Scanning module and scanning laser radar

Abstract

The utility model provides a scanning module and a scanning laser radar, and relates to the technical field of laser radars. The scanning module comprises a refracting optical element, the refracting optical element is provided with a refracting incident surface and a refracting emergent surface which are opposite, and the refracting incident surface is a convex surface, so that the refracting incident surface has focal power. By improving the structure of the scanning module of the scanning laser radar, the emitted light beam of the scanning module can have a small divergence angle, and the size of the scanning laser radar can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the development of LiDAR technology, LiDAR has various scanning methods. In fields such as three-dimensional mapping, it is often necessary for the radar to scan a large field of view. Usually, if the emission beam of the scanning module is required to have a smaller divergence angle, the focal length of the scanning module will be correspondingly larger, resulting in a larger overall structural size of the scanning module, and thus a larger volume of the radar. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of the present application is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and to provide a scanning module and a scanning laser radar, which can not only realize that the emission light beam of the scanning module has a smaller divergence angle, but also reduce the size of the scanning module and the radar.

[0004] This application provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a scanning module, which includes a refractive optical element having a relative refractive incident surface and a refractive exit surface, wherein the refractive incident surface is a convex surface so that the refractive incident surface has optical focal length.

[0006] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the refractive incident surface is configured as a spherical surface, and the center of the refractive incident surface is located on the axis of the refractive optical element.

[0007] In some embodiments of the first aspect, one side of the refractive output surface is close to the refractive incident surface, and the other side of the refractive output surface is far from the refractive incident surface.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the scanning module has an emission light path direction;

[0009] The scanning module also includes a beam expanding optical element. The beam expanding optical element and the refractive optical element are arranged in sequence in the direction of the emission light path. The beam expanding optical element is used to expand the emission light beam.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the scanning module includes a refractive driving element, the refractive optical element has an axis, the refractive optical element is arranged on the refractive driving element, and the refractive driving element is used to drive the refractive optical element to rotate around the axis of the refractive optical element.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the refractive drive element includes a refractive drive motor, the refractive drive motor has a refractive drive main shaft, the refractive drive main shaft is configured as a hollow shaft, the axis of the hollow shaft coincides with the axis of the refractive optical element; wherein the refractive optical element is disposed in the hollow shaft.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the scanning module further includes a first reflective optical element and a reflective driving element, wherein the first reflective optical element is used to receive and reflect the emission light beam refracted by the refractive optical element;

[0013] The reflection driving element is connected to the first reflection optical element, the first reflection optical element has an axis, and the reflection driving element is used to drive the first reflection optical element to rotate around the axis of the first reflection optical element.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a scanning laser radar, the scanning laser radar comprising:

[0015] A scanning module, wherein the scanning module is the scanning module described in any one of the above embodiments;

[0016] A laser emitting module and a laser receiving module, wherein the laser emitting module is used to emit an emitting light beam, and the laser receiving module is used to receive a returning light beam.

[0017] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the laser receiving module includes:

[0018] A detector, the detector is located on the axis of the refractive optical element, the scanning module has a return light path direction, the refractive optical element and the detector are arranged in sequence in the return light path direction, the axis of the refractive optical element extends along the return light path direction, and the detector is used to receive the return light beam;

[0019] Or, the laser receiving module includes:

[0020] A filtering optical element and a detector, wherein the detector and the filtering optical element are both located on the axis of the refractive optical element, the scanning module has a return light path direction, the refractive optical element, the filtering optical element and the detector are sequentially arranged in the return light path direction, the axis of the refractive optical element extends along the return light path direction, the filtering optical element allows light of the same wavelength band as the emitted light beam to pass through, and the detector is used to receive the return light beam passing through the filtering optical element.

[0021] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the laser emission module further includes:

[0022] A laser, the laser is used to emit the emission light beam, and the laser is arranged on one side of the refractive optical element;

[0023] N-level second reflecting optical elements, the N-level second reflecting optical elements are used to receive and reflect N times the emission light beam emitted by the laser, so that the emission light beam propagates along the emission light beam path, and satisfy: N ≥ 1, N is a positive integer; wherein, in the emission light path direction, the first-level second reflecting optical element is located between the refractive optical element and the detector, and the first-level second reflecting optical element is used to reflect the emission light beam, so that the emission light beam can be incident on the refractive optical element along a direction parallel to the axis of the refractive optical element;

[0024] At least one collimating optical element is provided upstream or downstream of at least one of the second reflecting optical elements on the emission light beam path to shrink the divergence angle of the emission light beam.

