Laser radar

Abstract

The utility model provides a laser radar, and relates to the technical field of laser ranging, and the laser radar comprises a housing, a signal transmitting assembly, a signal receiving assembly, a main control board, a power board, and a first circuit board. The first circuit board, the power supply board and the main control board are electrically connected in sequence, and the main control board is electrically connected with the signal transmitting assembly and the signal receiving assembly respectively; the signal transmitting assembly and the signal receiving assembly are close to a first side wall of the shell, the first circuit board and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall are arranged in a stacked mode, and the power panel is arranged on the side, back to the second side wall, of the first circuit board. The main control board and a third side wall of the shell are arranged in a stacked mode, the main control board is attached to the third side wall, and the third side wall is located between the first side wall and the second side wall. Through the arrangement, the heat dissipation performance of the laser radar can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of lidar, and particularly relates to a lidar. Background Art

[0002] A lidar is a radar system that uses lasers to detect characteristic quantities of a target object, such as its position, speed, etc. Its working principle is that a laser first emits outgoing laser for detection towards the target, then a detector receives the echo laser reflected from the target object, and then signal processing is performed on the received echo laser to obtain information about the target object, such as parameters like distance, azimuth, altitude, speed, attitude, and even shape.

[0003] The internal circuit of the lidar provided by the related art is complex, and heat dissipation problems are likely to occur during application. That is to say, the heat dissipation performance of the lidar in the related art is poor. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a lidar to solve the technical problem of poor heat dissipation performance of the lidar provided by the related art.

[0005] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a lidar is provided, including:

[0006] A housing, a signal transmitting component, a signal receiving component, a main control board, a power supply board, and a first circuit board. A receiving cavity is provided inside the housing, and the signal transmitting component, the signal receiving component, the main control board, the power supply board, and the first circuit board are respectively arranged in the receiving cavity;

[0007] The first end of the first circuit board is electrically connected to the first end of the power supply board, the second end of the power supply board is electrically connected to the first end of the main control board, the second end of the main control board is electrically connected to the signal transmitting component, and the third end of the main control board is electrically connected to the signal receiving component;

[0008] The housing includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a third side wall. The first side wall is opposite to the second side wall, and the third side wall is located between the first side wall and the second side wall. The first side wall is provided with a first light-transmitting area and a second light-transmitting area. The transmitting end of the signal transmitting component is disposed opposite to the first light-transmitting area, and the receiving end of the signal receiving component is disposed opposite to the second light-transmitting area. The first circuit board is stacked with the second side wall and is fixedly connected to the second side wall. The second side wall is provided with a first opening. The first circuit board includes a power interface for connecting to an external circuit, and the power interface is opposite to the first opening; the power supply board is stacked with the first circuit board, and the power supply board is located on the side of the first circuit board facing away from the second side wall; the main control board is stacked with the third side wall and is in contact with the third side wall, and the main control board and the power supply board are spaced apart.

[0009] In one embodiment, the housing further includes a fourth side wall. The third side wall is opposite to the fourth side wall, and the signal transmitting component is stacked with the fourth side wall.

[0010] In one embodiment, the signal transmitting component includes: a transmitting signal processing board, a transmitting board, a lens mounting board, an offset lens, and a galvanometer board;

[0011] The lens mounting board is fixedly connected to the fourth side wall. The transmitting board and the offset lens are respectively fixedly connected to the lens mounting board. The light-emitting end of the transmitting board is opposite to the light offset input end of the offset lens. The light offset output end of the offset lens is opposite to the light reflection input end of the galvanometer board. The light reflection output end of the galvanometer board is opposite to the first light-transmitting area, and the galvanometer board is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing;

[0012] The transmitting signal processing board is adjacent to the power supply board, and the transmitting signal processing board is located on the side of the power supply board facing away from the second side wall;

[0013] The second end of the main control board is electrically connected to the first end of the transmitting signal processing board, and the second end of the transmitting signal processing board is electrically connected to the transmitting board.

[0014] In one embodiment, the signal receiving component includes: a driving board, a post-stage signal processing board, a receiving board, and a receiving lens;

[0015] The post-stage signal processing board is fixedly connected to the third side wall. The post-stage signal processing board is located on the side of the main control board facing away from the transmit signal processing board. The drive board and the receiving board are respectively connected to opposite sides of the post-stage signal processing board. The receiving board is located on the side of the post-stage signal processing board facing away from the main control board. The light input end of the receiving lens faces the second light-transmitting area, and the light output end of the receiving lens faces the light receiving end of the receiving board;

[0016] The third end of the main control board is electrically connected to the first end of the drive board. The second end of the drive board is electrically connected to the galvanometer board. The third end of the drive board is electrically connected to the first end of the post-stage signal processing board. The second end of the post-stage signal processing board is electrically connected to the receiving lens.

[0017] In one embodiment, the galvanometer board is located on the side of the receiving board facing away from the third side wall, and the galvanometer board is located on the side of the offset lens facing away from the fourth side wall.

