Chip module, self-testing method, preparation method of receiving chip and laser radar

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the field of laser radars, and discloses a chip module, a self-testing method, a preparation method of a receiving chip and a laser radar. The chip module comprises a packaging substrate; the system-on-chip is arranged on the surface of the packaging substrate; the laser emitting chip is arranged on the surface of the packaging substrate and is used for emitting a laser signal; the at least two receiving chips comprise a first receiving chip and a second receiving chip which are arranged on the surface of the packaging substrate and are respectively used for receiving an echo laser signal and a visible light signal; the cover body is arranged on the packaging substrate, the cover body and the packaging substrate jointly define a mounting cavity, and the system-on-chip, the laser emitting chip, the first receiving chip and the second receiving chip are all located in the mounting cavity. The chips for receiving the laser signals and the visible light signals are integrated on the packaging substrate, so that the positions for receiving the laser signals and the positions for receiving the visible light signals are approximately consistent, the coordinate unification error of point cloud data and image data is reduced, the data fusion accuracy is improved, and the size of the laser radar is reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of laser radar, in particular to a chip module, a self-test method, a preparation method of a receiving chip and a laser radar. BACKGROUND

[0002] As important sensors of vehicle-mounted systems, laser radars and cameras are important development directions of vehicle / machine information sensing. At present, laser radars and cameras are usually two independent devices that need to be placed at different positions on a vehicle / machine. Due to the inconsistency of the positions of the two devices, the unified coordinate calculation of their data is very complex, and information mismatch may easily occur in the data fusion process. In addition, since the laser radar and the camera are two independent devices, they also occupy a large physical space, which is not conducive to the integration and miniaturization of the sensor device. SUMMARY

[0003] Embodiments of the present application provide a chip module, a self-test method, a preparation method of a receiving chip and a laser radar, aiming to improve the current situation that the overall physical space occupied by the laser radar and the camera is large when they are used together, which is not conducive to miniaturization.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a chip module, comprising a packaging substrate, a system-on-chip, a laser emitting chip, at least two receiving chips and a cover. The system-on-chip is arranged on the surface of the packaging substrate. The laser emitting chip is arranged on the surface of the system-on-chip and is used for emitting a laser signal. The at least two receiving chips are arranged on the surface of the packaging substrate, and the at least two receiving chips include a first receiving chip and a second receiving chip, the first receiving chip is used for receiving a return laser signal, and the second receiving chip is used for receiving a visible light signal. The cover is arranged on the packaging substrate, and the cover and the packaging substrate jointly enclose a mounting cavity, and the system-on-chip, the laser emitting chip, the first receiving chip and the second receiving chip are all located in the mounting cavity. The chip module arranges the laser emitting chip, the system-on-chip and the receiving chip on the packaging substrate, thereby improving the integration of the chip module and reducing the size of the laser radar.

[0005] In some embodiments, the laser emission chip and the first receiving chip are arranged on two sides of the system-level chip along a first preset direction, and the second receiving chip and the system-level chip are arranged apart along a second preset direction; wherein the second preset direction intersects the first preset direction. Through this arrangement, the complexity and failure rate between chips are reduced, the signal transmission problems between chips caused by mechanical vibration or external interference are reduced, and the efficiency of signal transmission between chips is improved. In addition, through the compact layout of this arrangement, the integration of the chip module 11 is improved, and the size of the chip module 11 is significantly reduced, thereby reducing the size of the laser radar and also helping to reduce the power consumption of the chip module 11.

[0006] Due to the small size of the packaging substrate, the chip for receiving the return laser signal and the chip for receiving the visible light signal are arranged close to each other on the packaging substrate, so that the spatial positions of the laser signal and the visible light signal are close to each other, thereby reducing the error of the coordinate unified calculation of the point cloud data and the image data, and improving the accuracy of data fusion. In addition, through this arrangement, the thermal crosstalk between the laser emission chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b is also reduced.

[0007] In some embodiments, the cover includes a side wall and a top wall. One end of the side wall is fixed to the first surface of the packaging substrate provided with the system-level chip, and the other end extends away from the first surface; the top wall is fixed to the end of the side wall away from the first surface, so that the packaging substrate, the side wall and the top wall form an installation cavity, and the top wall is transparent to laser and visible light. The installation cavity formed by the cover and the packaging substrate is used to fix and protect the system-level chip, the laser emission chip, the first receiving chip and the second receiving chip, so as to prevent displacement or damage of the chips in the cavity during packaging or transportation.

[0008] In some embodiments, at least one of the system-level chip, the laser emission chip, the first receiving chip and the second receiving chip is electrically connected to the packaging substrate by a bump. The bump bonding technology can place more connection points on the same area by reducing the spacing and size between the bumps, thereby realizing high-density interconnection and improving the integration of the chip module. Since the electrical path of the bump bonding is short and the resistance is low, not only can the signal transmission delay be effectively reduced and the performance of the chip module be improved, but also the power consumption of the chip module can be reduced.

[0009] In some embodiments, the signal transceiving period of the chip module includes a laser emission period and a laser blanking period; during the laser emission period, the system chip is configured to control the laser emission chip and the first receiving chip to be turned on, and control the second receiving chip to be turned off; during the laser blanking period, the system chip is configured to control the laser emission chip and the first receiving chip to be turned off, and control the second receiving chip to be turned on. Through the above arrangement, the interference of the laser signal emitted by the laser emission chip on the visible light signal received by the second receiving chip can be effectively avoided, so as to improve the quality of the signal received by the second receiving chip.

[0010] In some embodiments, the system chip is configured to receive the processed echo laser signal from the first receiving chip, and obtain point cloud data according to the processed echo laser signal; the system chip is configured to receive the processed visible light signal from the second receiving chip, and obtain image data according to the processed visible light signal; the system chip further includes a fusion unit configured to perform coordinate unification calculation on the point cloud data and the image data, and obtain fusion data, the fusion data including the coordinate-unified point cloud data and image data.

[0011] In some embodiments, the system chip further includes a communication interface configured to transmit the fusion data from the chip module to a device outside the chip module; the communication interface includes a wired interface and a wireless interface.

[0012] In a second aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a self-test method of a chip module, applied to the chip module in any one of the above embodiments. The method comprises: controlling a laser emission chip to emit a laser signal to a preset scene; receiving first excitation data and second excitation data generated by a first receiving chip, wherein the first excitation data is point cloud data pre-stored by the first receiving chip and obtained based on the preset scene, and the second excitation data is an echo signal actually received according to the laser signal; receiving third excitation data generated by a second receiving chip, wherein the third excitation data is image data pre-stored by the second receiving chip and obtained based on the preset scene; fusing the first excitation data and the third excitation data to obtain first fusion data, wherein the first fusion data comprises information of the first excitation data and the third excitation data; obtaining a first comparison result of the first excitation data and the second excitation data according to the first excitation data and the second excitation data; obtaining a second comparison result of the first fusion data and expected data according to the first fusion data and the expected data, wherein the expected data is a result obtained by fusing the first excitation data and the third excitation data in advance; and determining whether the system-level chip, the laser emission chip, the first receiving chip, the second receiving chip, and the signal path of the packaging substrate are abnormal according to the first comparison result and the second comparison result; wherein the first excitation data and the third excitation data correspond to the same preset scene. By using the above method to test the chip, self-test can be realized inside the chip module, without the need to invest in additional test equipment or devices, thereby reducing the test cost, significantly shortening the test process and test time, and improving the test efficiency.

