Laser radar system and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a laser radar system and a vehicle. The system comprises a transmitting module, a reflecting assembly, a scanner, a front window and a receiving module, wherein a laser beam can penetrate through the front window. The reflection assembly is arranged at the intersection of a transmitting light path and a receiving light path of the laser radar system, and the reflection assembly and the receiving module are connected and arranged in the central area of echo light. Thus, the reflection assembly and the receiving module are connected and arranged in the center area of the echo light, the boundary dimension of the laser radar system is reduced, meanwhile, the space for receiving the echo light can be fully utilized, the echo light passing through the periphery of the reflection mirror can enter the receiving module, and the receiving efficiency of the laser radar system is improved. And the incident aperture of the echo light of the receiving module and the luminous flux of the receiving module are increased, so that the receiving efficiency of the receiving module is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of laser radar technology, and in particular to a laser radar system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] At present, in order to reduce the size of the optical and mechanical device, the laser radar system often adopts the method of setting a reflector in the laser radar system so that the transmitting system and the receiving system can be shared in certain spaces. The reflector needs to be set in the laser radar system through a fixed structure near the window.

[0003] On the one hand, in order to allow the fixed structure to fix the reflector while taking into account the structural stability, the thickness of the fixed structure will be set thicker when designing the fixed structure, that is, the thickness of the fixed structure is larger, which will block the light in the edge field of view. On the other hand, in order to avoid edge light, the window and scanner will be expanded a part of the space, so that the window and scanner are far away from the position of the reflector to avoid edge light, which will increase the overall size of the lidar system. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention aims to solve one of the problems in the related art at least to a certain extent. To this end, the purpose of the present application is to provide a laser radar system and a vehicle.

[0005] The present application provides a laser radar system. The laser radar system includes a transmitting module, a reflecting component, a scanner, a front window through which a laser beam can pass, and a receiving module. The transmitting module is used to transmit laser light to the reflecting component through a transmitting optical path. The reflecting component is used to reflect the laser light emitted by the transmitting module. The scanner is used to reflect the laser light reflected by the reflecting component to the target object through the front window, and the scanner rotates to make the laser light reach the azimuth field of view designed by the laser radar system, and is used to reflect the echo light reflected from the target object to the receiving module through the receiving optical path. The receiving module is used to receive the echo light reflected by the scanner through the receiving optical path. Among them, the reflecting component is arranged at the intersection of the transmitting optical path and the receiving optical path of the laser radar system, and the reflecting component is connected to the receiving module and arranged in the central area of ​​the echo light.

[0006] In this way, the laser radar system of the present application connects the reflection component with the receiving module and arranges it in the central area of ​​the echo light. While reducing the external dimensions of the laser radar system, it can also make full use of the space for receiving the echo light, so that the echo light passing through the four sides of the reflector can enter the receiving module, thereby increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module and the luminous flux of the receiving module, thereby improving the receiving efficiency of the receiving module.

[0007] In some embodiments, the laser radar system includes a connecting component, which is used to connect the reflective component to the receiving module.

[0008] In this way, the laser radar system of the present application can connect the reflective component to the receiving module through a connecting component, thereby making full use of the space for the laser radar system to receive echo light, so that the echo light passing through the four sides of the reflector can enter the receiving module, increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module and the luminous flux of the receiving module, thereby improving the receiving efficiency of the receiving module.

[0009] In some embodiments, the receiving module includes a first lens, and the first lens is connected to the reflecting component as a whole through the connecting component.

[0010] In this way, the laser radar system of the present application connects the connecting component and the reflecting component into one through the first lens, so that the reflecting component can be more firmly connected to the receiving module.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the connecting component is a wedge-shaped column.

[0012] In this way, the laser radar system of the present application designs the connecting component into a wedge-shaped cylinder, so that the reflecting component can be more firmly connected to the receiving module through the connecting component, and the overall size of the laser radar system can be reduced by changing the structural design of the connecting component while keeping the original optical system unchanged.

[0013] In some embodiments, the connecting component includes a first inclined surface and a first plane opposite to the first inclined surface, the reflecting component is connected to the connecting component via the first inclined surface, and the receiving module is connected to the connecting component via the first plane.

[0014] In this way, the reflecting component of the laser radar system of the present application is connected to the first inclined surface of the connecting component, and the receiving module is connected to the first plane of the connecting component, so that the reflecting component can be firmly connected to the receiving module through the connecting component, thereby reducing the overall size of the laser radar system and increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module and the luminous flux of the receiving module.

