Compact light detection and ranging design with high resolution and ultra-wide field of view

Abstract

A compact LiDAR device is provided. The compact LiDAR device includes a first mirror disposed to receive one or more light beams and a multi-faceted mirror optically coupled to the first mirror. The multi-faceted mirror includes a plurality of reflective facets. For at least two reflective facets of the plurality of reflective facets, each reflective facet is arranged such that: a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge of the reflective facet correspond to a first line, a second line, and a third line; the first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of a plane that includes the reflective facet; and the first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of the plane that includes the reflective facet. The first interior angle is an acute angle; and the second interior angle is an obtuse angle.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 723,270, filed April 18, 2022, entitled "A Compact Lidar Design with High Resolution and Ultrawide Field of View," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 178,467, filed April 22, 2021, also entitled "A Compact Lidar Design with High Resolution and Ultrawide Field of View." The contents of both applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to optical scanning, and more particularly to a compact LiDAR device configured to perform high-resolution scanning over an ultra-wide field of view. Background Technology

[0004] Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems use light pulses to create images or point clouds of the external environment. Some typical LiDAR systems include a light source, a light emitter, a light steering system, and a light detector. The light source generates a light beam, which is guided in a specific direction by the light steering system as it travels from the LiDAR system. When the transmitted beam is scattered by an object, a portion of the scattered light returns to the LiDAR system as a returning light pulse. The light detector detects the returning light pulse. Using the difference between the time the returning light pulse is detected and the time of the corresponding light pulse in the emitted beam, the LiDAR system can determine the distance to the object using the speed of light. The light steering system can guide the beam along different paths to allow the LiDAR system to scan the surrounding environment and generate images or point clouds. LiDAR systems can also use techniques other than time-of-flight and scanning to measure the surrounding environment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of this disclosure are described below. In various embodiments, a compact LiDAR device is provided. This compact LiDAR device includes a faceted mirror configured to scan a field of view (FOV) in both horizontal and vertical directions, thereby achieving a very compact size and an ultra-wide FOV. The faceted mirror includes multiple reflective facets, and at least some of these facets have a tilt angle other than 90 degrees. The compact size of the LiDAR device allows it to be installed within many confined spaces in a vehicle, including, for example, headlight housings, taillight housings, rearview mirrors, vehicle corners, etc. In one example, the compact LiDAR device can provide a horizontal FOV of approximately 120 degrees or greater (approximately 240 degrees for using two such LiDAR devices) and a vertical FOV of approximately 90 degrees or greater. The compact LiDAR device can scan multiple detection areas at different scan resolutions. Higher scan resolutions are desired in certain regions of interest (ROI). Typical or lower scan resolutions can be used to scan non-ROI areas. The compact LiDAR device disclosed herein can dynamically adjust the scanning of ROI and non-ROI regions. Various embodiments of the compact LiDAR device are described in more detail below.

[0006] In one embodiment, a compact LiDAR device is provided. The compact LiDAR device includes: a first mirror configured to receive one or more light beams; and a faceted mirror optically coupled to the first mirror. The faceted mirror includes a plurality of reflective facets. For at least two of the plurality of reflective facets, each reflective facet is arranged such that: a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge of the reflective facet correspond to a first line, a second line, and a third line; the first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of a plane including the reflective facet; and the first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of a plane including the reflective facet. The first interior angle is acute; and the second interior angle is obtuse. When at least the faceted mirror rotates, the combination of the first mirror and the faceted mirror is configured to: redirect the one or more light beams both vertically and horizontally to illuminate an object within the field of view; obtain return light formed based on the redirected one or more light beams illuminating the object within the field of view; and redirect the return light to an optical receiver disposed in a LiDAR scanning system.

[0007] In one embodiment, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanning system is provided. The LiDAR system includes a plurality of LiDAR devices capable of being mounted on at least two of the left, right, front, and rear sides of a vehicle. Each of the plurality of LiDAR devices includes: a first mirror configured to receive one or more light beams; and a polygon mirror optically coupled to the first mirror. The polygon mirror includes a plurality of reflective facets. For at least two of the plurality of reflective facets, each reflective facet is arranged such that: a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge of the reflective facet correspond to a first line, a second line, and a third line; the first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of a plane including the reflective facet; and the first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of the plane including the reflective facet. The first interior angle of the reflective facet is an acute angle; and the second interior angle of the corresponding plane is an obtuse angle.

[0008] In one embodiment, a vehicle including a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning system is provided. The LiDAR scanning system includes a plurality of LiDAR devices capable of being mounted on at least two of the left, right, front, and rear sides of the vehicle. Each of the plurality of LiDAR devices includes: a first mirror configured to receive one or more light beams; and a polygon mirror optically coupled to the first mirror. The polygon mirror includes a plurality of reflective facets. For at least two of the plurality of reflective facets, each reflective facet is arranged such that: a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge of the reflective facet correspond to a first line, a second line, and a third line; the first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of a plane including the reflective facet; and the first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of the plane including the reflective facet. The first interior angle of the reflective facet is an acute angle; and the second interior angle of the corresponding plane is an obtuse angle.

[0009] In one embodiment, a method is provided for scanning a field of view using a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) device. The LiDAR device includes a polygon mirror having a plurality of reflective facets. The method includes: directing light through a first reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the polygon mirror to scan a first portion of the field of view in a vertical direction. The first reflective facet is associated with an acute angle of inclination. The method further includes: directing light through a second reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the polygon mirror to scan a second portion of the field of view in a vertical direction. The second reflective facet is associated with an obtuse angle of inclination. The method further includes: generating scan lines corresponding to the first portion of the field of view in a vertical direction; and generating scan lines corresponding to the second portion of the field of view in a vertical direction. Attached Figure Description

[0010] This application can be best understood by referring to the figures described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts may be indicated by similar reference numerals.

[0011] Figure 1 The illustration shows one or more exemplary LiDAR systems that are installed or included in a motor vehicle.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the interaction between an exemplary LiDAR system and several other systems, including a vehicle perception and planning system.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary LiDAR system.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary fiber-optic-based laser source.

[0015] Figures 5A to 5C The illustration shows an exemplary LiDAR system that uses pulse signals to measure the distance to an object positioned in the field of view (FOV).

[0016] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating exemplary devices for implementing systems, apparatuses, and methods in various embodiments.

[0017] Figure 7A The illustration shows a simplified, compact LiDAR device according to some embodiments, including a faceted mirror for redirecting light.

[0018] Figure 7B The illustration shows, according to some embodiments, in Figure 7A An enlarged view of the faceted mirror used in the compact LiDAR device shown.

[0019] Figure 8 The illustration shows a simplified top view of a LiDAR device enclosed in a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, according to some embodiments.

[0020] Figures 9A to 9D The illustrations show several configurations of a multifaceted mirror according to some embodiments.

[0021] Figure 10 The illustration shows an example LiDAR scan pattern using the compact LiDAR device disclosed herein, according to some embodiments.

[0022] Figure 11A The illustration shows a top view of a rearview mirror assembly according to some embodiments and a horizontal field of view (FOV) that can be obtained by a compact LiDAR device enclosed in the rearview mirror assembly.

[0023] Figure 11BThe illustration shows a top view of a vehicle according to some embodiments and a horizontal field of view (FOV) at both sides of the vehicle.

[0024] Figure 11C The illustration shows a side view of a rearview mirror assembly according to some embodiments and a vertical field of view (FOV) that can be obtained by a compact LiDAR device enclosed within the rearview mirror assembly.

[0025] Figure 11D The illustration shows a side view of a vehicle according to some embodiments and a vertical field of view (FOV) on one side of the vehicle.

[0026] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for scanning a field of view (FOV) using a compact LiDAR device disclosed herein, according to some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To provide a more thorough understanding of the invention, the following description sets forth numerous specific details, such as specific configurations, parameters, examples, etc. However, it should be understood that such description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but rather to provide a better description of exemplary embodiments.

[0028] Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context clearly specifies otherwise, the following terms shall have the meanings explicitly associated herein:

[0029] As used herein, the phrase "in one embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but may refer to the same embodiment. Therefore, as described below, various embodiments of this disclosure can be readily combined without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

[0030] As used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator and is equivalent to the term “and / or” unless the context otherwise explicitly states otherwise.

[0031] The term "based on" is not exclusive, and unless the context explicitly states otherwise, it may be based on additional factors not described.

[0032] As used herein, unless the context otherwise requires, the term “connected to” is intended to include both direct connections (where two connected elements are in contact with each other) and indirect connections (where at least one additional element is located between the two elements). Therefore, the terms “connected to” and “connected to” are used synonymously. In the context of a network environment where two or more components or devices are able to exchange data, the terms “connected to” and “connected to” are also used to mean “communically connected to,” which may be via one or more intermediate devices.

[0033] Although the following description uses the terms "first," "second," etc., to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the examples in the various descriptions, a first edge may be referred to as a second edge, and similarly, a second edge may be referred to as a first edge. Both a first edge and a second edge can be edges, and in some cases, they can be separate and distinct edges.

[0034] Furthermore, throughout the instruction manual, the meanings of “a,” “one,” and “the” include plural references, and the meaning of “in…” includes both “in…” and “on…”.

[0035] While some embodiments presented herein constitute a single combination of inventive elements, it should be understood that the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus, if one embodiment includes elements A, B, and C, and another embodiment includes elements B and D, the inventive subject matter is considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if not explicitly discussed herein. Further, the transitional term "comprising" means having parts or components, or those parts or components. As used herein, the transitional term "comprising" is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unlisted elements or method steps.

[0036] Throughout the following disclosure, numerous references may be made to servers, services, interfaces, engines, modules, clients, peers, portals, platforms, or other systems formed by computing devices. It should be understood that the use of such terms is considered to refer to one or more computing devices having at least one processor (e.g., ASIC, FPGA, PLD, DSP, x86, ARM, RISC-V, ColdFire, GPU, multi-core processor, etc.) configured to execute software instructions stored on a computer-readable tangible non-transitory medium (e.g., hard disk drive, solid-state drive, RAM, flash memory, ROM, etc.). For example, a server may include one or more computers operating as a web server, database server, or other type of computer server in a manner that performs the described roles, responsibilities, or functions. It should be further understood that the disclosed computer-based algorithms, processes, methods, or other types of instruction sets may be embodied as a computer program product comprising a non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions that cause a processor to perform the disclosed steps. Various servers, systems, databases, or interfaces can exchange data using standardized protocols or algorithms, potentially based on HTTP, HTTPS, AES, public-private key exchange, web service APIs, known financial transaction protocols, or other electronic information exchange methods. Data exchange can occur on packet-switched networks, circuit-switched networks, the Internet, LANs, WANs, VPNs, or other types of networks.

[0037] As used throughout the description herein and the appended claims, when a system, engine, server, device, module or other computing element is described as being configured to perform or run functions on data in memory, the meaning of “configured to” or “programmed to” is defined as one or more processors or cores of the computing element being programmed by a set of software instructions stored in the memory of the computing element to perform a set of functions on target data or data objects stored in memory.

[0038] It should be noted that any language referring to a computer should be interpreted as encompassing any suitable combination of computing devices or network platforms, including servers, interfaces, systems, databases, agents, peers, engines, controllers, modules, or other types of computing devices operating alone or in combination. It should be understood that a computing device includes a processor configured to execute software instructions stored on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., hard disk drives, FPGAs, PLAs, solid-state drives, RAM, flash memory, ROM, etc.). These software instructions configure or program the computing device to provide the roles, responsibilities, or other functions discussed below with respect to the disclosed device. Further, the disclosed technology may be embodied as a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software instructions that cause a processor to perform the disclosed steps associated with the implementation of computer-based algorithms, processes, methods, or other instructions. In some embodiments, various servers, systems, databases, or interfaces use standardized protocols or algorithms to exchange data, possibly based on HTTP, HTTPS, AES, public-private key exchange, web service APIs, known financial transaction protocols, or other electronic information exchange methods. Data exchange between devices can be carried out through packet-switched networks, the Internet, LANs, WANs, VPNs, or other types of packet-switched networks, circuit-switched networks, cell-switched networks, or other types of networks.

[0039] LiDAR devices are important sensors that provide data used in 3D perception, autonomous driving, automation, and many other emerging technologies and industries. The basic operating principle of a LiDAR device is that it emits a laser to illuminate objects in its field of view and receives the reflected light, which is composed of scattered and / or reflected light. The distance to the object can be determined based on the time of emission and return. Existing LiDAR devices have many components, which can make them bulky. Therefore, it can be difficult to fit existing LiDAR devices into compact spaces (such as rearview mirror assemblies, lamp housings, bumpers, or roofs). Furthermore, existing LiDAR devices often have a limited field of view (FOV) even when installed in the confined spaces of a vehicle, as the limited space restricts the LiDAR's scanning capabilities. Therefore, there is a need for a compact LiDAR device that can be fitted into confined spaces while still being able to perform wide FOV scans.