[0018] In one embodiment, the main control board is located between the transmit signal processing board and the drive board.

[0019] In one embodiment, the spacing distance between the main control board and the transmit signal processing board is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and the spacing distance between the main control board and the drive board is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0020] In one embodiment, the spacing distance between the first circuit board and the fourth side wall is greater than the spacing distance between the first circuit board and the third side wall.

[0021] In one embodiment, the outer surface area of the third side wall is greater than the outer surface area of the second side wall.

[0022] In one embodiment, the lens mounting board is a metal plate.

[0023] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the main control board, the power supply board, and the first circuit board are used to respectively carry the main control part and the power supply part in the internal circuit of the lidar, so that the heat-generating main control part and the power supply part in the lidar can be kept at intervals, and the overall heat dissipation performance of the lidar can be improved by means of separate heat dissipation. In addition, the power supply board and the main control board are arranged to fit different side walls of the housing, and the housing is used to accelerate the heat conduction of the power supply board and the main control board, which can further improve the heat dissipation performance of the lidar. Description of the Drawings

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a lidar provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2It is a schematic diagram of the circuit architecture of a lidar provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the composition of a lidar system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4a It is an example of the distribution of laser emission points when a lidar system provided by an embodiment of the present application performs field of view scanning;

[0028] Figure 4b It is an example of the receiving field of view of a lidar system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 4c It is an example of the structure of a light receiver of a lidar system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 4d It is an example of the corresponding relationship between the laser emission points and the receiving field of view of a lidar system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the composition of a vehicle integrated with a lidar system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 6 It is a configuration block diagram of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0033] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0034] A lidar provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the lidar includes:

[0035] A housing, a signal transmitting component, a signal receiving component, a main control board 30, a power supply board 40, and a first circuit board 50. A receiving cavity is provided in the housing, and the signal transmitting component, the signal receiving component, the main control board 30, the power supply board 40, and the first circuit board 50 are respectively arranged in the receiving cavity;

[0036] The first end of the first circuit board 50 is electrically connected to the first end of the power supply board 40, the second end of the power supply board 40 is electrically connected to the first end of the main control board 30, the second end of the main control board 30 is electrically connected to the signal transmitting component, and the third end of the main control board 30 is electrically connected to the signal receiving component;

[0037] The housing includes a first side wall 61, a second side wall 62, and a third side wall 63. The first side wall 61 is opposite to the second side wall 62, and the third side wall 63 is located between the first side wall 61 and the second side wall 62. The first side wall 61 is provided with a first light-transmitting area and a second light-transmitting area. The transmitting end of the signal transmitting component is disposed opposite to the first light-transmitting area, and the receiving end of the signal receiving component is disposed opposite to the second light-transmitting area. The first circuit board 50 is stacked with the second side wall 62 and is fixedly connected to the second side wall 62. The second side wall 62 is provided with a first opening. The first circuit board 50 includes a power supply interface for connecting to an external circuit, and the power supply interface is opposite to the first opening; the power supply board 40 is stacked with the first circuit board 50, and the power supply board 40 is located on the side of the first circuit board 50 facing away from the second side wall 62; the main control board 30 is stacked with the third side wall 63 and is attached to the third side wall 63, and the main control board 30 and the power supply board 40 are spaced apart.

[0038] In this application, the stacked arrangement between different components can be understood as that different components are abutted and stacked. Among them, different components can be connected without a connecting member, or can maintain a detachable connection relationship or a fixed connection relationship through a connecting member. For example, the stacked arrangement of the first circuit board 50 and the second side wall 62 can be understood as that the first circuit board 50 is fixedly connected to the second side wall 62; another example: the stacked arrangement of the main control board 30 and the third side wall 63 can be understood as that the main control board 30 is clamped / placed on the third side wall 63.

[0039] It should be understood that the above-mentioned first circuit board 50, power supply board 40, and main control board 30 are all independently provided printed circuit boards (Printed Circuit Board, PCB), and their specific functions are as follows:

[0040] The above-mentioned first circuit board 50 is also called the entrance board, which is used for the interaction between the lidar and external data and the transmission of external power supply. Specifically, it is connected to an external power supply through a power supply interface.

[0041] The power supply board 40 is used for: converting the external power supply voltage from the entrance board into the voltage required inside the lidar, and transmitting the point cloud data of the lidar outward through Ethernet.

[0042] The above-mentioned main control board 30 is used for: being responsible for various data processing, logic implementation, and signal control inside the lidar.

[0043] Among them, the power supply voltage of the subsequent-stage circuit, Ethernet signal, wake-up signal, and radar position recognition signal are transmitted between the power supply board 40 and the entrance board.

[0044] Transmit the power supply voltage, Ethernet signal, voltage monitoring signal, power enable control signal, etc. between the power supply board 40 and the main control board 30.

