# US 10,481,269 B2 · Rotating compact light ranging system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,269 B2 - Document ID: US10481269B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/209,867 - Filed: 2018-12-04 - Published: 2019-06-13 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-07 - Assignees: Ouster, Inc. - Applicants: Ouster, Inc. - Inventors: Angus Pacala; Mark Frichtl; Marvin Shu; Eric Younge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481269B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements} - B60L 3/0015: {Prevention of collisions} - G01S 7/4814: {of transmitters alone} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 7/486: Receivers - G01S 7/4863: Detector arrays, e.g. charge-transfer gates - G01S 7/4865: Time delay measurement, e.g. time-of-flight measurement, time of arrival measurement or determining the exact position of a peak (peak detection in noise, signal conditioning G01S7/487) - G01S 7/497: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01S 17/10: using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G02B 3/0006: {Arrays (G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence)} - H01F 38/14: Inductive couplings - H01S 5/146: {using a fiber as external cavity} - H04B 10/1143: {Bidirectional transmission} - H05K 1/0274: {Optical details, e.g. printed circuits comprising integral optical means (H05K1/0269 takes precedence; coupling light guides with opto-electronic components G02B6/42)} - H05K 1/144: {Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards} - H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components - H05K 5/10: comprising several parts forming a closed casing - G02B 27/106: {for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication} - G02B 27/30: Collimators - G05D 1/0231: {using optical position detecting means (position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16)} - G05D 1/249: from positioning sensors located off-board the vehicle, e.g. from cameras - G05D 1/43: Control of position or course in two dimensions [2D] - G05D 2111/10: Optical signals - H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling - H02K 11/0094: {Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices} - H05K 2201/042: Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other - H05K 2201/09027: Non-rectangular flat PCB, e.g. circular - H05K 2201/1009: Electromotor - H05K 2201/10121: Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component - H05K 2201/10151: Sensor - H05K 2201/10409: Screws - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract A light ranging system including a shaft; a first circuit board assembly that includes a stator assembly comprising a plurality of stator elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the first circuit board assembly; a second circuit board assembly rotationally coupled to the shaft, wherein the second circuit board assembly includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the second circuit board assembly such that the plurality of rotor elements are aligned with and spaced apart from the plurality of stator elements; a stator driver circuit disposed on either the second or the first circuit board assemblies and configured to provide a drive signal to the plurality of stator elements, thereby imparting an electromagnetic force on the plurality of rotor elements to drive a rotation of the second circuit board assembly about the shaft; and a light ranging device mechanically coupled to the second circuit board assembly such that the light ranging device rotates with the second circuit board assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light ranging system comprising: a shaft; a first circuit board assembly that includes a stator assembly comprising a plurality of stator elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the first circuit board assembly; a second circuit board assembly rotationally coupled to the shaft, wherein the second circuit board assembly includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the second circuit board assembly such that the plurality of rotor elements are aligned with and spaced apart from the plurality of stator elements; a light ranging device coupled to rotate with the second circuit board assembly, the light ranging device including a light source configured to transmit light pulses to objects in a surrounding environment, and detector circuitry configured to detect reflected portions of the light pulses that are reflected from the objects in the surrounding environment and to compute ranging data based on the reflected portion of the light pulses; and a stator driver circuit disposed on either the second or the first circuit board assemblies and configured to provide a drive signal to the plurality of stator elements, thereby imparting an electromagnetic force on the plurality of rotor elements to drive a rotation of the second circuit board assembly about the shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light ranging system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of rotor elements and the plurality of stator elements are arranged symmetrically about the shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light ranging system of claim 1 wherein the second circuit board assembly further includes a plurality of optical uplink receivers disposed on a circuit board of the second circuit board assembly and symmetrically arranged about the shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light ranging system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of rotor elements are farther from the shaft than plurality of optical uplink receivers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light ranging system of claim 1 wherein the first circuit board assembly further includes a plurality of optical uplink transmitters disposed on a circuit board of the first circuit board assembly and symmetrically arranged about the shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The light ranging system of claim 5 wherein a distance between the shaft and each of the plurality of stator elements is greater than a distance between the shaft and each of a plurality of optical uplink transmitters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light ranging system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of stator elements includes a plurality of solenoid coils, each of the plurality of solenoid coils being arranged in a ring around the shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The light ranging system of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of stator elements has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first circuit board assembly and comprises a solenoid coil wrapped around a core of magnetic material, wherein each rotor element in the plurality of rotor elements comprises a magnet having its poles arranged opposite the poles of the magnets adjacent to the rotor element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The light ranging system of claim 8 wherein a number of stator elements in the plurality of stator elements is a multiple of three and the light ranging system further comprises a motor driver circuit coupled to the plurality of stator elements and configured to provide a 3-phase alternating signal to the plurality of stator elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The light ranging system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of rotor elements includes a plurality of permanent magnets. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The light ranging system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of stator elements includes a plurality of permanent magnets arranged in a ring around the shaft, and the plurality of rotor elements comprises a plurality of solenoid coils arranged in a ring around the shaft directly opposite the plurality of permanent magnets. