Lidar Sensor Switched Array Photonic Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LIDAR systems face challenges in achieving high scanning resolution and field of view while minimizing the need for macroscopically rotating components, which are costly and have limited service life, and struggle with robustness and efficiency due to small pixel sizes and high chip costs.
Innovation Solution
A compact LIDAR sensor design utilizing a switched array photonic integrated circuit with a microlens array and optical scanning unit that alters the beam path to increase scanning resolution by activating optical transceivers in sequence, allowing for improved field of view coverage without increasing transceiver density, and incorporating a motion unit for precise beam deviation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If macroscanners with large beam diameter are used, then eye safety and robustness are improved, but device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical system into multiple independent transceivers arranged in an array, each handling a portion of the field of view. This allows the system to achieve macroscanner-like robustness and eye safety through distributed aperture while maintaining a compact form factor, as each transceiver element can be small but collectively they provide the necessary optical performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single large aperture system to a two-dimensional array of transceivers. By distributing the optical function across multiple elements in space, the system achieves the effective aperture and field of view of a macroscanner while keeping individual components small and the overall device compact
2Device complexity
If microscanners with small mirror diameter are used, then device size is reduced, but robustness and eye safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple small transceiver apertures into a coherent array system that collectively provides the optical performance equivalent to a single large aperture. By combining the effective aperture, field of view, and scanning capability across multiple elements, the system achieves macroscanner-level robustness and eye safety while maintaining the compact size advantage of microscanners
3Measurement precision
If transceiver density is increased to improve scanning resolution, then scanning resolution is improved, but chip cost and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic beam steering through phased array technology, where the direction of emitted and received beams is controlled by adjusting the phase and amplitude of signals across the transceiver array. This dynamic control allows a moderate number of transceivers to achieve high scanning resolution by electronically steering beams to different angular positions, eliminating the need for dense physical spacing of transceivers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the transceiver array by implementing phased array signal processing. By manipulating the phase and amplitude parameters of the optical or electrical signals across the array elements, the system achieves fine angular resolution and scanning capability without requiring proportionally high transceiver density, thus reducing chip cost and manufacturing complexity
4Area of stationary object
If field of view is expanded to cover more area, then area coverage is improved, but scanning resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the total field of view into multiple angular sectors, with each transceiver in the array responsible for a specific angular range. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high scanning resolution within each sector while collectively covering a wide overall field of view, as the phased array can electronically focus and steer beams to different angular positions with fine precision
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 enhances scanning resolution and field of view coverage while reducing component size and cost, improving robustness and efficiency by allowing active selection of regions of interest with higher time/spatial resolution and enabling low-cost, high-end variants via scaling.
Implementation Method 1
Each antenna element has an associated waveguide that guides the light to an output facet of the photonic chip
Implementation Method 2
A microlens array is disposed in an optical path of the LIDAR sensor in front of the transceiver array, one each of the microlenses in the optical path being situated in front of one each of the optical transceivers
Implementation Method 3
an optical scanning unit which is equipped to alter an optical beam path, that starts from one of the optical transceivers, in such a way that in each instance a second scanning spot in the first field of view of the LIDAR sensor is sensed
Implementation Method 4
a lens that is disposed in the optical path in front of the microlens array
Implementation Method 5
LIDAR systems measure the distance of an object, for example, by a direct measurement of the transit time (time of flight) of the emitted light pulse
Data Source
AI summary
A LIDAR sensor, including: a transceiver-array, which includes a plurality of optical-transceivers, the transceiver-array being a switched-array photonic integrated-circuit, each of the optical-transceivers being set up to in each instance take in a first scanning-spot in a first field-of-view of the LIDAR sensor; a microlens-array which has a plurality of microlenses, the microlens-array being disposed in an optical path of the LIDAR sensor in front of the transceiver array, one each of the microlenses in the optical-path being situated in front of one each of the optical-transceivers; a lens that is disposed in the optical-path in front of the microlens-array; and an optical-scanning-unit which is equipped to alter an optical-beam-path, that starts from one of the optical-transceivers, so that in each instance, a second scanning-spot in the first field-of-view of the LIDAR sensor is sensed by the optical-transceivers, the first scanning-spots lying between the second scanning-spots.