[0040] Embodiments of this disclosure are described below. In various embodiments, a compact LiDAR device is provided. This compact LiDAR device includes a faceted mirror configured to scan a field of view (FOV) in both horizontal and vertical directions, thereby achieving a very compact size and an ultra-wide FOV. The faceted mirror includes multiple reflective facets, and at least some of these facets have a tilt angle other than 90 degrees. The compact size of the LiDAR device allows it to be installed within many confined spaces in a vehicle, including, for example, headlight housings, taillight housings, rearview mirror assemblies, vehicle body corners, etc. In one example, the compact LiDAR device can provide a horizontal FOV of approximately 120 degrees or greater (approximately 240 degrees for using two such LiDAR devices) and a vertical FOV of approximately 90 degrees or greater. The compact LiDAR device is capable of scanning multiple detection areas at different scan resolutions. Higher scan resolutions are desired in certain regions of interest (ROI). Typical or lower scan resolutions can be used to scan non-ROI areas. The compact LiDAR device disclosed herein is capable of dynamically adjusting the scanning of ROI and non-ROI regions. Various embodiments of the compact LiDAR device are described in more detail below.

[0041] Figure 1 The illustration shows one or more exemplary LiDAR systems 110 set up or included in a motor vehicle 100. The motor vehicle 100 can be a vehicle with any level of automation. For example, the motor vehicle 100 can be a partially automated vehicle, a highly automated vehicle, a fully automated vehicle, or a driverless vehicle. A partially automated vehicle can perform some driving functions without human driver intervention. For example, a partially automated vehicle can perform blind spot monitoring, lane keeping and / or lane changing, automatic emergency braking, intelligent cruise control and / or traffic following, etc. Some operations of a partially automated vehicle may be limited to specific applications or driving scenarios (e.g., limited to highway driving). A highly automated vehicle can generally perform all the operations of a partially automated vehicle, but with fewer limitations. A highly automated vehicle can also detect its own limits while operating the vehicle and request the driver to take over control of the vehicle if necessary. A fully automated vehicle can perform all vehicle operations without driver intervention, but can also detect its own limits and request the driver to take over if necessary. A driverless vehicle can operate autonomously without any driver intervention.

[0042] In a typical configuration, the vehicle 100 includes one or more LiDAR systems 110 and 120A-F. Each of the LiDAR systems 110 and 120A-F can be a scanning-based LiDAR system and / or a non-scanning LiDAR system (e.g., a flash LiDAR). A scanning-based LiDAR system scans one or more beams in one or more directions (e.g., horizontal and vertical) to detect objects in the field of view (FOV). A non-scanning-based LiDAR system emits a laser to illuminate the FOV without scanning. For example, a flash LiDAR is a non-scanning-based LiDAR system. A flash LiDAR can emit a laser to simultaneously illuminate the FOV using a single light pulse or a beam of light.

[0043] LiDAR systems are often fundamental sensors in at least partially automated vehicles. In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, a motor vehicle 100 may include a single LiDAR system 110 (e.g., without LiDAR systems 120A-F) positioned at the highest point of the vehicle (e.g., on the roof). Positioning the LiDAR system 110 on the roof facilitates 360-degree scanning around the vehicle 100. In some other embodiments, the motor vehicle 100 may include multiple LiDAR systems, including two or more of systems 110 and / or 120A-F. Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, multiple LiDAR systems 110 and / or 120A-F are attached to vehicle 100 at different locations on the vehicle. For example, LiDAR system 120A is attached to vehicle 100 at the right front corner; LiDAR system 120B is attached to vehicle 100 at the front center; LiDAR system 120C is attached to vehicle 100 at the left front corner; LiDAR system 120D is attached to vehicle 100 at the right rearview mirror; LiDAR system 120E is attached to vehicle 100 at the left rearview mirror; and / or LiDAR system 120F is attached to vehicle 100 at the rear center. In some embodiments, LiDAR systems 110 and 120A-F are independent LiDAR systems with their own laser sources, control electronics, transmitters, receivers, and / or steering mechanisms. In other embodiments, some of the LiDAR systems 110 and 120A-F may share one or more components, thereby forming a distributed sensor system. In one example, optical fiber is used to deliver laser light from a centralized laser source to all LiDAR systems. It should be understood that one or more LiDAR systems can be distributed and attached to the vehicle in any desired manner, and Figure 1Only one embodiment is shown. As another example, LiDAR systems 120D and 120E may be attached to the B-pillar of vehicle 100 instead of the rearview mirror. As another example, LiDAR system 120B may be attached to the windshield of vehicle 100 instead of the front bumper.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a block diagram 200 illustrating the interaction between (multiple) in-vehicle LiDAR systems 210 and multiple other systems, including a vehicle perception and planning system 220. The (multiple) LiDAR systems 210 can be mounted on or integrated into a vehicle. The (multiple) LiDAR systems 210 include (multiple) sensors that scan the surrounding environment with laser light to measure the distance, angle, and / or velocity of objects. Based on the scattered light returning to the (multiple) LiDAR systems 210, it can generate sensor data (e.g., image data or 3D point cloud data) representing the perceived external environment.

[0045] The (multiple) LiDAR system 210 may include one or more of short-range LiDAR sensors, mid-range LiDAR sensors, and long-range LiDAR sensors. The short-range LiDAR sensor measures objects located approximately 20 to 40 meters away. Short-range LiDAR sensors can be used, for example, to monitor nearby moving objects (e.g., pedestrians crossing the street in a school zone), parking assistance applications, etc. The mid-range LiDAR sensor measures objects located approximately 100 to 150 meters away. Mid-range LiDAR sensors can be used, for example, to monitor road intersections, assist in entering or exiting highways, etc. The long-range LiDAR sensor measures objects located approximately 150 to 300 meters away. Long-range LiDAR sensors are typically used when the vehicle is traveling at high speed (e.g., on a highway), so that the vehicle's control system may only have a few seconds (e.g., 6 to 8 seconds) to respond to any situation detected by the LiDAR sensor. Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment, LiDAR sensor data can be provided to the vehicle perception and planning system 220 via communication path 213 for further processing and control of vehicle operation. Communication path 213 can be any wired or wireless communication link capable of transmitting data.

[0046] Still referencing Figure 2In some embodiments, additional vehicle sensors 230 are used, individually or in conjunction with the LiDAR system 210, to provide supplemental sensor data. These additional vehicle sensors 230 may include, for example, one or more cameras 232, one or more radars 234, one or more ultrasonic sensors 236, and / or multiple other sensors 238. The cameras 232 may capture images and / or video of the vehicle's external environment. The cameras 232 may capture, for example, high-definition (HD) video with millions of pixels per frame. The cameras produce monochrome or color images and videos. In some cases, color information may be important in interpreting the data (e.g., interpreting an image of traffic lights). Color information may not be available from other sensors, such as LiDAR or radar sensors. The cameras 232 may include one or more of narrow-focal-length cameras, wide-focal-length cameras, side-mounted cameras, infrared cameras, fisheye cameras, etc. The image and / or video data generated by the cameras 232 may also be provided to the vehicle perception and planning system 220 via communication path 233 for further processing and control of vehicle operation. Communication path 233 can be any wired or wireless communication link that can transmit data.

[0047] The (multiple) other vehicle-mounted sensors 230 may also include (multiple) radar sensors 234. The (multiple) radar sensors 234 use radio waves to determine the distance, angle, and velocity of an object. The (multiple) radar sensors 234 generate electromagnetic waves in the radio or microwave spectrum. These electromagnetic waves are reflected by the object, and some of the reflected waves return to the radar sensor, thereby providing information about the object's position and velocity. The (multiple) radar sensors 234 may include one or more of (multiple) short-range radars, (multiple) medium-range radars, and (multiple) long-range radars. Short-range radars measure objects approximately 0.1 to 30 meters from the radar. Short-range radars are useful in detecting objects located near a vehicle, such as other vehicles, buildings, walls, pedestrians, cyclists, etc. Short-range radars can be used for blind spot detection, lane change assistance, providing rear-end collision warnings, parking assistance, providing emergency braking, etc. Medium-range radars measure objects approximately 30 to 80 meters from the radar. Long-range radars measure objects located approximately 80 to 200 meters. Medium- and / or long-range radars can be useful for applications such as traffic tracking, adaptive cruise control, and / or automatic braking on highways. Sensor data generated by the radar sensors(s)234 can also be provided to the vehicle perception and planning system220 via communication path233 for further processing and control of vehicle operation.

[0048] The (multiple) other vehicle-mounted sensors 230 may also include (multiple) ultrasonic sensors 236. The (multiple) ultrasonic sensors 236 use acoustic waves or pulses to measure objects located outside the vehicle. Sound waves generated by the (multiple) ultrasonic sensors 236 are emitted into the surrounding environment. At least some of the emitted waves are reflected by objects and return to the (multiple) ultrasonic sensors 236. Based on the returned signals, the distance to the object can be calculated. The (multiple) ultrasonic sensors 236 can be useful, for example, in detecting blind spots, identifying parking spots, and providing lane change assistance in traffic. Sensor data generated by the (multiple) ultrasonic sensors 236 can also be provided to the vehicle perception and planning system 220 via communication path 233 for further processing and control of vehicle operation.

[0049] In some embodiments, one or more other sensors 238 may be attached to the vehicle and may also generate sensor data. The other sensors 238 may include, for example, a Global Positioning System (GPS), an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), etc. The sensor data generated by the other sensors 238 may also be provided to the vehicle perception and planning system 220 via communication path 233 for further processing and control of vehicle operation. It should be understood that communication path 233 may include one or more communication links for transmitting data between the various sensors 230 and the vehicle perception and planning system 220.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, sensor data from multiple other vehicle-mounted sensors 230 can be provided to multiple vehicle-mounted LiDAR systems 210 via communication path 231. The multiple LiDAR systems 210 can process the sensor data from the multiple other vehicle-mounted sensors 230. For example, sensor data from multiple cameras 232, multiple radar sensors 234, multiple ultrasonic sensors 236, and / or multiple other sensors 238 can be correlated or fused with the sensor data LiDAR system 210, thereby at least partially offloading the sensor fusion process performed by the vehicle perception and planning system 220. It should be understood that other configurations can also be implemented for transmitting and processing sensor data from various sensors (e.g., data can be transmitted to a cloud service for processing, and the processing results can then be transmitted back to the vehicle perception and planning system 220).

[0051] Still referencing Figure 2In some embodiments, sensors on (multiple) other vehicles 250 are used to provide additional sensor data, either individually or in conjunction with (multiple) LiDAR systems 210. For example, two or more nearby vehicles may have their own respective (multiple) LiDAR sensors, (multiple) cameras, (multiple) radar sensors, (multiple) ultrasonic sensors, etc. Nearby vehicles can communicate with each other and share sensor data. This vehicle-to-vehicle communication is also referred to as V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communication. For example, as... Figure 2 As shown, sensor data generated by (multiple) other vehicles 250 can be transmitted to the vehicle perception and planning system 220 and / or (multiple) onboard LiDAR systems 210 via communication paths 253 and / or 251, respectively. Communication paths 253 and 251 can be any wired or wireless communication links capable of transmitting data.

[0052] Sharing sensor data helps to better perceive the environment outside the vehicle. For example, the first vehicle may not detect a pedestrian approaching the first vehicle from behind the second vehicle. The second vehicle can share sensor data related to this pedestrian with the first vehicle, allowing the first vehicle additional reaction time to avoid a collision. In some embodiments, data generated by sensors on multiple other vehicles 250, similar to data generated by sensor(s) 230, can be correlated or fused with sensor data generated by LiDAR system(s) 210, thereby at least partially offloading the sensor fusion process performed by vehicle perception and planning system 220.

[0053] In some embodiments, the intelligent infrastructure system 240 is used to provide sensor data, either alone or in conjunction with the LiDAR system 210. Some infrastructure may be configured to communicate with vehicles to convey information, and vice versa. Communication between vehicles and infrastructure is generally referred to as V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure) communication. For example, the intelligent infrastructure system 240 may include intelligent traffic lights that can convey their status to approaching vehicles in a message such as “turning yellow in 5 seconds.” The intelligent infrastructure system 240 may also include its own LiDAR system installed near the intersection, enabling it to convey traffic monitoring information to vehicles. For example, a vehicle turning left at an intersection may not have sufficient sensing capability because some of its own sensors may be blocked by vehicles coming from the opposite direction. In such cases, the sensors of the intelligent infrastructure system 240 can provide useful and sometimes critical data to the left-turning vehicle. Such data may include, for example, traffic conditions, information about objects in the direction the vehicle is turning, traffic light status, and predictions. Sensor data generated by the (multiple) intelligent infrastructure systems 240 can be provided to the vehicle perception and planning system 220 and / or the (multiple) onboard LiDAR systems 210 via communication paths 243 and / or 241, respectively. Communication paths 243 and / or 241 may include any wired or wireless communication links capable of transmitting data. For example, sensor data from the (multiple) intelligent infrastructure systems 240 can be transmitted to the (multiple) LiDAR systems 210 and correlated or fused with sensor data generated by the (multiple) LiDAR systems 210, thereby at least partially offloading the sensor fusion process performed by the vehicle perception and planning system 220. The V2V and V2I communications described above are examples of vehicle-to-X (V2X) communications, where “X” represents any other device, system, sensor, infrastructure, etc., that can share data with the vehicle.

