Coherent signal combining with multiple outputs for quasi-continuous wave lidar operation

Abstract

To provide a system for coherent beam combining with multiple-outputs for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation.SOLUTION: A signal processing system for light detection and ranging (LIDAR) operation comprises an amplifier and a splitter that is coupled to the amplifier. The amplifier is configured to: receive a plurality of optical signals that are respectively associated with a plurality of phases; and generate a plurality of amplified optical signals using the plurality of optical signals. The splitter is configured to: receive the plurality of amplified optical signals; and combine the plurality of amplified optical signals according to the plurality of phases to generate an optical signal across a plurality of outputs.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 985,724, filed March 5, 2020, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 993,436, filed March 23, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 17 / 142,868, filed January 6, 2021, the entire disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] Optical detection of distance using lasers, sometimes called LIDAR (mnemonic for Light Detection and Ranging) and sometimes Laser RADAR (Radio-wave Detection and Ranging), is used in a variety of applications ranging from altitude measurement to imaging to collision avoidance. LIDAR offers finer scale range resolution with smaller beam sizes than traditional microwave ranging systems such as RADAR. Optical detection of distance can be achieved with a variety of other techniques including direct distance measurement based on the round trip travel time of a light pulse about an object, chirp detection based on the frequency difference between a transmitted chirped light signal and the signal scattered back from the object, and phase-encoded detection based on a sequence of single frequency phase changes that are distinguishable from natural signals. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) in the field of optics, and more specifically to systems and methods for coherent beam combining across multiple outputs for Quasi-Continuous Wave (Quasi-CW) LIDAR operation to assist in vehicle operation.

[0004] In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a signal processing system for Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) operations. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes an amplifier configured to receive a plurality of optical signals respectively associated with a plurality of phases and generate a plurality of amplified optical signals using the plurality of optical signals. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes a splitter coupled to the amplifier configured to receive the plurality of amplified optical signals and combine the plurality of amplified optical signals according to the plurality of phases to generate an optical signal across a plurality of outputs.

[0005] In other embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a LIDAR system including a signal processing system. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes a phase shifter configured to receive a plurality of optical signals and generate a plurality of phase-shifted optical signals respectively associated with a plurality of phases. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes an amplifier configured to receive a plurality of phase-shifted optical signals and generate a plurality of amplified optical signals using the plurality of phase-shifted optical signals. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes a splitter coupled to the amplifier configured to receive the plurality of amplified optical signals and combine the plurality of amplified optical signals according to the plurality of phases to generate an optical signal across a plurality of outputs.

[0006] In yet another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to an autonomous vehicle control system including a signal processing system for LIDAR operation. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes a phase shifter configured to receive a plurality of optical signals and generate a plurality of phase-shifted optical signals respectively associated with a plurality of phases. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes an amplifier configured to receive the plurality of phase-shifted optical signals and generate a plurality of amplified optical signals using the plurality of phase-shifted optical signals. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes a splitter coupled to the amplifier configured to receive the plurality of amplified optical signals and combine the plurality of amplified optical signals according to the plurality of phases to generate an optical signal across a plurality of outputs. In some embodiments, the signal processing system includes one or more processors configured to control operation of the autonomous vehicle using the optical signals.

[0007] Other embodiments, features, and advantages will no doubt be apparent from the following detailed description, simply by way of illustration of a number of specific embodiments, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present disclosure. Other embodiments may also have other and different features and advantages, and the details of some of these can be modified in various obvious respects without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements, and in which:

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system environment for an autonomous vehicle in accordance with some embodiments.

[0010] [Figure 2a]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example Quasi-Continuous Wave (Quasi-CW) LIDAR system for vehicle operation in accordance with some embodiments.

[0011] [Figure 2b] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system for operation in a vehicle according to some embodiments.

[0012] [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment of a coherent signal generator architecture for coherent signal combining across multiple outputs for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation in accordance with some embodiments.

[0013] [Figure 4] 4 is a time-based graph illustrating quasi-continuous wave waveforms measured at output channels 312a-312d of the coherent signal generator of FIG. 3 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

[0014] [Diagram 5] 4 is a time-based graph illustrating the total power output from the SOAs 308a-308d of the coherent signal generator of FIG. 3 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

[0015] [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 when configured to direct all light to an output channel in accordance with some embodiments.

[0016] [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 when configured to direct all light to an output channel in accordance with some embodiments.

[0017] [Figure 8]FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 when configured to direct all light to an output channel in accordance with some embodiments.

[0018] [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 when configured to direct all light to an output channel in accordance with some embodiments.

[0019] [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment of a coherent signal generator architecture for coherent signal combining across multiple outputs for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] A LIDAR system may include a laser source to provide an optical signal (also called a "beam"), one or more modulators to modulate the phase and / or frequency of the optical signal using continuous wave (CW) modulation or quasi-continuous wave (Quasi-CW) modulation, an amplifier to amplify the modulated signal so that it can be transmitted to a particular range, and / or an optical device (e.g., a mirror scanner) to condition the amplified signal to the environment within a given field of view.

[0021] In a LIDAR system using continuous wave modulation, the modulator continuously modulates the laser light. For example, if the modulation cycle is 10 seconds, the input signal is modulated for the entire 10 seconds. Alternatively, in a LIDAR system using quasi-continuous wave modulation, the modulator modulates the laser light to have both active and inactive portions. For example, for a 10 second cycle, the modulator only modulates the laser light for 8 seconds (also called the "active portion"), but does not modulate the laser light for 2 seconds (also called the "inactive portion"). This allows the LIDAR system to reduce power consumption for the 2 seconds because the modulator does not need to provide a continuous signal.

[0022] In Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LIDAR used in automotive applications, it is advantageous to operate the LIDAR system using quasi-continuous wave modulation where FMCW measurement and signal processing methods are used, but the optical signal is not always on-state (e.g., enabled, powered, transmitting, etc.). In some embodiments, the quasi-continuous wave modulation may have a duty cycle of 1% or more up to 50%. If off-state energy (e.g., disabled, powered, etc.) can be dissipated during the actual measurement time, there may be an increase in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and / or a decrease in signal processing requirements for coherent integration of all energy within a longer time range.