[0013] In a third aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a preparation method of a receiving chip, applied to the chip module in any one of the above embodiments. The receiving chip comprises a device layer and a substrate layer. The device layer is connected with a system-level chip. The substrate layer is located on a side of the device layer away from the system-level chip. The preparation method of the receiving chip comprises:

[0014] Step S1: performing photolithography on the substrate layer by using a mask with a preset width, so as to form a first boss and first sink grooves located on both sides of the first boss on the substrate layer;

[0015] Step S2: performing photolithography on part of the sink grooves formed in the last round by using a mask with a greater width than the mask used in the last round, so as to form a second boss bearing the boss formed in the last round and second sink grooves located on both sides of the second boss on the substrate layer; and

[0016] Step S3: repeatedly performing Step S2;

[0017] The boss includes a first boss and a second boss, and the sink includes a first sink and a second sink. By directly performing photolithography on the substrate layer of the receiving chip, the integration of the receiving chip is improved, and the preparation of the receiving chip is realized with high precision. In addition, by directly performing photolithography on the substrate layer of the receiving chip, the preparation of the receiving chip from the device layer to the substrate layer can be completed at the same location, and the processing time of the receiving chip is shortened.

[0018] In some embodiments, the photolithography of the substrate layer by using the mask with a preset width forms the first boss and the first sink on both sides of the first boss, including: coating photoresist on the surface of the substrate layer to obtain a first photoresist layer; performing ultraviolet exposure on the first photoresist layer by using the mask with the preset width; developing the exposed area of the first photoresist layer to form a first area covered by the first photoresist layer and a second area exposed; etching the second area to obtain the first sink; and removing the first photoresist layer to form the first boss and the first sink on both sides of the first boss.

[0019] In some embodiments, the photolithography of part of the sink formed in the last round by using a mask with a larger width than the mask used in the last round forms the second boss carrying the boss formed in the last round and the second sink on both sides of the second boss, including: coating photoresist on the surface of the substrate layer to obtain a second photoresist layer; performing ultraviolet exposure on the second photoresist layer by using the mask with the larger width, wherein the mask with the larger width blocks the boss formed in the last round; developing the exposed area of the second photoresist layer to form a third area covered by the second photoresist layer and a fourth area exposed; etching the fourth area to obtain the second sink; and removing the second photoresist layer to form the second boss and the second sink on both sides of the second boss.

[0020] In a fourth aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a laser radar, which includes a shell and a chip module as in any one of the above embodiments, and the chip module is arranged in the shell.

[0021] In some embodiments, the laser emitting chip includes a plurality of emitting units arranged in a linear array, and the emitting units are used for emitting laser signals; the laser radar further includes a rotating mirror rotatably installed in the shell, and the rotating mirror is used for receiving the laser signals and reflecting the laser signals out of the laser radar for detecting a target object; the first receiving chip includes a plurality of receiving units arranged in a linear array, and the receiving units are used for receiving echo laser signals formed by the laser signals reflected by the target object, and each receiving unit corresponds to an emitting unit.

[0022] The technical scheme provided by the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] The chip module, the self-test method, the preparation method of the receiving chip and the laser radar are disclosed. On the one hand, the chip for receiving the echo laser signal and the chip for receiving the visible light signal are integrated on the packaging substrate, so that the spatial positions of the received laser signal and the visible light signal are close to be consistent, thereby reducing the error of the coordinate unified calculation of the point cloud data and the image data, and improving the accuracy of data fusion.

[0024] On the other hand, the laser emission chip, the system-level chip and the receiving chip are integrated on the packaging substrate, which not only improves the integration degree of the chip module and reduces the size of the laser radar, but also greatly shortens the data transmission distance between the chips, reduces the delay of the signal in the transmission process, thereby improving the response speed and data processing efficiency of the chip module, which helps to better calibrate and synchronize the work of each chip, and further improves the precision of distance measurement, image acquisition and the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments described in the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a chip module provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of time division multiplexing of a laser emission chip and a second receiving chip provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a chip module provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0029] Figure 4 is a communication schematic diagram of a chip module provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0030] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a chip module self-test method provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0031] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a receiving chip provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0032] Figure 7 is a flowchart of a preparation method of a receiving chip provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0033] Figure 8 is Figure 7 is a manufacturing process flowchart corresponding to step S1 in

[0034] Figure 9 is Figure 7 The manufacturing process flowchart corresponding to step S2 in the method is shown in FIG. 2.

[0035] Figure 10 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a laser radar provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] In the drawings, the reference signs are as follows:

[0037] 11, chip module; 110, packaging substrate; 111, system-level chip; 112, laser emitting chip; 113, receiving chip; 113a, first receiving chip; 113b, second receiving chip; 114, cover body; 1140, side wall; 1141, top wall; 1110, bus; 1120, master control unit; 1130, laser emitting control unit; 1150, first serial interface; 1151, second serial interface; 1160, control unit; 1170, storage unit; 1180, fusion unit; 1190, transmission unit; 1191, communication interface; 12, external device; 1131, device layer; 1132, substrate layer; 1133, first adhesive layer; 1134, second adhesive layer; 1132a, first boss; 1132b, first sink; 1132c, second boss; 1132d, second sink; 1, laser radar; 10, shell; 13, rotating mirror. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and in detail below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and should not be used to limit the present application.

[0039] Fusion of point cloud data of a laser radar and image data of a traditional camera is an important development direction of vehicle / machine information sensing. At present, the laser radar and the camera are usually two independent devices and are placed at different positions of a vehicle / machine. Since the positions of information collection of the laser radar and the camera are inconsistent, the coordinate unification calculation when fusing the point cloud data and the image data is very complex and information mismatching is prone to occur in the fusion process. In addition, since the laser radar and the camera are two independent devices, they also occupy a relatively large physical space, which is not conducive to the integration and miniaturization of sensors.