[0054] Still referencing Figure 2The vehicle perception and planning system 220 receives sensor data from one or more of the following via various communication paths: LiDAR system 210, other onboard sensors 230, other vehicles 250, and / or intelligent infrastructure systems 240. In some embodiments, different types of sensor data are correlated and / or integrated through a sensor fusion subsystem 222. For example, the sensor fusion subsystem 222 can generate a 360-degree model using multiple images or videos captured by multiple cameras located at different locations on the vehicle. The sensor fusion subsystem 222 obtains sensor data from different types of sensors and uses the combined data to perceive the environment more accurately. For example, onboard camera 232 may not capture a clear image because it is directly facing the sun or a light source (e.g., the headlights of another vehicle at night). LiDAR system 210 may not be affected as much, so sensor fusion subsystem 222 can combine sensor data provided by camera 232 and LiDAR system 210 and use sensor data provided by LiDAR system 210 to compensate for the unclear image captured by camera 232. As another example, in rainy or foggy weather, radar sensor 234 may perform better than camera 232 or LiDAR system 210. Therefore, sensor fusion subsystem 222 can use sensor data provided by radar sensor 234 to compensate for sensor data provided by camera 232 or LiDAR system 210.

[0055] In other examples, sensor data generated by (multiple) other onboard sensors 230 may have lower resolution (e.g., radar sensor data), and therefore may need to be correlated and verified by (multiple) LiDAR systems 210, which typically have higher resolution. For example, radar sensor 234 may detect a manhole cover (also known as a access cover) as an object that the vehicle is approaching. Due to the low resolution of radar sensor 234, vehicle perception and planning system 220 may not be able to determine whether the object is an obstacle that the vehicle needs to avoid. Therefore, high-resolution sensor data generated by (multiple) LiDAR systems 210 can be used to correlate and verify that the object is a manhole cover and will not cause damage to the vehicle.

[0056] The vehicle perception and planning system 220 further includes an object classifier 223. Using raw sensor data and / or associated / fused data provided by the sensor fusion subsystem 222, the object classifier 223 can detect and classify objects and estimate their positions. In some embodiments, the object classifier 223 can use machine learning-based techniques to detect and classify objects. Examples of machine learning-based techniques include algorithms such as: region-based convolutional neural networks (R-CNN), fast R-CNN, faster R-CNN, directional gradient histogram (HOG), region-based fully convolutional networks (R-FCN), single-shot detector (SSD), spatial pyramid pooling (SPP-net), and / or You Only Look Once (Yolo).

[0057] The vehicle perception and planning system 220 further includes a road detection subsystem 224. The road detection subsystem 224 locates the road and identifies objects and / or markings on the road. For example, based on raw or fused sensor data provided by (multiple) radar sensors 234, (multiple) cameras 232, and / or (multiple) LiDAR systems 210, the road detection subsystem 224 can construct a 3D model of the road based on machine learning techniques (e.g., pattern recognition algorithms for lane identification). Using the 3D model of the road, the road detection subsystem 224 can identify objects (e.g., obstacles or debris on the road) and / or markings on the road (e.g., lane lines, turning signs, pedestrian crossing signs, etc.).

[0058] The vehicle perception and planning system 220 further includes a localization and vehicle attitude subsystem 225. Based on raw or fused sensor data, the localization and vehicle attitude subsystem 225 can determine the vehicle's position and attitude. For example, using sensor data from (multiple) LiDAR systems 210, (multiple) cameras 232, and / or using GPS data, the localization and vehicle attitude subsystem 225 can determine the vehicle's precise location on the road and the vehicle's six degrees of freedom (e.g., whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward, up or down, and left or right). In some embodiments, a high-definition (HD) map is used for vehicle localization. The HD map can provide a very detailed three-dimensional computerized map that accurately determines the vehicle's position. For example, using an HD map, the localization and vehicle attitude subsystem 225 can accurately determine the vehicle's current position (e.g., which lane the vehicle is currently in on the road, and how close it is to a curb or sidewalk) and predict the vehicle's future position.

[0059] The vehicle perception and planning system 220 further includes an obstacle predictor 226. Objects identified by the object classifier 223 can be stationary (e.g., lampposts, road signs) or dynamic (e.g., moving pedestrians, bicycles, another car). For moving objects, predicting their movement path or future position can be important for collision avoidance. The obstacle predictor 226 can predict obstacle trajectories and / or warn the driver or vehicle planning subsystem 228 about potential collisions. For example, the obstacle predictor 226 can generate such a warning if there is a high probability that the trajectory of an obstacle intersects with the vehicle's current movement path. The obstacle predictor 226 can use various techniques to make such predictions. Such techniques include, for example, constant speed or acceleration models, constant turning rate and speed / acceleration models, Kalman filter-based and extended Kalman filter-based models, recurrent neural network (RNN)-based models, long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network-based models, encoder-decoder RNN models, etc.

[0060] Still referencing Figure 2 In some embodiments, the vehicle perception and planning system 220 further includes a vehicle planning subsystem 228. The vehicle planning subsystem 228 may include a route planner, a driving behavior planner, and a motion planner. The route planner may plan the vehicle's route based on the vehicle's current location data, target location data, traffic information, etc. The driving behavior planner uses obstacle prediction results provided by obstacle predictor 226 to adjust the timing and planned movement based on how other objects might move. The motion planner determines the specific actions the vehicle needs to follow. The planning results are then communicated to the vehicle control system 280 via vehicle interface 270. Communication can be performed via communication paths 223 and 271, which include any wired or wireless communication links capable of transmitting data.

[0061] The vehicle control system 280 controls the vehicle's steering mechanism, throttle, brakes, etc., to operate the vehicle according to a planned route and movement. The vehicle perception and planning system 220 may further include a user interface 260 that provides access to the vehicle control system 280 to a user (e.g., a driver), for example, to manipulate or take over control of the vehicle when necessary. The user interface 260 can communicate with the vehicle perception and planning system 220, for example, to acquire and display raw or fused sensor data, identified objects, vehicle position / attitude, etc. This displayed data can help the user better operate the vehicle. The user interface 260 can communicate with the vehicle perception and planning system 220 and / or the vehicle control system 280 via communication paths 221 and 261, respectively, including any wired or wireless communication links capable of transmitting data. It should be understood that... Figure 2The various systems, sensors, communication links, and interfaces within can be configured in any desired manner, and are not limited to... Figure 2 The configuration shown.

[0062] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary LiDAR system 300. The LiDAR system 300 can be used to implement... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The LiDAR systems 110, 120A-F, and / or 210 are shown. In one embodiment, LiDAR system 300 includes a laser source 310, a transmitter 320, an optical receiver and photodetector 330, a steering system 340, and a control circuitry system 350. These components are connected together using communication paths 312, 314, 322, 332, 343, 352, and 362. These communication paths include communication links (wired or wireless, bidirectional or unidirectional) among various LiDAR system components, but do not need to be the physical components themselves. Although these communication paths can be implemented by one or more wires, buses, or optical fibers, they can also be wireless channels or free-space optical paths, so that no physical communication medium exists. For example, in one embodiment of LiDAR system 300, communication path 314 between laser source 310 and transmitter 320 can be implemented using one or more optical fibers. Communication paths 332 and 352 may represent optical paths implemented using free-space optical components and / or optical fibers. Furthermore, communication paths 312, 322, 342, and 362 can be implemented using one or more wires carrying electrical signals. These communication paths may also include one or more of the communication media of the types described above (e.g., they may include optical fibers and free-space optical components, or include one or more optical fibers and one or more wires).

[0063] The LiDAR system 300 may also include Figure 3 Other components not depicted include power buses, power supplies, LED indicators, switches, etc. Additionally, other communication connections may exist between components, such as a direct connection between the light source 310 and the optical receiver and photodetector 330, to provide a reference signal so that the time from the emission of the light pulse until the detection of the returning light pulse can be accurately measured.

[0064] Laser source 310 outputs laser light for illuminating objects within the field of view (FOV). Laser source 310 can be, for example, a semiconductor-based laser (e.g., a diode laser) and / or a fiber-based laser. Semiconductor-based lasers can be, for example, edge-emitting lasers (EELs), vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), etc. Fiber-based lasers are lasers in which the active gain medium is an optical fiber doped with rare-earth elements (such as erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium, thulium, and / or holmium). In some embodiments, the fiber laser is based on double-clad fiber, in which the gain medium forms the core of the fiber surrounded by two cladding layers. Double-clad fiber allows the core to be pumped with a high-power beam, thereby enabling the laser source to become a high-power fiber laser source.

[0065] In some embodiments, the laser source 310 includes a master oscillator (also referred to as a seed laser) and a power amplifier (MOPA). The power amplifier amplifies the output power of the seed laser. The power amplifier can be a fiber amplifier, a bulk amplifier, or a semiconductor optical amplifier. The seed laser can be a diode laser (e.g., a Fabry-Perot cavity laser, a distributed feedback laser), a solid-state bulk laser, or a tunable external cavity diode laser. In some embodiments, the laser source 310 can be an optically pumped microchip laser. A microchip laser is an alignment-free monolithic solid-state laser in which the laser crystal is in direct contact with the end mirror of the laser resonator. Microchip lasers typically utilize laser diode pumping (directly or using fiber) to obtain the desired output power. Microchip lasers can be based on neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O4). 12 Laser crystals (i.e., Nd:YAG) or neodymium-doped vanadate (i.e., ND:YVO4) laser crystals.

[0066] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary fiber-optic laser source 400, which has a seed laser and one or more pumps (e.g., laser diodes) for pumping the desired output power. The fiber-optic laser source 400 is... Figure 3The example of laser source 310 depicted is shown below. In some embodiments, the fiber-based laser source 400 includes a seed laser 402 to generate one or more initial optical pulses of one wavelength (e.g., 1550 nm), which are provided to a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) 404 via fiber 403. The fiber-based laser source 400 further includes a pump 406 for providing laser power (e.g., at different wavelengths, such as 980 nm) to the WDM 404 via fiber 405. The WDM 404 multiplexes the optical pulses provided by the seed laser 402 and the laser power provided by the pump 406 onto a single fiber 407. The output of the WDM 404 can then be provided to one or more preamplifiers 408 via fiber 407. The preamplifiers 408 may be multiple optical amplifiers (e.g., having a gain of about 20 to 30 dB) that amplify optical signals. In some embodiments, the preamplifiers 408 are low-noise amplifiers. Multiple preamplifiers 408 output to combiner 410 via fiber optic cable 409. Combiner 410 combines the laser output from the multiple preamplifiers 408 with laser power supplied by pump 412 via fiber optic cable 411. Combiner 410 can combine optical signals with the same or different wavelengths. An example of a combiner is a WDM. Combiner 410 provides pulses to boost amplifier 414, which generates output optical pulses via fiber optic cable 410. Boost amplifier 414 provides further amplification of the optical signals. The output optical pulses can then be emitted to transmitter 320 and / or steering mechanism 340 (in...). Figure 3 (As shown in the image). It should be understood that... Figure 4 The illustration shows an exemplary configuration of a fiber-optic laser source 400. The laser source 400 can use... Figure 4 One or more components shown and / or Figure 4 It has many other configurations due to different combinations of other components not shown (e.g., other components such as power supply, lens, filter, beam splitter, combiner, etc.).

[0067] In some variations, the fiber-based laser source 400 can be controlled (e.g., by control circuitry 350) to generate pulses of different amplitudes based on the fiber gain profile of the fiber used in the fiber-based laser source 400. Communication path 312 connects the fiber-based laser source 400 to control circuitry 350 (in... Figure 3(As shown in the diagram), components of the fiber-based laser source 400 can be controlled by or otherwise communicate with the control circuitry system 350. Alternatively, the fiber-based laser source 400 may include its own dedicated controller. Instead of the control circuitry system 350 communicating directly with the components of the fiber-based laser source 400, the dedicated controller of the fiber-based laser source 400 communicates with and controls the components of the fiber-based light source 400 and / or communicates with these components. The fiber-based light source 400 may also include other components not shown, such as one or more power connectors, power supplies, and / or power lines.