[0025] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the first reflective optical element is a reflective prism;

[0026] and / or, N=2, the second reflecting optical element of the first stage is a reflecting prism, and the second reflecting optical element of the second stage is a plane reflecting mirror or a reflecting prism;

[0027] And / or, the collimating optical element is a collimating mirror;

[0028] And / or, the beam expanding optical element is a beam expander;

[0029] And / or, the filtering optical element is a filter.

[0030] The embodiments of the present application have the following advantages:

[0031] The present application provides a scanning module, in which the refractive incident surface is configured into a convex shape, so that the refractive incident surface has optical focal length, that is, focusing ability. When the emitted light beam passes through this convex surface, the emitted light beam will be bent and concentrated in a smaller area, thereby reducing the divergence angle. In other words, it allows a narrower beam angle, that is, a smaller divergence angle, to be achieved without increasing the physical size of the scanning module. Obviously, by adopting a convex refractive incident surface with a specific optical focal length, the length required for the optical path can be reduced while maintaining or improving the performance. This means that the entire scanning module can be more compact, and the end result is that the volume and weight of the entire lidar system can be effectively reduced.

[0032] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, preferred embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a viewing angle of a refractive optical element in a scanning laser radar provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of another viewing angle of a refractive optical element in a scanning laser radar provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the principle of a scanning laser radar provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a scanning laser radar according to another embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0038] Figure 5 Another perspective schematic diagram of a scanning laser radar provided by another embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0039] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing another viewing angle of a scanning laser radar provided by another embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0040] Description of main component symbols:

[0041] 100-refractive optical element; 110-refractive exit surface; 120-refractive incident surface; 200-first reflective optical element; 300-reflective drive element; 400-refractive drive element; 500-filtering optical element; 600-detector; 700-second reflective optical element; 800-beam expanding optical element; 900-collimating optical element; 1000-laser; 1100-third reflective optical element; 1200-returning light beam; 1300-emitting light beam; X-first preset reference line; Y-second preset reference line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] 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.

[0043] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there is no intermediate element. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0044] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like 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 or an electrical connection; 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.

[0045] In addition, 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 the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of the template are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0047] In related technologies, with the development of laser radar technology, laser radar scanning methods are varied. In fields such as three-dimensional mapping, radar is often required to scan a large field of view. Usually, if the emission beam of the scanning module is required to have a smaller divergence angle, the focal length of the scanning module will be correspondingly larger, resulting in a larger overall structural size of the scanning module, and thus a larger volume of the radar.

[0048] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and Figure 3As shown, in order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a scanning module, which includes a refractive optical element 100, and the refractive optical element 100 has a relative refractive incident surface 120 and a refractive output surface 110, and the refractive incident surface 120 is a convex surface, so that the refractive incident surface 120 has optical focal length.

[0049] In these embodiments, the refractive optical element 100 is the core part of the scanning module. The refractive optical element 100 includes two main surfaces: a refractive incident surface 120 for light to enter and a refractive exit surface 110 for light to leave.

[0050] The refraction incident surface 120 is configured to be convex, so that the refraction incident surface 120 has optical focal length, that is, focusing ability. When the emission light beam 1300 passes through this convex surface, the emission light beam 1300 is refracted and concentrated in a smaller area, thereby reducing the divergence angle. In other words, a narrower beam angle, that is, a smaller divergence angle, is allowed to be achieved without increasing the physical size of the scanning module.

[0051] Obviously, by using a refractive incident surface 120 with a specific optical focal length, the required length of the optical path can be reduced while maintaining or improving the performance, which means that the entire scanning module can be more compact, and the final result is that the volume and weight of the entire laser radar system can be effectively reduced.

[0052] In other words, by using a refractive optical element 100 with appropriate optical focal length, the present application can provide a smaller beam divergence angle, which is very important for improving long-distance detection accuracy. At the same time, since an excessively large focal length is not required to achieve this, the scanning module can be designed to be more compact, which is suitable for applications with limited space.

[0053] In addition, the optimized laser radar scanning module allows the device to maintain high-precision characteristics while being more compact in physical size, adapting to a wider range of application scenarios.

[0054] For example, smaller, lighter lidar systems mean they can be more easily integrated into a variety of platforms, such as self-driving cars, drones, and other mobile robots, without placing too many restrictions on the design of those platforms.

[0055] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the refractive incident surface 120 is configured as a spherical surface, and the center of the refractive incident surface 120 is located on the axis of the refractive optical element 100 .

