LiDAR device and control method for LiDAR device

A LiDAR device comprising:

• a rotating mirror being driven to rotate around an axis of rotation oriented longitudinally;
• light emitters, each being configured to emit light toward the rotating mirror;
• and
• light receivers, each being configured to receive light reflected by the rotating mirror and convert the received light into an electrical signal, wherein
• the rotating mirror includes reflective surfaces reflecting light,
• each of the reflective surfaces is configured to, with rotation of the rotating mirror,
• cause light emitted by a corresponding one of the light emitters to scan a distance measurement range in a lateral direction, and
• cause light reflected from the distance measurement range to travel toward a corresponding one of the light receivers,
• the light emitters include
• a first light emitter configured to emit light in an orientation where an upper section of the distance measurement range is scanned, the distance measurement range being divided into the upper section and a lower section, and
• a second light emitter configured to emit light in an orientation where the lower section of the distance measurement range is scanned,
• the first light emitter is provided at a position facing one of the reflective surfaces, and the second light emitter is provided at a position facing another one of the reflective surfaces whose orientation is different from the one of the reflective surfaces to which the first light emitter faces,
• the light receivers include
• a first light receiver provided at a position where light emitted by the first light emitter and reflected at the distance measurement range is received via the rotating mirror, and
• a second light receiver provided at a position where light emitted by the second light emitter and reflected at the distance measurement range is received via the rotating mirror,
• the first light emitter and the second light emitter each include at least a light-emitting element and a collimator lens,
• an optical axis of the light-emitting element and an axis of rotational symmetry of the collimator lens are substantially matched with each other and substantially parallel to a virtual plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rotating mirror,
• the LiDAR device further comprises a cylindrical lens provided in an optical path between the collimator lens and the rotating mirror, and
• a main axis of the cylindrical lens is shifted by a predetermined distance from the optical axis of the light emitting element in a direction along the axis of rotation of the rotating mirror.

A LiDAR device comprising:

• a rotating mirror being driven to rotate around an axis of rotation oriented longitudinally;
• light emitters, each being configured to emit light toward the rotating mirror;
• and
• light receivers, each being configured to receive light reflected by the rotating mirror and convert the received light into an electrical signal, wherein
• the rotating mirror includes reflective surfaces reflecting light,
• each of the reflective surfaces is configured to, with rotation of the rotating mirror,
• cause light emitted by a corresponding one of the light emitters to scan a distance measurement range in a lateral direction, and
• cause light reflected from the distance measurement range to travel toward a corresponding one of the light receivers,
• the light emitters include
• a first light emitter configured to emit light in an orientation where an upper section of the distance measurement range is scanned, the distance measurement range being divided into the upper section and a lower section, and
• a second light emitter configured to emit light in an orientation where the lower section of the distance measurement range is scanned,
• the first light emitter is provided at a position facing one of the reflective surfaces, and the second light emitter is provided at a position facing another one of the reflective surfaces whose orientation is different from the one of the reflective surfaces to which the first light emitter faces,
• the light receivers include
• a first light receiver provided at a position where light emitted by the first light emitter and reflected at the distance measurement range is received via the rotating mirror, and
• a second light receiver provided at a position where light emitted by the second light emitter and reflected at the distance measurement range is received via the rotating mirror,
• the first light emitter and the second light emitter each include at least a light-emitting element and a collimator lens,
• an optical axis of the light-emitting element and an axis of rotational symmetry of the collimator lens are substantially matched with each other and substantially parallel to a virtual plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the rotating mirror,
• the first light emitter includes a prism in an optical path between the collimator lens and the rotating mirror to correct an orientation of an optical axis upward, and
• the second light emitter includes a prism in an optical path between the collimator lens and the rotating mirror to correct an orientation of an optical path downward.