[0023] In some embodiments, an erbium-doped fiber optic amplifier (EDFA) can be used to implement the coherent signal generator (e.g., coherent signal generator 206 of FIG. 2a and coherent signal generator 206 of FIG. 2b). For systems implementing quasi-continuous wave modulation where optical gain and / or energy can be conserved and output by using an EDFA in the coherent beam generator, the signal can be provided in shorter bursts from the EDFA even by simply pulsing the input to the EDFA.

[0024] In some embodiments, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) can be used to implement the coherent signal generator (e.g., coherent signal generator 206 of FIG. 2a and coherent signal generator 206 of FIG. 2b). By using SOAs in the coherent signal generator, a high level of integration can be achieved. For example, multiple SOAs can be scaled-down and placed on a single semiconductor chip, which can improve not only speed (e.g., reduced latency) and power consumption (e.g., power can be routed more efficiently between the SOAs), but also improve manufacturing processes. That is, scaling a coherent signal generator (also called a "signal processing system") down to a single semiconductor chip means that the size of the semiconductor chip (e.g., silicon) is smaller, reducing the possibility of manufacturing defects that affect the performance of the coherent signal generator.

[0025] Accordingly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for coherent signal generation (e.g., combining, merging, adding, mixing, etc.) across multiple outputs for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation to aid in the operation of a vehicle-based LIDAR system.

[0026] In various exemplary embodiments, as described in the following syntax, the coherent signal generator may include one or more phase shifters and / or one or more splitters (e.g., 50 / 50 splitters). The coherent signal generator may include an amplifier including multiple sub-amplifiers, such as SOAs, each coupled to one or more output channels of the coherent signal generator via one or more beam splitters (e.g., 50 / 50 beam splitters, etc.). Each sub-amplifier may provide a continuous wave (e.g., up to 95% duty cycle) with a fixed output power. The coherent signal generator may coherently combine (using one or more splitters) the output powers of some or all of the sub-amplifiers to generate a combined output power and transmit the combined output power to one of the output channels. For example, if the coherent signal generator includes eight sub-amplifiers, each generating an output power of 100 mW, the coherent signal generator combines the output power of the eight sub-amplifiers to generate a combined output power of 800 mW and transmits the combined output power to one of the output channels.

[0027] The power combining can be controlled by a specific setting of the optical phase relationship between all the sub-amplifiers. The phase can be set (e.g., configured, programmed, initialized) to provide a combined output power from all the sub-amplifiers of the coherent signal generator (e.g., 800 mW of output power generated / combined from 8 sub-amplifiers generating 100 mW each) to one output channel, a combined output power from a portion of the sub-amplifiers of the coherent signal generator (e.g., 200 mW of output power generated / combined from 2 of the 8 sub-amplifiers of the coherent signal generator generating 100 mW each) to one output channel, or any combination in between. The phase can be set to provide the output power of any of the sub-amplifiers (e.g., 100 mW) to any of the output channels.

[0028] Because the phase settings may be changed rapidly, in some embodiments, the CNC network architecture transmits the total combined output power from all sub-amplifiers (e.g., 800 mW for an eight sub-amplifier network) sequentially to each output channel (e.g., eight channels) to generate a series of pulses at a time provided from each output channel. In some embodiments, the total average power provided from all output channels of the coherent signal generator remains constant, but the power distribution among the output channels may vary over time.

[0029] Various exemplary embodiments described herein may include one or more of the following features: (1) some or all of the paths (from input to output) of the coherent signal generator may be length-matched to ensure stable operation over temperature; (2) some or all of the output powers of the sub-amplifiers of one or more splitters may be approximately the same to obtain high contrast at one or more output channels of the coherent signal generator; (3) one or more splitters may have low loss and / or splitting ratios very close to 50 / 50; (4) the coherent signal generator may include one or more waveguide crossings where coupling to erroneous paths is minimized; the coherent signal generator may include one or more slow static phase shifters in half of the branches of each layer to maintain stable operation; (5) the coherent signal generator may include tap photodiodes at selected points along one or more splitter branches and / or output channels for development purposes and / or to ensure stable operation. (6) The coherent signal generator may include a tap from the laser source before one or more modulators for coherent detection. (7) The coherent signal generator may include one or more phase shifters before one or more sub-amplifiers. (8) The coherent signal generator may include one or more phase shifters after one or more sub-amplifiers. (9) The coherent signal generator may include one or more phase shifters after one or more sub-amplifiers that are fast enough (e.g., rise time less than 100 ns) to perform switching efficiently and quickly, providing benefits whose losses are compensated for by the gain of the sub-amplifiers.

[0030] In some embodiments, one or more of the splitters can be replaced with a multi-mode interference (MMI) structure or coupler. In some embodiments, a binary switch network can be used after one or more splitters (or MMI structures or couplers) to split the output into many more output channels.

[0031] In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, commonly known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. 1. System environment for autonomous vehicles

[0032] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system environment for an autonomous vehicle in accordance with some embodiments.

[0033] 1, an exemplary autonomous vehicle 100 is shown in which various techniques disclosed herein may be embodied. For example, the vehicle 100 may include a powertrain 102 including a prime mover 104, which may be powered by an energy source 106 and power a drivetrain 108, and a control system 110 including a directional control device 112, a powertrain control device 114, and a brake control device 116. It will be appreciated that the vehicle 100 may be embodied as any number of different types of vehicles, including vehicles capable of transporting people and / or cargo and moving in a variety of environments, and that the components 102-116 described above may vary significantly depending on the type of vehicle in which these components are used.

[0034] For simplicity, the embodiments described below focus on wheeled land vehicles such as cars, vans, trucks, buses, etc. In these embodiments, prime mover 104 may include (among other things) one or more electric motors and / or an internal combustion engine. The energy source may include, for example, a fuel system (e.g., providing gasoline, diesel, hydrogen, etc.), a battery system, solar panels or other renewable energy sources, and / or a fuel cell system. Drivetrain 108 may include wheels and / or tires, as well as a transmission and / or any other mechanical drive components for converting the power output of prime mover 104 into vehicle motion, one or more brakes configured to controllably stop or slow the vehicle, and appropriate steering or steering components to control the trajectory of vehicle 100 (e.g., a rack and pinion steering linkage that allows one or more wheels of vehicle 100 to pivot about a substantially vertical axis to change the angle of the plane of rotation of the wheels relative to the vehicle's longitudinal axis). In some embodiments (e.g., in the case of electric / gas hybrid vehicles), a combination of powertrains and energy sources can be used, and in some cases multiple electric motors can be used as prime movers (e.g., dedicated to individual wheels or axles).