[0056] In these embodiments, setting the refraction incident surface 120 as a spherical surface is a specific choice to optimize the performance of the laser radar scanning module. The spherical surface can provide a more uniform light focusing effect, so that the incoming emission light beam 1300 is refracted and converged to form a parallel light beam. This helps to reduce the divergence angle and improve the accuracy of long-distance detection. For example, Figure 3 As shown, the axis of the refractive optical element 100 and the second preset reference line Y are arranged to coincide with each other.

[0057] In addition, the spherical surface can make the scanning module more compact while maintaining a smaller divergence angle, thereby further reducing the size of the entire lidar system.

[0058] Of course, in other embodiments, the refraction incident surface 120 may also be configured as a spherical surface, a double parabola surface, or an arc surface, etc.

[0059] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the refraction output surface 110 is a plane, one side of the refraction output surface 110 is close to the refraction incident surface 120 , and the other side of the refraction output surface 110 is far away from the refraction incident surface 120 .

[0060] In these embodiments, one side of the refractive output surface 110 is close to the refractive incident surface 120, while the other side is far away from the refractive incident surface 120, which can optimize the refractive behavior of light when passing through the optical element, thereby improving the field of view of the laser radar scanning module.

[0061] For example, the refractive output surface 110 is set as an inclined surface, one side of the refractive output surface 110 is close to the refractive incident surface 120, and the other side of the refractive output surface 110 is far away from the refractive incident surface 120. In other words, when the axis of the refractive optical element 100 is set vertically, there is an angle between the refractive output surface 110 and the horizontal plane, and the angle is greater than zero, such as 20°, 30°, 40° or 50°, etc.

[0062] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the scanning module has an emission light path direction; the scanning module also includes a beam expanding optical element 800, and the beam expanding optical element 800 and the refractive optical element 100 are arranged in sequence in the emission light path direction, and the beam expanding optical element 800 is used to expand the emission light beam 1300.

[0063] In these embodiments, a beam expansion optical element 800 is added to the scanning module to optimize the performance of the lidar system, particularly to improve the quality and controllability of the emitted light beam 1300 by beam expansion and focusing.

[0064] The emission light path direction refers to the direction in which the emission light beam emitted from the light source passes through each optical element and finally exits the scanning module.

[0065] The beam expansion optical element 800 is located at the front end of the emission light path (i.e., close to the light source) and is used to expand the emission light beam 1300 from the light source. The function of beam expansion is to expand the initial thin light beam into a wider and more uniform light beam, which helps to reduce the workload of subsequent optical elements and is also conducive to achieving a more uniform lighting effect.

[0066] The refractive optical element 100 is located after the beam expanding optical element 800 and continues to process the light beam in the emission light path direction. As mentioned above, the refractive optical element 100 has a refractive incident surface 120 and a refractive exit surface 110 of specific shapes to achieve the desired focusing and divergence angle control.

[0067] Obviously, the beam expansion optical element 800 can ensure that the emission light beam 1300 entering the refractive optical element 100 is more uniform and smooth, reducing the problem of uneven intensity caused by the emission light beam 1300 being too narrow, thereby improving the quality of the final output light beam. In addition, the diameter of the emission light beam 1300 can be adjusted by beam expansion, making the subsequent optical processing more flexible and adaptable to different application scenarios and technical requirements.

[0068] Furthermore, the emission light beam 1300 after beam expansion is usually easier to be accurately focused or shaped by the refractive optical element 100, thereby achieving a more ideal scanning effect and higher measurement accuracy.

[0069] To facilitate understanding of the technical solution, the following workflow is provided:

[0070] A light source (such as a laser diode) generates a thinner original light beam. The emission light beam 1300 first passes through the beam expansion optical element 800, which expands the emission light beam 1300 into a wider and more uniform emission light beam 1300. This step helps to reduce the intensity at the center of the beam, making the energy distribution more uniform, and also provides better conditions for the subsequent focusing of the refractive incident surface 120. The expanded emission light beam 1300 then passes through the refractive optical element 100. Since the refractive optical element 100 has a convex refractive incident surface 120, the expanded emission light beam can be effectively refocused with a smaller divergence angle, which is suitable for long-distance detection. Finally, the emission light beam 1300 that has been expanded, focused and refracted is emitted from the scanning module for performing environmental perception or other measurement tasks.

[0071] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the scanning module includes a refractive drive element 400 , the refractive optical element 100 has an axis, the refractive optical element 100 is disposed on the refractive drive element 400 , and the refractive drive element 400 is used to drive the refractive optical element 100 to rotate around the axis of the refractive optical element 100 .

