LiDAR Sensor Instantaneous Multi-Wavelength Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
CMOS-based LiDAR sensors with narrow-band lasers struggle to scan multiple points on an object simultaneously due to their small beam volume, limiting their ability to capture sufficient data within a scanning window.
Innovation Solution
A wide-band laser beam is split into multiple sub-laser beams with discrete wavelengths, each transmitted at a different angle, allowing for simultaneous scanning of multiple points by using a comb generator module, antennae modules, a demultiplexor, and detector module to determine the positions of these points based on wavelength and frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a narrow-band tunable laser is used in a small-sized LiDAR sensor, then the sensor can be made compact and inexpensive, but the scanning speed and ability to scan multiple points simultaneously is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single wide-band laser beam into multiple discrete wavelength sub-beams using a comb generator. Each sub-beam can be transmitted at a different angle through the antenna, enabling simultaneous scanning of multiple points. This segmentation of the laser beam into parallel wavelength channels resolves the contradiction by maintaining compact sensor size while dramatically increasing scanning productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wavelength as an additional dimension for scanning. Instead of scanning multiple points sequentially in space, the system uses multiple wavelengths to encode different spatial directions simultaneously. This dimensional expansion allows the compact sensor to achieve high scanning speed by utilizing the wavelength domain in addition to the spatial domain.
2Measurement precision
If a narrow-band laser beam is used, then the laser can be tuned to specific frequencies for precise measurement, but the beam volume is too small to scan all desired points within the scanning window
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple narrow-band laser measurements into a single wide-band laser beam by using a comb generator to create multiple discrete wavelength components within one beam. This allows simultaneous transmission of multiple wavelength channels through the same antenna and optical path, eliminating the need for sequential scanning while maintaining the measurement precision of narrow-band lasers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous simultaneous scanning across multiple points by transmitting multiple wavelength sub-beams at once. Instead of sequentially tuning the laser to different frequencies to scan different points, all wavelength channels operate continuously and simultaneously, eliminating idle tuning time and maximizing the utilization of the scanning window.
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
This approach enables instantaneous scanning of multiple points on an object, enhancing the capability of LiDAR sensors to perform object detection and collision avoidance by increasing the number of positions that can be determined during a scanning window.
Implementation Method 1
a comb generator module that: receives a laser beam, wherein the laser beam is associated with a band of wavelength; and divides the laser beam into a plurality of discrete wavelengths
Implementation Method 2
for each wavelength of the plurality of discrete wavelengths, transmits a sub-laser beam of the received laser beam, wherein each sub-laser beam is associated with a different discrete wavelength of the plurality of discrete wavelengths
Implementation Method 3
a demultiplexing module that: for each of the some or all of the sub-laser beams, provides the sub-laser beam to a waveguide of a plurality of wave guides based on the discrete wavelength associated with the sub-laser beam
Implementation Method 4
a detector module that: receives the some or all of the sub-laser beams, wherein each sub-laser beam is received from a different waveguide of the plurality of waveguides; and based at least in part on the waveguides that each of the some or all of the sub-lasers are received from, determines the positions of a plurality of points of the object
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a wide-band laser beam is split into a plurality of sub-laser beams, with each sub-laser beam at a discrete wavelength. Each of the sub-laser beams is transmitted simultaneously through an antenna, with each sub-laser beam transmitted at a different angle due to properties of the antenna. Sub-laser beams that reflect off an object are received back at the same, or a different, antenna and passed to a demultiplexor. The demultiplexor passes each sub-laser to a different waveguide based on the discrete wavelength associated with each sub-laser beam. A detector receives the sub-lasers beam through the waveguides, and calculates the positions of various points on the object based in-part on which waveguide each sub-laser beam is received from and the frequency of each sub-laser beam.