[0045] In the present disclosure, the main control board 30, the power supply board 40, and the first circuit board 50 are used to carry the main control part and the power supply part in the internal circuit of the lidar respectively, so that the main control part and the power supply part that generate heat in the lidar can be kept at intervals, and the overall heat dissipation performance of the lidar can be improved by dissipating heat separately. In addition, the power supply board 40 and the main control board 30 are arranged to fit different side walls of the housing, and the housing is used to accelerate the heat conduction of the power supply board 40 and the main control board 30, which can further improve the heat dissipation performance of the lidar.

[0046] Moreover, the power supply board 40 and the first circuit board 50 are stacked, which can compress the space occupied by different circuit parts carried by the power supply board 40 and the first circuit board 50 inside the housing, making the overall structure of the lidar more compact, that is, making the volume of the lidar smaller.

[0047] In one embodiment, the housing further includes a fourth side wall 64, the third side wall 63 and the fourth side wall 64 are opposite to each other, and the signal transmitting component is stacked with the fourth side wall 64.

[0048] In this embodiment, the signal transmitting component is stacked with the fourth side wall 64. On the one hand, the fourth side wall 64 can be used to accelerate the heat conduction of the signal transmitting component, so as to improve the heat dissipation rate of the signal transmitting component; on the other hand, the distance between the signal transmitting component and the main control board 30 can be increased as much as possible to reduce the interference of the main control board 30 on the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of the signal transmitting component during operation.

[0049] In one embodiment, the signal transmitting component includes: a transmit signal processing board 11, a transmit board 12, a lens mounting board 13, an offset lens 14, and a galvanometer board 15;

[0050] The lens mounting board 13 is fixedly connected to the fourth side wall 64, the transmit board 12 and the offset lens 14 are respectively fixedly connected to the lens mounting board 13, the light emitting end of the transmit board 12 is opposite to the light offset input end of the offset lens 14, the light offset output end of the offset lens 14 is opposite to the light reflection input end of the galvanometer board 15, the light reflection output end of the galvanometer board 15 is opposite to the first light transmission area, and the galvanometer board 15 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing;

[0051] The transmitting signal processing board 11 is disposed adjacent to the power supply board 40, and the transmitting signal processing board 11 is located on a side of the power supply board 40 facing away from the second side wall 62;

[0052] A second end of the main control board 30 is electrically connected to a first end of the transmitting signal processing board 11, and a second end of the transmitting signal processing board 11 is electrically connected to the transmitting board 12.

[0053] Among them, the optical emission process of the signal transmitting component is as follows: a light source is generated at a light emitting end of the transmitting board 12, the light is input through a light offset input end of the offset lens 14, output from a light offset output end of the offset lens 14 and enters a light reflection input end of the galvanometer board 15, and then is output from a light reflection output end of the galvanometer board 15, and finally propagates outward through the first light transmission area.

[0054] It should be understood that a two-dimensional micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) micro galvanometer is provided on the above-mentioned galvanometer board 15. Usually, there are multiple above-mentioned transmitting boards 12, and a plurality of light conduction lenses are provided inside the lens mounting board 13 for conducting the light source generated by the transmitting board 12 to the light offset input end of the offset lens 14.

[0055] The transmitting board 12 is used to drive a laser to emit pulsed light, and light emitting units such as an edge-emitting laser (EEL) and a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) are placed on the transmitting board 12.

[0056] Similarly, the transmitting signal processing board 11, the transmitting board 12, and the galvanometer board 15 are also independently provided printed circuit boards.

[0057] By respectively carrying different parts of the signal transmission circuit of the lidar through the transmitting signal processing board 11, the transmitting board 12, the lens mounting board 13, the offset lens 14, and the galvanometer board 15, the internal structure of the lidar can be made more compact.

[0058] Furthermore, the lens mounting board 13 is a metal board. By utilizing the heat conduction ability of the metal board, the heat dissipation rate of the transmitting board 12 can be further increased, and the overall heat dissipation performance of the lidar can be improved.

[0059] Among them, the distance between the offset lens 14 and the first side wall 61 is less than the distance between the galvanometer board 15 and the first side wall 61.

[0060] In one embodiment, the signal receiving component includes: a driving board 21, a post-stage signal processing board 22, a receiving board 23, and a receiving lens 24;

[0061] The subsequent stage signal processing board 22 is fixedly connected to the third side wall 63. The subsequent stage signal processing board 22 is located on the side of the main control board 30 facing away from the transmission signal processing board 11. The drive board 21 and the receiving board 23 are respectively connected to opposite sides of the subsequent stage signal processing board 22. The receiving board 23 is located on the side of the subsequent stage signal processing board 22 facing away from the main control board 30. The light input end of the receiving lens 24 faces the second light-transmitting area, and the light output end of the receiving lens 24 faces the light receiving end of the receiving board 23;

[0062] The third end of the main control board 30 is electrically connected to the first end of the drive board 21. The second end of the drive board 21 is electrically connected to the galvanometer board 15. The third end of the drive board 21 is electrically connected to the first end of the subsequent stage signal processing board 22. The second end of the subsequent stage signal processing board 22 is electrically connected to the receiving lens 24.