[0068] refer to Figure 3 Typical operating wavelengths of the laser source 310 include, for example, approximately 850 nm, approximately 905 nm, approximately 940 nm, approximately 1064 nm, and approximately 1550 nm. The upper limit of the maximum usable laser power is set by US FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) regulations. The optical power limit at 1550 nm is significantly higher than the optical power limits at the other aforementioned wavelengths. Furthermore, at 1550 nm, optical power loss in the fiber is low. These characteristics of the 1550 nm wavelength make it more advantageous for long-range LiDAR applications. The amount of optical power output from the laser source 310 can be characterized by its peak power, average power, and pulse energy. Peak power is the ratio of pulse energy to the pulse width (e.g., full width at half maximum or FWHM). Therefore, for a fixed amount of pulse energy, a smaller pulse width can provide a larger peak power. Pulse widths can be in the range of nanoseconds or picoseconds. Average power is the product of the pulse energy and the pulse repetition rate (PRR). As described in more detail below, PRR represents the frequency of the pulsed laser. PRR typically corresponds to the maximum range that a LiDAR system can measure. Laser source 310 can be configured to generate pulses at a high PRR to satisfy the desired number of data points in the point cloud generated by the LiDAR system. Laser source 310 can also be configured to generate pulses at a medium or low PRR to satisfy the desired maximum detection distance. Wall insertion efficiency (WPE) is another factor in evaluating total power consumption and can be a key indicator for assessing laser efficiency. For example, as... Figure 1 As shown, multiple LiDAR systems can be attached to a vehicle, which can be an electric vehicle or a vehicle with a limited fuel or battery power supply in other respects. Therefore, when selecting and configuring the laser source 310 and / or designing a laser delivery system for LiDAR applications mounted in a vehicle, a high WPE and intelligent use of laser power is often an important consideration.

[0069] It should be understood that the above description provides a non-limiting example of the laser source 310. The laser source 310 can be configured to include many other types of light sources (e.g., laser diodes, short-cavity fiber lasers, solid-state lasers, and / or tunable external-cavity diode lasers) configured to generate one or more optical signals at various wavelengths. In some examples, the source 310 includes amplifiers (e.g., preamplifiers and / or boost amplifiers), which can be doped fiber amplifiers, solid-state amplifiers, and / or semiconductor optical amplifiers. These amplifiers are configured to receive optical signals and amplify them with a desired gain.

[0070] Return to reference Figure 3 The LiDAR system 300 further includes a transmitter 320. A laser source 310 provides laser light (e.g., in the form of a laser beam) to the transmitter 320. The laser light provided by the laser source 310 may be an amplified laser with a predetermined or controlled wavelength, pulse repetition rate, and / or power level. The transmitter 320 receives the laser light from the laser source 310 and emits the laser light to a steering mechanism 340 with low divergence. In some embodiments, the transmitter 320 may include, for example, optical components (e.g., lenses, optical fibers, mirrors, etc.) for emitting the laser beam directly or via the steering mechanism 340 into the field of view (FOV). Although Figure 3 The transmitter 320 and the steering mechanism 340 are illustrated as separate components, but in some embodiments, they may be combined or integrated into a system. The steering mechanism 340 is described in more detail below.

[0071] The laser beam provided by laser source 310 may diverge as it travels to emitter 320. Therefore, emitter 320 often includes a collimating lens configured to collect the diverging laser beam and produce a more parallel beam with reduced or minimal divergence. The collimated beam can then be further guided by various optical devices, such as mirrors and lenses. The collimating lens can be, for example, a single plano-convex lens or a group of lenses. The collimating lens can be configured to achieve any desired properties, such as beam diameter, divergence, numerical aperture, focal length, etc. Beam propagation ratio or beam quality factor (also known as M) is also considered. 2 The laser beam quality factor (M) is used to measure the quality of the laser beam. In many LiDAR applications, good laser beam quality is important in the generated emitted laser beam. 2 The factor represents the degree of variation of the beam relative to an ideal Gaussian beam. Therefore, M 2 The factor reflects how well a collimated laser beam can be focused onto a small point, or how well a diverging laser beam can be collimated. Therefore, the laser source 310 and / or emitter 320 can be configured to maintain the desired M... 2 The factors must simultaneously meet requirements such as scan resolution.

[0072] A steering mechanism 340 scans one or more of the light beams provided by the transmitter 320 onto the field of view (FOV). The steering mechanism 340 scans the light beams in multiple dimensions (e.g., horizontal and vertical dimensions) to help the LiDAR system 300 map the environment by generating a 3D point cloud. The steering mechanism 340 will be described in more detail below. The laser beams scanned onto the FOV can be scattered or reflected by objects within the FOV. At least a portion of the scattered or reflected light returns to the LiDAR system 300. Figure 3 Further illustration shows an optical receiver and photodetector 330 configured to receive returned light. The optical receiver and photodetector 330 include an optical receiver configured to collect returned light from the field of view (FOV). The optical receiver may include optics (e.g., lenses, optical fibers, mirrors, etc.) for receiving, redirecting, focusing, amplifying, and / or filtering the returned light from the FOV. For example, the optical receiver often includes a collecting lens (e.g., a single plano-convex lens or a group of lenses) to collect the returned light and / or focus the collected returned light onto the photodetector.

[0073] A photodetector detects the reflected light focused by an optical receiver and generates a current and / or voltage signal proportional to the incident intensity of the reflected light. Based on this current and / or voltage signal, depth information of the object within the field of view (FOV) can be derived. An exemplary method for deriving this depth information is based on direct time-of-flight (TOF), which is described in more detail below. A photodetector can be characterized by its detection sensitivity, quantum efficiency, detector bandwidth, linearity, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), overload resistance, and interference immunity. Depending on the application, the photodetector can be configured or customized to have any desired characteristics. For example, the optical receiver and photodetector 330 can be configured such that the photodetector has a large dynamic range while maintaining good linearity. Photodetector linearity indicates the detector's ability to maintain a linear relationship between the input optical signal power and the detector's output. A detector with good linearity can maintain a linear relationship over a large dynamic range of input optical signals.

[0074] To achieve the desired detector characteristics, the structure and / or material system of the photodetector can be configured or customized. Various detector structures can be used for the photodetector. For example, the photodetector structure can be a PIN-based structure with an undoped intrinsic semiconductor region (i.e., the "I" region) between the p-type and n-type semiconductor regions. Other photodetector structures include, for example, APD (avalanche photodiode) based structures, PMT (photomultiplier tube) based structures, SiPM (silicon photomultiplier tube) based structures, SPAD (single-photon avalanche diode) based structures, and / or quantum wires. For the material system used in the photodetector, materials based on Si, InGaAs, and / or Si / Ge can be used. It should be understood that many other detector structures and / or material systems can be used in the optical receiver and photodetector 330.

[0075] A photodetector (e.g., an APD-based detector) can have internal gain that amplifies the input signal when generating the output signal. However, noise can also be amplified due to the photodetector's internal gain. Common types of noise include signal shot noise, dark current shot noise, thermal noise, and amplifier noise (TIA). In some embodiments, the optical receiver and photodetector 330 may include a preamplifier as a low-noise amplifier (LNA). In some embodiments, the preamplifier may also include a TIA transimpedance amplifier that converts a current signal into a voltage signal. For linear detector systems, the input equivalent noise or noise equivalent power (NEP) measures the photodetector's sensitivity to weak signals. Therefore, they can be used as indicators of overall system performance. For example, the photodetector's NEP specifies the power of the weakest signal that can be detected, and thus it specifies the maximum range of the LiDAR system. It should be understood that various photodetector optimization techniques can be used to meet the requirements of the LiDAR system 300. Such optimization techniques may include selecting different detector structures, materials, and / or implementing signal processing techniques (e.g., filtering, noise reduction, amplification, etc.). For example, in addition to or instead of using direct detection of the returned signal (e.g., by using a time-of-flight method), coherent detection can also be used for photodetectors. Coherent detection allows the detection of the amplitude and phase information of the received light by interfering with the received light using a local oscillator. Coherent detection can improve detection sensitivity and noise immunity.

[0076] Figure 3Further illustration shows the LiDAR system 300 including a steering mechanism 340. As described above, the steering mechanism 340 guides the beam from the transmitter 320 to scan the field of view (FOV) in multiple dimensions. The steering mechanism is referred to as a grating mechanism or scanning mechanism. Scanning the beam in multiple directions (e.g., horizontal and vertical) helps the LiDAR system map the environment by generating images or 3D point clouds. The steering mechanism can be based on mechanical scanning and / or solid-state scanning. Mechanical scanning uses rotating mirrors to steer the laser beam or physically rotates the LiDAR transmitter and receiver (collectively referred to as transceivers) to scan the laser beam. Solid-state scanning guides the laser beam across the FOV to various locations without mechanically moving any macroscopic components (such as transceivers). Solid-state scanning mechanisms include, for example, optical phased array-based steering and flash LiDAR-based steering. In some embodiments, steering performed by the solid-state scanning mechanism can be referred to as effective steering because the solid-state scanning mechanism does not physically move macroscopic components. LiDAR systems using solid-state scanning can also be referred to as non-mechanical scanning or simply non-scanning LiDAR systems (flash LiDAR systems are exemplary non-scanning LiDAR systems).

[0077] The steering mechanism 340 can be used in conjunction with a transceiver (e.g., transmitter 320 and optical receiver and photodetector 330) to scan the field of view (FOV) to generate an image or 3D point cloud. As an example, to implement the steering mechanism 340, a 2D mechanical scanner can be used with one or more single-point transceivers. The single-point transceiver transmits a single beam or a small number of beams (e.g., 2 to 8 beams) to the steering mechanism. The 2D mechanical steering mechanism includes, for example, multiple faceted mirrors, multiple oscillating mirrors, multiple rotating prisms, multiple rotating tilting mirrors, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the steering mechanism 340 may include multiple non-mechanical steering mechanisms, such as multiple solid-state steering mechanisms. For example, the steering mechanism 340 may be based on the tuned wavelength of a laser incorporating refractive effects, and / or on a reconfigurable grating / phase array. In some embodiments, the steering mechanism 340 can perform a 2D scan using a single scanning device or by using a combination of two devices.

[0078] As another example, to implement the steering mechanism 340, a one-dimensional mechanical scanner can be used with an array of single-point transceivers or a large number of single-point transceivers. Specifically, the transceiver array can be mounted on a rotating platform to achieve a 360-degree horizontal field of view. Alternatively, a static transceiver array can be combined with a one-dimensional mechanical scanner. The one-dimensional mechanical scanner includes multiple faceted mirrors, multiple oscillating mirrors, multiple rotating prisms, and multiple rotating tilting mirrors to obtain a forward-looking horizontal field of view. Steering mechanisms using mechanical scanners can provide robustness and reliability for automotive applications in mass production.

[0079] As another example, to implement the steering mechanism 340, a two-dimensional transceiver can be used to directly generate scanned images or 3D point clouds. In some embodiments, stitching or micro-shifting methods can be used to improve the resolution of the scanned image or the scanned field of view. For example, using a two-dimensional transceiver, signals generated in one direction (e.g., horizontal) and signals generated in another direction (e.g., vertical) can be integrated, interleaved, and / or matched to generate a higher or full-resolution image or 3D point cloud representing the scanned FOV.

[0080] Some embodiments of the steering mechanism 340 include one or more optical redirection elements (e.g., mirrors or lenses) that redirect the returning light signal along the receiving path (e.g., by rotation, vibration, or guidance) to direct the returning light signal to the optical receiver and photodetector 330. The optical redirection elements guiding the light signal along the transmission and receiving paths can be identical (e.g., shared) components, separate (e.g., dedicated) components, and / or a combination of shared and separate components. This means that in some cases, the transmission and receiving paths are different, but they can partially overlap (or in some cases substantially overlap).

[0081] Still referencing Figure 3 The LiDAR system 300 further includes a control circuitry system 350. The control circuitry system 350 can be configured and / or programmed to control various parts of the LiDAR system 300 and / or perform signal processing. In a typical system, the control circuitry system 350 can be configured and / or programmed to perform one or more control operations, including, for example: controlling the laser source 310 to obtain desired laser pulse duration, repetition rate, and power; controlling the steering mechanism 340 (e.g., controlling speed, direction, and / or other parameters) to scan the field of view (FOV) and maintain pixel registration / alignment; controlling the optical receiver and photodetector 330 (e.g., controlling sensitivity, noise reduction, filtering, and / or other parameters) to optimize their operation; and monitoring the overall system health / functional safety status.

[0082] The control circuit system 350 can also be configured and / or programmed to perform signal processing on the raw data generated by the optical receiver and photodetector 330 to derive distance and reflectivity information, and to perform data packaging and communication with the vehicle perception and planning system 220 (in Figure 2(As shown in the diagram) Communication. For example, the control circuit system 350 determines the time taken from transmitting a light pulse to receiving a corresponding return light pulse; determines when no return light pulse is received for a transmitted light pulse; determines the direction of the transmitted / return light pulse (e.g., horizontal and / or vertical information); determines the estimated range in a particular direction; and / or determines any other type of data associated with the LiDAR system 300.