[0015] In some embodiments, the receiving module includes a first lens, the first lens includes a second plane connected to the first plane, and the area of ​​the first plane is less than or equal to the area of ​​the second plane; the reflecting component includes a second inclined plane connected to the first inclined plane, and the area of ​​the first inclined plane is less than the area of ​​the second inclined plane.

[0016] In this way, the laser radar system of the present application designs the area of ​​the first plane of the connecting component to be smaller than or equal to the first plane of the first lens, and the area of ​​the first inclined surface of the connecting component to be smaller than or equal to the second inclined surface of the reflecting component. While ensuring the structural stability of the connecting component, it can also prevent the first inclined surface of the connecting component from being larger than the second inclined surface and the first plane from being larger than the second plane, thereby blocking the optical path of the echo light incident on the receiving module.

[0017] In certain embodiments, the connection component includes an outer side surface that has been matte treated.

[0018] In this way, the laser radar system of the present application can eliminate stray light in the laser radar system by performing extinction treatment on the outer side surface of the connecting component, thereby ensuring that the incident light and the echo light will not be affected by the stray light when propagating on the optical path.

[0019] In some embodiments, the material of the connecting component includes glass material, plastic material or metal material.

[0020] In this way, when the material of the connecting component of the laser radar system of the present application is glass, the light loss of light propagating in the optical path can be reduced. When the material of the connecting component is plastic, the mass of the laser radar system can be reduced. When the material of the connecting component is metal, the rigidity of the connecting component can be increased, thereby making the reflective component more firmly connected to the receiving module through the connecting component.

[0021] In some embodiments, the laser radar system further includes a matte sheet. The receiving module includes a first lens. The matte sheet is connected to a first end of the reflective assembly, a second end of the reflective assembly is connected to the first lens, and a setting direction of the matte sheet is parallel to a direction of the receiving optical path, wherein a thickness of the matte sheet is less than or equal to 0.2 mm.

[0022] In this way, the laser radar system of the present application sets a matte sheet less than or equal to 0.2 mm on the reflective component. The thinner matte sheet can eliminate stray light emitted from the transmitting light path, prevent stray light from entering the receiving module, improve the ranging accuracy of the laser radar system, and reduce the weight of the laser radar system.

[0023] The present application also provides a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises the laser radar system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0024] In this way, the vehicle of the present application connects the reflective component with the receiving module and arranges it in the central area of ​​the echo light. While reducing the external dimensions of the lidar system, it can also make full use of the space for receiving the echo light, so that the echo light passing through the four sides of the reflector can enter the receiving module, thereby increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module and the luminous flux of the receiving module, thereby improving the receiving efficiency of the receiving module.

[0025] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be learned through the practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and easily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a laser radar system in the related art;

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a laser radar system of certain embodiments of the present application;

[0029] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a laser radar system used in certain embodiments of the present application;

[0030] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the connection between the reflective component and the receiving module in some embodiments of the present application;

[0031] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a reflective component in some embodiments of the present application is connected to a first lens via a connecting component;

[0032] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the second plane of the first lens in some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0034] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0035] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or can communicate with each other; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0036] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples to realize the different structures of the present application. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present application, the parts and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are only examples, and the purpose is not to limit the present application. In addition, the present application can repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples, and this repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, which itself does not indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed.

[0037] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0038] See also Figure 1 In current laser radar systems, in order to reduce the size of the optical and mechanical device, a reflector is often set in the laser radar system so that the transmitting system and the receiving system can be shared in some space. The reflector needs to be set in the laser radar system through a fixed structure near the window.

[0039] On the one hand, if Figure 1As shown, in order to allow the fixed structure 3 to fix the reflector 2 while taking into account the structural stability, when designing the fixed structure 3, the fixed structure 3 is generally set near the window 2, and the thickness of the fixed structure 3 is set to be thicker, that is, the thickness of the fixed structure is larger, which will block the light of the edge field of view. On the other hand, in order to avoid edge light, the window 1 and the scanner 4 will be expanded a part of the space, so that the window 1 and the scanner 4 are far away from the position of the reflector 2 to avoid edge light, thereby increasing the size of the overall laser radar system.

[0040] In view of this, please refer to Figure 2 The present application provides a laser radar system 100. The laser radar system 100 includes a transmitting module 10, a reflecting component 20, a scanner 30, a front window 40 through which a laser beam can pass, and a receiving module 50. The transmitting module 10 is used to transmit laser light to the reflecting component 20 through a transmitting optical path. The reflecting component 20 is used to reflect the laser light emitted by the transmitting module 10. The scanner 30 is used to reflect the laser light reflected by the reflecting component 20 to the target object through the front window 40, and the scanner 30 rotates to make the laser light reach the azimuth field of view designed by the laser radar system 100, and is used to reflect the echo light reflected from the target object to the receiving module 50 through the receiving optical path. The receiving module 50 is used to receive the echo light reflected by the scanner 30 through the receiving optical path. Among them, the reflecting component 20 is arranged at the intersection of the transmitting optical path and the receiving optical path of the laser radar system 100, and the reflecting component 20 is connected to the receiving module 50 and arranged in the central area of ​​the echo light.

