribution).

[0054] The group of coherent pixels 116 is coupled to the optical splitter 112 through a plurality of communication channels 120 (eg, waveguides). According to an embodiment, the optical splitter 112 includes a passive optical splitter network configured to evenly distribute the input signal from the communication channels 114 to the communication channels 120.

[0055] In an embodiment, the optical switch 106 can select from M optical antenna arrays 110, and the optical splitter 112 splits the input signal into N communication channels 120, where the number N corresponds to the number of individual coherent pixels 118 in the group of coherent pixels 116. N is also the number of transmitter and receiver channels, so N can also define the total number of concurrent (approximately simultaneous) measurements that can be made by the group of coherent pixels 116. The aggregation of optical antennas 110 can be placed under a lens to form a solid-state focal plane array. Because the parallel channels are spatially grouped in the array, smaller blocks within the full field of view of the focal plane array can be illuminated, allowing dynamic addressing of the full field of view.

[0056] One advantage of the architecture of the transceiver 104 is that the use of the optical switch 106 reduces the number of optical ports used for operation. The reduction of optical ports results in a reduction in the number of optical ports between the input port 102 and the optical antenna of the individual coherent pixel 118 (at Figures 2A-2D Simpler and smaller silicon footprint in the optical path between ).

[0057] Although a single transceiver 104 is shown, according to various implementations, the LIDAR sensor 100 may include multiple transceivers 104 coupled to other optical ports or to the input port 102 .

[0058] Figure 2A-2D FIG. 1 illustrates a coherent pixel (eg, Figure 11 and 12 ) are various embodiments of individual coherent pixels 118 shown in FIG. The coherent pixels can be configured to (1) split the input signal into a local oscillator signal and a transmit signal, (2) couple the transmit signal to free space, (3) couple the return signal back to the coherent pixel, and / or (4) mix the local oscillator signal and the return signal.

[0059] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Coherent pixel 220 and coherent pixel 230 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are illustrated. Coherent pixel 220 includes an optical antenna 200, an optical combiner 201, and an optical splitter 202. Coherent pixel 220 receives an optical signal (e.g., a modulated laser signal, a CW laser signal, an FMCW laser signal, etc.) at an input port 203. Optical splitter 202 is coupled between input port 203 and optical antenna 200. Optical splitter 202 can be a bidirectional 2x2 optical splitter configured to split the input signal received on input port 203 into antenna port 205 and local oscillator port 206. Antenna port 205 is coupled to optical antenna 200. Antenna port 205 is configured to provide a transmission signal to optical antenna 200 and is configured to receive a return signal from optical antenna 200.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the optical antenna 200 is a device that launches light from an on-chip waveguide into free space and / or couples light from free space into an on-chip waveguide. The optical antenna 200 can be implemented as a grating coupler, an edge coupler, an integrated reflector, or any spot size converter. The optical antenna 200 can be polarization sensitive and has a much higher emission / coupling efficiency for light with a specific polarization (e.g., transverse electric (TE) or transverse magnetic (TM)). The optical antenna 200 can be reciprocal and can therefore collect a return signal (e.g., a reflected beam) from a measured object (e.g., an object in an environment). The optical antenna 200 provides the return signal back to the antenna port 205 of the optical splitter 202. The optical splitter 202 can split the return signal between the input port 203 and the return signal port 204, or can be configured to provide the return signal only to the return signal port 204. The optical splitter 202 can be configured as a "pseudo-circulator" where the transmitter and receiver are co-located.

[0061] The optical combiner 201 is configured to mix the local oscillator signal with the return signal. The optical combiner 201 mixes the return signal from the return signal port 204 and the local oscillator signal from the local oscillator port 206 for coherent detection. The optical combiner 201 is an optical hybrid, which can be a balanced 2x2 optical hybrid.

[0062] The coherent pixel 220 includes a photodiode pair 207 configured to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal for beat detection. The coherent pixel 220 may be referred to as a balanced photodiode (BPD) coherent pixel.

[0063] Using the beam splitter 202 as a "pseudo-circulator" can eliminate the need for having a discrete circulator for each individual pixel, which is impractical for large-scale arrays with hundreds of pixels. Thus, embodiments of the coherent pixel 220 can significantly reduce cost and form factor. For example, the return signal can be split between the input port 203 and the return signal port 204, with the latter being used for coherent detection.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the coherent pixel 230 includes a hybrid optical combiner 209 and includes two photodiode pairs 207 to convert the return signal and the local oscillator signal into electrical signals for beat detection. According to an embodiment, the coherent pixel 230 uses the hybrid optical combiner 209 to provide an in-phase output signal RX_I and a quadrature output signal RX_Q. The in-phase output signal RX_I and the quadrature output signal RX_Q can be used to resolve speed distance ambiguity and / or implement advanced digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms in FMCW LIDAR systems.

