Polarization-Modulated Directed-Light Tracker for Lidar Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracking and testing methods for directed light emitting devices, such as lidar sensors, fail to provide a time and spatially resolved result or image for location-varying light, limiting accurate and efficient verification of their functioning.
Innovation Solution
A tracker comprising receive optics, a polarization element, an optical modulator, an imaging element, and a controller, which polarizes, modulates, and spatially resolves the light to create a time and spatially resolved image, allowing efficient tracking and testing of location-varying directed light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional tracking methods are used, then the system is simple, but it cannot provide time and spatially resolved results for location-varying light
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the detection process into multiple independent components: receive optics for light collection, polarization element for polarization state control, optical modulator for time encoding, imaging element for spatial resolution, and controller for data processing. Each component performs a specific function, enabling time and spatial resolution without requiring a completely complex integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The polarization element acts as an intermediary between the receive optics and optical modulator, converting the polarization state of incoming light to enable time encoding. This intermediary component enables the system to achieve time-resolved measurements without directly complexifying the entire detection path.
2Reliability
If location-varying directed light is tracked, then accurate verification of lidar sensors is enabled, but existing methods cannot provide time and spatially resolved images
Solution Approach 1:
The controller receives polarization intensity data from the imaging element and processes it to generate time and spatially resolved results. This feedback loop enables accurate verification of lidar sensors by comparing measured scan patterns against expected patterns, recovering both temporal and spatial information simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds temporal dimension to spatial detection by using polarization modulation. The imaging element captures spatial information while the polarization element encodes temporal information through polarization state changes, transforming a 2D spatial detection problem into a 3D space-time detection problem.
3Measurement precision
If a tracker is designed to provide time and spatially resolved results, then accurate tracking is achieved, but the device becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The polarization element serves multiple functions: it polarizes light from the receive optics, enables time encoding through modulation, and provides a reference for the imaging element. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, achieving precise tracking while controlling overall system complexity.
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
Enables accurate and efficient creation of a time and spatially resolved image, facilitating efficient alignment and verification of scan patterns in lidar sensors.
Implementation Method 1
said polarization element is configured to make the received light polarized in the same direction
Implementation Method 2
said optical modulator is configured to change the polarization of said polarized light over a controlled period
Implementation Method 3
said imaging element is configured to spatially resolve the corresponding polarization intensities of the respective polarization directions
Data Source
AI summary
A tracker for tracking timing and impact location with respect to directed light whose location varies over time is provided. The tracker includes receive optics, a polarization element, optical modulator, imaging element, and controller. The receive optics receives an impact location of the directed light as received light and provides the received light for the polarization element. The polarization element makes the received light polarized in the same direction and provides the correspondingly polarized light for the optical modulator. The optical modulator changes the polarization of the polarized light over a controlled period and provides the correspondingly polarization-changed light for the imaging element. The imaging element spatially resolves the corresponding polarization intensities of the respective polarization directions of the polarization-changed light and provides the polarization intensities for the controller. The controller maps the corresponding locations and polarization intensities to the respective modulation time associated with that corresponding polarization.