[0035] The directional control device 112 may include one or more actuators and / or sensors for controlling and receiving feedback from directional or steering components so that the vehicle 100 can follow a desired trajectory. The powertrain control device 114 may be configured to control the speed and / or direction of the vehicle 100 by controlling the output of the powertrain 102, such as by controlling the output of the prime mover 104, controlling the gears of the transmission in the drivetrain 108, etc. The brake control device 116 may be configured to control one or more brakes, such as disc or drum brakes coupled to the wheels of the vehicle, to slow or stop the vehicle 100.

[0036] Other vehicle types, including but not limited to off-road vehicles, all-terrain or tracked vehicles, construction equipment, and the like, necessarily use other powertrains, drivetrains, energy sources, directional controls, powertrain controls, and brake controls. Additionally, in some embodiments, some of the components may be combined, for example, where the directional control of the vehicle is primarily handled by modifying the output of one or more prime movers. Thus, the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to the specific application of the technology described herein in autonomous wheeled land vehicles.

[0037] The various levels of autonomous driving control for vehicle 100 may be implemented in a vehicle control system 120 that may include one or more processors 122 and one or more memories 124, each processor 122 configured to execute program code instructions 126 stored in memory 124. The processors may include, for example, graphics processing units (GPU(s)) and / or central processing units (CPU(s)).

[0038] The sensors 130 may include various sensors suitable for collecting information from the vehicle's surrounding environment for use in controlling the operation of the vehicle. For example, the sensors 130 may include a radar sensor 134, a LIDAR sensor 136, a 3D positioning sensor 138, such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, or any of the satellite navigation systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System), GLONASS (Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, or Global Navigation Satellite System), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), Galileo, Compass, etc. The 3D positioning sensor 138 may be used to determine the vehicle's position on Earth using satellite signals. The sensors 130 may include a camera 140 and / or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 142. The camera 140 may be a monographic or stereographic camera and may record still and / or video images. The IMU 142 may include multiple gyroscopes and accelerometers capable of detecting linear and rotational motion of the vehicle in three directions. One or more encoders (not shown), such as wheel encoders, may be used to monitor the rotation of one or more wheels of the vehicle 100. Each sensor 130 may output sensor data at a data rate that is different from the data rates of the other sensors 130.

[0039] The output of the sensors 130 may be provided to a series of control subsystems 150, including a localization subsystem 152, a planning subsystem 156, a perception subsystem 154, and a control subsystem 158. The localization subsystem 152 may perform functions such as precisely determining the position and orientation (also called "pose") of the vehicle 100 within the vehicle's 100 environment and generally within some frame of reference. The autonomous vehicle's position may be compared to the positions of additional vehicles in the same environment as part of generating labeled autonomous vehicle data. The perception subsystem 154 may perform functions such as detecting, tracking, determining, and / or identifying objects in the environment surrounding the vehicle 100. Machine learning models according to some embodiments may be utilized to track the objects. The planning subsystem 156 may perform functions such as planning a trajectory for the vehicle 100 over some time frame given a desired destination as well as stationary and moving objects in the environment. Machine learning models according to some embodiments may be utilized to plan the vehicle trajectory. The control subsystem 158 may perform functions such as generating appropriate control signals to control various controllers of the vehicle control system 120 to execute the planned trajectory of the vehicle 100. The machine learning model may be utilized to generate one or more signals that control the autonomous vehicle to execute the planned trajectory.

[0040] It will be understood that the collection of components shown in FIG. 1 for vehicle control system 120 is merely exemplary in nature. In some embodiments, individual sensors may be omitted. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, multiple sensors of the type shown in FIG. 1 may be used for redundancy and / or to cover other areas around the vehicle, and other types of sensors may be used. Similarly, different types and / or various combinations of control subsystems may be used in other embodiments. Also, while subsystems 152-158 are illustrated as being separate from processor 122 and memory 124, it will be understood that in some embodiments, some or all of the functionality of subsystems 152-158 may be embodied in program code instructions 126 that reside in one or more memories 124 and are executed by one or more processors 122, and that these subsystems 152-158 may be embodied using the same processor and / or memory in some cases. The subsystems may be embodied at least in part using various dedicated circuit logic, various processors, various field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), various application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), various real-time controllers, etc., and as previously discussed, multiple subsystems may utilize circuits, processors, sensors, and / or other components. Additionally, the various components of vehicle control system 120 may be networked in various manners.

[0041] In some embodiments, vehicle 100 may further include a secondary vehicle control system (not shown) that may be used as a redundant or backup control system for vehicle 100. In some embodiments, the secondary vehicle control system is capable of fully operating autonomous vehicle 100 in the event of an adverse event occurring in vehicle control system 120, while in other embodiments the secondary vehicle control system may only have limited functionality, such as the ability to perform a coordinated stop of vehicle 100 in response to an adverse event detected in primary vehicle control system 120. In still other embodiments, the secondary vehicle control system may be omitted.

[0042] In general, the various components shown in FIG. 1 can be embodied using many different architectures, including various combinations of software, hardware, circuit logic, sensors, networks, etc. Each processor can be embodied, for example, as a microprocessor, and each memory can represent a random access memory (RAM) device, including a main memory and any secondary levels of memory, such as cache memory, non-volatile or backup memory (e.g., programmable or flash memory), read-only memory, etc. Each memory can also be considered to include memory storage devices physically located elsewhere in the vehicle 100, such as cache memory within the processor and any storage capacity used as virtual memory, such as stored in a mass storage device or other computer controller. One or more of the processors shown in FIG. 1, or completely separate processors, can be used to implement additional functions of the vehicle 100 outside of the purpose of autonomous driving control, such as, for example, controlling an entertainment system, activating doors, lights, convenience features, etc.

[0043] For additional storage, the vehicle 100 may also include one or more mass storage devices, such as a removable disk drive, a hard disk drive, a direct access storage device (DASD), an optical drive (e.g., CD drive, DVD drive, etc.), a solid state storage drive (SSD), a network attached storage device, a storage area network, and / or a tape drive, among others.

