# US 2019/0170875 A1 · Photonic apparatus using a phase alignment waveguide > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170875 A1 - Document ID: US20190170875A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/832,239 - Filed: 2017-12-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-05 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Inventors: Paul Donald Schmalenberg; Tsuyoshi Nomura; Jae Seung Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170875A1 ## CPC - G01S 17/32: using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated - G01S 7/4814: {of transmitters alone} - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 7/4915: Time delay measurement, e.g. operational details for pixel components (signal extraction and conditioning G01S7/493); Phase measurement - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G02B 6/2804: {forming multipart couplers without wavelength selective elements, e.g. "T" couplers, star couplers} - G02B 6/3586: {Control or adjustment details, e.g. calibrating (testing optical equipment G01M11/00)} - G01S 7/4818: {using optical fibres} - G02B 6/3548: {1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs} - G02B 6/3558: {1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs} - G02B 2006/12147: {Coupler} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to a photonic apparatus. The photonic apparatus including a phase alignment waveguide including waveguide inputs and waveguide outputs. The waveguide inputs being operably connected with a light source to provide a light wave into the phase alignment waveguide and the waveguide outputs providing a plurality of light waves from the optical waveguide. The phase alignment waveguide modulates the light wave to generate the plurality of light waves with different phases. The photonic apparatus includes a transmit switch operably connected with the waveguide inputs to selectively connect at least one of the waveguide inputs with the light source to provide the light wave into the phase alignment waveguide. The photonic apparatus includes control circuitry operably connected with the transmit switch, the control circuitry dynamically activating the at least one of the waveguide inputs according to an electronic control signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photonic apparatus, comprising: a phase alignment waveguide including waveguide inputs and waveguide outputs, the waveguide inputs being operably connected with a light source to provide a light wave into the optical waveguide and the waveguide outputs providing a plurality of light waves from the optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide modulates the light wave to generate the plurality of light waves with different phases; a transmit switch operably connected with the waveguide inputs to selectively connect at least one of the waveguide inputs with the light source to provide the light wave into the optical waveguide; and control circuitry operably connected with the transmit switch, the control circuitry dynamically activating the at least one of the waveguide inputs according to an electronic control signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photonic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide diffracts the light wave as the light wave enters the at least one of the waveguide inputs, and wherein the phase alignment waveguide modulates a phase of the light wave according to a path through the optical waveguide traveled by the light wave. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The photonic apparatus of claim 2, wherein respective ones of the waveguide outputs receive respective ones of the plurality of lights waves that are formed from the phase alignment waveguide diffracting the light wave and the light wave thereby traveling different paths through the optical waveguide, and wherein the phase alignment waveguide modulates the respective ones of the plurality of light waves to have different phase front alignments according to a respective one of the different paths. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The photonic apparatus of claim 1, wherein providing the light wave on different respective ones of the waveguide inputs produces the plurality of light waves at the waveguide outputs with the different phases according to which of the waveguide inputs provided the light wave. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The photonic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry controls the transmit switch to selectively provide the light wave into the phase alignment waveguide through one of the waveguide inputs according to a pattern of phases between the waveguide outputs that is requested in response to the electronic control signal, and wherein the pattern of phases direct a beam of light formed from the plurality of light waves in a requested direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The photonic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase alignment waveguide is a star coupler, and wherein the waveguide outputs are positioned on the phase alignment waveguide at defined locations to receive the plurality of light waves with defined phase offsets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The photonic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the optical waveguide is a Rotman lens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The photonic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase alignment waveguide pre-shifts a phase of the light wave to provide the plurality of light waves having the different phases to an array of phase shifters that further modulate the different phases of the plurality of light waves to generate output light waves with final phases without providing a full range of phase shift to obtain the final phases. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The photonic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a lens exposed within a surface of the photonic apparatus to receive reflected waves from an external environment; a receiving waveguide operably connected with the lens across a bottom surface of the lens and with receiving outputs located at defined positions along an opposing surface of the receiving waveguide that opposes the lens, the receiving outputs providing the reflected waves into the photonic apparatus, wherein respective ones of the receiving outputs receive respective ones of the reflected waves according to associated angles of incidence of the reflected waves with the lens; and a receive switch operably connected with the receiving outputs to selectively provide a respective one of the reflected waves to an optical component, wherein the control circuitry controls the receive switch to dynamically provide one of the reflected waves from a selected one of the receiving outputs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The photonic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the receiving waveguide is a star coupler that permits the photonic apparatus to simultaneously receive the reflected waves from multiple different bearings, and wherein the receiving outputs are associated with different bearings to capture respective ones of the reflected waves. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The photonic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the lens and the receiving waveguide form a receiving antenna for the photonic apparatus to passively receive the reflected waves from a wide field of the external environment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The photonic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photonic apparatus is integrated within a phased array light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, and wherein the waveguide outputs emit the plurality of light waves to form a beam of light that is provided in a selected direction. ### Claim 13 A photonic apparatus, comprising: a lens exposed within a surface of the photonic apparatus to receive reflected waves from an external environment of the photonic apparatus; a receiving waveguide operably connected with the lens, the receiving waveguide including receiving outputs located at defined positions along an opposing surface of the receiving waveguide that opposes the lens, the receiving outputs providing the reflected waves into the photonic apparatus, wherein the receiving outputs receive the reflected waves according to associated angles of incidence of respective ones of the reflected waves with the lens; and an optical component operably connected with the receiving outputs to receive the reflected waves. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The photonic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the receiving waveguide is a star coupler that is operably connected with the lens across a bottom surface of the lens. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The photonic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the receiving waveguide permits the photonic apparatus to simultaneously receive the reflected waves from multiple different bearings, wherein the receiving outputs are positioned at the defined positions to coordinate the receiving outputs with different bearings to capture respective ones of the reflected waves, and wherein the lens and the receiving waveguide form a receiving antenna for the photonic apparatus to passively receive the reflected waves from a wide field of the external environment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The photonic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the optical component is one of an optical switch connected with a photodetector, an array of photodetectors, and an interferometer, and wherein the photonic apparatus is integrated within a phased array light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The photonic apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a transmitting waveguide including transmitting inputs and transmitting outputs, the transmitting inputs being operably connected with a light source to provide a light wave into the transmitting waveguide and the transmitting outputs providing a plurality of light waves from the transmitting waveguide, wherein the transmitting waveguide modulates the light wave to generate the plurality of light waves with different phases. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The photonic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the transmitting waveguide is a star coupler that emits the plurality of light waves from the photonic apparatus to form a beam of light that is steered in a selected direction when the plurality of light waves form the beam of light. ### Claim 19 A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus, comprising: a transmission component, comprising: a transmitting waveguide including transmitting inputs and transmitting outputs, the transmitting inputs being operably connected with a light source to provide a light wave into the transmitting waveguide and the transmitting outputs providing a plurality of light waves from the transmitting waveguide, wherein the transmitting waveguide modulates the light wave to generate the plurality of light waves with different phases; and a receive component, comprising: a lens exposed within a surface of the LIDAR apparatus to receive reflected waves from an external environment of the photonic apparatus; a receiving waveguide operably connected with the lens, the receiving waveguide including receiving outputs located at defined positions along an opposing surface of the receiving waveguide that opposes the lens, the receiving outputs providing the reflected waves into the photonic apparatus. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The LIDAR apparatus of claim 19, wherein the transmission component further includes: a transmit switch operably connected with the transmitting inputs to selectively connect at least one of the transmitting inputs with the light source to provide the light wave into the optical waveguide; and control circuitry operably connected with the transmit switch, the control circuitry dynamically activating the at least one of the waveguide inputs according to an electronic control signal.