Solid-State LIDAR Emitter Array Synchronization for Low-Noise Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LIDAR systems face challenges in achieving high resolution and low power consumption while minimizing stray light and noise, particularly in spinning mechanical systems and solid-state flash systems.
Innovation Solution
A stationary, solid-state LIDAR system with synchronized scanning focal plane elements and micro-optics, where a subset of emitters are activated at a time to correspond with specific photosensors, reducing unnecessary illumination and enhancing signal-to-noise ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all emitters are activated at once in flash LIDAR systems, then the entire scene is illuminated to capture depth information, but power consumption increases and stray light generates noise
Solution Approach 1:
The emitter array is divided into multiple independently controllable emitter groups, where each group can be activated separately. This segmentation allows selective illumination of specific regions of interest rather than illuminating the entire scene, thereby reducing power consumption and minimizing stray light that would create noise in non-target areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Different emitter groups are activated based on the specific region being scanned or imaged. This local quality approach ensures that only the necessary portions of the scene are illuminated with high intensity, while other areas receive no illumination, thus improving signal-to-noise ratio by reducing stray light and lowering overall power consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical rotating system is used to scan the scene, then 360-degree coverage is achieved, but the system complexity and potential failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical rotating components with an electronically controlled emitter array that can be selectively activated to scan different regions. This substitution eliminates moving parts, reducing system complexity and potential failure points while maintaining the ability to achieve comprehensive scene coverage through electronic beam steering and sequential emitter activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic electronic control of emitter activation patterns to achieve scanning functionality without mechanical movement. By sequentially activating different emitter groups and synchronizing with corresponding sensor readout, the system dynamically adapts to capture different regions of the scene, providing versatility equivalent to mechanical rotation but with solid-state reliability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the emitter array is divided into independently operable banks, then power consumption is reduced by activating only necessary emitters, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The emitter array is segmented into multiple independently operable banks, each capable of being activated separately. This segmentation enables selective power consumption based on scanning requirements, activating only the necessary banks for current operation while keeping others dormant, thus reducing overall power consumption despite the added control structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of activating the entire emitter array, the system activates only the partial subset of emitters in specific banks that are necessary for the current scanning or imaging task. This partial action approach reduces power consumption by avoiding excessive activation of all emitters, while the control circuitry manages the selective activation of required banks.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system captures high-resolution images with improved accuracy, reliability, and reduced power consumption, minimizing stray light and noise, compared to existing spinning and flash LIDAR systems.
Implementation Method 1
The light emitter array includes a two-dimensional array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs)
Implementation Method 2
coherent light emitters (e.g., pulsed lasers in the infrared or near-infrared spectrums) to illuminate a scene
Implementation Method 3
The imaging system turns the detected light into electric signal
Implementation Method 4
Each VCSEL can include a collimating lens to collimate light emitted by the VCSEL
Implementation Method 5
An optical chopper can be used to modulate a light beam emitted by a laser
Implementation Method 6
Time-of-flight measurements can then be used to make a digital 3D-representation of the target
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments describe a solid state electronic scanning LIDAR system that includes a scanning focal plane transmitting element and a scanning focal plane receiving element whose operations are synchronized so that the firing sequence of an emitter array in the transmitting element corresponds to a capturing sequence of a photosensor array in the receiving element. During operation, the emitter array can sequentially fire one or more light emitters into a scene and the reflected light can be received by a corresponding set of one or more photosensors through an aperture layer positioned in front of the photosensors. Each light emitter can correspond with an aperture in the aperture layer, and each aperture can correspond to a photosensor in the receiving element such that each light emitter corresponds with a specific photosensor in the receiving element.