[0065] Figure 2C and Figure 2D Coherent pixel 240 and coherent pixel 250 are illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Coherent pixels 240 and 250 include polarization splitting antennas that can simplify the design of beam splitters used in the coherent pixels.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the coherent pixel 240 includes a beam splitter 212, a polarization splitting antenna 210, an optical combiner 201, and a photodiode pair 207. An input signal is received at an input port 203. The beam splitter 212 may include an input port coupled to the input port 203, an antenna port 215, and a local oscillator port 214. A portion of the input signal routed to the antenna port 215 is sent directly out of the chip using a polarization splitting antenna 210 having one polarization (e.g., TM). The polarization splitting antenna 210 collects return signals (reflected beams) from the object of measurement. The polarization splitting antenna 210 couples an orthogonal polarization (e.g., TE) to an antenna output port 213 (e.g., a waveguide) and sends the orthogonal polarization return signal directly to the optical combiner 201. In this embodiment, the return signal received by the polarization splitting antenna 210 is not further separated by any additional beam splitter or "pseudo-circulator".

[0067] The optical combiner 201 optically mixes the received return signal from the antenna output port 213 with a portion of the optical signal from the local oscillator port 214 for coherent detection. The photodiode pair 207 converts the combined / mixed optical signal into an electrical signal for beat note detection.

[0068] The coherent pixel 250 includes a hybrid optical combiner 209 and a polarization splitting antenna 210, and two photodiode pairs 207 convert the optical signal into an in-phase output signal RX_I and a quadrature output signal RX_Q, which are electrical signals that can be used for beat sound detection.

[0069] The design of the coherent pixels 240 and 250 implements a highly efficient integrated circulator for each coherent pixel and can realize an on-chip single-station FMCW LIDAR with ultra-high sensitivity.

[0070] Figure 3 FIG. 1 illustrates a chip of a LIDAR sensor 300 configured to selectively route a local oscillator signal to a coherent pixel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The LIDAR sensor 300 may include the LIDAR sensor 100 ( Figure 1 The LIDAR sensor 300 reduces the components from the coherent pixels by directly providing an external local oscillator signal, rather than having the coherent pixels split their own portion of the input signal received at the input port 102. The LIDAR sensor 300 is configured to provide a stronger local oscillator signal to the coherent pixels than if the coherent pixels were configured to generate their own local oscillator signal.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the LIDAR sensor 300 includes a local oscillator network 302 coupled to a beam splitter 304 to receive a portion of an input signal as a local oscillator signal. The local oscillator network 302 (e.g., a switch tree) includes an optical switch 306 configured to selectively provide a local oscillator signal to one of a plurality of beam splitters 308. Each beam splitter 308 is coupled to the optical switch 306 with a communication channel 310 (e.g., a waveguide). According to an embodiment, the beam splitter 308 is coupled to a group of coherent pixels 116 through a communication channel 312. The optical switch 306 can be similar to the optical switch 106 and can be configured to provide a local oscillator signal to a particular group of coherent pixels 116 at the same time as the optical switch 106 provides the input signal to that particular group of coherent pixels 116. The optical beam splitter 308 can be similar to the beam splitter 112 and can include a plurality of passive beam splitter components.

[0072] Figure 4A and Figure 4BCoherent pixels 400 and 410 are illustrated according to embodiments of the present disclosure, which are configured, for example, to receive a local oscillator network 302 ( Figure 3 ) receives an external local oscillator signal. Coherent pixels 400 and 410 are configured to receive a local oscillator signal at local oscillator port 402. According to an embodiment, coherent pixels 400 and 410 include coherent pixels 240 and 250 (respectively at Figure 2C and Figure 2D ) with similar features.

[0073] Figure 5A-5C Various embodiments of optical switches that may be used in any of the LIDAR systems of the present disclosure are illustrated. Figure 5A An optical switch 506 is illustrated, which may be an embodiment of the optical switch 106 and / or the optical switch 306. According to an embodiment, the optical switch 506 is a binary tree switch network having a plurality of individual switch units 501. The individual switch units 501 include a beam splitter 500 configured to feed two optical phase shifters 502, which use control signals 503 and 504 to tune the phase of each arm. The electrical control of the optical switch 506 can be a push-pull method using two controls or can be a single-sided method using a single control. In an embodiment, an optical combiner 505 is used to recombine the signals passing through the optical phase shifter 502. Based on the operation of the control signals 503 and 504, constructive interference or destructive interference occurs and causes light to switch between two outputs. The optical phase shifter 502 can be implemented as a thermo-optical phase shifter and / or an electro-optical phase shifter.

[0074] Figure 5B An optical switch 520 implemented with an array of microring resonators (MRRs) 510 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment. When the resonant frequency of the device is aligned with the laser wavelength, each MRR 510 picks up an optical signal from a main bus waveguide 512. In accordance with an embodiment, an electrical control signal (e.g., Ctrl 0, Ctrl 1, Ctrl 3, Ctrl M) can be used to set the resonance of each MRR 510 in the array and, therefore, select an output port 511 through which a coherent optical signal (e.g., an FMCW optical signal) is transmitted and received.

[0075] Figure 5C The optical switch 530 is illustrated as being implemented in an array of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switches 515. According to an embodiment, each MEMS switch 515 is configured to control the direction of an optical signal from the main bus waveguide 512 and thus select an output port (e.g., Out 1, Out 2, Out 3, Out M) through which the optical signal is transmitted and received.