[0041] The azimuth viewing angle may be any angle between 0° and 140°, for example, and is not limited here.

[0042] Specifically, the reflective component 20 is connected to the receiving module 50 through the connecting component 60, so that the reflective component 20 is located at the intersection of the transmitting optical path and the receiving optical path of the laser radar system 100. The transmitting module 10 is arranged on a side away from the front window 40 and is located on the transmitting optical path of the laser radar system 100. The scanner 30 and the receiving module 50 are respectively arranged at both ends of the front window 40, so that the receiving module 50 is located in the central area of ​​the echo light.

[0043] When it is necessary to measure the distance of the target object, the transmitting module 10 first transmits laser light to the reflecting component 20 through the transmitting optical path, and the reflecting component 20 reflects the laser light emitted by the transmitting module 10 to the scanner 30. At this time, the scanner 30 can rotate 360° along the center point, so that the four-sided reflector arranged on different surfaces of the scanner 30 will reflect the laser light reflected from the reflecting component 20 to the azimuth field of view designed by the laser radar system 100, and reflect it to the target object through the front window 40. Then, when the light reflected back from the target object passes through the front window 40 and enters the scanner 30, the scanner 30 can reflect the light reflected from the target object and through the front window 40 to the receiving module 50 through the receiving optical path, so as to realize the laser radar system 100 to measure the distance of the target object.

[0044] It can be understood that by connecting the reflection component 20 and the receiving module 50 and arranging them in the central area of ​​the echo light, the reflection component 20 is located at the intersection of the transmitting light path and the receiving light path of the laser radar system 100. While ensuring that the reflection component 20 can reflect the incident light emitted from the transmitting light path of the laser radar system 100, the area where the reflection component 20 blocks the receiving module 50 from receiving the echo light can also be reduced, so that the receiving module 50 can receive more echo light reflected from the outside and passing through the receiving light path.

[0045] In addition, in order to fix the reflective component 20 in the related art, a fixing structure of the reflective component 20 needs to be set near the window, so that the optical window and the scanner need to expand a part of the space, resulting in a larger size of the laser radar system 100. The present application connects the reflective component 20 with the receiving module 50 and sets it in the central area of ​​the echo light, that is, the reflective component 20 is directly set on the receiving module 50, which can reduce the size of the laser radar system 100 while keeping the original optical system unchanged.

[0046] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application connects the reflection component 20 with the receiving module 50 and arranges it in the central area of ​​the echo light. While reducing the overall size of the laser radar system 100, it can also make full use of the space for receiving the echo light, so that the echo light passing through the four sides of the reflector can enter the receiving module 50, thereby increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module 50 and the luminous flux of the receiving module 50, thereby improving the receiving efficiency of the receiving module 50.

[0047] In addition, in the present application, the reflective component 20 can be connected to the receiving module 50 by gluing, so as to facilitate the installation and removal of the reflective component 20. The reflective component 20 can also be connected to the receiving module 50 by welding, so that the connection between the reflective component 20 and the receiving module 50 is more secure. The reflective component 20 can be a plane reflector, a beam splitter, a triangular prism, a wedge prism or a right-angle prism.

[0048] The receiving module 50 includes a plurality of lenses, a receiving lens barrel, a color filter, a receiving chip, structural parts, etc. The receiving module 50 has the function of imaging and focusing.

[0049] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown, in the laser radar system 100 used in the present application, the transmitting module 10 can be configured to transmit a transmitting light beam with uniform energy distribution. Here, uniform energy distribution can also be interpreted as uniform illumination or light intensity. In some embodiments, such a transmitting light beam with uniform energy distribution can be obtained by shaping (homogenizing) using the transmitting optical system 12 discussed in detail later.

[0050] In various embodiments, the emission light beam is divergent in a first direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the emission module 10 and has a corresponding first divergence angle.

[0051] Furthermore, in various embodiments, the emission light beam is either parallel in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the emission device and perpendicular to the first direction, or divergent and the corresponding second divergence angle is smaller than a preset threshold.

