Traffic scanning lidar

A system for determining the position and speed of objects, the system comprising:

• a beam source operable to generate a beam;
• a transmit reflection device operable to reflect the beam at the objects, the transmit reflection device including:
• a transmit base,
• a transmit upper stage spaced apart from the transmit base, and
• a plurality of transmit faces positioned in a circle between the transmit base and the transmit upper stage, at least a portion of the transmit faces oriented at a different angle and operable to reflect the beam at a different height;
• a beam receiver operable to detect the beam;
• a receive reflection device including:
• a receive base,
• a receive upper stage spaced apart from the receive base, and
• a plurality of receive faces positioned in a circle between the receive base and the receive upper stage, at least a portion of the receive faces oriented at a different angle and including an outer surface with a partial circular paraboloid shape operable to focus the beam reflected from objects at different heights onto the beam receiver;
• and
• a controller operable to determine the position of the objects over time and calculate the speed of the objects based on a change in the position of the objects.

A transceiving reflection device for use with a light detection and ranging system, the device comprising:

• a transmit reflection device operable to reflect a beam from a beam source into a space in which objects may be present, the transmit reflection device including:
• a transmit base,
• a transmit upper stage spaced apart from the transmit base, and
• a plurality of transmit faces positioned in a circle between the transmit base and the transmit upper stage, at least a portion of the transmit faces oriented at a different angle therebetween;
• and
• a receive reflection device operable to focus the beam onto a beam receiver, the receive reflection device including:
• a receive base coupled to the transmit base,
• a receive upper stage spaced apart from the receive base, and
• a plurality of receive faces positioned in a circle between the receive base and the receive upper stage, at least a portion of the receive faces oriented at a different angle therebetween.

A system for determining the position and speed of objects, the system comprising:

• a beam source operable to generate a beam;
• a transmit device operable to sweep the beam at the objects through a known angle in the horizontal direction and a known angle in the vertical direction;
• a beam receiver operable to detect the beam;
• a receive device operable to focus the beam reflected from objects onto the beam receiver;
• and
• a controller operable to determine the position of the objects over time and calculate the speed of the objects based on a change in the position of the objects.