[0076] Figure 6A LIDAR system 600 is illustrated that combines a LIDAR sensor 100 to form an addressable focal plane array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Each optical antenna array 110 includes N coherent pixels that transmit input signals concurrently when a particular one of the optical antenna arrays 110 is selected. The input signals from the coherent pixels are transformed into laser beams 608 through the transmission of a lens system 607. Each of the optical antenna arrays 110 scans a portion of the field of view of the lens system 607, which enables the LIDAR system 600 to have a solid-state addressable field of view. When the output of the optical switch 106 selects a particular one of the optical antenna arrays 110, each of the N coherent pixels simultaneously illuminates the lens system 607, which collimates the incident light into N outgoing laser beams 608 that propagate at slightly different angles. Based on the coherent pixel spacing in the LIDAR sensor 100 and based on the characteristics of the lens system 607, the outgoing laser beams 608 propagate at slightly different angles. As a result, each optical antenna array 110 illuminates a small portion of the full field of view of the focal plane array system.

[0077] Fig. 7A An electrical wiring scheme 700 for routing in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals out of an optical antenna array 110 is illustrated, each optical antenna array including N coherent pixels, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, every 8th coherent pixel is connected together on bus 702, and a total of 2*N buses are led out of the switch (N for in-phase signals and N for quadrature signals). According to this wiring scheme, according to an embodiment, bus 702 (including channels RX_1, RX_2, RX_3, ..., RX_N) is used by one optical antenna array 110 at a time because the optical switch 106 selects only a specific one of the optical antenna arrays 110 at a time.

[0078] Figure 7BAn electrical wiring scheme 710 for routing in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals out of an optical antenna array 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated, each optical antenna array 110 including N coherent pixels. In the illustrated example, the optical antenna array 110 is divided into two (or more) smaller groups, which are read out on bus 712 and bus 714. Bus 712 includes output channels RX1_1, RX1_2, RX1_3, ..., RX1_N, and bus 714 includes output channels RX2_1, RX2_2, RX2_3, ..., RX2_N. Then every 8th coherent pixel in these smaller groups is connected to a common bus (e.g., bus 712 or bus 714) and routed out of the array. In this example, if there are P subgroups of coherent pixels, there are a total of 2*P*N signal buses leaving the optical antenna array. These 2*P*N buses can then be merged, for example, using electrical switches to reduce the total amount of signal lines.

[0079] Figure 8 A diagram of a coherent pixel 813 that utilizes two polarizations of light to improve the performance of an FMC WLIDAR system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is illustrated. Input light 801 originating from a laser enters the coherent pixel 813 and is split by an X / (1-X) beamsplitter 802 (also referred to as beamsplitter 802). X% of the light (which constitutes the TX signal) exits the top port of the beamsplitter 802, and (1-X)% of the light (which constitutes the local oscillator (LO) signal) exits the bottom port of the beamsplitter 802. The TX signal enters a polarization assembly 820. As shown, the polarization assembly 820 includes a polarization beamsplitter 803 and a polarization-insensitive free space coupler 804. However, in other embodiments, the polarization beamsplitter 803 and the polarization-insensitive free space coupler 804 may be replaced with a single polarization-splitting vertical chip to free space coupler. The polarization beamsplitter 803 (also referred to as a polarizer) separates transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarized light. Because the TX signal light is TE polarized, the light is coupled to the top port on the right side of the polarization beam splitter 803. The TM polarized light exits through the bottom port on the right side of the polarization beam splitter 803. The TX signal exiting the polarization beam splitter 803 enters the polarization-insensitive free space coupler 804, which generates a free space beam 805 with linear polarization that matches the TE field of the coherent pixel 813. The polarization-insensitive free space coupler 804 is an example of an optical antenna. For example, the polarization-insensitive free space coupler 804 can be a vertical grating, an edge coupler (e.g., an inverted tapered waveguide), or an angled reflector.

[0080] The free space beam 805 propagates through a quarter wave plate 806 which converts a linearly polarized beam into a circularly polarized beam 807. The now circularly polarized light 807 propagates a distance which delays the light relative to the LO signal. The beam reflects from the target surface 808, producing (the return signal) a reflected beam 809. Depending on the surface properties, the reflected beam may maintain its circular polarization or its polarization may become randomized. The reflected beam 809 propagates back through free space and the quarter wave plate 806. If the reflected beam 809 maintains its circular polarization, the transmitted beam 810 will have TM polarization (relative to the original transmission and receiving coherent pixel 813). If the reflected beam 809 has a random polarization, the transmitted beam 810 will have a random polarization. The transmitted beam 810 is coupled back to the coherent pixel 813 and propagates back to the top right port of the polarization beam splitter 803. If the received beam is TM polarized, all the light will be coupled to the bottom left port of the polarization beam splitter 803. If the received beam is randomly polarized, then nominally half of the optical power will be coupled to the bottom left port. The light coupled to the bottom left port of the polarization beam splitter 803 enters the dual input power optical mixer 811, which mixes the delayed received signal with the LO signal. The optical mixer 811 generates one or more electrical signals 812 interpreted by the FMCW LIDAR system. Removing the quarter wave plate may affect the system performance of the polarization maintenance target, but it does not affect the basic principle of the idea.

[0081] Polarization component 820 can be configured to form a transmission signal; polarize the transmission signal to have a first polarization; polarize the reflected signal (via internal coupling 804) based on a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization to form a return signal; and couple the return signal to a second waveguide for optical detection (e.g., toward 811).

[0082] The coherent pixel 813 may be, for example, the coherent pixel 118 ( Figure 1 ). The coherent pixel 813 may also be the Figure 2A-2B For example, the beam splitter 202 may be replaced by an X / (1-X) beam splitter 802 and a polarization beam splitter 803 , and the optical antenna 200 may be replaced by a polarization-insensitive free space coupler 804 .