[0083] The LiDAR system 300 can be housed in a vehicle that operates in a variety of environments, including hot or cold weather, rough road conditions that may cause severe vibrations, high or low humidity, dusty areas, etc. Therefore, in some embodiments, the optical and / or electronic components of the LiDAR system 300 (e.g., the optics in the transmitter 320, the optical receiver and photodetector 330, and the steering mechanism 340) are positioned or configured to maintain long-term mechanical and optical stability. For example, components in the LiDAR system 300 can be secured and sealed so that they can operate under all conditions the vehicle may encounter. As an example, a moisture-proof coating and / or an airtight seal can be applied to the optical components of the transmitter 320, the optical receiver and photodetector 330, and the steering mechanism 340 (as well as other components susceptible to moisture). As another example, multiple housings, shells, and / or windows can be used in the LiDAR system 300 to provide desired properties such as hardness, IP rating, self-cleaning capability, chemical resistance, and impact resistance. In addition, efficient and economical methods for assembling the LiDAR system 300 can be used to meet the operational requirements of LiDAR while maintaining low cost.

[0084] Those skilled in the art should understand that Figure 3 The above description is for illustrative purposes only, and a LiDAR system may include other functional units, blocks, or segments, and may include variations or combinations of these functional units, blocks, or segments. For example, LiDAR system 300 may also include Figure 3 Other components not depicted include power buses, power supplies, LED indicators, switches, etc. Additionally, other connections between components may exist, such as a direct connection between the light source 310 and the optical receiver and photodetector 330, allowing the photodetector 330 to accurately measure the time from when the light source 310 emits a light pulse until the photodetector 330 detects the returning light pulse.

[0085] Figure 3The components shown are connected together using communication paths 312, 314, 322, 332, 342, 352, and 362. These communication paths represent communication (bidirectional or unidirectional) between various LiDAR system components, but do not need to be the physical components themselves. Although these communication paths can be implemented by one or more wires, buses, or optical fibers, they can also be wireless channels or open-air optical paths, making the absence of a physical communication medium. For example, in an exemplary LiDAR system, communication path 314 includes one or more optical fibers; communication path 352 represents an optical path; and communication paths 312, 322, 342, and 362 are all wires carrying electrical signals. These communication paths may also include more than one of the above types of communication media (e.g., they may include optical fibers and optical paths, or one or more optical fibers and one or more wires).

[0086] As described above, some LiDAR systems use the time-of-flight (TOF) of an optical signal (e.g., a light pulse) to determine the distance to an object in the optical path. For example, reference Figure 5A An exemplary LiDAR system 500 includes a laser source (e.g., a fiber laser), a steering system (e.g., a system of one or more moving mirrors), and a photodetector (e.g., a photon detector with one or more optics). The LiDAR system 500 can be implemented using, for example, the LiDAR system 300 described above. The LiDAR system 500 emits optical pulses 502 along an optical path 504 as defined by the steering system of the LiDAR system 500. In the depicted example, the optical pulses 502 generated by the laser source are short pulses of laser light. Further, the signal steering system of the LiDAR system 500 is a pulse signal steering system. However, it should be understood that LiDAR systems can operate by generating, emitting, and detecting non-pulsed optical signals and using techniques other than time-of-flight to derive the distance to objects in the surrounding environment. For example, some LiDAR systems use frequency-modulated continuous wave (i.e., "FMCW"). It should be further understood that any of the techniques described herein with respect to time-of-flight systems using pulse signals can also be applied to LiDAR systems that do not use one or both of these techniques.

[0087] Return to reference Figure 5A(For example, a time-of-flight LiDAR system using light pulses is illustrated.) When light pulse 502 reaches object 506, it is scattered or reflected to generate a returning light pulse 508. The returning light pulse 508 can return to system 500 along optical path 510. The time from when the emitted light pulse 502 leaves LiDAR system 500 to when the returning light pulse 508 returns to LiDAR system 500 can be measured (e.g., by a processor or other electronic device within the LiDAR system, such as control circuitry system 350). This time of flight, combined with the known speed of light, can be used to determine the range / distance from LiDAR system 500 to the portion of object 506 from which the light pulse 502 is scattered or reflected.

[0088] like Figure 5B As depicted, the LiDAR system 500 scans the external environment by guiding a series of light pulses (e.g., by guiding light pulses 502, 522, 526, and 530 along light paths 504, 524, 528, and 532, respectively). Figure 5C As depicted, the LiDAR system 500 receives return light pulses 508, 542, and 548 (these return light pulses correspond to the emitted light pulses 502, 522, and 530, respectively). Return light pulses 508, 542, and 548 are generated by light pulses emitted by being scattered or reflected by one of objects 506 and 514. Return light pulses 508, 542, and 548 can return to the LiDAR system 500 along optical paths 510, 544, and 546, respectively. Based on the direction of the emitted light pulses (as determined by the LiDAR system 500) and the calculated distance from the LiDAR system 500 to the portion of the object scattering or reflecting the light pulses (e.g., portions of objects 506 and 514), the external environment within the detectable range (e.g., including the field of view between paths 504 and 532) can be accurately mapped or plotted (e.g., by generating a 3D point cloud or image).

[0089] If no corresponding light pulse is received for a specific emitted light pulse, it can be determined that there is no object within the detectable range of the LiDAR system 500 (e.g., the object is beyond the maximum scanning distance of the LiDAR system 500). For example, in Figure 5B In the middle, optical pulse 526 may not have a corresponding return optical pulse (e.g. Figure 5C (As illustrated in the diagram), because the light pulse 526 may not generate a scattering event along its emission path 528 within the predetermined detection range. The LiDAR system 500 or an external system (e.g., a cloud system or service) communicating with the LiDAR system 500 may interpret the lack of a return light pulse as the absence of an object positioned along the light path 528 within the detectable range of the LiDAR system 500.

[0090] exist Figure 5B In this process, optical pulses 502, 522, 526, and 530 can be emitted in any order, serially, in parallel, or based on other times relative to each other. Additionally, although... Figure 5B The emitted light pulse can be depicted as being guided in one dimension or one plane (e.g., the plane of paper), but the LiDAR system 500 can also guide the emitted light pulse along multiple other dimensions or planes. For example, the LiDAR system 500 can also guide the emitted light pulse along a plane perpendicular to... Figure 5B The emitted light pulse is guided in the dimension or plane shown, thereby forming a 2D emission of the light pulse. This 2D emission of the light pulse can be point-by-point, line-by-line, simultaneous, or otherwise. A point cloud or image (e.g., a single horizontal line) from a 1D emission of the light pulse can generate 2D data (e.g., (1) data from the horizontal transmission direction and (2) the range or distance to the object). Similarly, a point cloud or image from a 2D emission of the light pulse can generate 3D data (e.g., (1) data from the horizontal transmission direction, (2) data from the vertical transmission direction, and (3) the range or distance to the object). Generally, a LiDAR system performing an n-dimensional emission of light pulses generates (n+1)-dimensional data. This is because the LiDAR system can measure the depth of an object or the range / distance to the object, which provides an additional dimension to the data. Therefore, a 2D scan performed by a LiDAR system can generate a 3D point cloud for mapping the external environment of the LiDAR system.

[0091] Point cloud density refers to the number of measurements (data points) performed by a LiDAR system for each region. Point cloud density is related to LiDAR scan resolution. Generally, at least for the region of interest (ROI), a higher point cloud density is desired, and therefore a higher resolution is expected. The point density in a point cloud or image generated by a LiDAR system is equal to the number of pulses divided by the field of view. In some embodiments, the field of view can be fixed. Therefore, to increase the density of points generated by a set of transmit-receive optics (or transceiver optics), a LiDAR system may need to generate pulses more frequently. In other words, a light source with a higher pulse repetition rate (PRR) is required. On the other hand, by generating and transmitting pulses more frequently, the furthest distance that a LiDAR system can detect may be limited. For example, if a return signal is received from a distant object after the system transmits the next pulse, the return signal may be detected in a different order than the order in which the corresponding signals were transmitted, thus causing ambiguity if the system cannot correctly correlate the return signal with the transmitted signal.

[0092] For illustration, consider an exemplary LiDAR system that can emit laser pulses with repetition rates between 500 kHz and 1 MHz. Based on the time it takes for the pulses to return to the LiDAR system, and to avoid confusing return pulses from continuous pulses in a conventional LiDAR design, the maximum detection range for 500 kHz and 150 meters is 300 meters and 150 meters, respectively. The point density of a LiDAR system with a repetition rate of 500 kHz is half that of a LiDAR system with a repetition rate of 1 MHz. Therefore, this example shows that increasing the repetition rate from 500 kHz to 1 MHz (and thus increasing the point density) can reduce the system's detection range if the system cannot properly correlate out-of-order arriving return signals. Various techniques are used to mitigate the trade-off between a higher PRR and limited detection range. For example, multiple wavelengths can be used to detect objects within different ranges. Optical and / or signal processing techniques are also used to correlate the emitted and returned optical signals.

[0093] The various systems, devices, and methods described herein can be implemented using digital circuit systems or using one or more computers that utilize known computer processors, memory units, storage devices, computer software, and other components. Typically, a computer includes a processor for executing instructions and one or more memories for storing instructions and data. A computer may also include or be connected to one or more mass storage devices, such as one or more disks, internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical disks, optical disks, etc.

[0094] The various systems, devices, and methods described herein can be implemented using computers operating in a client-server relationship. Typically, in such systems, the client computer is positioned remotely from the server computer and interacts via a network. The client-server relationship can be defined and controlled by computer programs running on the respective client and server computers. Examples of client computers can include desktop computers, workstations, laptops, cellular smartphones, tablets, or other types of computing devices.

[0095] The various systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein can be implemented using computer program products tangibly embodied in an information carrier (e.g., in a non-transitory machine-readable storage device) for execution by a programmable processor; and the methods, processes, and steps described herein (including Figure 12One or more steps in the process can be implemented using one or more computer programs that are executable by such processors. A computer program is a set of computer program instructions that can be used directly or indirectly in a computer to perform an activity or produce a result. Computer programs can be written in any form of programming language (including compiled or interpreted languages) and can be deployed in any form, including as a standalone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.

[0096] Figure 6 The diagram illustrates a high-level block diagram of an exemplary device that can be used to implement the systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein. Device 600 includes a processor 610 operatively coupled to persistent storage device 620 and main memory device 630. The processor 610 controls the overall operation of device 600 by executing computer program instructions that define such operations. The computer program instructions may be stored in persistent storage device 620 or other computer-readable medium and loaded into main memory device 630 when execution of the computer program instructions is desired. For example, processor 610 can be used to implement one or more components and systems described herein, such as control circuitry system 350 (…). Figure 3 (shown in the image), Vehicle Perception and Planning System 220 ( Figure 2 (shown in the image) and vehicle control system 280 ( Figure 2 (As shown in the image). Therefore, Figure 12 The method steps can be defined by computer program instructions stored in main memory device 630 and / or persistent storage device 620, and controlled by processor 610 that executes the computer program instructions. For example, the computer program instructions can be implemented as computer-executable code programmed by someone skilled in the art to perform the actions of... Figure 12 The algorithm is defined by the method steps. Therefore, by executing computer program instructions, the processor 610 executes the algorithm defined by the method steps. Figure 3 -5 systems and equipment and Figure 12 The method defines the algorithm. Device 600 also includes one or more network interfaces 680 for communicating with other devices via a network. Device 600 may also include one or more input / output devices 690 (e.g., display, keyboard, mouse, speaker, button, etc.) that enable a user to interact with device 600.

[0097] Processor 610 may include general-purpose microprocessors and special-purpose microprocessors, and may be the sole processor of device 600 or one of multiple processors. Processor 610 may include one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs), which may, for example, operate independently of one or more CPUs and / or perform multitasking with one or more CPUs to accelerate processing, such as for the various image processing applications described herein. Processor 610, persistent storage device 620, and / or main memory device 630 may include one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and / or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), supplemented by one or more ASICs and / or one or more FPGAs, or incorporated into one or more ASICs and / or one or more FPGAs.

[0098] Persistent storage device 620 and main memory device 630 each include a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium. Persistent storage device 620 and main memory device 630 may each include high-speed random access memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR RAM), or other random access solid-state memory devices, and may include non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices (e.g., internal hard disks and removable disks), magneto-optical disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, semiconductor memory devices, such as erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital universal optical disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM), or other non-volatile solid-state memory devices.

[0099] Input / output device 690 may include peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, displays, etc. For example, input / output device 690 may include display devices for displaying information to a user (such as cathode ray tube (CRT), plasma or liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors), keyboards, and pointing devices (such as mice or trackballs that allow the user to provide input to device 600).

