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US 11,175,405 B2Granted
Spinning lidar unit with micro-optics aligned behind stationary window
AssigneeOuster, Inc.
InventorsAngus Pacala, Mark Frichtl, Marvin Shu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments describe optical imagers that include one or more micro-optic components. Some imagers can be passive imagers that include a light detection system for receiving ambient light from a field. Some imagers can be active imagers that include a light emission system in addition to the light detection system. The light emission system can be configured to emit light into the field such that emitted light is reflected off surfaces of an object in the field and received by the light detection system. In some embodiments, the light detection system and/or the light emission system includes micro-optic components for improving operational performance.
Claims34
An optical system for performing distance measurements, the optical system comprising:
- a stationary housing having an optically transparent window;
- a spinning light ranging device disposed within the housing, the light ranging device comprising:
- a platform;
- an optical transmitter coupled to the platform, the optical transmitter comprising a bulk transmitter optic and a plurality of transmitter channels, each transmitter channel including a light emitter configured to generate and transmit a narrowband light through the bulk transmitter optic into a field external to the optical system;
- and
- an optical receiver coupled to the platform, the optical receiver comprising a bulk receiver optic, an aperture layer coincident with a focal plane of the bulk receiver optic and comprising a plurality of apertures separated by a stop region, and a plurality of micro-optic receiver channels, each micro-optic channel including an aperture from the plurality of apertures, an optical filter positioned along a path of light from the bulk receiver optic and axially aligned with the aperture, and a photosensor responsive to incident photons passed through the aperture and the optical filter;
- a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to spin the light ranging device including the platform, optical transmitter, and optical receiver within the housing;
- and
- a system controller disposed within the housing, the system controller configured to control the motor and to start and stop light detection operations of the light ranging device.
6 more elements
An optical system for performing distance measurements, the optical system comprising:
- a stationary housing having a base, a top and an optically transparent window disposed between the base and the top;
- a spinning light ranging device disposed within the housing and aligned with the optically transparent window, the light ranging device comprising:
- a platform;
- an optical transmitter coupled to the platform, the optical transmitter comprising an image-space telecentric bulk transmitter optic and a plurality of transmitter channels, each channel including a light emitter configured to generate and transmit a narrowband light through the bulk transmitter optic into a field external to the optical system;
- and
- an optical receiver coupled to the platform, the optical receiver comprising an image-space telecentric bulk receiver optic, an aperture layer comprising a plurality of apertures separated by a stop region, and a plurality of micro-optic receiver channels, each micro-optic channel including an aperture from the plurality of apertures coincident with a focal plane of the bulk receiver optic, a collimating lens behind the aperture, an optical filter behind the collimating lens and a photosensor responsive to incident photons passed through the aperture into the collimating lens and through the filter;
- a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to spin the light ranging device including the platform, optical transmitter and optical receiver within the housing;
- a system controller disposed within the housing, the system controller configured to control the motor and to start and stop light detection operations of the light ranging device.
5 more elements
An optical system for performing distance measurements, the optical system comprising:
- a stationary housing having a base, a top and an optically transparent window disposed between the base and the top;
- a light ranging device disposed within the housing and aligned with the optically transparent window, the light ranging device comprising:
- a platform;
- a plurality of vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) arranged in an array, each VCSEL in the plurality of VCSELs being configured to generate and transmit discrete pulses of light into a field external to the optical system;
- and
- an optical receiver coupled to the platform, the optical receiver comprising a bulk receiver optic, an aperture layer comprising a plurality of apertures separated by a stop region, a plurality of photosensors, each photosensor comprising a plurality of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) responsive to incident photons, and an optical filter disposed between the bulk receiver optic and the plurality of photosensors and configured to allow a band of light to pass through the filter to the plurality of photosensors while blocking light outside the band from reaching the plurality of photosensors;
- wherein the plurality of apertures comprises at least first and second apertures, the plurality of photosensors comprises at least first and second photosensors, and the optical receiver includes a first optical path extending between the bulk receiver optic and the first photosensor through the first aperture and a second optical path extending between the bulk receiver optic and the second photosensor through the second aperture;
- a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to spin the light ranging device within the housing;
- and
- a system controller disposed within the housing, the system controller configured to control the motor and to start and stop light detection operations of the light ranging device.
7 more elements
An optical system for performing distance measurements, the optical system comprising:
- a stationary housing having a base, a top and an optically transparent window disposed between the base and the top and extending fully around a periphery of the stationary housing;
- a light ranging device disposed within the housing and comprising:
- a platform;
- a light transmission module coupled to the platform and comprising a bulk transmitter optic and a plurality of optical emitters, each optical emitter in the plurality of optical emitters configured to generate and transmit pulses of radiation through the bulk transmitter optic and through the optically transparent window into a field external to the optical system;
- and
- a light sensing module coupled to the platform and comprising a bulk receiver optic, an aperture layer comprising a plurality of apertures separated by a stop region, a plurality of photosensors operable to detect photons emitted from the plurality of optical emitters and received through the bulk receiver optic after being reflected from surfaces within the field, and an optical filter disposed between the bulk receiver optic and the plurality of photosensors and configured to allow a band of radiation, including an operating wavelength of the plurality of optical emitters, to pass through the filter to the plurality of photosensors while blocking radiation outside the band from reaching the plurality of photosensors;
- and
- a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to spin the platform and the light ranging device within the housing;
- wherein:
- each photosensor in the plurality of photosensors comprises a plurality of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs);
- the plurality of apertures comprises at least first, second, third and fourth apertures;
- the plurality of photosensors comprises at least first, second, third and fourth photosensors;
- and
- the light sensing module includes a first optical path to the first photosensor through the first aperture, a second optical path to the second photosensor through the second aperture, a third optical path to the third photosensor through the third aperture, and a fourth optical path to the fourth photosensor through the fourth aperture.
11 more elements
An optical system for performing distance measurements, the optical system comprising:
- a stationary housing having a base, a top and an optically transparent window disposed between the base and the top and extending fully around a periphery of the stationary housing;
- a light ranging device disposed within the housing and comprising:
- a platform;
- a light transmission module coupled to the platform and comprising a bulk transmitter optic and a plurality of optical emitters, each optical emitter in the plurality of optical emitters configured to generate and transmit pulses of radiation through the bulk transmitter optic and through the optically transparent window into a field external to the optical system;
- and
- a light sensing module coupled to the platform and comprising a bulk receiver optic, an aperture layer comprising a plurality of apertures separated by a stop region, a plurality of photosensors operable to detect photons emitted from the plurality of optical emitters and received through the bulk receiver optic after being reflected from surfaces within the field, and one or more optical filters disposed between the bulk receiver optic and the plurality of photosensors, each of the one or more optical filters configured to allow a set of wavelengths of radiation, including an operating wavelength of the plurality of optical emitters, to pass through the one or more optical filters while blocking radiation outside that set;
- and
- a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to spin the platform and the light ranging device within the housing;
- wherein:
- each photosensor in the plurality of photosensors comprises a plurality of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs);
- the plurality of apertures comprises at least first, second, third and fourth apertures;
- the plurality of photosensors comprises at least first, second, third and fourth photosensors;
- and
- the light sensing module includes a first optical path to the first photosensor through the first aperture, a second optical path to the second photosensor through the second aperture, a third optical path to the third photosensor through the third aperture, and a fourth optical path to the fourth photosensor through the fourth aperture.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.