[0083] Fig. 9 A system diagram of a switchable coherent pixel array (SCPA) based FMCW LIDAR system 900 is illustrated as a specific example of a coherent LIDAR system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. A scanner module 901 includes a SCPA LIDAR chip 905 having a single or multiple FMCW transceiver channels and a lens system 903 including one or more optical elements. In some embodiments, the lens system 903 is an embodiment of the lens system 607.

[0084] SCPA LIDAR chip 905 includes one or more frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LIDAR transceivers (e.g., transceiver 104) implemented as one or more photonic integrated circuits. The photonic integrated circuits for the transceivers may include input ports, multiple optical antennas, optical switches, multiple optical splitters, and multiple mixers.

[0085] The input port is configured to receive a frequency modulated laser signal. The optical switch is configured to switchably couple the input port to the optical antenna, thereby forming an optical path between the input port and the optical antenna. For each optical path from the input port to one of the optical antennas, an optical splitter is coupled along the optical path and is configured to: split a portion of the received laser signal into a local oscillator signal and a transmission signal, wherein the transmission signal is transmitted via the optical antenna, and a reflection of the transmission signal is received via the optical antenna as a reflection signal; and output a return signal as a portion of the reflection signal. For each optical splitter, a mixer is coupled to receive the return signal and the local oscillator signal from the optical splitter, and the mixer is configured to mix the return signal and the local oscillator signal to generate one or more output signals for determining depth information of the field of view of the LIDAR system (also referred to as the field of view of the scanner module 901).

[0086] In some embodiments, the lens system 903 produces a collimated transmission signal that scans the field of view of the scanner module 901 along one or more angular dimensions (e.g., azimuth or elevation). The scanner module 901 has a field of view of 5 degrees or better along one angular dimension. And in embodiments with a two-dimensional arrangement of optical antennas (e.g., a rectangular grid), the signals from multiple optical antennas can scan in two dimensions within the field of view of the scanner module 901. For example, scanning is performed in a first dimension and a second dimension, and the scanner module 901 field of view is 5 degrees or better along the first dimension and 5 degrees or better along the second dimension. The two-dimensional scanning in the above example can be performed by selectively using different coherent pixels.

[0087] The scanner module 901 may also include a scanning mirror 902 to assist in laser beam scanning and / or a quarter wave plate (QWP) 904 to improve polarization-dependent sensitivity. In an embodiment using a scanning mirror 902, the scanner module 901 field of view is 5 degrees or better along the first dimension (scanned via selective use of coherent pixels), and 10 degrees or better along the second dimension (scanned at least in part via the movement of the scanning mirror 902). The light source of the LIDAR chip 905 can be directly integrated onto the same chip or coupled via an optical fiber component. As shown, the light source can be a modulated laser source, a CW laser source, an FMCW laser source 907, or another coherent laser source that generates an input signal for coherent LIDAR operation. The FMCW laser source 907 can be further amplified by an optical amplifier 906 to increase the range of the FMCW LIDAR. The optical amplifier 906 can be a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) chip or an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The FMCW laser source 907 is controlled by a laser driver circuit 908, which is typically a controllable low-noise current source. The output of the coherent pixels enters an array of transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuits 911. The on-chip switches are controlled by a switch driver array 910. The FMCW processing engine 909 can be implemented in one or more FPGA, ASIC or DSP chips, which includes the following functionality: SCPA control and calibration logic 915, FMCW LIDAR frame management and point cloud processing 914, multi-channel analog-to-digital converter 916, FMCW LIDAR DSP 912 and FMCW laser chirp control and calibration logic 913. In the case of the SCPA LIDAR chip 905 implemented in a CMOS silicon photonic platform, some or even all circuit functionalities can be implemented monolithically in photonic circuits on a single chip. The data output 920 of the FMCW processing engine includes depth information. The depth information can include, for example, three-dimensional position data of a typical LIDAR point cloud and other information that the FMCW LIDAR can measure, such as velocity, reflectivity, etc.

[0088] Fig. 9 An example LIDAR system is shown. In alternative configurations, different and / or additional components may be included in the LIDAR system. Additionally, in conjunction with Fig. 9 The functionality described in one or more of the components shown in the figure may be combined with Fig. 9 The described methods are distributed among the components in different ways. For example, in some embodiments, the SCPA LIDAR chip 905 can be separated from the scanner module 901.

[0089] Fig. 10A An example autonomous vehicle 1000 is illustrated, which may include a LIDAR device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Figure 1-Figure 9The illustrated autonomous vehicle 1000 includes a sensor array configured to capture one or more objects of the external environment of the autonomous vehicle and generate sensor data related to the captured one or more objects for use in controlling the operation of the autonomous vehicle 1000. Fig. 10A Sensors 1033A, 1033B, 1033C, 1033D, and 1033E are shown. Fig. 10B A top view of autonomous vehicle 1000 is shown that includes sensors 1033F, 1033G, 1033H, and 1033I in addition to sensors 1033A, 1033B, 1033C, 1033D, and 1033E. Any of sensors 1033A, 1033B, 1033C, 1033D, 1033E, 1033F, 1033G, 1033H, and / or 1033I may include a LIDAR device that includes Figure 1-Figure 9 Any LIDAR components. Fig. 10C A block diagram of an example system 1099 for an autonomous vehicle 1000 is illustrated. For example, autonomous vehicle 1000 may include a powertrain 1002 including a prime mover 1004 powered by an energy source 1006 and capable of powering a drivetrain 1008. Autonomous vehicle 1000 may also include a control system 1010 including a directional control 1012, a powertrain control 1014, and a brake control 1016. Autonomous vehicle 1000 may be implemented as any number of different vehicles, including vehicles capable of transporting people and / or cargo and capable of traveling in a variety of different environments. It should be appreciated that the above-described components 1002-1016 can vary widely based on the type of vehicle utilizing the components.