[0100] Any or all of the functions of the systems and devices discussed herein may be executed by processor 610 and / or incorporated into a device or system (such as LiDAR system 300). Furthermore, LiDAR system 300 and / or device 600 may utilize one or more neural networks or other deep learning techniques executed by processor 610 or other systems or devices discussed herein.

[0101] Those skilled in the art will recognize that actual implementations of computers or computer systems may have other structures and may include other components, and Figure 6 This is a high-level representation of some of the components of such a computer for illustrative purposes.

[0102] Figure 7A A simplified, compact LiDAR device 700 is illustrated. Device 700 includes a transceiver array 702, a mirror 704, and a polygon mirror 710. Transceiver array 702 includes one or more transmitters providing one or more emitted beams 713. Transceiver array 702 also includes one or more receivers for receiving returned light. Figure 7A In the illustrated embodiment, the transmitter in transceiver array 702 emits multiple laser beams 713, which are directed toward mirror 704. For example, transceiver array 702 may emit 2, 4, 6, 8, or 16 beams, thereby improving scan resolution and speed. In one example, mirror 704 may be a non-movable mirror (e.g., a mirror with a fixed position and orientation). In another example, mirror 704 may be a galvanometer mirror capable of being controlled to oscillate about an axis around mirror 704. If mirror 704 is a non-movable mirror, the LiDAR device can generally have a smaller size than if mirror 704 is a galvanometer mirror. This is because a galvanometer mirror requires a motor to oscillate the mirror. Therefore, a non-movable mirror 704 can be used to make the LiDAR device more compact. If more space is available and a galvanometer mirror can be used as mirror 704, the oscillation of mirror 704 can help increase the resolution of the LiDAR scan lines and increase the vertical and / or horizontal FOV.

[0103] like Figure 7A As shown, mirror 704 reflects the emitted light beam 713 to form emitted light 715. Emitted light 715 may include one or more emitted light beams. Light 715 is directed toward a faceted mirror 710, which is used to redirect the light to illuminate an object in the field of view (FOV) 720. Therefore, faceted mirror 710 is optically coupled to mirror 704 and rotates about axis 712 to redirect the light. In some embodiments, faceted mirror 710 includes a plurality of reflective facets, such as four, five, six, etc. Figure 7A and Figure 7B The illustration shows a faceted mirror 710 with four facets (e.g., Figure 7BTwo such facets 716A and 716B are shown in the diagram. In some embodiments, multiple emitted beams of light 715 are directed toward the same facet of the facet 710 at any given time. The same facet of the facet 710 then redirects the beams to form light 717. In some embodiments, multiple emitted beams of light 715 are directed toward two or more facets of the facet 710 at a given time. The facet 710 then redirects these beams of light 715 to form emitted light 717.

[0104] like Figure 7A As shown, light 717 comprises one or more emitted beams. The combination of mirror 704 and faceted mirror 710 can direct light 717 both horizontally and vertically to illuminate an object located in FOV 720. In some embodiments, if mirror 704 is movable, movement of mirror 704 enables scanning of light 717 in one direction (e.g., vertical), and movement of faceted mirror 710 enables scanning of light 717 in another direction (e.g., horizontal). In other embodiments, mirror 704 is immovable, so faceted mirror 710 is configured to scan in both horizontal and vertical directions. For example, the facets of faceted mirror 710 can be configured with different tilt angles such that when the faceted mirror rotates about axis 712, it can guide light 717 in both horizontal and vertical directions. Examples of configurations of faceted mirror 710 are described in more detail below.

[0105] Figure 7B The illustration shows, according to some embodiments, in Figure 7A The image shows an enlarged view of the faceted mirror 710 used in the compact LiDAR device 700. In some embodiments, the faceted mirror 710 includes a top surface 718, a bottom surface 714, and a plurality of reflective facets 716A-D (collectively referred to as 716) for reflecting light. The reflective facets 716 are disposed between the top and bottom surfaces of the faceted mirror 710 and are therefore also referred to as the side surfaces of the faceted mirror 710. Figure 7B An embodiment of a faceted mirror 710 is shown, wherein the faceted mirror has a top surface and a bottom surface with polygonal shapes (e.g., square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.). In some embodiments, facet 716 includes a reflective surface (e.g., a mirror). As used above Figure 7AAs described, facet 716 reflects emitted light 715 to form emitted light 717, which may include one or more emitted beams for illuminating objects in FOV 714. The facet 710 is configured to rotate about axis 712 using, for example, a motor. Thus, each facet of the facet 710 reflects light in turn. In this disclosure, oscillation means moving continuously back and forth in two opposite directions (e.g., clockwise and counterclockwise) in a periodic or non-periodic manner within a predetermined angular range (e.g., 40 degrees, 80 degrees, etc.). Rotation means moving continuously at least 360 degrees in only one direction. Therefore, the facet 710 is configured to rotate continuously at least 360 degrees. As described above, mirror 704 may be completely immovable or may be configured to oscillate between two angular positions.

[0106] In some embodiments, at any given time, multiple emitted beams of light 715 can be reflected by the same facet of the facet of the polygon mirror 710 to form multiple emitted beams of light 717. In some embodiments, the multiple emitted beams of light 715 are reflected by different facets of the facet ... Therefore, in some embodiments, the faceted mirrors 710 and 704 are used both to emit light beams to illuminate objects in the field of view (FOV) and to receive and redirect the returned light to the receiver of the LiDAR device 700. Using faceted mirrors 710 and 704 to both redirect the emitted light to the FOV and redirect the returned light back to the receiver makes the LiDAR device more compact.

[0107] In some embodiments, the first redirected return light is formed by a plurality of emitted beams of light 717 and is reflected by the same facet of the facet of the facet 710 at any given time. In some embodiments, the first redirected return light is reflected by different facets of the facet 710 at any given time. Figure 7AThe LiDAR device 700 shown is described in more detail in U.S. Nonprovisional Patent Application No. 16 / 682,774, filed November 14, 2018, entitled “LIDAR SYSTEMS THAT USE A MULTI-FACETMIRROR”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0108] In some embodiments, Figure 7B At least one of the facets 716 of the facet 710 shown has a tilt angle other than 90 degrees. The tilt angle is the angle between the normal direction of the facet and the axis of rotation of the facet. Therefore, for each facet of the facet 710, the tilt angle lies between the direction perpendicular to the facet and its axis of rotation 712. One such tilt angle 745 is... Figure 7B The angle shown is formed by the rotation axis 712 and the normal direction 742 of the facet 716B. Figure 7B In the example shown, the tilt angle 745 is not a 90-degree angle. Figure 7B The illustration shows that each facet 716A-D of the faceted mirror 710 has a tilt angle other than 90 degrees, thus forming a wedge-shaped facet. The wedge-shaped facets are not parallel to the axis of rotation. For example, in... Figure 7B In this configuration, facet 716B is not parallel to the axis of rotation 712. Therefore, the wedge-shaped facet or cross-section of the facet 710 can have a trapezoidal shape. It should be understood that the facets of the facet can be configured to have a tilt angle other than 90 degrees or a tilt angle of 90 degrees. Furthermore, different facets of the facet can have the same or different tilt angles.

[0109] Figure 8 The illustration shows a top view of a vehicle's rearview mirror assembly 830. The rearview mirror assembly 830 includes a simplified LiDAR device 800 mounted therein. Figure 7A The embodiments shown are similar. Figure 8 The LiDAR device 800 shown includes a transceiver array 802, a mirror 804, and a polygon mirror 810. These components of the LiDAR device 800 are the same as or similar to those described above, and therefore will not be described again. Figure 8As shown, the transceiver array 802, mirror 804, and polygon mirror 810 can be sized such that they are enclosed within the rearview mirror assembly 830. In some embodiments, other components of the LiDAR device 800 may also be housed within the rearview mirror assembly 830. It should be understood that these components may also be configured to be enclosed in another confined space, such as a vehicle's lamp housing, a vehicle's corner space, etc. In some embodiments, one or more transceivers, polygon mirrors, and mirrors (e.g., fixed mirrors or galvanometer mirrors) may be enclosed in a space approximately 2-6 inches in length, approximately 2-6 inches in width, and approximately 1-4 inches in height.

[0110] like Figure 8 As shown, transceiver array 802, mirror 804 and polygon mirror 810 are disposed in rearview mirror assembly 830, so that LiDAR device 800 can scan a horizontal FOV of approximately 120 degrees or greater. Figure 8 A top view of the rearview mirror assembly 830 is shown (e.g., the viewing direction is perpendicular to the road surface and parallel to the rearview mirror assembly 830). Figure 8 In this configuration, the polygon mirror 810 is mounted such that its axis of rotation is perpendicular to the road surface. Therefore, in... Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, when rotated about the axis of rotation of the facet mirror 810, the facet mirror 810 can scan the emitted beam and receive the returned light along the horizontal direction of the field of view (FOV). The horizontal FOV can be about 120 degrees or greater. As described in more detail below, the facet tilt angle of the facet mirror 810 can also be arranged such that it can also scan the emitted beam and receive the returned light along the vertical direction of the FOV. It should be understood that the facet mirror 810 can be configured and positioned within the rearview mirror assembly 830 in any desired manner to scan the emitted beam and receive the returned light along one or both of the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0111] In some embodiments, the front cover of the rearview mirror assembly 830 of the vehicle is made of an infrared (IR) polycarbonate material, allowing infrared light to pass through and out of the front cover of the rearview mirror assembly 830, but not light of other wavelengths. For example, the beam of a LiDAR device can have wavelengths of about 850 nm, about 905 nm, about 940 nm, about 1064 nm, about 1550 nm, about 2000 nm, or any other infrared wavelength range. Therefore, these infrared beams can be emitted into the FOV through the front cover of the rearview mirror assembly 830, and the reflected light can also be received through the front cover. If the LiDAR device 800 is installed in other parts of the vehicle, a similar IR polycarbonate material can be used to allow infrared light to travel through it.

[0112] Figures 9A to 9DThe diagrams illustrate polygon mirrors 900, 930, 960, and 990. These different embodiments can be used to implement polygon mirrors 710 and 810 described above. For Figures 9A to 9D In each of the different embodiments of the polygonal mirror shown, at least two reflective facets of the polygonal mirror are arranged as follows: For said at least two reflective facets, each facet is arranged such that: a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge of the reflective facet correspond to a first line, a second line, and a third line; the first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of the plane including the reflective facet; and the first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of the plane including the reflective facet. The first interior angle is an acute angle, and the second interior angle is an obtuse angle.

[0113] Using a faceted mirror 900 as an example, the faceted mirror 900 includes a top surface 910, a bottom surface 912, and a plurality of facets 902, 904, 906, and 908 (e.g., four side surfaces). Facets 902, 904, 906, and 908 may also be designated as a left reflecting facet, a front reflecting facet, a right reflecting facet, and a rear reflecting facet. Facets 902, 904, 906, and 908 reflect light and are therefore also referred to as reflecting facets. In one embodiment as illustrated by the faceted mirror 900, facets 904 and 908 (e.g., the front and rear facets) are parallelogram-shaped facets, and facets 902 and 906 (e.g., the left and right facets) are rectangular-shaped facets. Figure 9AAs shown, facet 904 includes three edges 915, 917, and 919. These three edges correspond to three lines. For example, the first line may include a portion of edge 917, the entire edge 917, or an extension of edge 917 (e.g., a straight line extending edge 917). Similarly, the second line may include a portion of edge 915, the entire edge 915, or an extension of edge 915 (e.g., a straight line extending edge 915). And the third line may include a portion of edge 919, the entire edge 919, or an extension of edge 919 (e.g., a straight line extending edge 919). The first line (corresponding to edge 917) and the second line (corresponding to edge 915) form a first interior angle of the 2D plane including facet 904. The first interior angle is an acute angle (e.g., an angle less than 90 degrees). The first line (corresponding to edge 917) and the third line (corresponding to edge 919) form a second interior angle of the plane including facet 904. The second interior angle is an obtuse angle (e.g., an angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees). In one embodiment, facet 904 is a parallelogram-shaped facet. Similarly, facet 908 can also be a parallelogram-shaped facet. The parallelogram-shaped facet has interior angles other than 90 degrees. In other embodiments, facets 904 and 908 may have acute and obtuse interior angles, but may not be parallelogram-shaped facets. For example, facets 904 and 908 may have a trapezoidal shape or any other desired shape.

