Rotatable Lidar Scanning Element With Variable Angle Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
LIDAR systems for autonomous vehicles face challenges in maintaining consistent sampling density due to variations in the relative angle between the emitter and reflecting surfaces, leading to distortion and irregularity in the output beams, particularly near the edges of the field of view.
Innovation Solution
A LIDAR system with a rotatable scanning element featuring a reflective prism and a ring element with variable angles, where the ring element's interior edge face has alternating parallel and angled zones, allowing for adjustable incidence angles to minimize scan distortion by correlating the ray spread of output beams with the angular position of the ring element relative to the prism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a rotating prism with inclined faces is used for periphery scanning, then the field of view coverage is improved, but the sampling density becomes irregular due to varying relative angles between emitter and reflecting surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different zones on the ring element's interior edge face: parallel face zones where the face is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, and angled face zones where the face is angled away from the axis. This local variation in geometric properties allows different regions to compensate for the varying relative angles at different field of view positions, maintaining uniform sampling density across the entire scanned area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the ring element's interior edge face from a uniform configuration to a variable configuration with alternating parallel and angled zones. This parameter change allows the system to adjust the angle of incidence dynamically as the prism rotates, compensating for the varying relative angles between the emitter and reflecting surfaces at different positions in the field of view
2Adaptability or versatility
If the reflecting surfaces are arranged at non-perpendicular angles to the rotation axis, then periphery scanning capability is enhanced, but beam distortion increases near the edges of the field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different zones on the ring element's interior edge face: parallel face zones where the face is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, and angled face zones where the face is angled away from the axis. This local variation in geometric properties allows different regions to compensate for the varying relative angles at different field of view positions, maintaining uniform sampling density across the entire scanned area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-configuring the ring element with alternating parallel and angled face zones that anticipate and compensate for the beam distortion that would otherwise occur. The variable angle configuration is designed in advance to counteract the distortion effects of the inclined prism faces, ensuring that output beams maintain consistent angular spacing throughout the field of view
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 configuration ensures a more uniform point density in the data map, reducing distortion and improving the accuracy of object detection across the entire field of view, particularly at the edges, by dynamically adjusting the angle of incidence to match the variable angle of the ring element.
Implementation Method 1
an emitter and scanning system arrangement may in some cases implement a rotating prism with inclined faces, where a normal of each reflecting surface of the prism is arranged at a non-perpendicular angle to the axis of rotation. The inclined faces of the prism deflect the output beams incident thereon into various spatial angles.
Implementation Method 2
the at least one light beam is incident on the interior edge face of the ring element and subsequently on one face of the at least four faces of the reflective prism, an angle of incidence of the at least one beam on the face depending on the variable angle of the ring element
Data Source
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AI summary
A LIDAR system including an emitter configured to emit at least one light beam; a detector configured for receiving light reflected from surrounding objects; and a rotatable scanning element including a reflective prism having at least four faces inclined relative to the axis of rotation, and a ring element having an interior edge face extending around in a plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation, the interior edge face having a variable angle with a normal of the interior edge face varying from perpendicular to skewed relative to the axis of rotation, the emitter, the detector, and the rotatable scanning element being arranged such that the beam is incident on the interior edge face of the ring element and subsequently on one face of the at least four faces of the reflective prism, an angle of incidence of beam on the face depending on the variable angle of the ring element.