Imaging system having coil on mirror actuator
AssigneeLuminar Technologies, Inc.
InventorSean P. Hughes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scanner for a lidar system is configured to direct emitted light to scan a field of regard of the lidar system in accordance with a scan pattern. The scanner includes a mirror and an actuator assembly. The mirror includes a reflective surface and a rear surface and is pivotable along a mirror axle. The actuator assembly is disposed along the rear surface of the mirror and is configured to exert a torque on the mirror to cause the mirror to pivot about the mirror axle.
Claims25
A scanner for a lidar system, the scanner configured to direct emitted light to scan a field of regard of the lidar system in accordance with a scan pattern, the scanner comprising:
- a mirror including a reflective surface and a rear surface and being pivotable along a mirror axle;
- a coil member arranged in an elongated at least partially-cylindrical surface, wherein the elongated at least partially-cylindrical surface has a longitudinal axis coinciding with a rotation axis of the mirror axle and wherein the coil member is mounted via slots in the rear surface of the mirror;
- and
- an actuator assembly disposed along the rear surface of the mirror, the actuator assembly configured to exert a torque on the mirror to cause the mirror to pivot about the mirror axle.
A lidar system comprising:
- a light source configured to emit light;
- a scanner configured to direct the emitted light to scan a field of regard of the lidar system in accordance with a scan pattern, the scanner including:
- a mirror having a reflective surface and a rear surface and being pivotable along a mirror axle,
- a coil member arranged in an elongated at least partially-cylindrical surface, wherein the elongated at least partially-cylindrical surface has a longitudinal axis coinciding with a rotation axis of the mirror axle and wherein the coil member is mounted via slots in the rear surface of the mirror, and
- an actuator assembly disposed along the rear surface of the mirror, the actuator assembly configured to exert a torque on the mirror to cause the mirror to pivot about the mirror axle;
- a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the emitted light scattered by one or more remote targets;
- and
- a controller configured to control motion of at least the mirror to scan the emitted light along the scan pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.