INTEGRATED LiDAR WITH SCANNING PHOSPHOR ILLUMINATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

The apparatus of claim 7,

• wherein the first faceted optical device includes a first multi-faceted mirror system that includes a first plurality of mirrors, wherein each one of the first plurality of mirrors is tilted at a different angle relative to the rotational axis;
• wherein the first light beam is a first input laser beam that is directed toward the first faceted optical device to form a first plurality of scanned laser-beam lines spaced apart from one another, and
• wherein the apparatus further comprises:
• a second multi-faceted mirror system that includes a second plurality of mirrors, wherein each one of the second plurality of mirrors is tilted at a different angle relative to the rotational axis, and wherein the second multi-faceted mirror system is rotated by the first motor;
• a second laser that emits a pulsed infrared (IR) laser beam that is directed toward the second multi-faceted mirror system to form a pattern of output light across a pattern of scanned directions spaced apart from one another to form a scanned pulsed output LiDAR beam;
• a third multi-faceted mirror system that includes a third plurality of mirrors, wherein each one of the third plurality of mirrors is tilted at a different angle relative to the rotational axis, wherein the third multi-faceted mirror system is rotated by the first motor, and wherein the third multi-faceted mirror system is configured to receive a LiDAR signal reflected from the pattern of directions of the scanned pulsed output LiDAR beam toward the third multi-faceted mirror system;
• a LiDAR receiver operatively coupled to receive light reflected by the third multi-faceted mirror system from the pattern of scanned directions;
• and
• a vehicle, wherein the first motor, the first laser, the first multi-faceted mirror system, the phosphor plate, the second laser, the second multi-faceted mirror system, the third multi-faceted mirror system and the LiDAR receiver are mounted to the vehicle and are used to form a headlight beam and the scanned pulsed LiDAR output beam for the vehicle.

A scanned-light-beam apparatus comprising:

• a first source of a first light beam;
• a first rotary motor that has a rotational axis;
• and
• a first faceted optical device that is rotated around the rotational axis by the first motor,
• wherein the first faceted optical device has a plurality of faces, each of which is at one selected angle of a plurality of different angles relative to the rotational axis,
• wherein the first light beam is operatively coupled to the rotated first faceted optical device to form a first plurality of spaced-apart scanned light-beam lines, wherein the first light beam is a first input blue-light laser beam directed toward the first faceted optical device to form a first plurality of scanned blue-light laser-beam lines spaced apart from one another, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:
• a phosphor plate operatively coupled to receive the first plurality of scanned blue-light laser-beam lines and to emit wavelength-converted light when stimulated by the first plurality of scanned blue-light laser-beam lines;
• and
• a projection lens optically coupled to receive light emitted by the phosphor plate and to project an output beam that includes the wavelength-converted light.

The method of claim 27, further comprising:

• providing a second multi-faceted mirror system that includes a second plurality of mirrors, wherein each one of the second plurality of mirrors is tilted at a different angle relative to the rotational axis;
• providing a third multi-faceted mirror system that includes a third plurality of mirrors, wherein each one of the third plurality of mirrors is tilted at a different angle relative to the rotational axis;
• providing a LiDAR receiver;
• providing a phosphor plate, wherein the first faceted optical device includes a first multi-faceted mirror system that includes a first plurality of mirrors, wherein each one of the first plurality of mirrors is tilted at a different angle relative to the rotational axis, and wherein the first light beam is a first input laser;
• directing the first input laser beam toward the first multi-faceted mirror system to form a first plurality of scanned laser-beam lines spaced apart from one another, and directing the first plurality of scanned laser-beam lines onto the phosphor plate such that the phosphor plate emits wavelength-converted light when stimulated by the first plurality of scanned laser-beam lines;
• projecting light emitted by the phosphor plate as an output vehicle headlight beam that includes the wavelength-converted light;
• rotating the second multi-faceted mirror system in synchrony with the first multi-faceted mirror system;
• directing a pulsed infrared (IR) laser beam toward the second multi-faceted mirror system to form a pattern of output light across a pattern of scanned directions spaced apart from one another to form a scanned pulsed output LiDAR beam;
• rotating the third multi-faceted mirror system in synchrony with the first multi-faceted mirror system;
• reflecting, with the third multi-faceted mirror system, a LiDAR light signal from the pattern of directions of the scanned pulsed output LiDAR beam into the LiDAR receiver;
• generating a LiDAR map based on the LiDAR light signal;
• and
• using the headlight beam, the pulsed LiDAR output beam and the LiDAR map for controlling a vehicle.

A method for scanning a light beam, the method comprising:

• providing a first faceted optical device;
• rotating the first faceted optical device around a rotational axis;
• wherein the first faceted optical device has a plurality of faces, each of which is at one selected angle of a plurality of different angles relative to the rotational axis;
• generating a first light beam;
• and
• deflecting the first light beam with the rotating first faceted optical device to form a first plurality of spaced-apart scanned light-beam lines, wherein the first light beam is a first input blue-light laser beam;
• deflecting the first input blue-light laser beam with first faceted optical device to form a first plurality of scanned blue-light laser-beam lines spaced apart from one another;
• providing a phosphor plate;
• directing the first plurality of scanned blue-light laser-beam lines onto the phosphor plate that emits wavelength-converted light when stimulated by the first plurality of scanned blue-light laser-beam lines;
• and
• projecting light emitted by the phosphor plate to form an output beam that includes the wavelength-converted light.

A scanning-beam apparatus comprising:

• a first laser that generates a first input laser beam;
• a first motor that has an axis of rotation;
• and
• a rotating mirror assembly driven by the first motor, wherein the rotating mirror assembly has a plurality of faces, each of which is at one selected angle of a plurality of different angles relative to the input laser beam, and wherein the first input laser beam is coupled to reflect from the rotating mirror assembly to form a plurality of scanned laser-beam lines parallel to one another;
• a phosphor plate and a projection lens optically coupled such that the plurality of scanned laser-beam lines is directed toward the phosphor plate, and such that light emitted by the phosphor plate is projected by the projection lens;
• and
• a vehicle, wherein the first laser emits a blue wavelength of light, wherein the first laser, the rotating mirror assembly, the phosphor plate and the projection lens are used to form a headlight beam for the vehicle.