[0052] In practical applications, the first direction ( Figure 3 The Y-axis direction shown in the figure) can usually refer to the vertical direction (V direction), while the second direction ( Figure 3 The Z-axis direction shown in the figure may generally refer to the horizontal direction (H direction). For ease of understanding, the following description is made by taking the case where the first direction corresponds to the vertical direction and the second direction corresponds to the horizontal direction as an example. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the first direction may also refer to the horizontal direction, and the second direction may refer to the vertical direction.

[0053] On the one hand, the emitted light beam diverges in the vertical direction, and the corresponding first divergence angle is defined as Δθ V That is, the emitted light beam is at an angle Δθ in the vertical direction. V Fan-shaped beam emission.

[0054] On the other hand, the emission light beam may be parallel in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the emission light beam may also be divergent in the horizontal direction, but the corresponding second divergence angle is less than the preset threshold. That is, the emission light beam is emitted in the horizontal direction as parallel light or at a very small angle. The selection of the preset threshold will be discussed in detail later.

[0055] That is, the emission light beam is a uniform linear or narrow rectangular light beam. As a result, the light spot projected in the field of view can appear as a narrow rectangle or even a line. The long side of the rectangle corresponds to the vertical direction, and the short side corresponds to the horizontal direction. Here, "narrow" may mean that the aspect ratio of the rectangle is greater than a preset aspect ratio threshold. Advantageously, by using an emission light beam that is linear or narrow rectangular, the laser radar system 100 disclosed in the present invention can achieve a more concentrated field of view angle energy, a longer distance detection, and a higher resolution.

[0056] The inventors of the present application have recognized that an emission light beam having the above-mentioned specific illumination distribution can be obtained by shaping a laser beam emitted from a common light source.

[0057] Therefore, in some embodiments, the emission module 10 includes a light source 11 and an emission optical system 12. The emission optical system 12 is configured to shape the laser beam emitted from the light source 11 to convert it into the emission light beam.

[0058] In some embodiments, the light source 11 may be a laser, such as a solid-state laser (such as a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), an edge-emitting laser (EEL), an external-cavity diode laser (ECDL)), a laser diode, or a fiber laser. In some embodiments, the light source 11 may also include a light emitting diode (LED). However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the present application does not impose any specific restrictions on the type of device of the light source 11, as long as the output power of the light source 11 is large enough.

[0059] In some embodiments, the light source 11 may be an array light source. For example, the light source 11 may be a VCSEL array including a plurality of VCSELs. In a non-limiting example, the plurality of VCSELs may be configured to light up all at the same time during measurement, rather than lighting up in partitions and / or time divisions.

[0060] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the light source 11 may also be a single point light source. It is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the present application does not impose any specific limitation on the arrangement of the light source 11.

[0061] In some embodiments, the light source 11 can emit light beams in different forms, including pulsed light, continuous wave (CW) and quasi-continuous light. The operating wavelength of the light source can be 650nm to 1150nm, 800nm ​​to 1000nm, 850nm to 950nm or 1300nm to 1600nm. In some embodiments, the light source 11 can also include an optical component optically coupled to the light source 11 for collimating or focusing the light beam emitted by the light source 11. Each emitted light beam emitted by the light source 11 can be continuous light lasting a certain period of time, or it can be one or more light pulses.

[0062] In some embodiments, the emission optical system 12 may include a diffusion unit configured to diffuse and shape the input laser beam. For example, the diffusion unit may diffuse and shape the beam based on diffraction and / or refraction, etc., to emit the above-mentioned uniform linear or narrow rectangular beam. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the present application may also obtain the above-mentioned emission beam through other shaping processes.

[0063] In some embodiments, the diffusion unit may include at least one of the following optical devices: an optical diffuser, a diffractive optical element (DOE), and an aspherical cylindrical mirror. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the above devices are merely examples of the diffusion unit, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0064] In the case of using an optical diffuser or DOE to perform diffusion shaping, the emission optical system 12 may further include a collimating unit, wherein the collimating unit may be configured to collimate the laser beam emitted from the light source to obtain a collimated laser beam to be input into the diffuser or DOE.

[0065] In some embodiments, the collimating unit may include at least one of the following optical devices: a microlens or a collimating mirror. For example, the collimating unit may be an array of microlenses. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the above devices are only examples of collimating units, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0066] In some embodiments, the laser radar system 100 further includes a reflection component 20. The reflection component 20 may be a plane reflector 23 or a beam splitter having a hole 231. Specifically, taking a plane reflector with a hole as an example, the plane reflector 23 uses the hole 231 to transmit the emission light beam to guide the emission light beam to the scanner 30, and uses the mirror to reflect the receiving light beam to guide the receiving light beam to the receiving module 50. That is, the emission light beam emitted from the transmitting module 10 can be directly transmitted through the plane reflector 23 via the hole 231, and the reflected receiving light beam can be reflected by the mirror in the plane reflector 23. That is, the reverse receiving path can be separated from the forward transmitting path at the plane reflector 23. Thus, with the help of the plane reflector 23 with a hole 231, the laser radar system 100 can achieve coaxial transmission and reception. Advantageously, the coaxial transmission and reception can avoid the imaging position deviation problem of the return light spot of the close-range and long-range detection caused by the separation of the optical axes of the two, thereby avoiding the additional calibration caused by this problem, which is conducive to mass production of products. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the present application may also be a non-coaxial lidar system.