[0040] Based on this, the embodiments of this application aim to provide a chip module, a self-testing method, a method for fabricating a receiving chip, and a lidar, aiming to improve the current situation where lidar and cameras occupy a large physical space when used together, which is not conducive to miniaturization. Furthermore, this chip module can also improve the integration of the chip module, reduce the error in the unified calculation of coordinates of point cloud data and image data, and improve the accuracy of point cloud data and image data fusion. The embodiments in this application are all described using the application of the chip module in lidar as an example; however, in other embodiments of this application, the chip module can also be applied to other products, such as robots, drones, etc.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic side view of the chip module 11 provided in an embodiment of this application. The chip module 11 includes a packaging substrate 110, a system-on-chip (SOC) 111, a laser emitting chip 112, at least two receiving chips 113, and a cover 114. The SOC 111 is disposed on the surface of the packaging substrate 110. The laser emitting chip 112 is disposed on the surface of the packaging substrate 110 and is used to emit laser signals. The at least two receiving chips 113 include a first receiving chip 113a and a second receiving chip 113b, both of which are disposed on the surface of the packaging substrate 110. The first receiving chip 113a is used to receive echo laser signals, and the second receiving chip 113b is used to receive visible light signals. The cover 114 is disposed on the packaging substrate 110, and the cover 114 and the packaging substrate 110 together form a mounting cavity, in which the SOC 111, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, and the second receiving chip 113b are all located.

[0042] The packaging substrate 110 serves not only as a base for mounting the system-on-a-chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, the second receiving chip 113b, and the cover 114, but also as a means of achieving electrical connections between the chip module 11 and its external devices. In one embodiment, the packaging substrate 110 includes a conductive structure that enables electrical connections between the chip module 11 and external circuitry, ensuring the proper functioning of the chip module 11.

[0043] The system-level chip 111, the laser emission chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, and the second receiving chip 113b are arranged on the surface of the packaging substrate 110. Among them, the laser emission chip 112 is used to emit laser signals, the first receiving chip 113a is used to receive echo laser signals, and the second receiving chip 113b is used to receive visible light signals. In an embodiment, the laser of the laser emission chip 112 is a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), and the number of VCSELs is multiple, which are arranged in an array on the laser emission chip 112. Specifically, the laser signal range emitted by the laser emission chip 112 is 850nm to 1600nm.

[0044] In an embodiment, the first receiving chip 113a is a planar array single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) chip, referred to as a planar array SPAD chip, and the echo laser signal range received by the first receiving chip 113a is 850nm to 1600nm; the second receiving chip 113b is a CMOS image sensor (CIS) chip, referred to as a CIS chip, and the visible light signal range received by the second receiving chip 113b is 400nm to 700nm.

[0045] Specifically, the echo laser signal refers to the laser emitted by the laser emission chip 112 being reflected by an object in the detection range to form, and through the echo laser signal, information about the object in the detection range can be obtained, such as physical distance, speed, shape, and the like; the visible light signal refers to visible light reflected by an object in the detection range, and through the visible light signal, information about the object in the detection range can be obtained, such as brightness, color, shape, and contour.

[0046] In some embodiments, at least one of the system-level chip 111, the laser emission chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, and the second receiving chip 113b is electrically connected to the packaging substrate 110 by a bump. Specifically, the system-level chip 111, the laser emission chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, and the second receiving chip 113b are all in contact with the packaging substrate 110 through the bumps on the surface, so as to realize the mechanical connection and electrical connection of the system-level chip 111, the laser emission chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, and the second receiving chip 113b with the packaging substrate 110, respectively.

[0047] In an embodiment, the number of bumps on the surface of the system chip 111, the laser emission chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b is multiple, the shape of the bump includes a spherical shape, a columnar shape and a block shape, and the material of the bump includes copper, gold and nickel. The bump bonding technology can place more connection points on the same area by reducing the spacing and size of the bumps, thereby realizing high-density interconnection and improving the integration of the chip module 11. Since the electrical path of the bump bonding is short and the resistance is low, not only can the signal transmission delay be effectively reduced and the performance of the chip module 11 be improved, but also the power consumption of the chip module 11 can be reduced.

[0048] In some embodiments, the signal transceiving period of the chip module 11 includes a laser emission period and a laser blanking period. In the laser emission period, the system chip 111 is used to control the laser emission chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a to be turned on, and control the second receiving chip 113b to be turned off; at this time, the echo laser signal can be received through the first receiving chip 113a, so as to obtain the point cloud data. In the laser blanking period, the system chip 111 is used to control the laser emission chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a to be turned off, and control the second receiving chip to be turned on; at this time, the visible light signal can be received through the second receiving chip 113b, so as to obtain the image data.

[0049] In some embodiments, the system chip 111 is used to receive the echo laser signal processed by the first receiving chip 113a, and obtain the point cloud data according to the processed echo laser signal; the system chip 111 is used to receive the visible light signal processed by the second receiving chip 113b, and obtain the image data according to the processed visible light signal. Specifically, the system chip 111 transmits the laser emission control signal to the laser emission chip 112 through the wire on the packaging substrate 110, for controlling the opening and closing of the laser emission chip 112; the system chip 111 transmits the control signal to the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b through the wire on the packaging substrate 110, for controlling the opening and closing of the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b; in addition, the echo laser signal processed by the first receiving chip 113a and the visible light signal processed by the second receiving chip 113b are also transmitted to the system chip 111 through the wire on the packaging substrate 110.

[0050] In one embodiment, the period during which the laser emitting chip 112 is turned off is called the laser blanking period. During the laser blanking period, the first receiving chip 113a does not receive echo laser light, and only the second receiving chip 113b receives visible light. Specifically, taking a rotating mirror as an example, the laser blanking period corresponds to the rotating mirror returning to its original position, that is, the rotating mirror is at the starting position of the next frame of point cloud image, ready for a new round of laser scanning. Further, during the laser emission period, the rotating mirror starts rotating from the starting angle position of a frame of point cloud image, and during the laser emission period, the laser emitted by the laser emitting chip 112 passes through each reflective surface of the rotating mirror in sequence, completing the scanning of the detection range; wherein, each reflective surface of the rotating mirror also receives echo laser light during the rotation process and reflects the echo laser light back to the first receiving chip 113a. Therefore, a continuous scanning trajectory is formed during the laser emission period, thereby generating a complete frame of point cloud image. Therefore, the point cloud data obtained by the system-on-a-chip 111 during the laser emission period and the image data obtained by the system-on-a-chip 111 during the laser blanking period are data of the same detection range within the same cycle of the lidar.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the time-division multiplexing of the laser emitting chip 112 and the second receiving chip 113b provided in an embodiment of this application. In one embodiment, one working cycle of the laser emitting chip 112 is divided into two time periods: the laser emitting chip 112 is turned on and the laser emitting chip 112 is turned off. When the laser emitting chip 112 is turned on, it emits a linear laser array. Throughout the operation of the entire chip module 11, the laser emitting chip 112 continuously repeats this working cycle.

[0052] Specifically, the activation period of the laser emitting chip 112 includes three consecutive stages: charging, emitting, and receiving by the first receiving chip 113a. Charging the laser emitting chip 112 provides power to the packaging substrate 110, causing electrons inside the laser emitting chip 112 to transition from low to high energy levels, preparing energy for laser emission. Emission occurs after charging, when the laser emitting chip 112 emits a linear laser array into the detection range. Receiving by the first receiving chip 113a occurs after the laser emitting chip 112 emits, when the first receiving chip 113a receives the echo laser reflected from objects within the detection range, ultimately forming a point cloud pattern.