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The light ranging system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of stator elements includes at least 12 stator elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The light ranging system of claim 1 wherein the second circuit board assembly further includes an optical downlink transmitter configured to transmit ranging data from the light ranging device through a central hole within the shaft, and wherein the first circuit board assembly further includes an optical downlink receiver configured to receive ranging data from the optical downlink transmitter via the central hole within the shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The light ranging system of claim 1 wherein the first circuit board assembly comprises a wireless power transmission subsystem configured to transmit power to the light ranging device that is electrically connected to the second circuit board assembly, the wireless power transmission subsystem comprising a transmitter coil disposed on the first circuit board assembly and disposed around the shaft, wherein the second circuit board assembly comprises a wireless power receiver subsystem configured to receive power from the wireless power transmission subsystem, the wireless power receiver subsystem comprising a receiver coil that is disposed on the second circuit board assembly and disposed around the shaft. ### Claim 15 A light ranging system comprising: a stationary enclosure having an optically transparent window and a base; a hollow shaft disposed within the enclosure; a bearing system coupled to the hollow shaft; a first circuit board assembly disposed within the enclosure and parallel with a first plane perpendicular to the hollow shaft, the first circuit board assembly including a stator assembly comprising a plurality of evenly spaced stator elements arranged annularly about the shaft on a surface of the first circuit board assembly; a second circuit board assembly disposed within the enclosure parallel to the first plane and rotationally coupled to the shaft by the bearing system, wherein the second circuit board assembly includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of evenly spaced rotor elements arranged annularly about the shaft on a surface of the second circuit board assembly such that the plurality of rotor elements are aligned with and spaced apart from the plurality of stator elements; a light ranging device coupled to rotate with the second circuit board assembly within the stationary enclosure, the light ranging device including a light source configured to transmit light pulses through the window to objects in a surrounding environment, and detector circuitry configured to detect reflected portions of the light pulses received through the window that are reflected from the objects in the surrounding environment and to compute ranging data based on the reflected portion of the light pulses; and a stator driver circuit disposed on either the second or the first circuit board assemblies and configured to provide a drive signal to the plurality of stator elements, thereby imparting an electromagnetic force on the plurality of rotor elements to drive a rotation of the second circuit board assembly and the light ranging device about the shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The light ranging system of claim 15 further comprising: a first optical communication channel configured to optically transmit data between the first circuit board assembly and the second circuit board assembly through the hollow shaft, the first optical communication channel including a first optical component coupled to circuitry disposed on the first circuit board assembly and a second optical component coupled to circuitry disposed in the second circuit board assembly; and a second, annular optical communication channel surrounding the hollow shaft and configured to optically transmit data between the first circuit board assembly and the second circuit board assembly, the annular optical communication channel including a first annular optical component coupled to circuitry disposed on the first circuit board assembly and a second annular optical component coupled to circuitry disposed in the second circuit board assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The light ranging system of claim 16 wherein the first optical communication channel is a downlink channel configured to transmit ranging data from the light ranging device to a processor coupled to the first circuit board subassembly and the second optical communication channel is an uplink channel configured to transmit control signals from the processor to the light ranging device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The light ranging system of claim 15 further comprising a heat spreading element coupled to the first circuit board assembly, wherein components of the light ranging system are configured to conduct heat from the second circuit board assembly to the base through the bearing system and the heat spreading element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The light ranging system of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of evenly spaced stator elements has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first circuit board assembly and comprises a solenoid coil wrapped around a core of magnetic material, wherein each rotor element in the plurality of evenly spaced rotor elements comprises a magnet having its poles arranged opposite the poles of the magnets adjacent to the rotor element. ### Claim 20 A light ranging system comprising: a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a first circuit board assembly that includes a stator assembly comprising a plurality of stator elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the first circuit board assembly; a second circuit board assembly rotationally coupled to the shaft and spaced apart from and in an opposing relationship with the first circuit board assembly, wherein the second circuit board assembly includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the second circuit board assembly such that the plurality of rotor elements are aligned with and spaced apart from the plurality of stator elements; a stator driver circuit disposed on either the second or the first circuit board assemblies and configured to provide a drive signal to the plurality of stator elements, thereby imparting an electromagnetic force on the plurality of rotor elements to drive a rotation of the second circuit board assembly about the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and a light ranging device mechanically coupled to the second circuit board assembly such that the light ranging device rotates with the second circuit board assembly. ### Claim 21 A light ranging system comprising: a shaft having a rotational axis; a first circuit board assembly arranged perpendicular to the rotational axis, wherein the first circuit board assembly includes a plurality of stator elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the first circuit board assembly; a second circuit board assembly rotationally coupled to the shaft and spaced apart from and parallel to the first circuit board assembly, wherein the second circuit board assembly includes a plurality of rotor elements arranged about the shaft on a surface of the second circuit board assembly such that the plurality of rotor elements are aligned with and spaced apart from the plurality of stator elements; a stator driver circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of stator elements to provide a drive signal to the plurality of stator elements, thereby imparting an electromagnetic force on the plurality of rotor elements to drive a rotation of the second circuit board assembly about the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and a time-of-flight light ranging device mechanically coupled to the second circuit board assembly such that the light ranging device rotates with the second circuit board assembly, the time-of-flight light ranging device including a plurality of light emitters and a plurality of light sensors, wherein the plurality of light emitters emit precisely timed pulses into a field external to the light ranging system and reflections of the pulses off an object in the field back to the light ranging device are detected by the plurality of light sensors such that an elapsed time between emission and detection can be used to compute a distance to the object. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The light ranging system of claim 21 wherein the shaft is hollow and the system further includes a first communication channel between the first and second circuit board assemblies through the hollow shaft. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The light ranging system of claim 22 further comprising a second communication channel between the first and second circuit board assemblies at a location spaced apart from the shaft, the second communication channel including a receiver mounted on one of the first or second circuit board assemblies and a transmitter disposed in an opposing relationship to the receiver and mounted on the other of the first or second circuit board assemblies. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The light ranging system of claim 21 further comprising a wireless power system that includes a wireless power transmitter mounted to the first circuit board assembly and a wireless power receiver disposed in an opposing relationship to the wireless power transmitter and mounted to the second circuit board assembly. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The light ranging system of claim 24 further comprising an encoder having a encoder strip mounted on one of the first or second circuit board assemblies and an encoder reader disposed in an opposing relationship to the encoder strip and mounted on the other of the first or second circuit board assemblies.