[0067] The inventor of the present application realizes that the plane reflector with a hole has relatively loose requirements on the precision of the manufacturing and adjustment of the hole, as long as the emitted light beam can pass through. On this basis, by reducing the size of the hole, the loss of reflected light can be reduced.

[0068] Therefore, in some embodiments, the emission light beam is in a focused state when passing through the hole. For example, by designing the light beam characteristics of the emission light beam and / or adjusting the position of the plane reflector relative to the emission device, it can be ensured that the emission light beam is in a focused state when passing through the hole. Advantageously, by focusing the emission light beam at the hole, the hole can be minimized while ensuring that the emission light beam passes through the hole, thereby minimizing the loss of reflected light and further reducing the precision requirements for the manufacture and adjustment of the hole. However, it is easy to understand for those skilled in the art that the present application is not limited to this.

[0069] The hole is usually located at the center of the plane reflector, but the present application is not limited thereto. In addition, to reduce the loss of reflected light, the shape of the hole can correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the emitted light beam when passing through the hole, and therefore is not necessarily circular.

[0070] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present application may also use other methods to achieve coaxial transmission and reception. However, compared to other methods such as a beam splitter, the plane reflector with holes proposed in the present disclosure can reduce light loss and improve efficiency.

[0071] In various embodiments, a scanner 30 such as a rotating mirror can be configured to rotate around a rotation axis oriented in a vertical direction (a first direction, the Y-axis direction in the figure) to guide the emission light beam to scan the target object in the field of view. The target object can be any object that can reflect the scanning laser within the scanning field of view of the laser radar system, such as vehicles, pedestrians, animals, road signs, obstacles, trees, shelves, furniture, etc.

[0072] After irradiating the target object, the transmitted light beam is scattered back, and a portion of it returns to the laser radar system 100 as a received light beam and is received by the receiving module 50.

[0073] In various embodiments, the receiving module 50 may be configured to receive and detect a receiving light beam returned from the target object. For example, the receiving light beam scattered and returned by the target object may return to the scanner 30 along the original path, and then be guided by the scanner 30 to the plane reflector 23, and then reflected to the receiving module 50 by the plane reflector 23.

[0074] In some embodiments, the receiving module 50 may include a photodetector 53. The photodetector 53 may measure the power, phase or time characteristics of the received light and generate a corresponding current output.

[0075] In some embodiments, Figure 3 As shown, the photodetector 53 may include a plurality of photodetection units 531 arranged in one direction. Different photodetection units 531 are configured to receive and detect light signals returned from target objects at different relative angles in the vertical direction of the field of view. The photodetector 53 may also include a receiving circuit (not shown) associated with each photodetection unit 531. Each receiving circuit may be used to process the output electrical signal of the corresponding photodetection unit 531.

[0076] The photodetection unit 531 may include various forms of photodetection devices or one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrays of photodetection devices, and accordingly, the receiving circuit may be an array of one circuit or multiple circuits. In various embodiments, the photodetection device may be an avalanche diode (APD), a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), a PN photodiode, or a PIN photodiode.

[0077] For example, the photodetection unit 531 can be a photodetection device SPAD or a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array thereof, so the photodetector 53 is an array of SPADs. Advantageously, since the spacing between SPADs is very small and they are closely arranged, the spatial resolution can be greatly improved. Moreover, different SPADs can simultaneously and individually perform direct Time-of-Flight (dToF) measurements without the need to light up the light source in different zones and at different times, which can greatly improve the temporal resolution.

[0078] In some embodiments, the receiving module 50 may further include a receiving optical system 55. The receiving optical system 55 may be configured to image the received light onto the photodetector 53. For example, in some embodiments, the receiving optical system 55 may include a receiving lens and an aperture. The receiving lens and the aperture are located upstream of the photodetector 53 on the receiving path. For example, the receiving lens may include an imaging system lens so that the focus of the received light beam is in front of or behind the receiving surface of the photodetector or just above the receiving surface. In some cases, instead of existing as a separate component, the receiving lens may also be integrated into the photodetector 53. The aperture is used to limit the angle of incident light incident on the photodetector 53, block stray light, etc.