[0090] For example, the embodiments discussed below will focus on wheeled land vehicles, such as cars, vans, trucks, or buses. In such embodiments, prime mover 1004 may include one or more electric motors and / or internal combustion engines (among others). Energy sources may include, for example, a fuel system (e.g., providing gasoline, diesel, hydrogen), a battery system, a solar panel or other renewable energy source, and / or a fuel cell system. Transmission system 1008 may include wheels and / or tires together with a transmission and / or any other mechanical drive component suitable for converting the output of prime mover 1004 into vehicle motion, as well as one or more brakes configured to controllably stop or slow down autonomous vehicle 1000 and a direction or steering component suitable for controlling the trajectory of autonomous vehicle 1000 (e.g., a rack and pinion steering linkage that enables one or more wheels of autonomous vehicle 1000 to pivot around a substantially vertical axis to change the angle of the plane of rotation of the wheel relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle). In some embodiments, a combination of powertrain and energy sources may be used (e.g., in the case of an electric / gas hybrid vehicle). In some embodiments, multiple electric motors (e.g., dedicated to individual wheels or axles) may be used as prime movers.

[0091] Steering control 1012 may include one or more actuators and / or sensors for controlling and receiving feedback from steering or steering components to enable autonomous vehicle 1000 to follow a desired trajectory. Powertrain control 1014 may be configured to control the output of powertrain 1002, e.g., controlling the output power of prime mover 1004, controlling the gears of a transmission in transmission 1008, and thereby controlling the speed and / or direction of autonomous vehicle 1000. Braking control 1016 may be configured to control one or more brakes that decelerate or stop autonomous vehicle 1000, e.g., disc or drum brakes coupled to the wheels of the vehicle.

[0092] Other vehicle types, including but not limited to off-road vehicles, all-terrain or tracked vehicles, or construction equipment will necessarily utilize different powertrains, drivetrains, energy sources, directional control, powertrain control, and braking controls, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. In addition, in some embodiments, some components can be combined, for example, where directional control of the vehicle is primarily handled by varying the output of one or more prime movers. Thus, the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to the specific application of the technology described herein to autonomous wheeled land vehicles.

[0093] In the illustrated embodiment, autonomous control of autonomous vehicle 1000 is implemented in vehicle control system 1020, which may include one or more processors in processing logic 1022 and one or more memories 1024, wherein processing logic 1022 is configured to execute program code (e.g., instructions 1026) stored in memory 1024. Processing logic 1022 may include, for example, graphics processing unit(s) (GPU) and / or central processing unit(s) (CPU). Vehicle control system 1020 may be configured to control powertrain 1002 of autonomous vehicle 1000 in response to an infrared return beam that is a reflection of an infrared transmission beam that propagates through waveguide(s) into the external environment of autonomous vehicle 1000 and reflects back to receive LIDAR pixels.

[0094] Sensors 1033A-1033I may include various sensors suitable for collecting data from the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle for controlling the operation of the autonomous vehicle. For example, sensors 1033A-1033I can include RADAR unit 1034, LIDAR unit 1036, (multiple) 3D positioning sensor 1038, such as a satellite navigation system such as GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo or compass. Figure 1-Figure 9 The LIDAR components may be included in the interferometer, modulator, and / or resonator of the LIDAR unit 1036. The LIDAR unit 1036 may include, for example, a plurality of LIDAR sensors distributed around the autonomous vehicle 1000. In some embodiments, (multiple) 3D positioning sensors 1038 can use satellite signals to determine the position of the vehicle on the earth. Sensors 1033A-1033I can optionally include one or more ultrasonic sensors, one or more cameras 1040, and / or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 1042. In some embodiments, the camera 1040 can be a single image or stereo camera and can record static and / or video images. The camera 1040 may include a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor configured to capture images of one or more objects in the external environment of the autonomous vehicle 1000. The IMU 1042 can include a plurality of gyroscopes and accelerometers capable of detecting linear and rotational motion of the autonomous vehicle 1000 in three directions. One or more encoders (not shown) such as wheel encoders can be used to monitor the rotation of one or more wheels of the autonomous vehicle 1000.

[0095] The output of sensors 1033A-1033I may be provided to a control subsystem 1050, including a positioning subsystem 1052, a trajectory subsystem 1056, a perception subsystem 1054, and a control system interface 1058. Positioning subsystem 1052 is configured to determine the position and orientation (sometimes referred to as "pose") of autonomous vehicle 1000 in its surrounding environment, and typically within a specific geographic area. The position of the autonomous vehicle can be compared with the positions of additional vehicles in the same environment as part of generating labeled autonomous vehicle data. Perception subsystem 1054 may be configured to detect, track, classify, and / or determine objects in the environment surrounding autonomous vehicle 1000. Trajectory subsystem 1056 is configured to generate a trajectory of autonomous vehicle 1000 and static and moving objects in the environment within a specific time frame given a desired destination. Machine learning models according to several embodiments can be used to generate vehicle trajectories. Control system interface 1058 is configured to communicate with control system 1010 to implement the trajectory of autonomous vehicle 1000. In some embodiments, the machine learning model can be used to control the autonomous vehicle to achieve a planned trajectory.