[0114] exist Figure 9A In the illustrated embodiment, facets 902 and 906 are rectangular. Therefore, all interior angles of the corresponding 2D planes including facets 902 and 906 are 90 degrees. Because facets 904 and 908 do not have all interior angles of 90 degrees (e.g., they are parallelogram-shaped facets), facets 902 and 906 have non-90-degree tilt angles. The tilt angle of a reflective facet is the angle between the normal direction of the reflective facet and the axis around which the polygon mirror can rotate. Therefore, for facet 902, its tilt angle 923 is the angle formed by its normal direction 920 and the rotation axis 901 of the polygon mirror 900. This tilt angle 923 is a non-90-degree angle (e.g., an acute angle). If the tilt angle 923 is an acute angle, then facet 902 is tilted such that facet 902 can guide emitted light toward or from the upper portion of the vertical direction of the FOV. Similarly, for facet 906, its tilt angle 925 is formed by its normal direction 924 and the rotation axis 901 of the facet 900. This tilt angle 925 is also a non-90-degree angle (e.g., an obtuse angle). If the tilt angle 925 is an obtuse angle, then facet 906 is tilted such that facet 906 can guide emitted light toward or receive reflected light from the lower portion of the vertical direction of the FOV.

[0115] In an embodiment of the facet 900, facets 904 and 908 may not be tilted. Therefore, facets 904 and 908 may have a tilt angle of 90 degrees. Thus, the normal directions of facets 904 and 908 are perpendicular to the rotation axis 901 of the facet 900. Consequently, facets 904 and 908 can guide emitted light toward or from the middle portion of the vertical direction of the field of view (FOV). Therefore, the tilt angles of facets 902, 904, 906, and 908 are configured to scan the entire or most of the vertical direction of the FOV. In one embodiment, the vertical FOV coverage is approximately 90 degrees or greater. In an embodiment of the facet 900, the top surface 910 and the bottom surface 912 may both be parallelogram-shaped surfaces. As described above, the top surface 910 and the bottom surface 912 are not configured to guide light and therefore may be non-reflective surfaces.

[0116] Turn now Figure 9B In the embodiment, the facet 930 includes a top surface 940, a bottom surface 942, and a plurality of facets 932, 934, 936, and 938 (e.g., four side surfaces). Facets 932, 934, 936, and 938 may also be designated as the left reflecting facet, the front reflecting facet, the right reflecting facet, and the rear reflecting facet. Facets 932, 934, 936, and 938 reflect light and are therefore also referred to as reflecting facets. For the facet 930, all facets 932, 934, 936, and 938 (e.g., the left facet, the right facet, the front facet, and the rear facet) are parallelogram-shaped facets. Figure 9BAs shown, facet 934 includes three edges 945, 947, and 949. These three edges correspond to three lines. For example, the first line may include a portion of edge 947, the entire edge 947, or an extension of edge 947 (e.g., a straight line extending edge 947). Similarly, the second line may include a portion of edge 945, the entire edge 945, or an extension of edge 945 (e.g., a straight line extending edge 945). And the third line may include a portion of edge 949, the entire edge 949, or an extension of edge 949 (e.g., a straight line extending edge 949). The first line corresponding to edge 947 and the second line corresponding to edge 945 form a first interior angle of the 2D plane including facet 934. The first interior angle is an acute angle (e.g., an angle less than 90 degrees). The first line (corresponding to edge 947) and the third line (corresponding to edge 949) form a second interior angle of the plane including facet 934. The second interior angle is an obtuse angle (e.g., an angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees). In one embodiment, facet 934 is a parallelogram-shaped facet. Similarly, facet 938 is also a parallelogram-shaped facet. Both facets 934 and 938 (e.g., the front and rear facets) have interior angles other than 90 degrees. In other embodiments, facets 934 and 938 may have acute and obtuse interior angles, but may not be parallelogram-shaped facets. For example, facets 934 and 938 may have trapezoidal shapes or any other desired shape.

[0117] exist Figure 9B In the embodiments shown, the interior angles of the respective 2D planes including facets 932 and 936 may not be 90 degrees. Similar to the cases described above, the interior angles of the 2D planes including facets 932 and 936 may have one obtuse angle and one acute angle. In one embodiment, facets 932 and 936 may be parallelogram-shaped facets. Facets 932 and 936 may have any other desired shape (e.g., trapezoidal shape). Because facets 934 and 938 have interior angles other than 90 degrees (e.g., they are parallelogram-shaped facets), facets 932 and 936 have tilt angles other than 90 degrees. Similar to the cases described above regarding facets 902 and 904 of facet 900, facets 932 and 934 of facet 930 have tilt angles other than 90 degrees (e.g., the tilt angle 953 of facet 932 is acute, and the tilt angle 955 of facet 936 is obtuse). Due to their tilt angles, facets 932 and 934 can guide the emitted light toward the upper and lower portions of the vertical direction of the FOV, or receive the returned light from the upper and lower portions, respectively.

[0118] Similarly, because facets 932 and 936 of the facet 930 (e.g., the left and right facets) have interior angles other than 90 degrees (e.g., they are parallelogram-shaped facets), facets 934 and 938 (e.g., the front and rear facets) also have tilt angles other than 90 degrees (e.g., the tilt angle of facet 934 can be obtuse, and the tilt angle of facet 938 can be acute). Therefore, facets 934 and 938 can direct emitted light toward different portions of the vertical center of the FOV or receive reflected light from these different portions. Because facets 934 and 938 have different tilt angles, these two facets can be used to scan different portions of the vertical center of the FOV. For example, facet 934 can be used to scan the lower middle portion, and facet 938 can be used to scan the upper middle portion. Therefore, the scan lines obtained using facets 934 and 938 can be staggered (in the lower...) Figure 10 (Example scan lines 1014 and 1018 are shown in the diagram). Therefore, the tilt angles of facets 932, 934, 936, and 938 are configured to scan the entire or most of the vertical portion of the field of view (FOV). In one embodiment, the vertical FOV coverage is approximately 90 degrees or greater. In embodiments of the faceted mirror 930, the top surface 940 and the bottom surface 942 can both be parallelogram-shaped or rectangular surfaces. As described above, the top surface 940 and the bottom surface 942 are not configured to guide light and can therefore be non-reflective surfaces.

[0119] Turn now Figure 9C In one embodiment, the facet 960 includes a top surface 970, a bottom surface 972, and a plurality of facets 962, 964, 966, and 968 (e.g., four side surfaces). Facets 962, 964, 966, and 968 may also be designated as a left reflecting facet, a front reflecting facet, a right reflecting facet, and a rear reflecting facet. Facets 962, 964, 966, and 968 reflect light and are therefore also referred to as reflecting facets. In one embodiment illustrated by the facet 960, facets 962 and 966 (e.g., the left and right facets) are parallelogram-shaped facets; and facets 964 and 968 (e.g., the front and rear facets) are rectangular-shaped facets. Therefore, the 2D plane including facets 962 and 966 has interior angles other than 90 degrees. And the 2D plane including facets 964 and 968 has interior angles of 90 degrees.

[0120] exist Figure 9CIn the illustrated embodiment, because facets 962 and 966 have interior angles other than 90 degrees (e.g., they are parallelogram-shaped facets), facets 964 and 968 (e.g., the front and rear facets) have tilt angles other than 90 degrees. Similar to the case described above, facet 968 has an acute tilt angle, and facet 964 has an obtuse tilt angle. Due to their tilt angles, facets 964 and 968 can direct emitted light toward or from the lower and upper portions of the vertical FOV, respectively. Therefore, in this embodiment, the front and rear facets are used to scan the lower and upper portions of the vertical FOV, respectively.

[0121] In an embodiment of the facet 960, facets 962 and 966 may not be tilted. Therefore, facets 962 and 966 may have a tilt angle of 90 degrees. The normal directions of facets 962 and 966 are perpendicular to the rotation axis 961 of the facet 900. Thus, facets 962 and 966 (e.g., the left and right facets) can guide emitted light toward or from the middle portion of the vertical direction of the FOV. Therefore, the tilt angles of facets 962, 964, 966, and 968 are configured to scan the entire or most of the vertical direction of the FOV. In one embodiment, the vertical FOV coverage is approximately 90 degrees or greater. In an embodiment of the facet 960, the top surface 970 and the bottom surface 972 may both be parallelogram-shaped or rectangular surfaces.

[0122] Figure 9D The diagram illustrates a polyhedron 990, which may be similar to any of the polyhedrons 900, 930, and 960 described above. Additionally, the polyhedron 990 includes chamfered edges. For example, edges 993 and 995 of the polyhedron 990 may be rounded edges, inclined edges, beveled edges, curved edges, etc.

[0123] The facets 900, 930, 960, and 990 described above are for illustrative purposes. It should be understood that various characteristics of the facets (e.g., interior angles of the facets, tilt angles of the facets, facet dimensions, facet shapes, etc.) can also be configured to scan the field of view (FOV) according to any desired scanning requirements (e.g., angular scanning range along the horizontal and vertical directions). As an example, at least one of the multiple reflective facets of the facets may have a tilt angle different from the tilt angles of the other reflective facets. As another example, each of the reflective facets of the facets may have a tilt angle different from the tilt angles of the other reflective facets. As yet another example, two opposing reflective facets of the facets (e.g., the front and rear facets of facet 900, the left and right facets of facet 960) may have a first tilt angle; and two other opposing reflective facets may have a second tilt angle. The first tilt angle may be the same as or different from the second tilt angle. As yet another example, two opposing reflective facets may have different tilt angles. For example, Figure 9A The facets 902 and 906 (left and right facets) of the facet 900 have different tilt angles (one acute and one obtuse). The two opposing facets 716B and 716D of the facet 710 have the same tilt angle. In some embodiments, the difference between the tilt angles of the facets of the facets is between approximately 10 degrees and +10 degrees.

[0124] Figure 10 The illustration shows an example LiDAR scanning pattern 1010 using some embodiments of the facets disclosed herein, according to some embodiments. As described above, by configuring the facets to have different characteristics (e.g., parallelogram-shaped facets, different tilt angles between facets, etc.), the facets can be used to scan the field of view (FOV) in both horizontal and vertical directions as the facets rotate about a rotation axis. In one embodiment, scanning of the FOV in the horizontal direction is achieved by rotating the facets (e.g., at a speed of several thousand revolutions per minute). In some embodiments, the facets are configured to scan a horizontal FOV of approximately 120 degrees or greater. Scanning of the FOV in the vertical direction is achieved by configuring the facets (including, for example, tilt angles of one or more facets that are not 90 degrees).

[0125] Figure 10 The diagram illustrates the use of Figure 9B The multifaceted mirror 930 shown in the diagram obtains a scan pattern 1010. As described above, for the multifaceted mirror 930, facet 932 (e.g., the left facet) is configured with an acute tilt angle, and facet 936 is configured with an obtuse tilt angle. The acute tilt angle of facet 932 helps to generate LiDAR scan lines 1012 corresponding to the first portion of the vertical FOV. Figure 10The first portion of the vertical FOV can be the upper portion of the vertical FOV. The facet 936 of the polygon mirror 930 (e.g., the right facet) is configured with an obtuse tilt angle, which helps generate the LiDAR scan line 1016 corresponding to the second portion of the vertical FOV. The second portion of the vertical FOV can be the lower portion of the vertical FOV. Therefore, in this example, the first and second portions of the vertical FOV are located at both ends of the vertical FOV.

[0126] Figure 10 Further illustration shows LiDAR scan lines 1014 and 1018, generated by facets 934 and 938 (e.g., front and rear facets). As described above, facets 934 and 938 have tilt angles other than 90 degrees (e.g., they are not parallel to the axis of rotation 901). Facets 934 and 938 contribute to the generation of LiDAR scan lines 1014 and 1018, which correspond to the middle portion of a vertical field of view (FOV). In some embodiments, the facet is configured to scan a vertical FOV of approximately 90 degrees or greater. In some embodiments, facets 934 and 938 may have a small tilt angle difference (e.g., within + / - 2 to 5 degrees), such that facets 934 and 938 can generate LiDAR scan lines corresponding to, for example, the upper and lower portions of a vertical FOV. For example, the tilt angles of facets 934 and 938 of the facet 930 can be configured such that scan line 1014 is positioned slightly below scan line 1018. Because facets 934 and 938 have tilt angles other than 90 degrees, scan lines 1014 and 1018 can be staggered. In some embodiments, the middle portion of the vertical FOV corresponds to the region of interest (ROI). Therefore, by staggering the patterns 1014 and 1018 (generated by the two facets), the scanning resolution for the middle portion of the ROI is improved. In some embodiments, if two opposing facets (e.g., Figure 9A If the facets 904 and 908 of the facet 900 have a tilt angle of 90 degrees (e.g., these facets are parallel to the axis of rotation), then the scan lines obtained by these facets can therefore overlap. It should be understood that, depending on the configuration of the facet, the vertical FOV can be scanned in any desired manner. For example, the facets of the facet can be configured such that one or more ROI regions can be scanned at a high scan resolution. The facet can also be configured to have any number of facets (e.g., four, five, six, etc.) with the same or different facet angles. Accordingly, the scan pattern can be distributed in any desired manner.