[0079] As described above, the light spot projected into the field of view by the laser radar system 100 can be a uniform line or a narrow rectangle extending in the vertical direction, so the received light beam returned from the target object will form a similar pattern on the receiving surface of the photodetector 53. By arranging a plurality of photodetection units 531 correspondingly along the direction of the long side of the line or rectangle, and imaging the light returned from the target object at different relative angles in the vertical direction of the field of view to different photodetection units 531 using the receiving optical system 55, these photodetection units 531 can be made to correspond to the target objects at different relative angles in the vertical direction of the field of view, respectively. That is, different photodetection units 531 are configured to receive and detect light signals returned from target objects at different relative angles in the vertical direction of the field of view. Therefore, based on the arrangement information of the photodetection unit 531 and the parameter information of the optical system, etc., the relative angle of the corresponding target object can be accurately calculated.

[0080] Since a uniform linear (or narrow rectangular) transmitting light beam is adopted, it is only necessary to perform a simple adjustment on the laser radar system 100 so that the receiving light spot imaged by the receiving optical system 55 on the photodetector 53 can cover the receiving surface of the photodetection unit 531 (i.e., the photosensitive surface of all photodetection units 531), and there is no need to perform separate alignment of the transmitting module and the receiving module. Here, the receiving light spot "covering" the receiving surface can be understood as the receiving light spot at least partially overlapping with the receiving surface, so that each photodetection unit can receive the light signal returned from the target object. For example, in some embodiments, the size of the receiving light spot can be made relatively small, and can only cover a portion of the receiving surface, so that the returned light signal can be received by the photodetection unit as much as possible to reduce waste. Therefore, advantageously, the scheme proposed in the present disclosure can greatly simplify the difficulty of adjustment and facilitate the realization of automated production.

[0081] The angular resolution δθ of the laser radar system 100 in the vertical direction according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is V =Δθ V / , where Q is the number of photodetection units 531 included in the photodetector 53. By reducing the emission angle Δθ V And / or increasing the number Q of the photodetection units 531 in the photodetector 53 can reduce the angular resolution Δθ in the vertical direction. V value, thereby improving the angular resolution in the vertical direction.

[0082] It is worth noting that, in some embodiments, each photodetection unit 531 may include a plurality of photodetection devices (such as SPADs) arranged along one direction, wherein the arrangement direction of the plurality of photodetection devices is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the plurality of photodetection units 531. With this arrangement, the number of photodetection devices in each photodetection unit 531 can be increased without affecting the spacing of the photodetection units 531, thereby improving the detection accuracy without affecting the spatial resolution.

[0083] See also Figure 4 In some embodiments, the laser radar system 100 includes a connecting component 60, which is used to connect the reflective component 20 to the receiving module 50. That is, one end of the connecting component 60 can be connected to the reflective component 20 by gluing, and the other end of the connecting component 60 can also be connected to the receiving module 50 by gluing, so that the reflective component 20 is firmly connected to the receiving module 50 through the connecting component 60.

[0084] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application can connect the reflection component 20 to the receiving module 50 through the connecting component 60, and thus can make full use of the space for the laser radar system 100 to receive the echo light, so that the echo light passing through the four sides of the reflector can enter the receiving module 50, thereby increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module 50 and the luminous flux of the receiving module 50, thereby improving the receiving efficiency of the receiving module 50.

[0085] See also Figure 4 In some embodiments, the receiving module 50 includes a first lens 51. The first lens 51 is connected to the reflection component 20 through a connecting component 60 as a whole.

[0086] Specifically, one end of the connecting component 60 can be connected to the reflecting component 20 by glue bonding, and the other end of the connecting component 60 can also be connected to the first lens 51 by glue bonding, so that the first lens 51 is connected to the reflecting component 20 as a whole through the connecting component 60.

[0087] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application connects the connecting component 60 and the reflecting component 20 as a whole through the first lens 51, so that the reflecting component 20 can be more firmly connected to the receiving module 50.

[0088] See also Figure 5 In some embodiments, the connection component 60 is a wedge-shaped cylinder. That is, by designing the connection component 60 as a wedge-shaped cylinder, while ensuring that the reflective component 20 is firmly connected to the receiving module 50 through the connection component 60 of the wedge-shaped cylinder, the space inside the laser radar system 100 occupied by the connection component 60 can also be reduced, further reducing the size of the laser radar system 100 and improving the utilization rate of the internal space of the laser radar system 100.