[0072] In these embodiments, the scanning module not only includes the refractive optical element 100 and the beam expanding optical element 800, but also introduces a refractive driving element 400 for driving the refractive optical element 100 to rotate around its axis. This design enables the laser radar system to achieve a wider scanning range without changing the overall structure, and maintain high accuracy and stability.

[0073] The refractive optical element 100 has a refractive incident surface 120 and a refractive exit surface 110 of a specific shape, which is used to focus or shape the emitted light beam 1300. Figure 3 As shown, the refractive optical element 100 has an axis, and the axis of the refractive optical element 100 and the second preset reference line Y are arranged to coincide with each other, which is the basis for the rotation of the entire refractive optical element 100.

[0074] The refractive drive element 400 is located at the support position of the refractive optical element 100, and can accurately control the rotation of the refractive optical element 100 around its axis. For example, the refractive drive element 400 can be a drive device of the type of motor, stepper motor, piezoelectric ceramic, etc., depending on application needs and technical requirements.

[0075] The axis of the refractive optical element 100 refers to the central rotation axis of the element, which usually partially coincides with the direction of the emission light path.

[0076] By rotating the refractive optical element 100 around its axis to achieve stereoscopic scanning, a wider range of scanning can be achieved without moving the entire scanning module. This is particularly important for applications that need to cover a large field of view, such as unmanned vehicles, drones, etc.

[0077] In short, the refractive driving element 400 can adjust the angle of the refractive optical element 100 as needed, thereby flexibly changing the scanning direction to adapt to different environments and task requirements.

[0078] In addition, the working principle is as follows:

[0079] The refractive optical element 100 is fixed at a starting angle, ready to receive the emission light beam 1300 from the beam expansion optical element 800. The refractive drive element 400 is activated, and drives the refractive optical element 100 to rotate around its axis according to a preset program or a real-time feedback signal. As the refractive optical element 100 rotates, the direction of the emission light beam 1300 changes accordingly, forming a three-dimensional scanning area in space. The laser radar system receives the reflected return light beam 1200, calculates the distance and position information of the target object, and constructs a three-dimensional image of the surrounding environment.

[0080] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the refractive drive element 400 includes a refractive drive motor having a refractive drive main shaft, the refractive drive main shaft is configured as a hollow shaft, the axis of the hollow shaft coincides with the axis of the refractive optical element 100; wherein the refractive optical element 100 is disposed in the hollow shaft.

[0081] In these embodiments, the refraction drive element 400 of the scanning module includes a refraction drive motor having a hollow shaft, namely, the refraction drive main shaft, and the refraction optical element 100 is disposed in the hollow shaft. This design not only optimizes the mechanical structure, but also improves the integration and performance of the system.

[0082] The refractive drive motor is the main power source for driving the refractive optical element 100 to rotate. For example, the refractive drive motor can be a high-precision motor such as a stepper motor or a servo motor to ensure precise rotation control.

[0083] Specifically, the refractive drive main shaft is a hollow structure, which can accommodate the refractive optical element 100. At the same time, the axis of the hollow shaft coincides with the axis of the refractive optical element 100, ensuring the coaxiality of the two during rotation, thereby maintaining the stability of the emitted light beam 1300.

[0084] The refractive optical element 100 is disposed inside the hollow shaft and connected to the hollow shaft by a fixed method, such as bonding, threaded connection, etc., to ensure that the refractive optical element 100 can rotate with the hollow shaft. In addition, since it is located inside the hollow shaft, the influence of the external environment on the refractive optical element 100 can be reduced, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the system.

[0085] Furthermore, placing the refractive optical element 100 in the hollow shaft makes the structure of the entire scanning module more compact, reduces the external dimensions, and is suitable for installation in applications with limited space. In addition, the axis of the hollow shaft coincides with the axis of the refractive optical element 100, ensuring the coaxiality between the two, reducing vibration and error caused by eccentricity, and improving the accuracy and stability of rotation.

[0086] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the scanning module also includes a first reflective optical element 200 and a reflective driving element 300, the first reflective optical element 200 is used to receive and reflect the emission light beam 1300 refracted by the refractive optical element 100; the reflective driving element 300 is connected to the first reflective optical element 200, the first reflective optical element 200 has an axis, and the reflective driving element 300 is used to drive the first reflective optical element 200 to rotate around the axis of the first reflective optical element 200.

[0087] In these embodiments, the scanning module includes a first reflective optical element 200 and a reflective driving element 300. This design further enhances the flexibility and performance of the laser radar system by combining refraction and reflection optical processing methods.