[0096] It should be understood that the vehicle control system 1020 Fig. 10C The collection of components shown in is merely exemplary in nature. In some embodiments, individual sensors may be omitted. In some embodiments, Fig. 10C The different types of sensors shown in are used for redundancy and / or for covering different areas in the environment surrounding the autonomous vehicle. In some embodiments, different types and / or combinations of control subsystems may be used. In addition, although subsystems 1052-1058 are shown as being separated from processing logic 1022 and memory 1024, it should be understood that in some embodiments, some or all of the functionality of subsystems 1052-1058 may be implemented with program codes such as instructions 1026 residing in memory 1024 and executed by processing logic 1022, and these subsystems 1052-1058 may be implemented using the same (multiple) processors and / or memories in some cases. The subsystems in some embodiments may be implemented at least in part using various dedicated circuit logics, various processors, various field programmable gate arrays ("FPGAs"), various application specific integrated circuits ("ASICs"), various real-time controllers, etc. As described above, multiple subsystems may utilize circuits, processors, sensors, and / or other components. In addition, the various components in the vehicle control system 1020 may be networked in various ways.

[0097] In some embodiments, different architectures, including various combinations of software, hardware, circuit logic, sensors, and networks, can be used to implement Fig. 10C. For example, each processor may be implemented as a microprocessor, and each memory may represent a random access memory ("RAM") device including primary storage, as well as any supplementary levels of memory, such as cache memory, non-volatile or backup memory (e.g., programmable memory or flash memory), or read-only memory. In addition, each memory may be considered to include memory physically located elsewhere in autonomous vehicle 1000, such as any cache memory in a processor, as well as any storage capacity used as virtual memory, such as stored on a mass storage device or another computer controller. Fig. 10C The processing logic 1022 shown in FIG. 1 or an entirely separate processing logic may be used to implement additional functionality in autonomous vehicle 1000 beyond the purpose of autonomous control, such as controlling an entertainment system, operating doors, lights, or convenience features.

[0098] In addition, for additional storage, autonomous vehicle 1000 may also include one or more mass storage devices, such as a removable disk drive, a hard drive, a direct access storage device ("DASD"), an optical drive (e.g., a CD drive, a DVD drive), a solid-state storage drive ("SSD"), a network attached storage, a storage area network, and / or a tape drive, etc. In addition, autonomous vehicle 1000 may include a user interface 1064 to enable autonomous vehicle 1000 to receive multiple inputs from a passenger and generate outputs for the passenger, such as one or more displays, touch screens, voice and / or gesture interfaces, buttons, and other tactile controls. In some embodiments, inputs from a passenger may be received through another computer or electronic device, such as through an application on a mobile device or through a web interface.

[0099] In some embodiments, autonomous vehicle 1000 may include one or more network interfaces, such as network interface 1062, adapted to communicate with one or more networks 1070 (e.g., a local area network ("LAN"), a wide area network ("WAN"), a wireless network, and / or the Internet, etc.) to allow for information communication with other computers and electronic devices (including, for example, a central service, such as a cloud service), from which autonomous vehicle 1000 receives environmental and other data for its autonomous control. In some embodiments, data collected by one or more sensors 1033A-1033I can be uploaded to computing system 1072 via network 1070 for additional processing. In such embodiments, a timestamp can be associated with each instance of vehicle data prior to uploading.

[0100] Fig. 10CThe processing logic 1022 shown in FIG. 10 and the various additional controllers and subsystems disclosed herein typically run under the control of an operating system and execute or otherwise rely on various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, or data structures, as may be described in more detail below. In addition, the various applications, components, programs, objects, or modules may also be executed on one or more processors in another computer coupled to the autonomous vehicle 1000 via the network 1070, for example, in a distributed, cloud-based, or client-server computing environment, whereby the processing required to implement the computer program functions may be distributed to multiple computers and / or services over the network.

[0101] Routines executed to implement the various embodiments described herein, whether as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions, or even a subset thereof, will be referred to herein as "program code". Program code typically includes one or more instructions that reside at various times in various memories and storage devices, and when read and executed by one or more processors, perform the steps necessary to implement the steps or elements embodying various aspects of the present invention. In addition, although the embodiments have been and may be described below in the context of fully functional computers and systems, it should be understood that the various embodiments described herein can be distributed as program products in various forms, and that the embodiments can be implemented regardless of the specific type of computer-readable medium used to actually perform the distribution. Examples of computer-readable media include tangible, non-transitory media such as volatile and non-volatile storage devices, floppy disks and other removable disks, solid-state drives, hard disk drives, magnetic tapes, and optical disks (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs), and the like.

[0102] In addition, various program codes described hereinafter can be identified based on the application program implemented in a specific embodiment. However, it should be understood that any specific program nomenclature below is used only for convenience, so the present invention should not be limited to use in any specific application that is only identified and / or implied by such nomenclature. In addition, considering that there are usually countless ways to organize computer programs into routines, processes, methods, modules, objects, etc., and various ways of distributing program functionality between various software layers reside in typical computers (e.g., operating systems, libraries, APIs, applications, applets), it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific organization and distribution of program functionality described herein.

