LiDAR Optical Fourier Transform Structures for Passive Angle Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LiDAR systems with optical phased arrays require high power, are optically lossy, and have a large input/output count, making them inefficient for precise direction and detection of radiation beams.
Innovation Solution
The development of integrated photonics LiDAR systems that eliminate the need for active phase shifters by using an emitter structure, collector structures, coherent receiver structures, and a processing structure to determine incident angles of radiation beams, along with an optical Fourier transform structure to project and receive transformed radiation, allowing for simultaneous detection of multiple objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional optical phased arrays with active phase shifters are used, then precise direction and detection of radiation beams can be achieved, but power consumption is high and optical loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the active phase shifters from the optical phased array system. By eliminating these high-power consuming components, the system achieves precise beam direction and detection through passive optical path differences created by the geometric arrangement of emitters and collectors, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the active electronic phase shifting mechanism with a passive geometric configuration. Instead of using active components to adjust phase, the system uses the physical positions and path lengths of multiple emitters and collectors to create the necessary phase differences, substituting an active electronic system with a passive geometric one to reduce power consumption
2Measurement precision
If conventional optical phased arrays with active phase shifters are used, then precise direction and detection of radiation beams can be achieved, but optical loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the active phase shifters from the system. By eliminating these components that introduce optical loss through absorption and scattering, the system maintains measurement precision through passive geometric path differences, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and optical loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the active phase shifting mechanism with a passive geometric configuration that avoids the optical losses associated with active components. The system uses direct optical path differences from the geometric arrangement of emitters and collectors, eliminating the need for lossy active phase modulation
3Ease of operation
If conventional optical phased arrays are used, then beam direction control can be achieved, but the number of input/output connections increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple emitters and collectors into a unified array configuration. By combining multiple radiation sources and detectors in a coordinated geometric arrangement, the system achieves beam direction control through collective interference patterns, reducing the need for individual phase shifters and I/O connections for each element
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 reduces power consumption and optical loss, enabling precise angle determination and distance measurement of multiple objects without the need for active phase shifters, improving the efficiency and accuracy of LiDAR systems.
Implementation Method 1
an emitter structure configured to emit optical radiation into an interrogation region
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of collector structures configured to collect the emitted optical radiation backscattered from objects located in the interrogation region
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of coherent receiver structures, a respective one for each individual collector structure, each respective coherent receiver structure configured to receive the backscattered optical radiation collected by its respective collector structure and produce signals indicative of the phase and amplitude of the received optical radiation
Implementation Method 4
an optical Fourier transform structure that projects a Fourier transform of the collected optical radiation
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and structures—including LiDAR—that employ multiple detectors that may determine multiple incident angles of multiple received radiation beams and advantageously do not require or employ phase shifters in illustrative embodiments and may instead—employ optical Fourier transform structures.