[0044] Vehicle 100 may also include a user interface 164, such as one or more displays, touch screens, voice and / or gesture interfaces, buttons and other tactile controls, etc., that enables vehicle 100 to receive a number of inputs from a user or operator and generate outputs in relation thereto. Alternatively, user inputs may be received via an app or web interface of another computer or electronic device, such as a mobile device.

[0045] Additionally, vehicle 100 includes one or more network interfaces, such as network interface 162 suitable for communication with one or more networks 170 (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless network, and / or the Internet, among others) to allow vehicle 100 to communicate information with other computers and electronic devices, including, for example, a central service, such as a cloud service, from which vehicle 100 receives environmental and other data used for its autonomous driving control. Data collected by one or more sensors 130 may be uploaded via network 170 to computing system 172 for further processing. In some embodiments, a timestamp may be added to each instance of vehicle data before uploading.

[0046] 1, as well as the various additional controllers and subsystems disclosed herein, generally operate under the control of an operating system, as described in more detail below, and execute or rely on various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc. Additionally, the various applications, components, programs, objects, modules, etc. may also execute on other computers coupled to vehicle 100 via network 170, e.g., on one or more processors in a distributed, cloud-based, or client-server computing environment, such that the processing required to implement the functionality of a computer program is allocated across multiple computers and / or services via the network.

[0047] In general, the routines executed to implement the various embodiments described herein are referred to herein as "program code," whether embodied as part of an operating system, a particular application, component, program, object, module, or sequence of instructions, or any subset thereof. Program code may reside at various times in various memory and storage devices, and may include one or more instructions that, when read and executed by one or more processors, perform the steps necessary to perform the steps or elements that implement the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, while the embodiments are described, and will be described below, in the context of fully functional computers and systems, it will be understood that the various embodiments described herein may be distributed as program products in a variety of forms, and that the embodiments may be embodied independently of the particular type of computer-readable medium used to actually effect such distribution.

[0048] Examples of computer-readable media include, among others, non-transitory media such as volatile and non-volatile memory devices, floppy and other removable disks, solid state drives (SSDs), hard disk drives, magnetic tape, and optical disks (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc.).

[0049] Additionally, various program code described below may be identified based on the application for which it is embodied in a particular embodiment. However, it should be understood that any particular program nomenclature below is used merely for convenience, and thus the present disclosure should not be limited to use only with any particular application identified and / or implied by such nomenclature. Furthermore, given the typically infinite number of ways in which computer programs may be organized into routines, procedures, methods, modules, objects, etc., and the various ways in which program functions are allocated among the various software layers (e.g., operating system, libraries, APIs, applications, applets, etc.) resident within a typical computer, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific organization and allocation of program functions described herein.

[0050] The environment depicted in Figure 1 is not intended to limit the embodiments disclosed herein, and indeed, other alternative hardware and / or software environments may be used without departing from the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein. 2. Coherent signal combining across multiple outputs

[0051] 2a is a block diagram illustrating an example quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system for operation on a vehicle according to some embodiments. The quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system 200a includes a laser source 202 for providing a light signal (also called a "beam").

[0052] The quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system 200a includes a modulator 204 for modulating an optical signal and a coherent signal generator 206 (also referred to as a "signal processing system") for coherent signal generation (e.g., combining, merging, adding, mixing, etc.) across multiple outputs for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation. That is, the modulator 204 receives an optical signal from a laser source 202, modulates the phase and / or frequency of the optical signal using continuous wave modulation or quasi-continuous wave modulation, and provides the modulated signal to one or more input channels of the coherent signal generator 206.

[0053] The coherent signal generator 206 combines the received modulated signals to generate continuous wave signals across multiple outputs of the coherent signal generator 206 (e.g., output channels 312a-312d in FIG. 3) and provides the continuous wave signals to the scanner 208 (e.g., vibration scanner, unidirectional scanner, Risley prism, etc.). In some embodiments, the coherent signal generator 206 generates the continuous wave signals by operating multiple sub-amplifiers (e.g., SOAs 308a-308d in FIG. 3) at different duty cycles.

[0054] Based on the received continuous signal, the scanner 208 generates one or more scanning signals to drive one or more optical elements for optical detection of the object 210 .

[0055] As shown in FIG. 2 a , the modulator 204 may be separate from the coherent signal generator 206 .

[0056] Any of the components of the quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system 200a (e.g., the laser source 202, the modulator 204, the coherent signal generator 206, and the scanner 208) may be included in one or more semiconductor packages. For example, the laser source 202 may be in a first semiconductor package, the coherent signal generator 204 may be in a second semiconductor package, and the scanner 206 may be in a third semiconductor package. As another example, a semiconductor package may include the laser source 202, the modulator 204, the coherent signal generator 206, and the scanner 208.

[0057] 2b is a block diagram illustrating an example quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system for operation on a vehicle according to some embodiments. The quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system 200b includes a laser source 202, a coherent signal generator 206, and a scanner 208 for optical detection of an object 210. The coherent signal generator 206 of FIG. 2b has features and / or functionality of the modulator 206 of FIG. 2a.

[0058] Any of the components of the quasi-continuous wave LIDAR system 200b (e.g., the laser source 202, the coherent signal generator 206, and the scanner 208) may be included in one or more semiconductor packages.

[0059] 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment of a coherent signal generator architecture (e.g., coherent signal generator 206 of FIG. 2a and coherent signal generator 206 of FIG. 2b) for coherent signal combining across multiple outputs for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation according to some embodiments. The environment 300 includes a laser source 202 for providing an optical signal (also referred to as a "beam"). The environment 300 includes a modulator 204 for modulating the phase and / or frequency of the optical signal using continuous wave modulation or quasi-continuous wave modulation to generate a modulated signal.

[0060] Environment 300 includes a phase shifter network 306 for adjusting the phase of a modulated signal and providing the modulated signal to an amplifier 308. Phase shifter network 306 includes phase shifter 306a, phase shifter 306b, phase shifter 306c, and phase shifter 306d, collectively referred to as "phase shifters 306a-d."

[0061] Amplifier 308 includes sub-amplifiers such as SOA 308a, SOA 308b, SOA 308c, and SOA 308d, collectively referred to as "SOAs 308a-d." Each sub-amplifier produces an amplified signal.