[0053] Furthermore, during the period when the laser emitting chip 112 is turned on, the three stages of laser emitting chip 112 charging, emitting, and first receiving chip 113a receiving are performed sequentially, forming a periodic laser emitting chip 112 charging, emitting, and first receiving chip 113a receiving, ensuring that the chip module 11 can continuously emit laser and receive echo laser, and finally form a complete point cloud map.

[0054] One operating cycle of the second receiving chip 113b is also divided into two time periods: the second receiving chip 113b is off and the second receiving chip 113b is on. The time period when the second receiving chip 113b is off corresponds to the time period when the laser emitting chip 112 is on, and the time period when the second receiving chip 113b is on corresponds to the time period when the laser emitting chip 112 is off.

[0055] Specifically, the laser emitting chip 112 is turned on during the laser emission period and turned off during the laser blanking period. During the laser blanking period, the laser emitting chip 112 does not emit laser light, and the first receiving chip 113a does not receive the echo laser. By using time-division multiplexing for the laser emitting chip 112 and the second receiving chip 113b, interference caused by the laser emission of the laser emitting chip 112 to the reception of visible light signals by the second receiving chip 113b is effectively avoided.

[0056] like Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic top view of the chip module 11 provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, the laser emitting chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the system-on-a-chip 111 along a first preset direction, and the second receiving chip 113b is disposed at a distance from the system-on-a-chip 111 along a second preset direction; wherein, the second preset direction intersects the first preset direction. In this embodiment, the first preset direction X is the long side direction of the surface of the system-on-a-chip 111, and the second preset direction Y is the extension direction of the long side direction of the surface of the system-on-a-chip 111.

[0057] In one embodiment, the first preset direction X is the extension direction of the wide side of the surface of the system-on-a-chip 111, and the second preset direction Y is the extension direction of the long side of the surface of the system-on-a-chip 111. This arrangement reduces the transmission distance between the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, and the second receiving chip 113b on the packaging substrate 110 and the system-on-a-chip 111, thereby reducing the complexity and failure rate between chips, reducing signal transmission problems between chips caused by mechanical vibration or external interference, and improving the efficiency of signal transmission between chips.

[0058] Due to the small size of the packaging substrate 110, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b are arranged close to each other on the surface of the system-level chip 111. Specifically, the laser emitting chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a are arranged close to each other, which can reduce the blind area of the field of view; the second receiving chip 113b is arranged close to the first receiving chip 113a, so that the spatial positions of the received laser signals and visible light signals are close to each other, thereby reducing the error of the coordinate unification calculation of the point cloud data and the image data, and improving the accuracy of data fusion. In addition, the arrangement also reduces the thermal crosstalk between the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b.

[0059] In addition, the compact layout of the arrangement improves the integration of the chip module 11, significantly reduces the size of the chip module 11, thereby reducing the size of the lidar, and also helps to reduce the power consumption of the chip module 11. It should be understood that the present application does not make any specific limitation on the positions of the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b on the system-level chip 111.

[0060] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 1 The cover 114 includes a side wall 1140 and a top wall 1141 for packaging the system-level chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b. The side wall 1140 is fixed at one end to the first surface of the packaging substrate 110 where the system-level chip 111 is arranged, and extends away from the first surface at the other end. The top wall 1141 is fixed to the end of the side wall 1140 away from the first surface, so that the packaging substrate 110, the side wall 1140 and the top wall 1141 form a mounting cavity for fixing and protecting the system-level chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b, preventing displacement or damage of the chips in the cavity during packaging or transportation. In one embodiment, the material of the side wall 1140 includes a dual adhesive material (DMA), and the material of the top wall 1141 includes glass.

[0061] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3 From the perspective of top view, the area of the closed region formed by the side wall 1140 on the packaging substrate 110 is greater than the area of the system-level chip 111, but less than the area of the packaging substrate 110.

[0062] In one embodiment, the top wall 1141 is transparent to laser and visible light, and is fixed to one end of the side wall 1140 away from the first surface, and is bonded to the side wall 1140 by glue, thereby realizing the packaging of the system-on-chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b in the chamber, and ensuring good air tightness and water tightness in the chamber. In addition, the bonding of the side wall 1140 and the top wall 1141 by glue also effectively prevents rain or dust from entering the chamber and damaging the chips.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4 Figure 4 A communication schematic diagram of a chip module 11 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The chip module 11 includes a system-on-chip 111, a laser emitting chip 112, a first receiving chip 113a and a second receiving chip 113b. Among them, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b are connected with the system-on-chip 111 respectively, and the system-on-chip 111 is used for controlling the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b.

[0064] In one embodiment, after the system-on-chip 111 is powered on, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b are first initialized and set. Specifically, the system-on-chip 111 sets the parameters such as the emission power, pulse width and frequency of the laser emitting chip 112; the system-on-chip 111 sets the parameters such as the detection threshold of the first receiving chip 113a, so as to improve the response ability to the laser signal; the system-on-chip 111 sets the parameters such as the exposure time of the second receiving chip 113b, so as to ensure that high-quality image data can be obtained. In addition, the initialization and setting of the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 12a and the second receiving chip 12b by the system-on-chip 111 also includes error detection processing, so as to ensure that the hardware devices of the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b work normally, and any problem will be identified by the system-on-chip 111 and corresponding measures will be taken.

[0065] ​Further, after the system chip 111 initializes and sets the laser emission chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b, the system chip 111 controls the laser emission chip 112 to emit laser, and controls the first receiving chip 113a to receive the echo laser signal in the detection range and transmit it to the system chip 111. After the first receiving chip 113a receives the echo laser signal in the detection range, the system chip 111 controls the laser emission chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a to be closed, and controls the second receiving chip 113b to be opened to receive the visible light in the detection range and transmit it to the system chip 111. After a series of processing of the system chip 111, the point cloud data and the image data are obtained. The system chip 111 performs coordinate unified calculation and fusion on the point cloud data and the image data to obtain fusion data, and transmits the fusion data to the external device 12.

[0066] The bus 1110 is a group of physical lines or electronic signals for transmitting data. The bus usually includes three parts of address bus, data bus and control bus for transmitting address, data and control signal. The bus 1110 connects each unit and interface in the system chip 111, so that they can communicate and exchange data with each other.

[0067] The main control unit 1120 is the core part of the whole system chip 111, which is connected with the bus 1110 and used for executing instructions, processing data and controlling other units. In an embodiment, the main control unit 1120 includes a central processing unit (CPU).

[0068] The laser emission control unit 1130 is connected with the bus 1110 and the laser emission chip 112, and is used for controlling the opening and closing of the laser emission chip 112. In an embodiment, the main control unit 1120 controls the laser emission control unit 1130 through the bus 1110, outputs control instructions to the laser emission chip 112, and the laser emission chip 112 emits laser to the detection range after receiving the control instructions.

