LiDAR Device with Segmented Emitters and Beam Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current LiDAR devices face safety hazards due to excessively high emission frequency and power, which can harm human eyes, as they attempt to improve ranging distance and resolution.

Innovation Solution

A LiDAR device with a laser beam emission module and a beam adjustment module, where the emission module includes at least two emitters arranged at intervals, and the beam adjustment module adjusts the laser beam to increase the diameter of the light spot within a preset distance, ensuring only minimal energy enters the human eyes, and the angle or time intervals between emissions prevent overlap and reduce total energy exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If emission frequency and power are increased to improve ranging performance, then measurement distance and resolution are improved, but safety hazards to human eyes are caused

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveranging performanceVSAvoidsafety hazards to human eyes
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the laser emission system into multiple independent emitters (at least two emitters arranged at intervals) that emit laser beams at different angles. This segmentation allows the total emission power to be distributed across multiple channels, reducing the power concentration in any single beam while maintaining overall ranging performance through coordinated emission from multiple sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic emission control where emitters are activated in alternating time slots rather than continuously. Specifically, during a tth scanning period, emitters with even channel numbers emit laser beams while odd channel number emitters remain inactive, and vice versa in the (t+1)th scanning period. This periodic action reduces the average emission power and energy exposure to human eyes while maintaining measurement precision through time-multiplexed scanning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Measurement precision

If multiple emitters are used to improve resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but light spots may overlap on retinas causing safety hazards

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresolutionVSAvoidlight spot overlap on retinas
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric angular spacing between emission channels of adjacent emitters, with the angle interval set to greater than 3 times the divergence angle of the laser beam. This asymmetric design ensures that light spots from different emitters maintain sufficient angular separation to prevent overlap on the human retina, while still achieving high resolution through the combined coverage of multiple emitters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the angular dimension by arranging multiple emitters at different angular positions and controlling their emission directions. By operating in this angular dimension rather than just spatial proximity, the system ensures that light spots are distributed across different angular positions, preventing retinal overlap while maintaining high spatial resolution through the multi-dimensional emission pattern.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If emission time interval is reduced to improve scanning speed, then productivity is improved, but total energy entering human eyes increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescanning speedVSAvoidtotal energy exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic emission control where emitters are activated in alternating time slots rather than continuously. Specifically, during a tth scanning period, emitters with even channel numbers emit laser beams while odd channel number emitters remain inactive, and vice versa in the (t+1)th scanning period. This periodic action reduces the average emission power and energy exposure to human eyes while maintaining measurement precision through time-multiplexed scanning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the laser emission system into multiple independent emitters (at least two emitters arranged at intervals) that emit laser beams at different angles. This segmentation allows the total emission power to be distributed across multiple channels, reducing the power concentration in any single beam while maintaining overall ranging performance through coordinated emission from multiple sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution ensures the safety of human eyes by minimizing laser energy exposure while maintaining resolution and ranging performance, preventing light spots from overlapping on retinas and controlling energy intake within specific durations.

Implementation Method 1

the emitter is configured to emit a laser beam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser: Laser

Implementation Method 2

the beam adjustment module is configured to adjust the laser beam, so that a diameter of a light spot formed by the laser beam within a first preset distance is greater than a first preset value

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical beam adjustment: Lens

Data Source

PatentEP4318028A1Lidar device
Publication Date: 2024.02.07 SUTENG INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP4318028A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP4318028A1 patent drawingFigure 2b
  • EP4318028A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application is applicable to the field of LiDAR detection, and provides a LiDAR device, where the LiDAR device includes a laser beam emission module and a beam adjustment module, and the laser beam emission module includes at least two emitters arranged at intervals; the emitter is configured to emit the laser beam, and the beam adjustment module is configured to adjust the laser beam, so that a diameter of a light spot formed by the laser beam within a first preset distance is greater than a first preset value; an angle interval between emission channels of two adjacent emitters that simultaneously emit laser beams is greater than a preset angle, and/or an emission time interval between laser beams emitted during two adjacent emissions is longer than preset duration, which can ensure safety of human eyes without reducing resolution.