[0063] Among them, the light receiving process of the signal receiving component is as follows: When the laser emitted by the signal transmitting component returns, it enters the light input end of the receiving lens 24 through the second light-transmitting area, and is output from the light output end of the receiving lens 24, and is finally captured by the light receiving end (which can also be understood as the photosensitive end) of the receiving board 23.

[0064] Similarly, the drive board 21, the subsequent stage signal processing board 22, and the receiving board 23 are also independently provided printed circuit boards.

[0065] Among them, the drive board 21 is used for: driving the two-dimensional MEMS micromirror provided on the galvanometer board 15 to vibrate, collecting galvanometer signals, processing and transmitting the electrical signals of the subsequent stage signal processing board 22. The drive board 21 and the subsequent stage signal processing board 22 are tightly combined through a plug-in connector.

[0066] The subsequent stage signal processing board 22 is used for: amplifying and processing the signals received from the receiving board 23 and transmitting the signals to the drive board 21.

[0067] The receiving board 23 is used for: converting the optical signal into an electrical signal and transmitting it to the subsequent stage signal processing board 22. Photoelectric conversion units such as avalanche photodiodes (APD), silicon photomultipliers (SIPM), and single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) are placed on this board. The receiving board 23 and the receiving lens 24 are closely attached, and there are also multiple receiving boards 23.

[0068] Among them, the main control board 30 and the drive board 21 transmit the power supply voltage of the post-stage circuit, the MEMS galvanometer drive control signal, the post-stage power enable signal, the bias voltage adjustment control signal, the voltage monitoring and acquisition signal, the echo acquisition signal, etc.

[0069] The main control board 30 and the transmit signal processing board 11 transmit the power supply voltage of the post-stage circuit, the charging control signal, the discharging control signal, the light-emitting state feedback signal, etc.

[0070] The drive board 21 and the galvanometer board 15 transmit the MEMS galvanometer drive signal.

[0071] The post-stage signal processing board 22 and the receiving board 23 transmit the power supply voltage of the post-stage circuit, the APD and trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) control signal, the APD bias voltage, the temperature acquisition signal, the echo signal, etc.

[0072] The transmit board 12 and the transmit signal processing board 11 transmit the power supply voltage of the post-stage circuit, the charging control signal, the discharging control signal, the light-emitting state feedback signal, etc.

[0073] In one embodiment, the galvanometer board 15 is located on the side of the receiving board 23 facing away from the third side wall 63, and the galvanometer board 15 is located on the side of the offset lens 14 facing away from the fourth side wall 64.

[0074] Through the above settings, the space of the accommodation cavity is fully utilized, and on the premise of avoiding mutual interference between the signal transmitting component and the signal receiving component, the volume of the lidar is further compressed.

[0075] In one embodiment, the main control board 30 is located between the transmit signal processing board 11 and the drive board 21.

[0076] Further, the spacing distance between the main control board 30 and the transmit signal processing board 11 is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and the spacing distance between the main control board 30 and the drive board 21 is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0077] Through the above settings, a certain spacing distance is preferably provided between the main control board 30, the transmit signal processing board 11, and the drive board 21, so as to avoid heat accumulation due to too close a distance during the operation of the above components, ensure that the actual heat dissipation performance of the lidar is as close as possible to the expected heat dissipation performance, and at the same time, reduce the interference of the main control board 30 on the transmit signal processing board 11 and the drive board 21 in terms of EMC during operation.

[0078] In applications, the values of the above first threshold and second threshold can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the present application does not limit this.

[0079] In one embodiment, the distance between the first circuit board 50 and the fourth side wall 64 is greater than the distance between the first circuit board 50 and the third side wall 63.

[0080] Specifically, the first circuit board 50 is located at a position on the second side wall 62 close to the third side wall 63. Through the above arrangement, the distance between the first circuit board 50 and the signal transmitting component (especially the transmitting board 12) is made as far as possible, so as to reduce the interference of the first circuit board 50 on the signal transmitting component in terms of EMC during operation.

[0081] It should be noted that the "spacing distance" in this application can be understood as the minimum distance between different components, or it can also be understood as the distance between the centers / centers of gravity of different components.

[0082] In one embodiment, the outer surface area of the third side wall 63 is larger than the outer surface area of the second side wall 62.

[0083] Through the above arrangement, the main control board 30 that generates more heat is arranged on the third side wall 63 with a larger outer surface area, so as to further accelerate the heat dissipation rate of the main control board 30 and further improve the heat dissipation performance of the lidar.