[0069] The first serial interface 1150 is connected with the first receiving chip 113a, and is used to transmit the electrical signal converted by the first receiving chip 113a based on the received echo laser signal to the system chip 111. In an embodiment, the first receiving chip 113a converts the received echo laser signal into an electrical signal, and encodes and formats the electrical signal through a serial communication protocol to ensure the integrity and reliability of the signal during transmission; the encoded and formatted signal is transmitted to the system chip 111 through the first serial interface 1150, the system chip 111 receives and decodes the signal, and then further processes and analyzes the signal to finally obtain point cloud data.

[0070] The second serial interface 1151 is connected with the second receiving chip 113b, and is used to transmit the electrical signal converted by the second receiving chip 113b based on the received visible light signal to the system chip 111. In an embodiment, the second receiving chip 113b converts the received visible light signal into an electrical signal, and encodes and formats the electrical signal through a serial communication protocol to ensure the integrity and reliability of the signal during transmission; the encoded and formatted signal is transmitted to the system chip 111 through the second serial interface 1151, the system chip 111 receives and decodes the signal, and then further processes and analyzes the signal to finally obtain image data.

[0071] In an embodiment, the first serial interface 1150 and the second serial interface 1151 both include a MIPI CSI (Camera Serial Interface) interface. Specifically, the MIPI CSI interface is a high-speed serial interface specially designed for mobile devices, mainly used for data transmission between cameras and processors, and has high bandwidth, low power consumption and high reliability. Further, the MIPI CSI interface supports high-speed data transmission, meets the needs of high-resolution image and video transmission, and supports multiple pixel formats, which makes it adaptable to different image processing needs.

[0072] The control unit 1160 is connected with the bus 1110 and the second receiving chip 113b, and is configured to control the opening and closing of the second receiving chip 113b. In an embodiment, the master control unit 1120 controls the control unit 1160 through the bus 1110, and outputs a control instruction to the second receiving chip 113b. After receiving the control instruction, the second receiving chip 113b starts to receive the visible light in the detection range, and transmits the visible light signal to the system chip 111 through the second serial interface 1151. At the same time, the master control unit 1120 controls the laser emitting chip 112 to be closed through the bus 1110 and the laser control unit 130, and controls the first receiving chip 113a to be closed through the bus 1110. Specifically, the master control unit 1120 controls the control unit 1160 through the bus 1110, and outputs the control instruction after the laser emitting chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a are closed.

[0073] The storage unit 1170 is connected with the bus 1110, and is configured to buffer the point cloud data and the image data in the same period. The same period includes a laser emitting period and a laser blanking period. In the laser emitting period, the laser emitting chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a are opened, and the second receiving chip 113b is closed. In the laser blanking period, the laser emitting chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a are closed, and the second receiving chip 113b is opened. In an embodiment, the storage unit includes a frame buffer.

[0074] In some embodiments, the system chip 111 further includes a fusion unit 1180 connected with the bus 1110, and configured to perform coordinate unification calculation on the point cloud data and the image data, and obtain fusion data including the coordinate unified point cloud data and image data. Further, the fusion unit 1180 is further configured to continue transmitting the fusion data to the storage unit 1170 for buffering.

[0075] Specifically, when the fusion unit 1180 performs fusion on the point cloud data and the image data, the spatial positions of the laser signals and the visible light signals received by the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b are almost consistent, so that the calculation of coordinate conversion can be simplified, the accurate registration when the point cloud data and the image data are fused can be realized, and the accuracy and reliability of the fusion data can be improved.

[0076] In one embodiment, the fusion unit 1180 is configured to map the color information in the image data onto the point cloud data, generating point cloud data with color. This not only makes the point cloud data more vivid and intuitive, but also facilitates subsequent three-dimensional reconstruction and visualization analysis. Further, after color filling the fusion data, global optimization is performed to adjust the parameters of the image data and the point cloud data, ensuring the consistency of the image data and the point cloud data in space, color and time. For data obtained by multiple scans, splicing processing is also needed to generate a complete scene panorama. By fusing point cloud data and image data, the fusion unit 1180 can provide accurate three-dimensional spatial information, thereby improving the perception ability of the environment, especially in the field of autonomous driving, etc. This fusion can significantly enhance the understanding of the surrounding environment by the vehicle.

[0077] The transmission unit 1190 is connected with the bus 1110, and is configured to carry the fusion data from the storage unit 1170 to the communication interface 1191. In one embodiment, the transmission unit 1190 is a direct memory access (DMA). Specifically, direct memory access allows a peripheral device to access system memory directly without the control of the central processing unit, which can significantly improve the data transmission rate, reduce the burden of the central processing unit, and improve the overall system performance.

[0078] In some embodiments, the system-on-chip 111 further includes a communication interface 1191 connected with the bus 1110, and configured to transmit the fusion data from the chip module 11 to a device 12 outside the chip module. Wherein, the communication interface 1191 includes a communication interface 1 and a communication interface 2, and the communication interface 1 is different from the communication interface 2. Specifically, the fusion data cached in the storage unit 1170 is carried to the communication interface 1 or the communication interface 2 by the transmission unit 1190, and is transmitted to the device 12 outside through the communication interface 1 or the communication interface 2, realizing highly flexible data communication.

[0079] In one embodiment, the communication interface 1 includes a wired interface, and the communication interface 2 includes a wireless interface; or, the communication interface 1 includes a wireless interface, and the communication interface 2 includes a wired interface. Wherein, the wired interface is configured to transmit the fusion data through a physical medium, and the wireless interface is configured to transmit the fusion data through radio waves. In one embodiment, the wired interface includes an Ethernet, and the wireless interface includes a WI-FI.

[0080] In one embodiment, when the chip module 11 is located in an electrical device, such as a lidar device, electric vehicle, electric two-wheeler, electric tricycle, robot, etc., the external device 12 includes a memory or processor in the electrical device. After receiving the fused data, the external device 12 uses the fused data for object detection and classification to identify and understand objects in the surrounding environment, such as vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs, etc. Furthermore, the external device 12 is also responsible for tracking multi-frame information, calculating and predicting the trajectory of obstacles, and semantic understanding of special scenarios including traffic lights, road signs, construction areas, etc., and outputting the processed data to the decision-making system for path planning to achieve safe driving of the autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment, the external device 12 may also include a hard drive, a remote server, or the cloud for storing and analyzing the fused data for further analysis and processing.

[0081] like Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a self-testing method for a chip module 11 provided in this application embodiment. It should be understood that the self-testing method for the chip module 11 provided in this application embodiment is applied to the aforementioned chip module 11. The chip module 11 can be located in any device, including but not limited to: LiDAR, automotive devices, handheld devices, wearable devices, or computing devices. The following embodiments of this application will use the system-on-a-chip 111 in the chip module 11 as an example to illustrate the method. The specific steps of the method are as follows:

[0082] S10, control the laser emitting chip 112 to emit laser signals to the preset scene.

[0083] In some embodiments, the system-on-a-chip 111 outputs control commands through the laser emission control unit 1130, causing the laser emission chip 112 to emit laser signals toward a preset scene.