[0062] Environment 300 includes a beam splitter network 310 (also referred to as "splitter 310") that generates an output waveform by combining some or all of the amplified signals based on the principles of constructive and destructive interference. Beam splitter network 310 includes beam splitter 310a (shown in FIG. 3 as "50 / 50 310a"), beam splitter 310b (shown in FIG. 3 as "50 / 50 310b"), beam splitter 310c (shown in FIG. 3 as "50 / 50 310c"), and beam splitter 310d (shown in FIG. 3 as "50 / 50 310d"), collectively referred to as "beam splitters 310a-d."

[0063] Environment 300 includes output channel 312a, output channel 312b, output channel 312c, and output channel 312d, collectively referred to as "output channels 312a-d." Although FIG. 3 shows only a select number of components (e.g., laser source 202, modulator 204, phase shifters 306a-d, SOAs 308a-d, and beam splitters 310a-d) and output channels 312a-d, one skilled in the art will understand that environment 300 may include any number of components and / or output channels (in any combination) interconnected in any arrangement to facilitate coherent signal combining for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation. For example, an 8-channel coherent signal generator architecture (e.g., shown in FIG. 8) includes 8 phase shifters, 8 SOAs, 8 output channels, and 13 splitters. As another example, a 16-channel coherent signal generator includes 16 phase shifters, 16 SOAs, 16 output channels, and 26 splitters.

[0064] Laser source 202 is coupled to an input terminal of modulator 204, the output of which is coupled to an input terminal of phase shifter 306a, an input terminal of phase shifter 306b, an input terminal of phase shifter 306c and an input terminal of phase shifter 306d.

[0065] An output terminal of phase shifter 306a is coupled to an input terminal of SOA 308a, and an output terminal of the SOA is coupled to a first input terminal of beam splitter 310b. An output terminal of phase shifter 306b is coupled to an input terminal of SOA 308b, and an output terminal of SOA 308b is coupled to a first input terminal of beam splitter 310a. An output terminal of phase shifter 306c is coupled to an input terminal of SOA 308c, and an output terminal of SOA 308c is coupled to a second input terminal of beam splitter 310a. An output terminal of phase shifter 306d is coupled to an input terminal of SOA 308d, and an output terminal of SOA 308d is coupled to a second input terminal of beam splitter 310b.

[0066] A first output terminal of beam splitter 310a is coupled to a first input terminal of beam splitter 310c, a first output terminal of beam splitter 310c is coupled to output channel 312a (shown in FIG. 3 as "output 312a"), and a second output terminal of beam splitter 310c is coupled to output channel 312b (shown in FIG. 3 as "output 312b").

[0067] A second output terminal of beam splitter 310a is coupled to a second input terminal of beam splitter 310d, a first output terminal of beam splitter 310d is coupled to output channel 312c (shown in FIG. 3 as "output 312c"), and a second output terminal of beam splitter 310d is coupled to output channel 312d (shown in FIG. 3 as "output 312d").

[0068] A first output terminal of beam splitter 310b is coupled to a second input terminal of beam splitter 310c, and a second output terminal of beam splitter 310b is coupled to a first input terminal of beam splitter 310d.

[0069] Semiconductor packaging (not shown in FIG. 3 ) may, in some embodiments, contain some or all of the components of environment 300 (e.g., laser source 202, modulator 204, phase shifters 306a-d, SOAs 308a-d, and beam splitters 310a-d). For example, a first semiconductor packaging may contain the components of modulator 204, and a second semiconductor packaging may contain the components of phase shifter 306 (e.g., phase shifters 306a-d), the components of amplifier 308 (e.g., SOAs 308a-d), and / or the components of beam splitter network 310 (e.g., beam splitters 310a-d). In this arrangement, one or more outputs of the first semiconductor packaging may be coupled to one or more inputs of the second semiconductor packaging.

[0070] As other examples, the semiconductor packaging may include components of the modulator 204, components of the phase shifter 306 (e.g., phase shifters 306a-d), components of the amplifier 308 (e.g., SOAs 308a-d), and / or components of the beam splitter network 310 (e.g., beam splitters 310a-d). In this arrangement, the laser source 202 may be coupled to one or more inputs of the semiconductor packaging.

[0071] In some embodiments, the output channels 312a-312d may correspond to outputs on semiconductor packaging.

[0072] With further reference to FIG. 3, by operating the sub-amplifiers (e.g., SOAs 308a-d) at different duty cycles, the amplifier 308 and beam splitter network 310 can generate continuous output waveforms (e.g., output waveforms 402a-d of FIG. 4) across the output channels 312a-d of the coherent signal generator. That is, the continuous wave power from each SOA 308a-d can be coherently summed in the beam splitter network 310 (based on the principles of constructive and destructive interference) to ideally increase the output power for a single output channel by a factor of N at a time (where N is the number of sub-amplifiers). This increased output power can be directed (e.g., routed, focused, etc.) at various different times to different outputs providing switching that increases the effective number of usable channels. The phase of the beam splitter network 310, which depends on the optical path length of the waveguide, is difficult to control. In some embodiments, some or all of the paths between the beam splitters 310a-d can be aligned. In some embodiments, the number of phase shifters (eg, phase shifters 306a-d) required to control the output can be reduced through good design and / or process control.

[0073] 4 is a time-based graph illustrating quasi-continuous wave waveforms measured at output channels 312a-312d of the coherent signal generator of FIG. 3 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The time-based graph includes output waveform 402a, output waveform 402b, output waveform 402c, and output waveform 402b, each of which is a quasi-continuous wave waveform due to operation of the coherent signal generator components (e.g., laser source 202, modulator 204, phase shifters 306a-d, SOAs 308a-d, and beam splitters 310a-d) under a range of operating conditions.