[0084] Figure 3 An exemplary lidar system 300 is shown, which can apply the technology of the present disclosure. The lidar system 300 may include an optical transmitter 301 (which can be understood as the aforementioned signal transmitting component), an optical receiver 106 (which can be understood as the aforementioned signal receiving component), and a controller 108 (which can be understood as the aforementioned main control board 30). The optical transmitter 301 includes a light source 302 and a scanner 304. The light source 302 emits a transmitted beam for scanning a target object 320. The light source 302 can be a laser, such as a solid-state laser (such as an edge-emitting laser (EEL) or a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) or an external-cavity semiconductor laser (ECDL)), a laser diode, or a fiber laser. The light source 302 can also include an LED. The light source 302 can emit different forms of light beams, including pulsed light (TOF), continuous light (CW), and quasi-continuous light. The operating wavelength of the light source can be 650 nm to 1150 nm, 800 nm to 1000 nm, 850 nm to 950 nm, or 1300 nm to 1600 nm. In one or more embodiments, the light source 302 can also include an optical component optically coupled to the light source 302 for collimating or focusing the light beam emitted by the light source 302. In one or more embodiments, the light source 302 includes at least one fiber laser. Each transmitted beam emitted by the light source 302 can be continuous light for a certain period of time, or one or more light pulses.

[0085] Scanner 304 is used to deflect the direction of the emitted light beam from light source 302 to scan target object 320, achieving a wider emission field of view or scanning field of view. Scanner 304 can be any number of optical mirrors driven by any number of drivers. For example, scanner 304 can include a planar mirror, a prism, a mechanical galvanometer, a polarization grating, an optical phased array (OPA), a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) galvanometer. For a MEMS galvanometer, the reflecting mirror surface rotates or translates in one or two dimensions under electrostatic / piezoelectric / electromagnetic drive. Under the drive of the driver, scanner 304 guides the light beam from the light source to various positions within the field of view to achieve scanning of target object 320 within the field of view.

[0086] After the light beam is reflected from target object 320, a part of the reflected light returns to lidar system 300 and is received by light receiver 306. Light receiver 306 receives and detects a part of the reflected light from target object 320 and generates a corresponding electrical signal. The light receiver can include a receiving unit and an associated receiving circuit. Each receiving circuit can be used to process the output electrical signal of the corresponding receiving unit. The receiving unit includes various forms of photodetectors or one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrays of photodetectors. Correspondingly, the receiving circuit can be a single circuit or an array of multiple circuits. The photodetector measures the power, phase, or time characteristics of the reflected light and generates a corresponding current output. The photodetector can be an avalanche diode (APD), a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD), a PN-type photodiode, or a PIN-type photodiode.

[0087] The controller 308 is communicatively coupled to one or more of the light source 302, the scanner 304, and the light receiver 306. The controller 308 can control whether and when the light source 302 emits a light beam. The controller 308 can control the scanner 304 to scan the light beam to a specific position. The controller 308 can process and analyze the electrical signals output by the light receiver to ultimately determine characteristics of the target object 320, such as its position and speed. The controller 308 can include an integrated circuit (IC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microchip, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other circuitry suitable for executing instructions or implementing logical operations. The instructions executed by the controller 308 can be pre-loaded into an integrated or separate memory (not shown). The memory can store configuration data or commands for the light source 302, the scanner 304, or the light receiver 306. The memory can also store the electrical signals output by the light receiver 306 or the analysis results based on the output electrical signals. For example, the memory can store relevant information about the stray light signals detected during a calibration period for use during a subsequent working period. The memory can include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, an optical disc, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, or other volatile or non-volatile memory, etc. The controller 308 can include a single or multiple processing circuits. In the case of multiple processing circuits, each processing circuit can have the same or different configurations and interact or cooperate with each other electrically, magnetically, optically, acoustically, mechanically, etc.

[0088] In one or more embodiments, the lidar system 300 can further include a transmitting lens 310. The transmitting lens 310 can be used to expand the light beam emitted by the light source 302 and redirected by the scanner 304. The transmitting lens 310 can include a diffractive optical element (DOE) for shaping, splitting, or diffusing the light beam. The transmitting lens 310 can exist alone or be integrated into other components (such as the scanner 304 or the light source 302). The position of the transmitting lens 310 in the emission optical path from the light source to the target object is not limited to Figure 3 as shown in, but can be changed to other positions. For example, the transmitting lens can be arranged between the light source 302 and the scanner 304, such that the light beam emitted by the light source 302 is first expanded by the transmitting lens and then redirected by the scanner.

[0089] In one or more embodiments, the lidar system 300 may further include a receiving lens 312 and a diaphragm 313. The receiving lens 312 is located in front of the optical receiver 306 on the receiving path of the emitted light from the target object 320 to the optical receiver 306. The receiving lens 312 may include an imaging system lens such that the focus of the reflected light beam is in front of or behind the detection surface of the photodetector or photodetector array or exactly on the detection surface. In some cases, instead of existing as a separate component, the receiving lens 312 may also be integrated into the optical receiver 306. The diaphragm 313 is used to limit the angle of the incident light incident on the optical receiver 306 and block stray light, etc.

[0090] In one or more embodiments, the lidar system 300 may further include a housing 314 for encapsulating one or more of the foregoing components therein for protection. In some embodiments, the housing 314 is made of an opaque material, and a transparent region or window 316 may be provided on the housing 314 to allow the emitted light beam or the reflected light beam to pass through. In other embodiments, the housing 314 itself is made of a transparent material, thereby allowing the emitted light beam or the reflected light beam to pass through from any position.