[0084] S20. Receive first excitation data and second excitation data generated by the first receiving chip 113a, wherein the first excitation data is point cloud data pre-stored by the first receiving chip 113a based on a preset scenario, and the second excitation data is the echo signal actually received based on the laser signal.

[0085] In some embodiments, the system-level chip 111 receives the first excitation data and the second excitation data through the first serial interface 1150; the first excitation data is the point cloud data pre-stored in the first receiving chip 113a and obtained based on a preset scene, and the second excitation data is the echo signal actually received according to the laser signal. Specifically, before step S20 is performed, the preset scene is detected by a laser radar including a receiving chip of the same specification as the first receiving chip 113a, corresponding point cloud data is obtained, and the point cloud data is stored in the first receiving chip 113a as reference data applied to the chip module 11 in mass production. Specifically, the preset scenes corresponding to the first excitation data and the second excitation data are the same scene.

[0086] S30, receiving third excitation data generated by the second receiving chip 113b, wherein the third excitation data is image data pre-stored in the second receiving chip 113b and obtained based on a preset scene.

[0087] In some embodiments, the system-level receiving chip 11 receives the third excitation data through the second serial interface 1151, and the third excitation data is image data pre-stored in the second receiving chip 113b and obtained based on a preset scene. Specifically, before step S30 is performed, the preset scene is detected by a laser radar including a receiving chip of the same specification as the second receiving chip 113b, corresponding image data is obtained, and the image data is stored in the second receiving chip 113b as reference data applied to the chip module 11 in mass production. The point cloud data pre-stored in the first receiving chip 113a and the image data pre-stored in the second receiving chip 113b are both derived from the same preset scene, i.e., the preset scenes corresponding to the first excitation data and the third excitation data are the same scene.

[0088] S40, fusing the first excitation data and the third excitation data to obtain first fusion data, wherein the first fusion data includes information of the first excitation data and the third excitation data.

[0089] In some embodiments, the system-level chip 111 fuses the received first excitation data and third excitation data through the fusion unit 1180 to obtain first fusion data. In one embodiment, the first fusion data includes depth information of the point cloud and color information of the image in the same scene.

[0090] S50, obtaining a first comparison result of the first excitation data and the second excitation data according to the first excitation data and the second excitation data.

[0091] In some embodiments, the first excitation data and the second excitation data are transmitted to the host computer 1120 through the first serial interface 1150 and the bus 1110, the host computer 1120 compares the first excitation data and the second excitation data to obtain a first comparison result. In another embodiment, the first excitation data is pre-stored in the host computer, the second excitation data is first transmitted to the storage unit 1170 in the system-on-chip for caching, then carried from the storage unit 1170 to the communication interface 1191 by the transmission unit 1190, and finally transmitted to the host computer by the communication interface 1191. The host computer compares the first excitation data and the second excitation data to obtain a first comparison result.

[0092] S60, according to the first fusion data and the expected data, obtaining a second comparison result of the first fusion data and the expected data, wherein the expected data is a result obtained by fusing the first excitation data and the third excitation data in advance.

[0093] In some embodiments, the expected data is a result obtained by fusing the first excitation data and the third excitation data in advance by the system-on-chip 111. In one embodiment, point cloud data is obtained by detecting a preset scene by a laser radar, and image data is obtained by image acquisition of the preset scene by an image acquisition device, then the point cloud data and the image data are fused by a processor or a micro control unit, and the expected data is obtained, and the expected data is stored in the system-on-chip 111.

[0094] Specifically, the expected data is pre-stored in the system-on-chip 111 as reference data, and the first fusion data is data obtained by the system-on-chip 111 based on the first excitation data output by the first receiving chip 113a and the second excitation data output by the second receiving chip 113b after the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b are arranged on the surface of the system-on-chip 111. Therefore, whether the first receiving chip 113a and the second receiving chip 113b communicate normally with the system-on-chip can be determined by comparing the first fusion data with the expected data.

[0095] In one embodiment, the first fusion data and the expected data are stored in the storage unit 1170 in the system-level chip 111, the first fusion data and the expected data are transmitted to the host unit 1120 through the bus 1110, the host unit 1120 compares the first fusion data and the expected data to obtain the second comparison result. In another embodiment, the expected data is pre-stored in the host computer, the first fusion data is first transmitted to the storage unit 1170 in the system-level chip 111 for buffering, then the first fusion data is carried from the storage unit 1170 to the communication interface 1191 by the transmission unit 1190, and finally the first fusion data is transmitted to the host computer by the communication interface 1191, and the expected data and the first fusion data are compared by the host computer to obtain the second comparison result.

[0096] S70, according to the first comparison result and the second comparison result, determining whether the system-level chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, the second receiving chip 113b and the signal path of the packaging substrate 110 are abnormal; wherein the first excitation data and the third excitation data correspond to the same preset scene.

[0097] In one embodiment, if the first excitation data and the second excitation data are consistent or have small differences, it means that the signal path of the system-level chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a is normal; if the comparison result of the first excitation data and the second excitation data is significantly different, it means that the signal path of the system-level chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112 and the first receiving chip 113a is abnormal.

[0098] In one embodiment, if the comparison result of the first fusion data and the expected data is consistent or has small differences, it means that the signal path of the system-level chip 111, the first receiving chip 113a, the second receiving chip 113b and the packaging substrate 110 is normal; if the comparison result of the first fusion data and the expected data is significantly different, it means that the signal path of the system-level chip 111, the first receiving chip 113a, the second receiving chip 113b and the packaging substrate 110 is abnormal. Specifically, according to the first comparison result and the second comparison result, it can be determined whether the signal path of the system-level chip 111, the laser emitting chip 112, the first receiving chip 113a, the second receiving chip 113b and the packaging substrate 110 is abnormal.

[0099] Through the self-test method of the chip module 11, self-test can be realized inside the chip, without the need to invest in additional test equipment or devices, reducing the test cost, significantly shortening the test process and test time, and improving the test efficiency.

[0100] As shown in Figure 6 , the first excitation data and the second excitation data are compared to obtain the first comparison result. Figure 6A schematic diagram of a receiving chip 113 is provided in an embodiment of the present application. The receiving chip 113 includes a first receiving chip 113a and a second receiving chip 113b. In some embodiments, the receiving chip 113 includes a device layer 1131 connected to the system-level chip 111 and a substrate layer 1132 located on a side of the device layer 1131 away from the system-level chip 111.

[0101] In one embodiment, the material of the substrate layer 1132 is silicon and is prepared by a chemical vapor deposition process. The chemical vapor deposition process is a process of using gas to produce solid deposition on the surface of a solid through chemical reaction. The basic principle is that the gas phase reacts at high temperature, such as thermal decomposition of metal halide, organometallic, hydrocarbon, hydrogen reduction, or chemical reaction of its mixed gas at high temperature to precipitate metal, oxide, carbide, and other inorganic materials.