[0088] The refractive optical element 100 is used to focus or shape the emission light beam 1300, and has a refractive incident surface 120 and a refractive exit surface 110 of a specific shape. The refractive optical element 100 is disposed on the refractive driving element 400 and can rotate around its axis to achieve a wider scanning range.

[0089] The first reflective optical element 200 is located behind the refractive optical element 100 and is used to receive and reflect the refracted light beam. Figure 3 As shown, the first reflective optical element 200 has an axis, and the axis of the first reflective optical element 200 coincides with the first preset reference line X, which is also the basis for the reflective driving element 300 to drive the rotation.

[0090] The reflective driving element 300 is connected to and drives the first reflective optical element 200 to rotate around its axis, and can be a driving device of a motor, a stepping motor, etc. The reflective driving element 300 is used to accurately control the angle change of the reflective optical element to adjust the direction of the light beam.

[0091] The rotation of the refractive optical element 100 around its axis realizes scanning in one dimension, while the rotation of the first reflective optical element 200 can expand the scanning range in another dimension, thereby forming a three-dimensional scanning mode.

[0092] For example, in this embodiment, the first reflective optical element 200 is a reflective prism. In other embodiments, the first reflective optical element 200 may also be a reflective plane mirror.

[0093] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the present application also provides a scanning laser radar, which includes a scanning module, a laser emitting module and a laser receiving module, and the scanning module is any scanning module in the above embodiments; the laser emitting module is used to emit an emission light beam 1300, and the laser receiving module is used to receive a return light beam 1200.

[0094] In these embodiments, the present application provides a scanning laser radar, which integrates all the above-mentioned scanning modules, laser emitting modules and laser receiving modules.

[0095] The scanning module includes a refractive optical element 100, a beam expanding optical element 800, a refractive driving element 400, a first reflective optical element 200 and a reflective driving element 300. Through the coordinated work of these elements, high-precision and wide-range beam scanning is achieved.

[0096] The laser emission module is responsible for generating and emitting an emission light beam 1300, and generally includes a laser source (such as a laser diode) and other necessary optical elements (such as a collimating lens).

[0097] After being preliminarily processed by the beam expansion optical element 800, the emission light beam 1300 enters the refractive optical element 100 in the scanning module for further focusing or shaping.

[0098] The laser receiving module is used to receive the return light beam 1200, that is, the light beam reflected from the target object, and generally includes a photodetector 600 and other signal processing circuits to convert the received optical signal into an electrical signal and perform subsequent data processing.

[0099] The laser emission module can select different types of laser sources according to the application scenarios to meet different power, wavelength and other requirements.

[0100] To facilitate understanding of the solution of the present application, the workflow of the present application is provided as follows: the laser emission module generates and emits an emission beam 1300, the beam is preliminarily processed by the beam expansion optical element 800 (if any), and then enters the refractive optical element 100 in the scanning module. The refractive optical element 100 focuses or shapes the beam, and rotates around its axis according to the control of the refractive drive element 400 to change the direction of the beam. The first reflective optical element 200 receives and reflects the refracted beam, and rotates around its axis according to the control of the reflective drive element 300 to further change the direction of the beam to achieve a wider scanning coverage. The return beam 1200 (the beam reflected from the target object) is received by the laser receiving module, and the photodetector 600 converts the optical signal into an electrical signal. The data processing unit analyzes the received electrical signal, calculates the distance and position information of the target object, and constructs a three-dimensional image of the surrounding environment.

[0101] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the laser receiving module also includes a detector 600, which is located on the axis of the refractive optical element 100. The scanning module has a return light path direction. The refractive optical element 100 and the detector 600 are arranged in sequence in the return light path direction. The axis of the refractive optical element 100 extends along the return light path direction. The detector 600 is used to receive the return light beam 1200.

[0102] In these embodiments, the design of the laser receiving module is further optimized to ensure that the return beam 1200 can be efficiently and accurately received by the detector 600. Specifically, the detector 600 is located on the axis of the refractive optical element 100, and the scanning module has a return light path direction. This design enables the refractive optical element 100 and the detector 600 to be arranged in sequence in the return light path direction, ensuring the alignment and stability of the light path.

[0103] The detector 600 is located on the axis of the refractive optical element 100 to ensure that it can receive the return light beam 1200 processed by the refractive optical element 100. For example, the detector 600 can be a high-performance detector such as a photodiode (PIN PD) or an avalanche photodiode (APD), and the detector 600 is used to convert the received optical signal into an electrical signal.