[0127] Figure 11AThe illustration shows a top view of a rearview mirror assembly 1110 according to some embodiments and a horizontal field of view that can be obtained by a LiDAR device mounted in the rearview mirror assembly 1110. Figure 11B The illustration shows a top view of a vehicle 1120 according to some embodiments and a horizontal field of view (FOV) at both sides of the vehicle 1120. Figure 11C The illustration shows a side view of a rearview mirror assembly 1110 according to some embodiments and a vertical field of view that can be obtained by a LiDAR device mounted in the rearview mirror assembly. Figure 11D The illustration shows a side view of a vehicle 1120 according to some embodiments and a vertical field of view (FOV) on one side of the vehicle 1120. Figures 11A to 11D The illustration shows that the various LiDAR devices described above (e.g., LiDAR devices 700 and 830) can be installed in different locations on a vehicle.

[0128] like Figures 11A to 11D As shown, vehicle 1120 may have multiple compact LiDAR devices (not shown). At least two of the multiple LiDAR devices may be mounted on the left, right, front, and rear sides of vehicle 1120. For example, at least one of the multiple LiDAR devices may be mounted on the left side of the vehicle, and at least one of the multiple LiDAR devices may be mounted on the right side of the vehicle. Figure 11B The illustration shows an embodiment in which LiDAR devices are mounted in the left and right rearview mirror assemblies of vehicle 1120. In some embodiments, at least one of a plurality of LiDAR devices is mounted at the front of the vehicle, and at least one of the plurality of LiDAR devices is mounted at the rear of the vehicle. For example, the LiDAR devices may be mounted in, integrated with, or enclosed in the following: the front bumper, front hood, rear bumper, front and rear corners, headlight housings, taillight housings, etc. of vehicle 1120. Each of the plurality of LiDAR devices may include a mirror (e.g., a non-removable mirror or a galvanometer mirror) and a faceted mirror. The faceted mirror may have a plurality of facets configured as described above.

[0129] like Figures 11A to 11D As shown, an ultra-wide field of view (FOV) can be achieved by mounting multiple compact LiDAR devices in different locations within the vehicle. For example, a horizontal FOV of approximately 120 degrees (or greater) and a vertical FOV of approximately 90 degrees (or greater) can be achieved on each side of the vehicle (e.g., the left and right sides). Therefore, if as... Figure 11BThe use of two LiDAR units, as shown, allows for a horizontal field of view (FOV) of approximately 240 degrees (or greater). Furthermore, by mounting multiple compact LiDAR units in different locations, the number of blind spots in a vehicle can be significantly reduced or eliminated. In some embodiments, when multiple compact LiDAR units are mounted on a vehicle, each of them can operate independently of the others. For example, depending on requirements (e.g., requirements from the vehicle), LiDAR units mounted in different locations on the vehicle can be turned on, off, instructed to scan ROI areas, instructed to reduce scan resolution, etc. Independent control of LiDAR units can help reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency.

[0130] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 1200 for scanning a field of view using a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device. The LiDAR device includes a polygon mirror with multiple reflective facets. Method 1200 can begin with any of steps 1202, 1206, and 1210. In step 1202, a first reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the polygon mirror directs the light to scan a first portion of the field of view in a vertical direction. The first reflective facet is associated with an acute angle of inclination. The first reflective facet can be, for example, facet 902 of polygon mirror 900 or facet 932 of polygon mirror 930. Figure 9A and Figure 9B Step 1204 generates scan lines along the vertical direction corresponding to the first part of the field of view (e.g., Figure 10 (Scan line 1012 in the image). The first part of the FOV can be the upper part of the FOV in the vertical direction.

[0131] In step 1206, the second reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the polygon mirror redirects the light to scan a second portion of the field of view in a vertical direction. The second reflective facet is associated with an obtuse tilt angle. The second reflective facet may be, for example, facet 906 of polygon mirror 900 or facet 936 of polygon mirror 930. Figure 9A and Figure 9B Step 1208 generates a scan line along the vertical direction corresponding to the second part of the field of view (e.g., Figure 10 (Scan line 1016 in the image). The second part of the FOV may be the lower part of the FOV in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, the first part and the second part of the field of view are located at the two ends of the vertical field of view.

[0132] In step 1210, one or more additional reflective facets of the facets redirect the light to scan one or more additional portions of the field of view (FOV) in a vertical direction. The one or more additional facets may be, for example, facets 904 and 908 of facets 900; or facets 934 and 938 of facets 930. Step 1212 generates scan lines in the vertical direction corresponding to one or more additional portions of the FOV (e.g., Figure 10 (scan lines 1014 and 1018 in the image).

[0133] In some embodiments, step 1210 may include two parts. In the first part of step 1210, a third reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the polygon mirror deflects the light to scan a third portion of the field of view in a vertical direction. In the second part of step 1210, a fourth reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the polygon mirror deflects the light to also scan the third portion of the field of view in a vertical direction. Therefore, the scan lines obtained by the third and fourth reflective facets can overlap.

[0134] In some embodiments, in the second part of step 1210, the fourth reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the polygon mirror directs the light to scan a fourth portion of the field of view (FOV) in a vertical direction. The fourth portion of the FOV is different from the third portion. As a result, the scan lines corresponding to the third and fourth portions of the FOV intersect.

[0135] In some embodiments, step 1212 includes generating a scan line in the vertical direction corresponding to the middle portion of the field of view (e.g., Figure 10 (Scan lines 1014 and 1018 shown). It should be understood that the steps of method 1200 can be arranged, removed, added, omitted, and / or repeated in any desired manner in any order.

[0136] The foregoing description is to be understood as illustrative and exemplary in every respect, and not restrictive, and the scope of the invention disclosed herein is not determined by the description, but by the claims as interpreted in their full scope under patent law. It will be understood that the embodiments shown and described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Various other combinations of features can be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A LiDAR scanning device for light detection and ranging, comprising: A first mirror, configured to receive one or more light beams, wherein the first mirror is a non-rotatable mirror; A faceted mirror, optically coupled to a first mirror to receive the one or more light beams, wherein the faceted mirror includes a plurality of reflective facets, wherein at least two of the plurality of reflective facets are parallelogram-shaped facets, and each parallelogram-shaped reflective facet is arranged such that: The first, second, and third edges of the reflective surface correspond to the first, second, and third lines, respectively. The first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of a plane including the reflective surface, the first interior angle being an acute angle. The first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of the plane including the reflective facet, the second interior angle being an obtuse angle; Wherein, when at least the polygonal mirrors rotate, the combination of the first mirror and the polygonal mirrors is configured as follows: The one or more beams are redirected both vertically and horizontally to illuminate objects within the field of view. A return beam is obtained, the return beam being formed based on one or more beams of light that have been redirected and are illuminating the object within the field of view, and The returned light is redirected to an optical receiver, which is located in the light detection and ranging LiDAR scanning device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The multifaceted mirror includes four, five, or six reflective facets.

3. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, All the reflective facets of the multifaceted mirror are parallelogram-shaped facets.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The multifaceted mirror includes a top non-reflective surface, a bottom non-reflective surface, a left reflective facet, a right reflective facet, a front reflective facet, and a rear reflective facet.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The top non-reflective surface and the bottom non-reflective surface are rectangular surfaces, and the left reflective facet, the right reflective facet, the front reflective facet, and the rear reflective facet are parallelogram-shaped facets.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The front and rear reflective facets are rectangular in shape, and the left and right reflective facets are parallelogram-shaped facets, and the top and bottom non-reflective surfaces are parallelogram-shaped surfaces.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The left and right reflective facets are rectangular in shape, and the front reflective facet, the rear reflective facet, the top non-reflective surface, and the bottom non-reflective surface are parallelogram-shaped facets.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, At least one of the plurality of reflective facets is associated with a tilt angle that is different from the tilt angles of the other reflective facets, the tilt angle of which is the angle between the normal direction of the corresponding reflective facet and the axis around which the polygon mirror can rotate.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, Each of the reflective facets is associated with a tilt angle that differs from the tilt angles of the other reflective facets.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: Two opposing reflective facets are associated with a first tilt angle; another two opposing reflective facets are associated with a second tilt angle, the first tilt angle being different from the second tilt angle.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The two opposing reflective facets are associated with different tilt angles.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The difference in tilt angle is between approximately -10 degrees and +10 degrees.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The field of view includes a horizontal field of view of approximately 120 degrees or greater and a vertical field of view of approximately 90 degrees or greater.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, A first reflective facet associated with an acute tilt angle helps generate light detection and ranging LiDAR scan lines corresponding to a first portion of the vertical field of view; and wherein a second reflective facet associated with an obtuse tilt angle helps generate light detection and ranging LiDAR scan lines corresponding to a second portion of the vertical field of view; the first portion and the second portion of the vertical field of view are located at both ends of the vertical field of view.

15. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The combination of the multifaceted mirror and the first mirror is enclosed in at least one of the vehicle's rearview mirror assembly or lamp housing.

16. A LiDAR scanning system for light detection and ranging, comprising: A plurality of light detection and ranging LiDAR devices, wherein at least two of the plurality of light detection and ranging LiDAR devices can be installed on the left, right, front, and rear sides of a vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of light detection and ranging LiDAR devices includes: A first mirror, configured to receive one or more light beams, wherein the first mirror is a non-rotatable mirror; and A faceted mirror, optically coupled to a first mirror to receive the one or more light beams, wherein the faceted mirror includes a plurality of reflective facets, wherein at least two of the plurality of reflective facets are parallelogram-shaped facets, and each parallelogram-shaped reflective facet is arranged such that: The first edge, second edge, and third edge of the reflective surface correspond to the first line, the second line, and the third line; The first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of the plane including the reflective surface, wherein the first interior angle of the reflective surface is an acute angle; and The first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of the plane including the reflective facet, and the second interior angle of the plane is an obtuse angle.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein, At least one of the plurality of optical detection and ranging LiDAR devices is mounted on the left side of the vehicle, and wherein at least one of the plurality of optical detection and ranging LiDAR devices is mounted on the right side of the vehicle.

18. The system according to any one of claims 16 to 17, wherein, At least one of the plurality of optical detection and ranging LiDAR devices is mounted on the front side of the vehicle, and wherein at least one of the plurality of optical detection and ranging LiDAR devices is mounted on the rear side of the vehicle.

19. The system according to any one of claims 16 to 17, wherein, At least one of the plurality of light detection and ranging LiDAR devices is enclosed in at least one of the rearview mirror assembly or lamp housing of the vehicle.

20. The system according to any one of claims 16 to 17, wherein, The plurality of optical detection and ranging LiDAR devices include: A first light detection and ranging LiDAR device is enclosed within the first rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, and A second light detection and ranging LiDAR device is enclosed within the second rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle.

21. A vehicle comprising a light detection and ranging LiDAR scanning system according to any one of claims 16 to 20.

22. A method for scanning a field of view using a light-detecting and ranging LiDAR device, the light-detecting and ranging LiDAR device comprising a faceted mirror having a plurality of reflective facets, the method comprising: The light is redirected by a first reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the multifaceted mirror to scan a first portion of the field of view in a vertical direction, wherein the first reflective facet is associated with an acute tilt angle. Light is redirected by a second reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the faceted mirror to scan a second portion of the field of view along the vertical direction, wherein the second reflective facet is associated with an obtuse tilt angle. A scan line corresponding to the first portion of the field of view is generated along the vertical direction; A scan line corresponding to the second portion of the field of view is generated along the vertical direction; Wherein, at least two of the plurality of reflective facets are parallelogram-shaped facets, and each parallelogram-shaped reflective facet is arranged such that: The first, second, and third edges of the parallelogram-shaped reflective facets correspond to the first, second, and third lines, respectively. The first line and the second line intersect to form a first interior angle of a plane including the reflective facet, the first interior angle being an acute angle; and The first line and the third line intersect to form a second interior angle of the plane including the reflective facet, the second interior angle being an obtuse angle.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, The first portion and the second portion of the field of view are located at the two ends of the vertical field of view.

24. The method according to any one of claims 22 and 23, further comprising: The light is redirected by one or more additional reflective facets of the multifaceted mirror to scan one or more additional portions of the field of view along the vertical direction; as well as Scan lines corresponding to the one or more additional portions of the field of view are generated along the vertical direction.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein, Directing the light to scan one or more additional portions of the field of view along the vertical direction includes: The light is redirected by the third reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the multifaceted mirror to scan a third portion of the field of view in a vertical direction; The light is redirected by the fourth reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the multifaceted mirror to scan the third portion of the field of view in a vertical direction.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein, Generating scan lines corresponding to one or more additional portions of the field of view along the vertical direction includes generating scan lines corresponding to the middle portion of the field of view along the vertical direction.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein, Directing the light to scan one or more additional portions of the field of view along the vertical direction includes: The light is redirected by the third reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the multifaceted mirror to scan a third portion of the field of view in a vertical direction; The light is redirected by the fourth reflective facet of the plurality of reflective facets of the multifaceted mirror to scan a fourth portion of the field of view in a vertical direction, wherein the scan lines corresponding to the third and fourth portions of the field of view are interleaved.

Images