[0102] As shown in Figures 7 to 9 , a flowchart of a preparation method of a receiving chip 113 is provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 Figure 8 And Figure 9 a manufacturing process flowchart corresponding to the preparation method of the receiving chip 113. It should be understood that the preparation method of the receiving chip 113 provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied to the chip module 11 described above. The specific steps of the method are as follows:

[0103] Step S1: using a mask with a preset width to perform photolithography on the substrate layer 1132, so that the substrate layer 1132 forms a first boss 1132a and a first sink 1132b located on both sides of the first boss.

[0104] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 8 , the step S1 includes: coating a photoresist on the surface of the substrate layer 1132 to obtain a first photoresist layer 1133; using a mask with a preset width to perform ultraviolet exposure on the first photoresist layer 1133; developing the exposed area of the first photoresist layer to make the substrate layer 1132 form a first area covered by the first photoresist layer 1133 and a second area exposed; etching the second area to obtain the first sink 1132b; and removing the first photoresist layer 1133 to make the substrate layer 1132 form the first boss 1132a and the first sink 1132b located on both sides of the first boss.

[0105] Step S2: using a mask with a larger width than the mask used in the previous round to perform photolithography on part of the sink formed in the previous round, so that the substrate layer 1132 forms a second boss 1132c bearing the boss formed in the previous round and a second sink 1132d located on both sides of the second boss 1132c.

[0106] ​In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, step S2 includes: coating a photoresist layer on the surface of the substrate layer 1132 to obtain a second photoresist layer 1134; exposing the second photoresist layer 1134 to ultraviolet light using a mask with a wider width, wherein the mask with a wider width blocks the protrusion formed in the previous round; developing the exposed area of ​​the second photoresist layer 1134 to form a third region covered by the second photoresist layer 1134 and a fourth region exposed on the substrate layer 1132; etching the fourth region to obtain a second trench 1132d; and removing the second photoresist layer to form a second protrusion and a second trench located on both sides of the second protrusion on the substrate layer 1132.

[0107] Step S3: Repeat step S2; wherein the boss includes a first boss 1132a and a second boss 1132c, and the sink includes a first sink 1132b and a second sink 1132d.

[0108] Specifically, the third region includes the portion of the boss and sinker formed in the previous round, such as the portion of the first boss and the first sinker; the fourth region includes most of the sinker formed in the previous step, such as most of the first sinker.

[0109] By repeatedly executing step S2, an approximate arc shape with a thicker middle region and gradually decreasing thickness on both sides can be formed on the surface of the substrate layer 122 away from the device layer 121, thus ultimately obtaining a convex lens.

[0110] In one embodiment, the mask with a preset width in step S1 represents the mask's process limit; that is, the preset width of the mask is the minimum width achievable under the current mask fabrication process conditions. In step S2, the mask width used initially is greater than the mask width in step S1. In step S3, the mask width used in the repeated execution of step S2 is greater than the mask width used in the previous round, meaning the mask width gradually increases, but the maximum mask width is less than the width of the substrate layer 122. Specifically, in each step after the initial step, the mask width is greater than the width of the protrusion formed in the previous step.

[0111] In one embodiment, the etching in the above steps is either ion beam etching (IBE) or reactive ion etching (RIE). Ion beam etching is a dry etching technique that uses an ion beam to react physically or chemically with the material surface to remove material, thereby achieving precise pattern transfer. Reactive ion etching uses a high-energy ion beam to bombard the surface of the object to be etched, while simultaneously introducing a reactive gas. Collisions between the ion beam and gas molecules generate chemically active groups and ions. These high-energy ions and active groups react chemically with the surface of the etched material, thereby removing unwanted material.

[0112] like Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for fabricating a receiver chip 113 according to an embodiment of this application. It should be understood that the method for fabricating the receiver chip 113 provided in this embodiment is applied to the chip module 11 described above. The specific steps of this method are as follows:

[0113] In one embodiment, the substrate of the receiving chip 113 is fabricated using the above-described method steps, resulting in a curved, integrated lens that corresponds to the entire receiving chip 12. In another embodiment, the substrate of the receiving chip 12 is fabricated using the above-described method steps, resulting in a curved microlens array. Specifically, the more times the above steps are repeated, the better the curvature and accuracy of the lens will be optimized and improved.

[0114] In one embodiment, the receiving chip 113 further includes a pixel array and a microlens array, wherein the pixel array is disposed on the device layer 1131, and the microlens array is fabricated from the substrate layer 1132. Specifically, each microlens in the microlens array corresponds one-to-one with each pixel in the pixel array, and the specific steps of the above-mentioned method for fabricating the receiving chip 113 are to fabricate a microlens on a pixel, so that the pixel and the microlens are integrally formed.

[0115] By directly fabricating a high-precision microlens on the substrate layer 1132 of the receiving chip 113 using semiconductor fabrication methods, not only is the quality and performance of the received signal improved, but the integration density of the receiving chip 113 is also increased. Furthermore, the fabrication of the receiving chip 113 from the device layer to the microlens can be completed in the same location, shortening processing time and reducing production costs.

[0116] This application also provides a lidar 1, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the lidar 1 includes a housing 10 and a chip module 11 as described in any embodiment of this application, with the chip module 11 disposed within the housing 10.

[0117] In some embodiments, the laser emitting chip 112 includes a plurality of emitting units arranged in a linear array, which are used to emit laser signals; the lidar also includes a rotating mirror 13, which is rotatably mounted in the housing, and is used to receive laser signals and reflect them outside the lidar for detecting target objects; the first receiving chip 113a includes a plurality of receiving units arranged in a linear array, which are used to receive the echo laser signals formed by the reflection of the laser signals from the target objects, and each receiving unit corresponds to one emitting unit. In one embodiment, the rotating mirror 13 is a prism of a regular hexahedron, a regular octahedron, or a polyhedron.

[0118] In the embodiments of the present application, the laser emitting chip 112 emits linear laser to the rotating mirror 13, each reflecting surface of the rotating mirror 13 reflects the laser to the object in the detection range in the process of rotating the rotating mirror, the laser reflected by the surface of the object in the detection range forms echo laser, the echo laser is directly received by the first receiving chip 113a, and finally the point cloud data is obtained by the system level chip 111.

[0119] In one embodiment, the laser emitting chip 112 emits linear laser to the rotating mirror 13, each reflecting surface of the rotating mirror 13 reflects the laser to the object in the detection range in the process of rotating the rotating mirror, the laser reflected by the surface of the object in the detection range forms echo laser, the echo laser returns to the reflecting surface of the rotating mirror along the original path, the reflecting surface reflects the echo laser to the first receiving chip 113a, and finally the point cloud data is obtained by the system level chip 111.

[0120] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present application belongs. The terms used in the specification of the present application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The term "and / or" used herein describes the association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can represent the three cases of A alone, A and B together, and B alone. The character " / " generally represents that the front and rear associated objects are in an "or" relationship. The singular form "one", "a" is also intended to include the plural form, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. When the terms "include" and / or "comprise" are used in the specification, it means that the described features, elements and / or components exist, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and / or combinations thereof, that is, any and all combinations of one or more related listed items are included. The ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" referred to in the embodiments of the present application are only for identification, and do not refer to other meanings such as specific order or imply relative importance.

