Ranging using a shared path optical coupler
AssigneePointcloud Inc.
InventorAlexander Yukio Piggott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described are various configurations for transmitting and receiving optical light using a shared path ranging system. The shared path ranging system can include an optical router (e.g., an optical coupler) coupled to a grating to transmit light to a physical object and receive light reflected by the physical object. The shared path ranging system can include rows of routers and gratings in a two-dimensional configuration to transmit and receive light for ranging purposes.
Claims20
A LIDAR sensor system comprising:
- a laser source that is configured to generate a frequency modulated laser signal;
- and
- a transceiver comprising:
- a source input configured to receive the frequency modulated laser signal;
- a coherent pixel array that includes a plurality of coherent pixels;
- and
- first and second waveguides, the first waveguide being configured to couple a portion of the frequency modulated laser signal to at least one coherent pixel of the coherent pixel array as a transmit signal, and the second waveguide being configured to couple a local oscillator signal to the at least one coherent pixel, the at least one coherent pixel being configured to emit the transmit signal and receive a reflection of the transmit signal as a reflected signal, and configured to output a return signal that is a portion of the reflected signal.
A frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LIDAR system comprising:
- a LIDAR chip including a FMCW LIDAR transceiver implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the photonic integrated circuit comprising:
- a source input configured to receive a frequency modulated laser signal;
- a coherent pixel array that includes a plurality of coherent pixels;
- and
- first and second waveguides, the first waveguide being configured to couple a portion of the frequency modulated laser signal to at least one coherent pixel of the coherent pixel array as a transmit signal, and the second waveguide being configured to couple a local oscillator signal to the at least one coherent pixel, the at least one coherent pixel being configured to emit the transmit signal and receive a reflection of the transmit signal as a reflected signal, and configured to output a return signal that is a portion of the reflected signal;
- and
- a lens system positioned to collimate the transmit signal emitted through the at least one coherent pixel, wherein the lens system is also positioned to receive the reflected signal and couple the reflected signal to the at least one coherent pixel.
A method of performing LIDAR, the method comprising:
- generating a frequency modulated laser signal;
- receiving, by a source input of a transceiver, the frequency modulated laser signal;
- coupling, by a first waveguide of the transceiver, a portion of the frequency modulated laser signal to at least one coherent pixel of a coherent pixel array as a transmit signal;
- coupling, by a second waveguide of the transceiver, a local oscillator signal to the at least one coherent pixel;
- emitting, by the at least one coherent pixel, the transmit signal;
- receiving, by the at least one coherent pixel, a reflection of the transmit signal as a reflected signal;
- and
- outputting, by the at least one coherent pixel, a return signal that is a portion of the reflected signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.