[0104] The direction of the return light path refers to the direction in which the light beam reflected from the target object enters the scanning module and finally reaches the detector 600.

[0105] In the direction of the return light path, the refractive optical element 100 first receives the return light beam 1200, and uses the refractive incident surface 120 to focus or converge it to ensure that the return light beam 1200 can accurately reach the detector 600, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for setting a receiving lens and reducing the size of the radar.

[0106] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the laser receiving module also includes a filtering optical element 500 and a detector 600, and the detector 600 and the filtering optical element 500 are both located on the axis of the refractive optical element 100. The scanning module has a return light path direction, and the refractive optical element 100, the filtering optical element 500 and the detector 600 are arranged in sequence in the return light path direction. The axis of the refractive optical element 100 extends along the return light path direction. The filtering optical element 500 allows light in the same wavelength band as the emitted light beam 1300 to pass through, and the detector 600 is used to receive the return light beam 1200 passed through the filtering optical element 500.

[0107] In these embodiments, the laser receiving module not only includes a detector 600, but also introduces a filtering optical element 500 to further optimize the processing and detection of the return beam 1200. This design ensures that only light in the same wavelength band as the emission beam 1300 can reach the detector 600, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio and measurement accuracy of the system.

[0108] The refractive optical element 100 is located at the front end of the return light path direction, and first receives the return light beam 1200 reflected from the target object, and focuses or shapes the return light beam 1200 to ensure that the light beam can be accurately transmitted to the subsequent optical element.

[0109] The filter optical element 500 is located after the refractive optical element 100 and is arranged on the axis of the refractive optical element 100. It allows light of the same wavelength band as the emission light beam 1300 to pass through, while blocking light of other wavelengths to reduce the influence of background noise and other interference signals. For example, the filter optical element 500 can be a bandpass filter, a narrowband filter, etc., depending on the application needs and technical requirements.

[0110] The detector 600 is located after the filter optical element 500 and is also arranged on the axis of the refractive optical element 100. The detector 600 is used to receive the return light beam 1200 processed by the filter optical element 500 and convert it into an electrical signal. For example, the detector 600 can be a high-performance detector such as a photodiode (PIN PD) or an avalanche photodiode (APD).

[0111] The direction of the return light path refers to the direction in which the return light beam 1200 reflected from the target object enters the scanning module and finally reaches the detector 600.

[0112] Obviously, the filter optical element 500 allows light of the same wavelength band as the emission light beam 1300 to pass through, reducing the influence of background noise and other interference signals, and significantly improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the system. In addition, by precisely controlling the transmission wavelength band of the filter optical element 500, it can be ensured that the detector 600 receives a specific light beam, avoiding interference from external ambient light or other light sources.

[0113] Furthermore, by rationally arranging the positions of the refractive optical element 100, the filtering optical element 500 and the detector 600, the optical path design is simplified, unnecessary optical elements are reduced, and the complexity and cost of the system are reduced.

[0114] Of course, in other embodiments, the detector 600 may also be arranged on one side of the refractive optical element 100, and by adding a third reflective optical element 1100, the refractive optical element 100, the filtering optical element 500, the third reflective optical element 1100 and the detector 600 are arranged in sequence in the direction of the return light path, and the refractive optical element 100, the filtering optical element 500, and the third reflective optical element 1100 are arranged in sequence in the axial direction of the refractive optical element 100, and the return light beam 1200 is reflected to the detector 600 by the third reflective optical element 1100.

[0115] Exemplarily, the third reflecting optical element 1100 is a reflecting plane mirror. Of course, in other embodiments, the third reflecting optical element 1100 may also be a reflecting prism.

[0116] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the laser emission module further includes a laser 1000, an N-level second reflective optical element 700 and at least one collimating optical element 900, the laser 1000 is used to emit an emission light beam 1300, and the laser 1000 is disposed on one side of the refractive optical element 100;

[0117] The N-stage second reflecting optical element 700 is used to receive and reflect N times the emission light beam 1300 emitted by the laser 1000, so that the emission light beam 1300 propagates along the emission light path direction and satisfies: N≥1, N is a positive integer; wherein, in the emission light path direction, the first-stage second reflecting optical element 700 is located between the refractive optical element 100 and the detector 600, and the first-stage second reflecting optical element 700 reflects the emission light beam 1300, so that the emission light beam 1300 can be incident on the refractive optical element 100 along a direction parallel to the axis of the refractive optical element 100.

[0118] On the path of the emission light beam 1300 , at least one collimating optical element 900 is disposed upstream or downstream of the at least one second reflecting optical element 700 to shrink the divergence angle of the emission light beam 1300 .