[0121] In the present application, unless specifically stated and limited otherwise, the "on" or "under" of a first feature to a second feature can include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, the "on", "above" and "under" of a first feature to a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The "under", "below" and "under" of a first feature to a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or only indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature. The specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances by those of ordinary skill in the art. "One or more embodiments" used herein does not refer to the same embodiment, but combines specific features, structures or properties in any suitable manner. The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, and is not used to limit the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A chip module, characterized in that, include: Packaging substrate; A system-on-a-chip is disposed on the surface of the packaging substrate; A laser emitting chip is disposed on the surface of the packaging substrate and is used to emit laser signals; At least two receiving chips are disposed on the surface of the packaging substrate. The at least two receiving chips include a first receiving chip and a second receiving chip. The first receiving chip is used to receive echo laser signals, and the second receiving chip is used to receive visible light signals. as well as A cover is disposed on the packaging substrate, and the cover and the packaging substrate together form a mounting cavity, in which the system-on-a-chip, the laser emitting chip, the first receiving chip and the second receiving chip are all located.

2. The chip module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser emitting chip and the first receiving chip are disposed on opposite sides of the system-on-a-chip along a first preset direction, and the second receiving chip is disposed at a distance from the system-on-a-chip along a second preset direction. Wherein, the second preset direction intersects with the first preset direction.

3. The chip module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover includes: Sidewall, one end of which is fixed to the first surface of the packaging substrate on which the system-on-a-chip is disposed, and the other end extending away from the first surface; and The top wall is fixed to the end of the side wall opposite to the first surface, so that the packaging substrate, the side wall and the top wall form the mounting cavity, and the top wall is transparent to laser and visible light.

4. The chip module according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the system-on-a-chip, the laser emitting chip, the first receiving chip, and the second receiving chip is electrically connected to the packaging substrate via bumps.

5. The chip module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal transmission and reception cycle of the chip module includes a laser emission period and a laser blanking period; During the laser emission period, the system-on-a-chip is used to control the laser emitting chip and the first receiving chip to turn on, and to control the second receiving chip to turn off; During the laser blanking period, the system-on-a-chip is used to control the laser emitting chip and the first receiving chip to turn off, and to control the second receiving chip to turn on.

6. The chip module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The system-on-a-chip is used to receive the echo laser signal processed by the first receiving chip, and to obtain point cloud data based on the processed echo laser signal; The system-on-a-chip is used to receive the visible light signal processed by the second receiving chip, and to obtain image data based on the processed visible light signal; The system-on-a-chip also includes a fusion unit, which is used to perform coordinate unification calculation on the point cloud data and the image data to obtain fused data, the fused data including the coordinate-unified point cloud data and image data.

7. The chip module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The system-on-a-chip also includes a communication interface for transmitting the fused data from the lidar chip to a device outside the chip module; The communication interface includes a wired interface and a wireless interface.

8. A self-testing method for a chip module, characterized in that, Applied to the chip module as described in any one of claims 1-7, the method comprises: The laser emitting chip is controlled to emit laser signals toward a preset scene; The system receives first stimulus data and second stimulus data generated by the first receiving chip, wherein the first stimulus data is point cloud data pre-stored by the first receiving chip and obtained based on a preset scenario, and the second stimulus data is the echo signal actually received according to the laser signal. The third stimulus data generated by the second receiving chip is received, wherein the third stimulus data is image data pre-stored by the second receiving chip and obtained based on a preset scene; Based on the first incentive data and the third incentive data, a first fused data is obtained by fusing them together, wherein the first fused data includes information from the first incentive data and the third incentive data; Based on the first incentive data and the second incentive data, a first comparison result of the first incentive data and the second incentive data is obtained; Based on the first fused data and the expected data, a second comparison result between the first fused data and the expected data is obtained, wherein the expected data is a result obtained in advance by fusing the first stimulus data and the third stimulus data; and Based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, determine whether the signal paths of the system-on-a-chip, the laser emitting chip, the first receiving chip, the second receiving chip, and the packaging substrate are abnormal; The first incentive data and the third incentive data both correspond to the same preset scenario.

9. A method for fabricating a receiving chip, applied to the chip module according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The receiving chip includes a device layer and a substrate layer. The device layer is connected to the system-on-a-chip (SoC). The substrate layer is located on the side of the device layer opposite to the SoC. The method for fabricating the receiving chip includes: Step S1: Photolithography is performed on the substrate layer using a mask of a preset width to form a first protrusion and a first groove located on both sides of the first protrusion. Step S2: Using a mask with a wider width than the one used in the previous round, perform photolithography on a portion of the groove formed in the previous round, so that the substrate layer forms a second boss supporting the boss formed in the previous round, and a second groove located on both sides of the second boss; and Step S3: Repeat step S2; The boss includes the first boss and the second boss, and the sinker includes the first sinker and the second sinker.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of photolithography using a mask of a preset width to form a first protrusion and first grooves on both sides of the first protrusion includes: A first adhesive layer is obtained by coating the surface of the substrate layer with photoresist. The first adhesive layer is exposed to ultraviolet light using a mask of the preset width; The exposed area of ​​the first adhesive layer is developed to form a first area covered by the first adhesive layer and a second area exposed in the substrate layer; The second region is etched to obtain the first sink; and Remove the first adhesive layer to form the first boss and the first grooves located on both sides of the first boss in the substrate layer.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method involves using a mask with a wider width than the mask used in the previous round to perform photolithography on a portion of the groove formed in the previous round, so that the substrate layer forms a second boss that supports the boss formed in the previous round, and a second groove located on both sides of the second boss, including: A second adhesive layer is obtained by coating the surface of the substrate layer with photoresist. The second adhesive layer is subjected to ultraviolet exposure using a mask with a wider width, wherein the mask with a wider width blocks the protrusions formed in the previous round; The exposed area of ​​the second adhesive layer is developed to form a third area covered by the second adhesive layer and a fourth area exposed in the substrate layer; The fourth region is etched to obtain the second sink groove; and Remove the second adhesive layer to form the second boss and the second grooves located on both sides of the second boss in the substrate layer.

12. A lidar, characterized in that, It includes a housing and a chip module as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the chip module is disposed within the housing.

13. The lidar according to claim 12, characterized in that, The laser emitting chip includes multiple emitting units arranged in a linear array, and the emitting units are used to emit laser signals; The lidar also includes a rotating mirror, which is rotatably mounted inside the housing. The rotating mirror is used to receive the laser signal and reflect it outside the lidar for detecting target objects. The first receiving chip includes multiple receiving units arranged in a linear array. The receiving units are used to receive the echo laser signal formed by the laser signal reflected by the target object. Each receiving unit corresponds to one transmitting unit.

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