[0091] In some embodiments, the lidar system 300 may include a coaxial optical transceiver system. The coaxial optical transceiver system means that the emission path from the light source 302 to the target object 320 and the reception path from the target object 320 to the optical receiver 306 at least partially overlap. For example, different from Figure 3 that shown, the reflected light beam may reach the optical receiver 306 after reversing through the scanner 304. For the coaxial optical transceiver system, not only does the emission angle of the emitted light beam change with the deflection of the scanner, but the reception angle of the light that can be received by the optical receiver also synchronously changes with the deflection of the scanner, that is, the reception field of view always remains equivalent to the scanning range of the emitted light beam.

[0092] In other embodiments, the lidar system 300 may include a non - coaxial optical transceiver system. The non - coaxial optical transceiver system means that the emission path from the light source 302 to the target object 320 and the reception path from the target object 320 to the optical receiver 306 do not overlap. For example, as Figure 3 shown, the reflected light beam does not reach the optical receiver 306 through the scanner 304 again. For the non - coaxial optical transceiver system, although the emission angle of the emitted light beam changes with the deflection of the scanner, the total reception field of view of the optical receiver is fixed and does not change with the deflection of the scanner.

[0093] A lidar system can control a scanner to direct a transmitted beam according to a predetermined scanning pattern. Usually, when the scanner scans, it presents a closed scanning pattern in space and repeats the scan periodically. Common scanning patterns include row-column raster, Lissajous figure, spiral figure, etc. Figure 4a An example of a laser point cloud map when the lidar system scans according to a row-column raster scanning pattern is shown. Each pixel point 404 in the point cloud map represents the position where the scanner directs the transmitted beam into the transmission field of view (or scanning field of view). The collection of all pixel points 404 constitutes the transmission field of view 402 of the lidar system. Depending on the different predetermined scanning patterns, the transmission field of view 402 can have various different shapes, not limited to Figure 4a the rectangular shape shown. Each pixel point 404 can be associated with one or more transmitted beams or one or more measurements.

[0094] Figure 4b An example of the receiving field of view distribution of a lidar system including a non-coaxial optical transceiver system is shown. In this example, the optical receiver of the lidar system consists of multiple receiving sub-modules, and each receiving sub-module includes one or more receiving units and their corresponding receiving circuits. Each receiving sub-module can receive reflected light within a relatively small range. For example, Figure 4b each rectangle 408 in represents the range of reflected light that the corresponding receiving sub-module of the lidar system can receive, which is also called the receiving field of view of the corresponding receiving sub-module. The collection of the receiving fields of view of all receiving sub-modules constitutes the total receiving field of view 406 of the optical receiver.

[0095] Figure 4c Shows for providing Figure 4b A schematic diagram of the composition of the optical receiver of a lidar system with a receiving field of view is shown. The optical receiver includes one or more receiving units 410 and one or more corresponding receiving circuits 414. The receiving unit 410 is connected to the corresponding receiving circuit 414 through an electrical connection 412. For example, Figure 4b the receiving field of view 408 in corresponds to Figure 4c the receiving sub-module composed of the receiving unit 416 and the corresponding receiving circuit 418 in.

[0096] Figure 4d Shows an example of the correspondence between laser emission and the receiving field of view when a lidar system with Figure 4a a scanned laser point cloud and Figure 4b a receiving field of view is operating normally. During normal operation, as the scanner deflects, the transmitted beam is directed to different positions in the transmission field of view, and the controller instructs the receiving sub-module in the optical receiver corresponding to the receiving field of view at that position to turn on to receive the reflected beam and complete the measurement. For example, pixel 418 can correspond to Figure 4aThe pixel 404 therein, and the receiving field of view 420 can correspond to Figure 4b the receiving field of view 408 therein. When the lidar system generates a transmitted beam pointing to the pixel point 418, it is necessary to turn on the receiving sub-module corresponding to the receiving field of view 420, that is, the Figure 4c receiving sub-module including the receiving unit 416 and the receiving circuit 418 therein can be turned on. The receiving sub-modules in the optical receiver other than the receiving sub-module corresponding to the receiving field of view 420 can be turned off or put into sleep mode.

[0097] It should be recognized that Figures 4a to 4d the distributions of the transmitted field of view, the receiving field of view and the corresponding receiving sub-modules shown are merely illustrative. The lidar system according to the present disclosure may have different scanning patterns, transmitted field of view, receiving field of view distributions, shapes, numbers and distributions of the receiving sub-modules, and the corresponding relationship between the transmitted field of view and the receiving field of view.