[0074] For example, referring to FIG. 3, the laser source 202 drives the modulator with 400 mW continuous wave (e.g., up to 95% duty cycle). The modulator 204 modulates the phase and / or frequency of the received optical signal using quasi-continuous wave modulation to generate a modulated optical signal and transmits the modulated optical signal to a respective input terminal of the phase shifters 306a-d. Each phase shifter 306a-d, controlled by a processor (not shown in FIG. 3), shifts (e.g., adjusts, modulates, etc.) the phase of the received modulated signal to generate a shifted modulated signal and transmits the shifted modulated signal to the amplifier 308. Amplifier 308 amplifies each of the shifted modulated signals (four copies) received from phase shifter 306 to generate a first amplified signal measured at 100 mW at tap 309a, a second amplified signal measured at 100 mW at tap 309b, a third amplified signal measured at 100 mW at tap 309c, and a fourth amplified signal measured at 100 mW at tap 309d. Amplifier 308 transmits the amplified signals (e.g., the first amplified signal, the second amplified signal, the third amplified signal, and the fourth amplified signal) to beam splitter network 310 which generates output waveform 402a at output channel 312a, output waveform 402b at output channel 312b, output waveform 402c at output channel 312c, and output waveform 402d at output channel 312d.

[0075] Beam splitter network 310 generates each of the output waveforms 412a-412d by combining some or all of the amplified signals based on the principles of constructive and destructive interference.

[0076] In constructive interference, the beam splitter network 310 combines two waveforms to produce a final waveform that has a higher amplitude than each of the two waveforms. For example, if the beam splitter network 310 combines two waveforms with the same amplitude, the final waveform will have a maximum amplitude that is twice the amplitude of the two waveforms. The region where the amplitude is between the original amplitude and the maximum amplitude is called constructive interference. Constructive interference occurs when the waveforms are in phase with each other.

[0077] In destructive interference, the beam splitter network 310 combines two waveforms to produce a final waveform that has a lower amplitude than each of the two waveforms. For example, if the beam splitter network 310 combines two waveforms with the same amplitude, the final waveform has a minimum amplitude of zero. In this case, the final waveform disappears completely in some positions. The region between the original amplitude and the minimum amplitude is called the destructive interference region. Destructive interference occurs when the waveforms are out-of-phase with each other.

[0078] 5 is a time-based graph showing the total power output from the SOAs 308a-308d of the coherent signal generator of FIG 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The time-based graph 500 shows the relationship between the output waveform 402a in output channel 312a (shown in FIG 5 as "Ch1"), the output waveform 402b in output channel 312b (shown in FIG 5 as "Ch2"), the output waveform 402c in output channel 312c (shown in FIG 5 as "Ch3"), and the output waveform 402d in output channel 312d (shown in FIG 5 as "Ch4").

[0079] With a beam splitter network 310 including beam splitters 310a-d (e.g., 50:50 2×2 splitters), it is straightforward to determine the phase of the light after the SOAs 308a-d required to steer the light to a particular output channel 312a-312d. Each beam splitter 310a-d can be parameterized as a 2×2 Scattering Matrix according to Equation 1: (Formula 1)

[0080]

number

[0081] The entire network can be expanded. For example, the coherent signal generator (e.g., 4×4 network) of FIG. 4 can be parameterized into two layers of 4×4 scattering matrices, each composed of 2×2 sub-matrices describing the 2×2 splitters of each layer. The final matrix for the 4×4 network shown in FIG. 3 may be based on Equation 2. (Formula 2)

[0082]

number

[0083] This scattering matrix can be inverted to find the phase of the input field that causes all power to be directed to a single output channel 312a-d according to Equation 3. (Formula 3)

[0084]

number

[0085]

number

[0086] 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 according to some embodiments when configured to direct all light to an output channel. Environment 600 shows the amplitudes and phases for directing all light to output channel 312a, assuming all paths from the input to beam splitter network 310 to all output channels 312a-d have the same length. Because phase is relative, arbitrarily rotating all phases by the same amount will result in all light remaining in the same output channel.

[0087] 6, phase shifter 306a is configured at 0 degrees, phase shifter 306b is configured at 90 degrees, phase shifter 306c is configured at 180 degrees, phase shifter 306d is configured at 90 degrees, the amplified signal at tap 309a is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309b is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309c is 100 mW, and the amplified signal at tap 309d is 100 mW. Under these conditions, the coherent signal generator generates a 400 mW waveform (100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW = 400 mW) at output channel 312a and 0 mW at output channels 312b, 312c, and 312d.

[0088] 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 according to some embodiments when configured to direct all light to an output channel. Environment 700 shows the amplitudes and phases for directing all light to output channel 312b, assuming all paths from the input to beam splitter network 310 to all output channels 312a-d have the same length. Because phase is relative, arbitrarily rotating all phases by the same amount will result in all light remaining in the same output channel.

[0089] 7, phase shifter 306a is configured at 90 degrees, phase shifter 306b is configured at 0 degrees, phase shifter 306c is configured at 90 degrees, phase shifter 306d is configured at 180 degrees, the amplified signal at tap 309a is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309b is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309c is 100 mW, and the amplified signal at tap 309d is 100 mW. Under these conditions, the coherent signal generator generates a 400 mW waveform (100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW = 400 mW) at output channel 312b and 0 mW at output channels 312a, 312c, and 312d.

[0090] 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 according to some embodiments when configured to direct all light to an output channel. Environment 800 shows the amplitudes and phases for directing all light to output channel 312c, assuming all paths from the input to beam splitter network 310 to all output channels 312a-d have the same length. Because phase is relative, arbitrarily rotating all phases by the same amount will result in all light remaining in the same output channel.

[0091] 8, phase shifter 306a is configured for 180 degrees, phase shifter 306b is configured for 90 degrees, phase shifter 306c is configured for 0 degrees, phase shifter 306d is configured for 90 degrees, the amplified signal at tap 309a is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309b is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309c is 100 mW, and the amplified signal at tap 309d is 100 mW. Under these conditions, the coherent signal generator generates a 400 mW waveform (100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW = 400 mW) at output channel 312c and 0 mW at output channels 312a, 312b, and 312d.

[0092] 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment for the coherent signal generator architecture of FIG. 3 according to some embodiments when configured to direct all light to an output channel. Environment 900 shows the amplitudes and phases for directing all light to output channel 312d, assuming all paths from the input to beam splitter network 310 to all output channels 312a-d have the same length. Because phase is relative, arbitrarily rotating all phases by the same amount will result in all light remaining in the same output channel.

[0093] 9, phase shifter 306a is configured at 90 degrees, phase shifter 306b is configured at 180 degrees, phase shifter 306c is configured at 90 degrees, phase shifter 306d is configured at 0 degrees, and the amplified signal at tap 309a is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309b is 100 mW, the amplified signal at tap 309c is 100 mW, and the amplified signal at tap 309d is 100 mW. Under these conditions, the coherent signal generator generates a 400 mW waveform (100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW + 100 mW = 400 mW) at output channel 312d and 0 mW at output channels 312a, 312b, and 312c.