[0119] In these embodiments, the design of the laser emission module is further optimized to ensure that the emission beam 1300 can be efficiently and accurately processed and propagated. Specifically, the module includes a laser 1000, an N-level second reflective optical element 700, and at least one collimating optical element 900. This design not only improves the quality of the emission beam 1300, but also ensures the accuracy of its propagation along the predetermined path.

[0120] The laser 1000 is used to emit an emission light beam 1300 and is disposed on one side of the refractive optical element 100. For example, the laser 1000 may be a laser source of a laser diode (LD), a fiber laser, etc., and different wavelengths and powers are selected according to application requirements.

[0121] The N-stage second reflective optical element 700 is used to receive and reflect the emission light beam 1300 emitted by the laser 1000 N times, so that the emission light beam 1300 propagates along the emission light beam 1300 path. Wherein, N≥1, N is a positive integer, that is, there is at least one stage of reflective optical element.

[0122] The first-stage second reflective optical element 700 is located between the refractive optical element 100 and the detector 600, and is used to reflect the emission light beam 1300 for the last time, so that it enters the refractive optical element 100 in a direction parallel to the axis of the refractive optical element 100. Subsequent stages of second reflective optical elements 700 can further adjust the direction and path of the light beam to ensure that it accurately reaches the target position.

[0123] For example, fixing the first-stage second reflective optical element 700 on the filter can reduce the size of the system and facilitate system integration.

[0124] The collimating optical element 900 is arranged on the path of the emission light beam 1300, and is located upstream or downstream of at least one second reflecting optical element 700. The collimating optical element 900 is used to shrink the divergence angle of the emission light beam 1300, so that the light beam is more concentrated and the accuracy of long-distance detection is improved. For example, the collimating optical element 900 can be a lens, a cylindrical mirror, etc., depending on the application requirements and technical requirements.

[0125] The emission light path direction refers to the direction in which the light beam emitted from the laser 1000 passes through various optical elements and finally exits the scanning module.

[0126] Therefore, through the precise control of the multi-stage reflective optical element, it is ensured that the emission light beam 1300 can propagate along the predetermined path, reducing the path deviation. In addition, the collimating optical element 900 shrinks the divergence angle of the emission light beam 1300 to make it more concentrated, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of long-distance detection. In addition, by rationally arranging the positions of the laser 1000, the second reflective optical element 700 and the collimating optical element 900, the optical path design is simplified, unnecessary optical elements are reduced, the complexity and cost of the system are reduced, and the volume of the radar is reduced.

[0127] In addition, the workflow is as follows:

[0128] The laser 1000 generates an emission light beam 1300, ready to enter the subsequent optical processing. The emission light beam 1300 is first received by the N-th level second reflective optical element 700, and reflected so that it enters the refractive optical element 100 in a direction parallel to the axis of the refractive optical element 100. If there are more levels of second reflective optical elements 700, the light beam will continue to be reflected, and its direction and path will be adjusted to ensure that it reaches the target position accurately.

[0129] On the path of the emission light beam 1300, at least one collimating optical element 900 processes the emission light beam 1300 to shrink its divergence angle and make it more focused.

[0130] The processed emission light beam 1300 propagates along a predetermined path and eventually exits the scanning module to perform environmental perception or other measurement tasks.

[0131] In some embodiments, the first reflective optical element 200 is a reflective prism, such as a right-angled triangle prism, which can achieve both reflection and refraction, further expanding the elevation field of view of the radar.

[0132] In some embodiments, N=2, the first-stage second reflective optical element 700 is a reflective prism, and the second-stage second reflective optical element 700 is a plane reflective mirror or a reflective prism. Of course, in other embodiments, the remaining second reflective optical elements 700 may also be plane reflective mirrors or reflective prisms, such as N is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.

[0133] It should be noted that the portion of the return light beam 1200 blocked by the first-stage second reflective optical element 700 is very small and does not affect the detector 600 from receiving the return light beam 1200 normally.

[0134] In some embodiments, the collimating optical element 900 is a collimator. A collimator is a special lens, usually having a plano-convex or bi-convex shape, used to convert a divergent light beam into a parallel light beam and reduce the divergence angle. The collimator can significantly improve the quality of the emitted light beam 1300, making it more concentrated, thereby improving the accuracy of long-distance detection.

