Multi-beam LiDAR systems with two types of laser emitter boards and methods for detection using the same

A multi-beam LiDAR system, comprising:

• a receiver having an array of photodetectors, each photodetector being configured to receive at least one return beam that is reflected by an object from a laser beam of the system,
• wherein the photodetector array comprises a plurality of the first type of photodetector boards and a second type of photodetector board, and
• wherein the second type of photodetector board comprises two or more photodetectors and is not parallel to a predefined plane,
• wherein the plurality of the first type of photodetector boards are staggered along a vertical direction perpendicular to the predefined plane,
• wherein the plurality of the first type of photodetector boards comprise one or more inner-staggered photodetector boards and one or more outer-staggered photodetector boards,
• wherein the one or more inner-staggered photodetector board is staggered closer to the center of the multi-beam LiDAR system than the one or more outer-staggered photodetector board, and
• wherein the inner-staggered photodetector board has a surface area smaller than the outer-staggered photodetector board.

A method for detection by a multi-beam LiDAR system, comprising:

• emitting, by a transmitter, a first type of laser beam cluster and a second type of laser beam cluster, each laser beam cluster having a plurality of laser beams,
• wherein the vertical density of the first type of laser beam cluster is smaller than that of the second type of laser beam cluster,
• wherein the transmitter has an array of laser emitters, which comprises a first type of laser emitter board and a second type of laser emitter board, and
• wherein the second type of laser emitter board is not parallel to a predefined plane,
• wherein the first type of laser beam cluster comprises a plurality of a first type of laser emitter boards,
• wherein the plurality of the first type of laser emitter boards are staggered along a vertical direction perpendicular to the predefined plane,
• wherein the plurality of the first type of laser emitter boards comprise one or more inner-staggered laser emitter boards and one or more outer-staggered laser emitter boards,
• wherein the one or more inner-staggered laser emitter board is staggered closer to the center of the multi-beam LiDAR system than the one or more outer-staggered laser emitter board, and
• wherein the inner-staggered laser emitter board has a surface area smaller than the outer-staggered laser emitter board.