[0089] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application designs the connecting component 60 into a wedge-shaped cylinder, so that the reflecting component 20 can be more firmly connected to the receiving module 50 through the connecting component 60, and the overall external dimensions of the laser radar system 100 can be reduced by changing the structural design of the connecting component 60 while keeping the original optical system unchanged.

[0090] See also Figure 5 In some embodiments, the connecting component 60 includes a first inclined surface 61 and a first plane 63 opposite to the first inclined surface 61. The reflecting component 20 is connected to the connecting component 60 via the first inclined surface 61, and the receiving module 50 is connected to the connecting component 60 via the first plane 63.

[0091] Specifically, the reflective component 20 can be connected to the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60 by glue bonding, and the receiving module 50 can also be connected to the first plane 63 of the connecting component 60 by glue bonding, so that the reflective component 20 is firmly connected to the receiving module 50 through the connecting component 60.

[0092] It can be understood that the reflective component 20 can be tilted at a certain angle by connecting to the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60, so that the reflective component 20 can play the role of incident light. The tilt angle can be, for example, 30°, 33°, 36°, 39°, 42°, 45°, 48°, 51°, 54° and 57°, which is not limited here.

[0093] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application connects the reflection component 20 with the receiving module 50 and arranges it in the central area of ​​the echo light. While reducing the external dimensions of the laser radar system 100, it can also make full use of the space for receiving the echo light, so that the echo light passing through the four sides of the reflector can enter the receiving module 50, thereby increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module 50 and the luminous flux of the receiving module 50, thereby improving the receiving efficiency of the receiving module 50.

[0094] In addition, the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60 can be rectangular, square, circular or other shapes, which are not limited here. The first plane 63 of the connecting component 60 can be rectangular, square, circular or other shapes, which are not limited here.

[0095] See also Figure 5 In some embodiments, the receiving module 50 includes a first lens 51. The first lens 51 includes a second plane 511 connected to the first plane 63, and the area of ​​the first plane 63 is less than or equal to the area of ​​the second plane 511. The reflective component 20 includes a second inclined plane 11 connected to the first inclined plane 61, and the area of ​​the first inclined plane 61 is less than the area of ​​the second inclined plane 11.

[0096] That is, when the second plane 511 of the first lens 51 is 6 mm 2 When the area of ​​the first plane 63 of the connecting component 60 is, for example, 2 mm 2 , 3mm 2 , 4mm 2 , 5mm 2 and 6mm 2 , which is not limited here. When the area of ​​the first inclined surface 61 of the reflective component 20 is 3mm 2 When the area of ​​the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60 is, for example, 2 mm 2 , 2.2mm 2 , 2.4mm 2 , 2.6mm2 , 2.8mm 2 and 3mm 2 , no restriction is made here.

[0097] Specifically, by connecting the second inclined surface 11 of the reflection component 20 with the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60, and by connecting the second plane 511 of the first lens 51 with the first plane 63 of the connecting component 60, the reflection component 20 can be firmly connected to the receiving module 50 through the connecting component 60.

[0098] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application designs the area of ​​the first plane 63 of the connecting component 60 to be smaller than or equal to the first plane 63 of the first lens 51, and the area of ​​the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60 to be smaller than or equal to the second inclined surface 11 of the reflecting component 20. While ensuring the structural stability of the connecting component 60, it can also prevent the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60 from being larger than the second inclined surface 11 and the first plane 63 from being larger than the second plane 511, thereby blocking the optical path of the echo light incident on the receiving module 50.

[0099] In addition, if Figure 6 As shown, the second plane 511 receiving the first lens 51 can be ground into a plane so that the second plane 511 of the first lens 51 fits better with the first plane 63 of the connector when connected.

[0100] The connection area between the second inclined surface 11 of the reflective component 20 and the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60 and the connection area between the second plane 511 of the first lens 51 and the first plane 63 of the connecting component 60 can be selected according to the glue adhesion strength to determine whether to perform a matte treatment, which is not limited here. That is, when the glue adhesion strength is weak, the connection area between the second inclined surface 11 of the reflective component 20 and the first inclined surface 61 of the connecting component 60 and the connection area between the second plane 511 of the first lens 51 and the first plane 63 of the connecting component 60 can be matte treated to eliminate stray light.

[0101] In some embodiments, the connecting component 60 includes an outer side 65 that has a matte finish.

[0102] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application can eliminate stray light in the laser radar system 100 by performing extinction treatment on the outer surface 65 of the connecting component 60, thereby ensuring that the incident light and the echo light will not be affected by the stray light when propagating on the optical path.

[0103] In some embodiments, the material of the connecting component 60 includes glass, plastic or metal.

