# US 2024/0201386 A1 · Systems and methods for adaptive scan resolution in lidar sensors

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- Number: US 2024/0201386 A1
- Document ID: US20240201386A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/082,910
- Filed: 2022-12-16
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-16
- Assignees: Velodyne Lidar USA, Inc.
- Applicants: Velodyne Lidar USA, Inc.
- Inventors: Mathew Noel Rekow; Aaron Chen; Stephen S. Nestinger; Fausto D'apuzzo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201386A1

## CPC

- G01S 17/931: of land vehicles
- G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning}
- G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46)
- 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

## Abstract

Systems and methods for adaptive scanning in lidar sensors are provided. In some embodiments, a lidar device includes a plurality of channels and a plurality of transmitter-receiver optical subassemblies (TROSAs), with each TROSA including a respective subset of the plurality of channels. Each channel can be assigned to a firing group from a plurality of firing groups. Each firing group can include either one channel or no channels from any given TROSA from the plurality of TROSAs. The channels in each firing group can be configured to scan an environment during a respective window of time assigned to the firing group in a firing sequence.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lidar device comprising:
a plurality of channels; and
a plurality of transmitter-receiver optical subassemblies (TROSAs) each comprising a respective subset of the plurality of channels,
wherein each channel is assigned to a firing group from a plurality of firing groups,
wherein each firing group comprises either one channel or no channels from any given TROSA from the plurality of TROSAs, and
wherein the channels in each firing group are configured to scan an environment during a respective window of time assigned to the firing group in a firing sequence.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lidar device of claim 1, wherein each channel comprises:
a transmitter configured to transmit optical signals; and
a receiver configured to receive return signals based on the optical signals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The lidar device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of TROSAs includes a total of N TROSAs, and wherein each firing group includes N channels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The lidar device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of TROSAs includes a total of N TROSAs, and wherein each firing group includes N÷2 channels or N÷4 channels.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The lidar device of claim 1, wherein each channel in each firing group is configured to scan the environment by:
transmitting a respective optical signal toward the environment; and
receiving a respective return signal based on the respective optical signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The lidar device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of TROSAs is configured to rotate about an axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The lidar device of claim 1, wherein each TROSA in the plurality of TROSAs includes a scanning mirror configured to oscillate about an axis.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The lidar device of claim 1, wherein the lidar device is mounted on or carried by a vehicle.

### Claim 9

A method comprising:
providing a lidar device comprising:
a plurality of channels; and
a plurality of transmitter-receiver optical subassemblies (TROSAs) each comprising a respective subset of the plurality of channels,
wherein each channel is assigned to a firing group from a plurality of firing groups, and
wherein each firing group comprises either one channel or no channels from any given TROSA from the plurality of TROSAs; and
scanning an environment surrounding the lidar device,
wherein the channels in each firing group are configured to scan the environment during a respective window of time assigned to the firing group in a firing sequence.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of TROSAs includes a total of N TROSAs, and wherein each firing group includes N channels.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of TROSAs includes a total of N TROSAs, and wherein each firing group includes N÷2 channels or N÷4 channels.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein each channel in each firing group is configured to scan the environment by:
transmitting a respective optical signal toward the environment; and
receiving a respective return signal based on the respective optical signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of TROSAs is configured to rotate about an axis.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein each TROSA in the plurality of TROSAs includes a scanning mirror configured to oscillate about an axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the lidar device is mounted on or carried by a vehicle.

### Claim 16

A method comprising:
providing a lidar device comprising:
a plurality of channels; and
a plurality of transmitter-receiver optical subassemblies (TROSAs) each comprising a respective subset of the plurality of channels,
wherein each channel is assigned to a firing group from a plurality of firing groups, and
wherein each firing group comprises either one channel or no channels from any given TROSA from the plurality of TROSAs; and
dividing an environment surrounding the lidar device into a plurality of azimuthal regions,
assigning each azimuthal region to a firing sequence from a plurality of firing sequences; and
scanning each azimuthal region according to the assigned firing sequence,
wherein the channels in each firing group are configured to scan the environment during a respective window of time assigned to the firing group in the firing sequence.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of TROSAs includes a total of N TROSAs, and wherein the plurality of firing sequences comprises:
a first firing sequence in which each firing group includes N÷4 channels;
a second firing sequence in which each firing group includes N÷2 channels; and
a third firing sequence in which each firing group includes N channels.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of azimuthal regions is a region-of-interest and wherein the region-of-interest is assigned to the third firing sequence.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein each channel comprises:
a transmitter configured to transmit optical signals; and
a receiver configured to receive return signals based on the optical signals.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein each channel in each firing group is configured to scan the environment by:
transmitting a respective optical signal toward the environment; and
receiving a respective return signal based on the respective optical signal.