[0098] Figure 5 shows a schematic composition of a vehicle 5100 integrated with a lidar system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 5100 may at least include a lidar system 5102, a vehicle controller 5104, and a maneuvering system 5106. The lidar system 5102 can be implemented using the Figure 3 lidar system 300 therein. Accordingly, the light source 5112, the scanner 5114, the optical receiver 5116, and the controller 5118 respectively correspond to the light source 302, the scanner 304, the optical receiver 306, and the controller 308 of the lidar system 300. The difference is that the vehicle controller 5104 can be communicatively coupled to the light source 5112, the scanner 5114, and the optical receiver 5116 through the controller 5118. In some other embodiments, the vehicle controller 5104 can also be directly communicatively coupled to the light source 5112, the scanner 5114, and the optical receiver 5116. In some embodiments, the lidar system 5102 may not include the controller 5118. The technique of calibrating the lidar system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be independently implemented by the vehicle controller 5104, or can be partially implemented by the vehicle controller 5104 and partially by the controller 5118 in cooperation. The maneuvering system 5106 may include a power subsystem, a braking subsystem, a steering subsystem, etc. The vehicle controller 5104 can adjust the maneuvering system 5106 according to the detection result of the lidar system 5102.

[0099] Figure 6 shows a configuration block diagram of an electronic device 6200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device 6200 can be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose computing device, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server, a mainframe computer, a cloud-based computer, a tablet computer, a wearable device, a vehicle electronic device, etc. As Figure 6As shown, the electronic device 6200 includes an Input / Output (I / O) interface 6201, a network interface 6202, a memory 6204, and a processor 6203.

[0100] The I / O interface 6201 is a collection of components that can receive input from and / or provide output to a user. The I / O interface 6201 can include, but is not limited to, buttons, keyboards, keypads, LCD displays, LED displays, or other similar display devices, including display devices with touchscreen capabilities that enable interaction between the user and the electronic device.

[0101] The communication interface 6202 can include various adapters and circuitry implemented in software and / or hardware to enable communication with a lidar system using wired or wireless protocols. Wired protocols can be, for example, any one or more of serial port protocols, parallel port protocols, Ethernet protocols, USB protocols, or other wired communication protocols. Wireless protocols can be, for example, any IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi protocol, cellular network communication protocols, etc.

[0102] The memory 6204 includes a single memory or one or more memories or storage locations, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, logic blocks of an FPGA, a hard disk, or any other layers of a memory hierarchy. The memory 6204 can be used to store any type of instructions, software, or algorithms, including instructions 6205 for controlling the general functions and operations of the electronic device 6200.

[0103] The processor 6203 controls the general operation of the electronic device 6200. The processor 6203 can include, but is not limited to, a CPU, a hardware microprocessor, a hardware processor, a multi-core processor, a single-core processor, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a DSP, or other similar processing devices capable of executing any type of instructions, algorithms, or software for controlling the operation and functions of the electronic device 6200 according to the embodiments described in the present disclosure. The processor 6203 can be various implementations of digital circuitry, analog circuitry, or mixed-signal (a combination of analog and digital) circuitry that performs functions in a computing system. The processor 6203 can include, for example, integrated circuits (ICs), portions or circuits of individual processor cores, entire processor cores, individual processors, programmable hardware devices such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or systems including multiple processors.

[0104] An internal bus 6206 can be used to establish communication between the components of the electronic device 6200.

[0105] The electronic device 6200 is communicatively coupled to the lidar system to be calibrated to control the operation of the lidar system. For example, the calibration method according to the present disclosure can be stored in the memory 6204 of the electronic device 6200 in the form of computer-readable instructions. The processor 6203 implements the calibration method by reading the stored computer-readable instructions.

[0106] Although specific components are used to describe the electronic device 6200, in alternative embodiments, different components may be present in the electronic device 6200. For example, the electronic device 6200 may include one or more additional processors, memories, network interfaces, and / or I / O interfaces. Additionally, one or more of the components may not be present in the electronic device 6200. Additionally, although Figure 6 separate components are shown, in some embodiments, some or all of a given component may be integrated into one or more of the other components in the electronic device 6200.

[0107] The present disclosure can be implemented as any combination of a device, a system, an integrated circuit, and a computer program or program product on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

[0108] It should be understood that the computer-executable instructions in the computer-readable storage medium or program product according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be configured to perform operations corresponding to the above device and method embodiments. When referring to the above device and method embodiments, the embodiments of the computer-readable storage medium or program product are clear to those skilled in the art, and thus will not be described repeatedly. The computer-readable storage medium and program product for carrying or including the above computer-executable instructions also fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Such a storage medium may include, but is not limited to, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a memory card, a storage stick, and the like.

[0109] Additionally, it should be understood that the above series of processes and devices can also be implemented by software and / or firmware. In the case of implementation by software and / or firmware, the corresponding program constituting the corresponding software is stored in the storage medium of the relevant device, and when the program is executed, various functions can be performed.

[0110] For example, in the above embodiments, multiple functions included in one unit can be implemented by separate devices. Alternatively, in the above embodiments, multiple functions implemented by multiple units can be respectively implemented by separate devices. Additionally, one of the above functions can be implemented by multiple units. Such a configuration is included within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0111] In the present disclosure, the steps described in the flowcharts include not only the processes executed in time series in the stated order, but also the processes executed in parallel or individually, rather than necessarily in time series. Additionally, even in the steps of processing in time series, the order can be appropriately changed.