[0104] In this way, when the material of the connecting component 60 of the laser radar system 100 of the present application is glass, the light loss of the light propagating in the optical path can be reduced. When the material of the connecting component 60 is plastic, the mass of the laser radar system 100 can be reduced. When the material of the connecting component 60 is metal, the rigidity of the connecting component 60 can be increased, thereby making the reflective component 20 more firmly connected to the receiving module 50 through the connecting component 60.

[0105] See also Figure 3 In some embodiments, the laser radar system 100 further includes a matte sheet 70. The receiving module 50 includes a first lens 51. The matte sheet 70 is connected to the first end of the reflective assembly 20, and the second end of the reflective assembly 20 is connected to the first lens 51. The setting direction of the matte sheet 70 is parallel to the direction of the receiving light path, wherein the thickness of the matte sheet 70 is less than or equal to 0.2 mm.

[0106] Specifically, the first lens 51 is connected to the structural member of the receiving module 50, the matte sheet 70 is connected to the end of the reflective assembly 20 facing the front window 40, and the second end of the reflective assembly 20 is connected to the first lens 51, so that the reflective assembly 20 provided with the matte sheet 70 is connected together with the first lens 51 and arranged on the receiving module 50. It should be noted that the matte sheet 70 can be connected to the end of the reflective assembly 20 facing the front window 40 by gluing, so as to facilitate the installation and removal of the matte sheet 70. The matte sheet 70 can also be connected to the end of the reflective assembly 20 facing the front window 40 by welding, so that the matte sheet 70 is firmly connected to the end of the reflective assembly 20 facing the front window 40.

[0107] In this way, the laser radar system 100 of the present application is provided with a matte sheet 70 less than or equal to 0.2 mm on the reflective component 20. The thinner matte sheet 70 can eliminate stray light emitted from the transmitting light path and prevent stray light from entering the receiving module 50, thereby improving the ranging accuracy of the laser radar system 100 and reducing the weight of the laser radar system 100.

[0108] The present application also provides a vehicle, which includes the laser radar system 100 as described above.

[0109] In this way, the vehicle of the present application connects the reflection component 20 and the receiving module 50 and arranges them in the central area of ​​the echo light. While reducing the external dimensions of the laser radar system 100, it can also make full use of the space for receiving the echo light, so that the echo light passing through the four sides of the reflector can enter the receiving module 50, thereby increasing the echo light incident aperture of the receiving module 50 and the luminous flux of the receiving module 50, thereby improving the receiving efficiency of the receiving module 50.

[0110] The above embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the present application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A laser radar system, characterized in that: The laser radar system includes a transmitting module, a reflecting component, a scanner, a front window through which the laser beam can pass, and a receiving module. The transmitting module is used to transmit laser light to the reflecting component through the transmitting light path; The reflective component is used to reflect the laser light emitted by the emitting module; The scanner is used to reflect the laser light reflected by the reflection component to the target object through the front window, the scanner rotates to make the laser light reach the azimuth field of view designed by the laser radar system, and is used to reflect the echo light reflected from the target object to the receiving module through the receiving optical path; The receiving module is used for receiving the echo light reflected by the scanner through the receiving optical path; Among them, the reflection component is arranged at the intersection of the transmitting light path and the receiving light path of the laser radar system, and the reflection component is connected to the receiving module and arranged in the central area of ​​the echo light.

2. The laser radar system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser radar system includes a connecting component, which is used to connect the reflecting component to the receiving module.

3. The laser radar system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The receiving module includes a first lens, and the first lens is connected to the reflecting component as a whole through the connecting component.

4. The laser radar system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting component is a wedge-shaped column.

5. The laser radar system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting component includes a first inclined surface and a first plane opposite to the first inclined surface. The reflecting component is connected to the connecting component via the first inclined surface, and the receiving module is connected to the connecting component via the first plane.

6. The laser radar system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The receiving module includes a first lens, the first lens includes a second plane connected to the first plane, and the area of ​​the first plane is less than or equal to the area of ​​the second plane; the reflecting component includes a second inclined plane connected to the first inclined plane, and the area of ​​the first inclined plane is less than the area of ​​the second inclined plane.

7. The laser radar system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connecting component includes an outer side surface after matte treatment.

8. The laser radar system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the connecting component includes glass material, plastic material or metal material.

9. The laser radar system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser radar system also includes a matte sheet, and the receiving module includes a first lens. The matte sheet is connected to the first end of the reflective component, and the second end of the reflective component is connected to the first lens. The setting direction of the matte sheet is parallel to the direction of the receiving optical path, wherein the thickness of the matte sheet is less than or equal to 0.2 mm.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle comprises a lidar system as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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