[0094] 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment of a coherent signal generator architecture for coherent signal combining across multiple outputs for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation according to some embodiments. The environment 1000 includes a laser source 202 for providing an optical signal. The environment 1000 includes a modulator 204 for modulating the phase and / or frequency of the optical signal using continuous wave modulation or quasi-continuous wave modulation to generate a modulated signal.

[0095] Environment 1000 includes a phase shifter network for adjusting the phase of the modulated signal and providing the modulated signal to amplifier 1008. Phase shifter 1006 includes phase shifter 1006a, phase shifter 1006b, phase shifter 1006c, phase shifter 1006d, phase shifter 1006e, phase shifter 1006f, phase shifter 1006g, and phase shifter 1006h, collectively referred to as "phase shifters 1006a-h."

[0096] The amplifier 1008 includes sub-amplifiers such as SOA 1008a, SOA 1008b, SOA 1008c, SOA 1008d, SOA 1008e, SOA 1008f, SOA 1008g, and SOA 1008h, collectively referred to as "SOA 1008a-h." Each sub-amplifier generates an amplified signal.

[0097] The environment 1000 includes a beam splitter network 1010 that generates an output waveform by combining some or all of the amplified signals based on the principles of constructive and destructive interference. Beam splitter network 1010 includes beam splitter 1010a (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 1010a”), beam splitter 1010b (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 1010b”), beam splitter 1010c (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 1010c”), beam splitter 1010d (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 1010d”), beam splitter 1010e (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 1010e”), beam splitter 1010f (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 1010f”), beam splitter 1010g (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 1010g”), and beam splitter 1010h (shown in FIG. 10 as “50 / 50 101h”), which are collectively referred to as “beam splitters 1010a-m.” 10 as "50 / 50 1010g"), beam splitter 1010h (shown in FIG. 10 as "50 / 50 1010h"), beam splitter 1010i (shown in FIG. 10 as "50 / 50 1010i"), beam splitter 1010j (shown in FIG. 10 as "50 / 50 1010j"), beam splitter 1010k (shown in FIG. 10 as "50 / 50 1010k"), beam splitter 1010l (shown in FIG. 10 as "50 / 50 1010l"), and beam splitter 1010m (shown in FIG. 10 as "50 / 50 1010m").

[0098] Environment 1000 includes output channel 1012a, output channel 1012b, output channel 1012c, output channel 1012d, output channel 1012e, output channel 1012f, output channel 1012g, and output channel 1012h, collectively referred to as "output channels 1012a-h." Although FIG. 10 shows only a select number of components (e.g., laser source 202, modulator 204, phase shifters 1006a-h, SOAs 1008a-h, and beam splitters 1010a-m) and output channels 1012a-h, one skilled in the art will understand that environment 1000 may include any number of components and / or output channels (or any combination of components) interconnected in any arrangement to facilitate coherent signal combining for quasi-continuous wave LIDAR operation.

[0099] The foregoing description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments described herein. Various modifications to these embodiments will certainly be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments. Thus, the claims are not limited to the embodiments illustrated herein, but are intended to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, and references to elements in the singular are not intended to mean "only one" unless specifically stated otherwise, but rather "one or more." The term "some" refers to one or more, unless specifically stated otherwise. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the various embodiments described throughout the preceding description that are known or later become known to those skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be provided to the public, regardless of whether such disclosure is expressly recited in the claims. No claim element should be construed as a Means Plus Function unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase "means for."

[0100] It is understood that the particular order or hierarchy of the blocks in the disclosed processes is an example of an exemplary approach. Based on design preferences, it is understood that the particular order or hierarchy of the blocks in the processes can be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the previous description. The appended method claims present elements of the various blocks in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the particular order or hierarchy presented.

[0101] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosed subject matter. Various modifications to these embodiments will no doubt be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the foregoing description. Thus, the foregoing description is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0102] The various examples shown and described are provided only as a number of examples to illustrate various features of the claims. However, features shown and described in connection with any given example are not necessarily limited to the associated example, but may be used or combined with other examples shown and described. Also, the claims are not intended to be limited by any example.

[0103] The method descriptions and process flow diagrams set forth above are provided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that the blocks of the various examples should be performed in the order presented. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the order of the blocks in the foregoing examples may be performed in any order. Words such as "after," "then," and "next" are not intended to limit the order of the blocks, and these words are merely used to guide the reader through the method description. Also, any reference to a singular claim element using, for example, a singular article should not be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

[0104] The various exemplary logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm blocks described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be embodied as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination thereof. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, the various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and blocks have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether these functions are embodied as hardware or software depends on the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in various ways for each particular application, and such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0105] The hardware used to implement the various example logic, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be embodied or performed with a general purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA, or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be embodied as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Alternatively, some blocks or methods may be performed by circuitry specific to a given function.

[0106] In some illustrative examples, the described functions can be embodied in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. When embodied in software, the functions can be stored as one or more instructions or codes in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium. The blocks of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein can be embodied as processor-executable software modules that can reside in a non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium. A non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium can be any storage medium that can be accessed by a computer or processor. As non-limiting examples, such non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, FLASH memory, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. Disk and Disc as used herein include Compact Disc (DC), Laser Disc, Optical Disc, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), Floppy Disk and Blu-ray Disc, where Disk generally reproduces data magnetically and Disc reproduces data optically with a laser. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of non-transitory computer readable and processor readable media. Additionally, the operations of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of code and / or instructions in a non-transitory processor readable storage medium and / or computer readable storage medium, which may be embodied in a computer program product.

