Array lidar with controllable field of view
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsRan Y. Gazit, Ariel Lipson, Kobi J. Scheim
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Abstract
An array lidar system on a platform and a method of operating an array lidar system on a platform including a plurality of illuminators in an array transmitting through a lens includes establishing an initial arrangement of the plurality of illuminators among each other and an initial arrangement of the plurality of illuminators relative to the lens to define an initial field of view of the array lidar system. The method also includes controllably changing the initial field of view to a second field of view.
Claims10
A method of operating an array lidar system on a platform comprising a plurality of illuminators in an array transmitting through a lens, the method comprising:
- establishing an initial arrangement of the plurality of illuminators among each other and an initial arrangement of the plurality of illuminators relative to the lens to define an initial field of view of the array lidar system;
- and
- controllably changing the initial field of view to a second field of view, wherein the controllably changing the initial field of view includes changing a distance among the plurality of illuminators within the array, and the changing the distance among the plurality of illuminators includes applying a current to one or more piezoelectric actuators that are part of a support structure of the plurality of illuminators, activating two or more voice coil motors that control a position of each of the plurality of illuminators, or controlling a temperature increase of one or more shape memory alloys that are part of a support structure of the plurality of illuminators to deform the one or more shape memory alloys and move the one or more of the plurality of illuminators.
An array lidar system on a platform, comprising:
- a plurality of illuminators arranged in an array and configured to transmit through a lens, an initial arrangement of the plurality of illuminators among each other and an initial arrangement of the plurality of illuminators relative to the lens defining an initial field of view of the array lidar system;
- a processing system configured to change the initial field of view to a second field of view based on changing a distance among the plurality of illuminators within the array;
- and
- one or more piezoelectric actuators that are part of the platform, wherein applying a current to the one or more piezoelectric actuators changes the distance among the plurality of illuminators, two or more voice coil motors that control a position of each of the plurality of illuminators, or one or more shape memory alloys that are part of the platform, wherein controlling a temperature increase of the one or more shape memory alloys deforms the one or more shape memory alloys and moves one or more of the plurality of illuminators.
An array lidar system on a platform, comprising:
- a plurality of lenses;
- a plurality of illuminators arranged in an array and configured to transmit through the plurality of lenses, an initial arrangement of the plurality of illuminators relative to the plurality of lenses defining an initial field of view of the array lidar system;
- a processing system configured to change the initial field of view to a second field of view based on changing a distance among the plurality of lenses;
- and
- one or more piezoelectric actuators that are part of the platform, wherein applying a current to the one or more piezoelectric actuators changes the distance among the plurality of illuminators, two or more voice coil motors that control a position of each of the plurality of illuminators, or one or more shape memory alloys that are part of the platform, wherein controlling a temperature increase of the one or more shape memory alloys deforms the one or more shape memory alloys and moves one or more of the plurality of illuminators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.