[0112] The term "comprising", "including" or any other variant thereof in the embodiments of the present disclosure is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "comprising a..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the element.

[0113] The term "or" in the present disclosure means inclusive "or", rather than exclusive "or". The mention of a "first" component does not necessarily require the provision of a "second" component. Additionally, unless expressly indicated, the "first" or "second" component does not imply that the mentioned components are limited to a particular order. The term "based on" means "at least partially based on".

[0114] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above specific embodiments. The above specific embodiments are merely illustrative rather than restrictive. Under the inspiration of the present disclosure, those of ordinary skill in the art can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of the present disclosure and the scope protected by the claims, and all of them fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A laser radar, characterized in that: The laser radar comprises: a housing, a signal transmitting component, a signal receiving component, a main control board, a power board and a first circuit board, wherein a housing is provided in the housing, and the signal transmitting component, the signal receiving component, the main control board, the power board and the first circuit board are respectively arranged in the housing; The first end of the first circuit board is electrically connected to the first end of the power board, the second end of the power board is electrically connected to the first end of the main control board, the second end of the main control board is electrically connected to the signal transmitting component, and the third end of the main control board is electrically connected to the signal receiving component; The shell includes a first side wall, a second side wall and a third side wall, the first side wall is opposite to the second side wall, the third side wall is located between the first side wall and the second side wall, the first side wall is provided with a first light-transmitting area and a second light-transmitting area, the transmitting end of the signal transmitting component is arranged opposite to the first light-transmitting area, the receiving end of the signal receiving component is arranged opposite to the second light-transmitting area, the first circuit board is stacked with the second side wall, and the first circuit board is fixedly connected to the second side wall, the second side wall is provided with a first opening, the first circuit board includes a power interface for connecting to an external circuit, and the power interface is opposite to the first opening; the power board is stacked with the first circuit board, and the power board is located on the side of the first circuit board facing away from the second side wall; the main control board is stacked with the third side wall, and the main control board is attached to the third side wall, and the main control board and the power board are spaced apart.

2. The laser radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing further includes a fourth side wall, the third side wall is opposite to the fourth side wall, and the signal emitting component is stacked with the fourth side wall.

3. The laser radar according to claim 2, characterized in that: The signal transmitting assembly comprises: a transmitting signal processing board, a transmitting board, a lens mounting board, an offset lens and a galvanometer board; The lens mounting plate is fixedly connected to the fourth side wall, the transmitting plate and the offset lens are respectively fixedly connected to the lens mounting plate, the light emitting end of the transmitting plate is opposite to the light offset input end of the offset lens, the light offset output end of the offset lens is opposite to the light reflection input end of the galvanometer plate, the light reflection output end of the galvanometer plate is opposite to the first light-transmitting area, and the galvanometer plate is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing; The transmission signal processing board is arranged adjacent to the power board, and the transmission signal processing board is located on a side of the power board facing away from the second side wall; The second end of the main control board is electrically connected to the first end of the transmission signal processing board, and the second end of the transmission signal processing board is electrically connected to the transmission board.

4. The laser radar according to claim 3, characterized in that: The signal receiving component includes: a driving board, a post-stage signal processing board, a receiving board and a receiving lens; The post-stage signal processing board is fixedly connected to the third side wall, the post-stage signal processing board is located on the side of the main control board facing away from the transmitting signal processing board, the driving board and the receiving board are respectively connected to the opposite sides of the post-stage signal processing board, the receiving board is located on the side of the post-stage signal processing board facing away from the main control board, the light input end of the receiving lens is opposite to the second light-transmitting area, and the light output end of the receiving lens is opposite to the light receiving end of the receiving board; The third end of the main control board is electrically connected to the first end of the driving board, the second end of the driving board is electrically connected to the galvanometer board, the third end of the driving board is electrically connected to the first end of the post-stage signal processing board, and the second end of the post-stage signal processing board is electrically connected to the receiving lens.

5. The laser radar according to claim 4, characterized in that: The galvanometer plate is located on a side of the receiving plate facing away from the third side wall, and the galvanometer plate is located on a side of the offset lens facing away from the fourth side wall.

6. The laser radar according to claim 4, characterized in that: The main control board is located between the transmission signal processing board and the driving board.

7. The laser radar according to claim 6, characterized in that: The spacing distance between the main control board and the transmission signal processing board is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and the spacing distance between the main control board and the driving board is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

8. The laser radar according to claim 2, characterized in that: The spacing distance between the first circuit board and the fourth side wall is greater than the spacing distance between the first circuit board and the third side wall.

9. The laser radar according to claim 1, characterized in that: An area of ​​an outer surface of the third side wall is greater than an area of ​​an outer surface of the second side wall.

10. The laser radar according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lens mounting plate is a metal plate.

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