[0107] The preceding description of the disclosed examples is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these examples will no doubt be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to some examples without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples presented herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0108] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters describing broad ranges are approximations, the numerical values ​​set forth in the specific non-limiting examples are reported as precisely as possible. However, any numerical value inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from standard deviations obtained from respective test measurements at the time of writing. Moreover, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, numerical values ​​presented herein have an implied precision given by the lowest digit. Thus, a value of 1.1 means from 1.05 to 1.15. The term "about" is used to express a broader range around a given value, and unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, it means a broader range around the lowest digit, for example, "about 1.1" means from 1.0 to 1.2. In cases where the lowest digit is unclear, the term "about" refers to a multiple of two. For example, "about X" means a value ranging from 0.5X to 2X. For example, about 100 means a value ranging from 50 to 200. In addition, all ranges disclosed herein should be understood to include any and all subranges contained therein. For example, a range of "less than 10" for a positive value parameter is any range and all subranges between a minimum value of 0 and a maximum value of 10 (inclusive), i.e., any range and all subranges having a minimum value of 0 or more and a maximum value of 10 or less, for example, the range from 1 to 4.

[0109] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in the context of one or more high-resolution Doppler LIDAR systems mounted in areas (e.g., front, back, sides, top and / or bottom) of a private automobile, although the embodiments are not so limited. In other embodiments, one or multiple systems of the same type or other high-resolution LIDARs with or without a Doppler component and overlapping or non-overlapping fields of view are employed, or one or more such systems mounted on small or large land, sea or air vehicles that are piloted or autonomous. In other embodiments, a scanning high-resolution LIDAR is mounted in a temporary or permanent fixed location on land or sea.

Claims

1. 1. A LIDAR system comprising: a laser configured to output a beam; an amplifier configured to generate a plurality of amplified optical signals respectively associated with a plurality of phases based on the beam; a plurality of splitters coupled between the amplifier and a plurality of outputs; Equipped with The plurality of splitters include: receiving the plurality of amplified optical signals; generating a first combined optical signal consisting of the plurality of amplified optical signals at a first output of the plurality of outputs and no optical signals at remaining outputs of the plurality of outputs at a first time; generating a second combined optical signal consisting of the plurality of amplified optical signals at a second output of the plurality of outputs at a second time and no optical signals at remaining outputs of the plurality of outputs; The LIDAR system is configured as follows.

2. 2. The LIDAR system of claim 1, 10. A LIDAR system comprising: a first phase of the plurality of phases that is different from a second phase of the plurality of phases.

3. 2. The LIDAR system of claim 1, The amplifier includes a plurality of sub-amplifiers; 11. A LIDAR system, wherein each of the plurality of sub-amplifiers is configured to receive a plurality of optical signals.

4. 4. The LIDAR system of claim 3, the plurality of splitters are each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of sub-amplifiers; 11. A LIDAR system, wherein the plurality of splitters are each configured to receive a respective one of the plurality of amplified optical signals.

5. 4. The LIDAR system of claim 3, A LIDAR system, wherein the quantity of the plurality of outputs corresponds to a count of the plurality of sub-amplifiers.

6. 6. The LIDAR system of claim 5, The plurality of optical signals each correspond to a quasi-continuous wave signal.

7. 2. The LIDAR system of claim 1, The LIDAR system, wherein the amount of the plurality of amplified optical signals is four or more.

8. An autonomous vehicle control system, comprising: one or more processors; The one or more processors: The laser emits a beam. causing an amplifier to generate a plurality of amplified optical signals respectively associated with a plurality of phases based on the beam; For multiple splitters, receiving the plurality of amplified optical signals, the plurality of splitters being coupled between the amplifier and a plurality of outputs; generating a first combined optical signal at a first output of the plurality of outputs, the first combined optical signal consisting of the plurality of amplified optical signals, and no optical signals at remaining outputs of the plurality of outputs, at a first time; generating a second combined optical signal consisting of the plurality of amplified optical signals at a second output of the plurality of outputs at a second time and no optical signals at remaining outputs of the plurality of outputs; operating the vehicle based on the second combined optical signal. It is configured as follows: Autonomous vehicle control system.

9. 9. The autonomous vehicle control system according to claim 8, An autonomous vehicle control system, wherein a first phase of the plurality of phases is different from a second phase of the plurality of phases.

10. 9. The autonomous vehicle control system according to claim 8, The amplifier includes a plurality of sub-amplifiers; The one or more processors are configured to cause each of the plurality of sub-amplifiers to receive a respective one of a plurality of optical signals.

11. The autonomous vehicle control system according to claim 10, the plurality of splitters are each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of sub-amplifiers; the one or more processors are configured to cause each of the plurality of splitters to receive a respective one of the plurality of amplified optical signals.

12. The autonomous vehicle control system according to claim 10, An autonomous vehicle control system, wherein the quantity of the plurality of outputs corresponds to a count of the plurality of sub-amplifiers.

13. 13. The autonomous vehicle control system according to claim 12, each of the plurality of optical signals corresponds to a quasi-continuous wave signal; Autonomous vehicle control system.

14. 9. The autonomous vehicle control system according to claim 8, An autonomous vehicle control system, wherein the amount of the plurality of amplified optical signals is four or more.

15. 1. An autonomous vehicle, comprising: a LIDAR system, at least one of a steering system and a braking system, and a vehicle controller; The LIDAR system includes: a laser configured to output a beam; an amplifier configured to generate a plurality of amplified optical signals respectively associated with a plurality of phases based on the beam; a plurality of splitters coupled between the amplifier and a plurality of outputs; Equipped with The plurality of splitters include: receiving the plurality of amplified optical signals; generating a first combined optical signal consisting of the plurality of amplified optical signals at a first output of the plurality of outputs and no optical signals at remaining outputs of the plurality of outputs at a first time; generating a second combined optical signal consisting of the plurality of amplified optical signals at a second output of the plurality of outputs at a second time and no optical signals at remaining outputs of the plurality of outputs; It is configured as follows: the vehicle controller comprises one or more processors; The one or more processors are configured to control at least one of the steering system and the braking system based on the second combined optical signal.

16. 16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, A first phase of the plurality of phases is different from a second phase of the plurality of phases.

17. 16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, The amplifier includes a plurality of sub-amplifiers; The one or more processors are configured to cause each of the plurality of sub-amplifiers to receive a respective one of a plurality of optical signals.

18. 18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, the plurality of splitters are each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of sub-amplifiers; the one or more processors are configured to cause each of the plurality of splitters to receive a respective one of the plurality of amplified optical signals.

19. 18. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 17, An autonomous vehicle, wherein the quantity of the plurality of outputs corresponds to a count of the plurality of sub-amplifiers.

20. 20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 19, each of the plurality of optical signals corresponds to a quasi-continuous wave signal; Autonomous vehicles.

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