Waveguide apparatus with high speed dual channel wireless contactless rotary joint

A vehicle comprising:

• a computing device;
• a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system coupled to the vehicle, wherein the LIDAR system comprises:
• a non-rotational unit having a first waveguide section, wherein the non-rotational unit is coupled to the vehicle at a fixed position;
• a rotational unit having a second waveguide section;
• and
• a rotary joint having a bearing waveguide located in a center portion of a rotational bearing of the rotary joint,
• wherein the rotational bearing is configured to allow the rotational unit to rotate with respect to the non-rotational unit,
• wherein the bearing waveguide is aligned with the first waveguide section and the second waveguide section such that electromagnetic signals are able to propagate between the rotational unit and the non-rotational unit, and
• wherein the rotational unit includes a LIDAR sensor, and wherein the electromagnetic signals comprise LIDAR data from the LIDAR sensor.

A method comprising:

• coupling electromagnetic signals between a non-rotational unit and a rotational unit via a rotary joint,
• wherein the non-rotational unit includes a first waveguide section, the rotational unit includes a second waveguide section, and the rotary joint includes a bearing waveguide located in a center portion of a rotational bearing of the rotary joint,
• wherein the rotational bearing is configured to allow the rotational unit to rotate with respect to the non-rotational unit and the non-rotational unit is coupled to a vehicle at a fixed position,
• wherein the bearing waveguide is aligned with the first waveguide section and the second waveguide section such that electromagnetic signals are able to propagate between the rotational unit and the non-rotational unit, and
• wherein the rotational unit includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and wherein the electromagnetic signals comprise LIDAR data from the LIDAR sensor.