[0135] In some embodiments, the beam expansion optical element 800 is a beam expander. A beam expander is a special lens combination, usually including two or more lenses, used to expand the original thinner emission light beam 1300 into a wider and more uniform emission light beam 1300. The function of the beam expander is to reduce the divergence angle of the emission light beam 1300, so that the emission light beam 1300 is more stable and uniform in subsequent optical processing, and reduce the problem of uneven energy distribution caused by too narrow a beam.

[0136] In some embodiments, the filtering optical element 500 is a filter, such as a bandpass filter, a narrowband filter, etc.

[0137] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limiting, and thus other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0138] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0139] The above-mentioned 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 ordinary technicians in this field, several variations 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.

Claims

1. A scanning module, comprising a refractive optical element, characterized in that: The refractive optical element has a refractive incident surface and a refractive exit surface opposite to each other, and the refractive incident surface is a convex surface, so that the refractive incident surface has optical power; The scanning module has an emission light path direction; The scanning module also includes a beam expanding optical element. The beam expanding optical element and the refractive optical element are arranged in sequence in the direction of the emission light path. The beam expanding optical element is used to expand the emission light beam.

2. The scanning module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refractive incident surface is configured as a spherical surface, and the center of the spherical surface is located on the axis of the refractive optical element.

3. The scanning module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refraction output surface is a plane, one side of the refraction output surface is close to the refraction incident surface, and the other side of the refraction output surface is far away from the refraction incident surface.

4. The scanning module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scanning module comprises a refractive driving element, the refractive optical element has an axis, the refractive optical element is arranged on the refractive driving element, and the refractive driving element is used to drive the refractive optical element to rotate around the axis of the refractive optical element.

5. The scanning module according to claim 4, characterized in that: The refractive drive element comprises a refractive drive motor, wherein the refractive drive motor has a refractive drive main shaft, wherein the refractive drive main shaft is arranged as a hollow shaft, wherein the axis of the hollow shaft coincides with the axis of the refractive optical element; wherein the refractive optical element is arranged in the hollow shaft.

6. The scanning module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The scanning module further includes a first reflective optical element and a reflective driving element, wherein the first reflective optical element is used to receive and reflect the emission light beam refracted by the refractive optical element; The reflection driving element is connected to the first reflection optical element, the first reflection optical element has an axis, and the reflection driving element is used to drive the first reflection optical element to rotate around the axis of the first reflection optical element.

7. A scanning laser radar, characterized in that: The scanning laser radar comprises: A scanning module, wherein the scanning module is the scanning module according to any one of claims 1 to 6; A laser emitting module and a laser receiving module, wherein the laser emitting module is used to emit an emitting light beam, and the laser receiving module is used to receive a returning light beam.

8. The scanning laser radar according to claim 7, characterized in that: The laser receiving module comprises: A detector, the detector is located on the axis of the refractive optical element, the scanning module has a return light path direction, the refractive optical element and the detector are arranged in sequence in the return light path direction, the axis of the refractive optical element extends along the return light path direction, and the detector is used to receive the return light beam; Or, the laser receiving module includes: A filtering optical element and a detector, wherein the detector and the filtering optical element are both located on the axis of the refractive optical element, the scanning module has a return light path direction, the refractive optical element, the filtering optical element and the detector are sequentially arranged in the return light path direction, the axis of the refractive optical element extends along the return light path direction, the filtering optical element allows light of the same wavelength band as the emitted light beam to pass through, and the detector is used to receive the return light beam passing through the filtering optical element.

9. The scanning laser radar according to claim 8, characterized in that: The laser emission module comprises: A laser, the laser is used to emit the emission light beam, and the laser is arranged on one side of the refractive optical element; N-level second reflecting optical elements, the N-level second reflecting optical elements are used to receive and reflect N times the emission light beam emitted by the laser, so that the emission light beam propagates along the emission light path direction, and satisfy: N ≥ 1, N is a positive integer; wherein, in the emission light path direction, the first-level second reflecting optical element is located between the refractive optical element and the detector, and the first-level second reflecting optical element is used to reflect the emission light beam, so that the emission light beam can be incident on the refractive optical element along a direction parallel to the axis of the refractive optical element; At least one collimating optical element is provided upstream or downstream of at least one of the second reflecting optical elements on the emission light beam path to shrink the divergence angle of the emission light beam.

10. The scanning laser radar according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first reflective optical element is a reflective prism; and / or, N=2, the second reflecting optical element of the first stage is a reflecting prism, and the second reflecting optical element of the second stage is a plane reflecting mirror or a reflecting prism; And / or, the collimating optical element is a collimating mirror; And / or, the beam expanding optical element is a beam expander; And / or, the filtering optical element is a filter.

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