[0103] Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that Fig. 10CThe exemplary environment shown in is not intended to limit the embodiments disclosed herein. In fact, those skilled in the art will recognize that other alternative hardware and / or software environments may be used without departing from the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0104] In embodiments of the present disclosure, visible light may be defined as having a wavelength range of approximately 380nm-700nm. Non-visible light may be defined as light having a wavelength outside the visible light range, such as ultraviolet light and infrared light. Infrared light having a wavelength range of approximately 700nm-1mm includes near infrared light. In various aspects of the present disclosure, near infrared light may be defined as having a wavelength range of approximately 700nm-1.6μm.

[0105] In aspects of the present disclosure, the term "transparent" may be defined as having a light transmittance greater than 90%. In some aspects, the term "transparent" may be defined as a material having a visible light transmittance greater than 90%.

[0106] The term "processing logic" in the present disclosure may include one or more processors, microprocessors, multi-core processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and / or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to perform the operations disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a memory (not shown) is integrated into the processing logic to store instructions to perform operations and / or store data. The processing logic may also include analog or digital circuits to perform operations according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0107] One or more "memories" described in the present disclosure may include one or more volatile or non-volatile memory architectures. One or more "memories" may be removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Example memory technologies may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD), high-definition multimedia / data storage disk, or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transmission medium capable of storing information for access by a computing device.

[0108] The network may include any network or network system, such as, but not limited to, a peer-to-peer network; a local area network (LAN); a wide area network (WAN); a public network such as the Internet; a private network; a cellular network; a wireless network; a wired network; a combined wireless and wired network; and a satellite network.

[0109] The communication channel may include one or more wired or wireless communications using IEEE 802.11 protocols, Bluetooth, SPI (serial peripheral interface), I2C (inter-integrated circuit), USB (universal serial port), CAN (controller area network), cellular data protocols (e.g., 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G), optical communication networks, Internet service providers (ISPs), peer-to-peer networks, local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), public networks (e.g., the “Internet”), private networks, satellite networks, or other networks, or be routed through any of the above.

[0110] The computing device may include a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a phablet, a smartphone, a feature phone, a server computer, etc. The server computer may be located remotely in a data center or stored locally.

[0111] The processes explained above are described in terms of computer software and hardware. The described techniques may constitute machine-executable instructions embodied in a tangible or non-transitory machine (e.g., computer) readable storage medium, which, when executed by a machine, will cause the machine to perform the described operations. In addition, these processes may be embodied in hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit ("ASIC") or other.

[0112] Tangible, non-transitory machine-readable storage media include any mechanism that provides information in a form accessible to a machine (e.g., a computer, a network device, a personal digital assistant, a manufacturing tool, any device with one or more processors, etc.). For example, machine-readable storage media include recordable / non-recordable media (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.).

[0113] The above description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Although specific embodiments and examples of the present invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art.

[0114] These modifications can be made to the invention in light of the above detailed description. The terms used in the appended claims should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification. Instead, the scope of the invention will be determined entirely by the appended claims, which will be interpreted according to established principles of claim interpretation.

Claims

1. A light detection and ranging LIDAR sensor system comprising: a first optical splitter, the first optical splitter being configured to receive an input signal, wherein the first optical splitter is configured to split the input signal into a transmission signal and a local oscillator signal; a transceiver coupled to the first optical splitter and configured to receive the transmission signal from the first optical splitter, wherein the transceiver comprises: A plurality of optical antenna arrays, wherein each of at least three of the plurality of optical antenna arrays comprises: a specified number of optical antennas; and a second optical splitter coupled to the specific number of optical antennas and configured to provide the transmission signal individually to each of the specific number of optical antennas, wherein the second optical splitter includes a plurality of passive optical splitters configured to evenly distribute the transmission signal to a specific number of communication channels corresponding to the specific number of optical antennas, Wherein, at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays comprises an optical pixel, wherein the optical pixel comprises: at least one of the specific number of optical antennas; and an optical combiner coupled to the at least one of the particular number of optical antennas to receive a return signal, wherein the optical combiner is configured to combine the return signal with the local oscillator signal; and The transceiver further includes an optical switch coupled to the plurality of optical antenna arrays, wherein the optical switch is configured to selectively provide the transmission signal to the at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays; and The LIDAR sensor system further includes a local oscillator network coupled to the first optical splitter and configured to receive the local oscillator signal from the first optical splitter, wherein the local oscillator network is configured to selectively split the local oscillator signal into a plurality of local oscillator signals for the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

2. The LIDAR sensor system according to claim 1, wherein: The input signal is a modulated laser signal, wherein the optical switch comprises: An active optical splitter selectively couples the modulated laser signal to only one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

3. The LIDAR sensor system according to claim 1, wherein: The input signal is a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) laser signal, wherein the optical switch comprises: An active optical splitter selectively couples a FMCW laser signal to only one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

4. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1, wherein: The optical switch is configured to optically couple the transmission signal to at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays one at a time during a scanning period of the transceiver to illuminate one or more specific portions of a scene in a field of view of the LIDAR sensor system.

5. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1, wherein: The second optical splitter includes a plurality of passive optical splitters coupled in parallel with each of the specific number of optical antennas in the selected one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays, wherein the plurality of passive optical splitters are configured to concurrently provide the transmission signal to the specific number of optical antennas in the selected one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

6. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1, wherein: The second optical splitter is configured to be able to concurrently transmit the transmission signals from the specific number of optical antennas.

7. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1, wherein: The specific number of optical antennas are arranged in a one-dimensional pattern or a two-dimensional pattern.

8. The LIDAR sensor system according to claim 1, in, The optical combiner is configured to provide a combined output signal, and wherein the optical pixel further comprises a plurality of photodiodes configured to convert the combined output signal into an electrical signal representative of the LIDAR beat note.

9. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1, wherein: The optical switch is a first optical switch, wherein the local oscillator network comprises: a plurality of optical splitters configured to provide a plurality of local oscillator signals to the plurality of optical antenna arrays; and A second optical switch is optically coupled to the plurality of optical splitters and is configured to selectively provide a portion of the local oscillator signal to at least one of the plurality of optical splitters.

10. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 9, wherein: At least one of the plurality of optical splitters includes a plurality of passive optical splitters configured to split a portion of the local oscillator signal between the particular number of optical antennas in a selected one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

11. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 9, wherein: Each of the plurality of optical splitters is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays to provide the local oscillator signal.

12. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1, wherein: The at least three of the plurality of optical antenna arrays include an output signal bus, wherein a particular number of optical antennas of a first optical antenna array of the plurality of optical antenna arrays share the output signal bus with a second optical antenna array of the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

13. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 12, wherein: The output signal bus includes electrical signal lines for in-phase signals and quadrature signals from each of the particular number of optical antennas.

14. The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1, wherein: The optical switch includes at least one of: a binary tree switch, a microring resonator array, and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch array.

15. A light detection and ranging LIDAR sensor chip, comprising: a light source configured to generate an input signal; a first optical splitter, the first optical splitter being configured to receive an input signal, wherein the first optical splitter is configured to split the input signal into a transmission signal and a local oscillator signal; a transceiver coupled to the first optical splitter and configured to receive the transmission signal from the first optical splitter, wherein the transceiver comprises: A plurality of optical antenna arrays, wherein each of at least three of the plurality of optical antenna arrays comprises: a specified number of optical antennas; and a second optical splitter coupled to the specific number of optical antennas, wherein the second optical splitter comprises a plurality of passive optical splitters configured to evenly distribute the transmission signal to a specific number of communication channels corresponding to the specific number of optical antennas, Wherein, at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays comprises an optical pixel, wherein the optical pixel comprises: at least one of the specific number of optical antennas; and an optical combiner coupled to the at least one of the particular number of optical antennas to receive a return signal, wherein the optical combiner is configured to combine the return signal with the local oscillator signal; and The transceiver further includes an optical switch coupled to the plurality of optical antenna arrays, wherein the optical switch is configured to selectively provide the transmission signal to the at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays; and The LIDAR sensor chip further includes a local oscillator network coupled to the first optical splitter and configured to receive the local oscillator signal from the first optical splitter, wherein the local oscillator network is configured to selectively split the local oscillator signal into a plurality of local oscillator signals for the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

16. The LIDAR sensor chip according to claim 15, further comprising a lens, wherein: The transceiver is optically coupled to the lens to scan a patch of the field of view of the lens.

17. The LIDAR sensor chip according to claim 15, further comprising: A processing engine is configured to receive a LIDAR return signal from the transceiver and to generate a LIDAR data frame based on the LIDAR return signal.

18. An autonomous vehicle comprising: Light detection and ranging LIDAR sensor, the LIDAR sensor comprising: a light source configured to generate an input signal; a first optical splitter, the first optical splitter being configured to receive an input signal, wherein the first optical splitter is configured to split the input signal into a transmission signal and a local oscillator signal; a transceiver coupled to the first optical splitter to receive the transmission signal, wherein the transceiver comprises: A plurality of optical antenna arrays, wherein each of at least three of the plurality of optical antenna arrays comprises: a specified number of optical antennas; and a second optical splitter coupled to the specific number of optical antennas, wherein the second optical splitter comprises a plurality of passive optical splitters configured to evenly distribute the transmission signal to a specific number of communication channels corresponding to the specific number of optical antennas, Wherein, at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays comprises an optical pixel, wherein the optical pixel comprises: at least one of the specific number of optical antennas; and an optical combiner coupled to the at least one of the particular number of optical antennas to receive a return signal, wherein the optical combiner is configured to combine the return signal with the local oscillator signal; and The transceiver further includes an optical switch coupled to the plurality of optical antenna arrays, wherein the optical switch is configured to selectively provide the transmission signal to the at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays; and The LIDAR sensor further includes a local oscillator network coupled to the first optical splitter and configured to receive the local oscillator signal from the first optical splitter, wherein the local oscillator network is configured to selectively split the local oscillator signal into a plurality of local oscillator signals for the plurality of optical antenna arrays.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, further comprising a lens, wherein: The transceiver is optically coupled to the lens to provide a horizontal scan of the operating environment of the autonomous vehicle.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, further comprising: A processing engine is configured to receive the LIDAR return signals from the transceiver and to generate a point cloud representation of the operating environment of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the LIDAR return signals.

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