# US 2025/0093517 A1 · Optical apparatus, on-board system, and movable apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0093517 A1 - Document ID: US20250093517A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/962,635 - Filed: 2024-11-27 - Published: 2025-03-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-07-15 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: TAKASHI HANASAKA; KOICHI FUKUDA; SHUNICHI WAKASHIMA; KOHEI OKAMOTO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250093517A1 ## CPC - G01S 17/10: using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - B60T 7/22: initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle} - G01C 3/06: Use of electric means to obtain final indication - G01S 7/4812: {transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path} - G01S 7/4814: {of transmitters alone} - G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 17/08: for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G08G 1/16: Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) - B60T 2210/32: Vehicle surroundings - 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 - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract An optical apparatus includes a light emitter including at least one light emitting element, a light receiver including a plurality of light receiving elements, an optical element including a plurality of microlenses, an optical system including a first telecentric lens, and a processor configured to acquire distance information to an object based on a time required from when the light emitter emits light to when the light receiver receives the light reflected by the object. The number of microlenses is larger than the number of light emitting elements. The plurality of microlenses and the first telecentric lens form an afocal system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical apparatus comprising: a light emitter including at least one light emitting element; a light receiver including a plurality of light receiving elements; an optical element including a plurality of microlenses; an optical system including a first telecentric lens; and a processor configured to acquire distance information to an object based on a time required from when the light emitter emits light to when the light receiver receives the light reflected by the object, wherein the number of microlenses is larger than the number of light emitting elements, and wherein the plurality of microlenses and the first telecentric lens form an afocal system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first telecentric lens is an image-side telecentric lens. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein light emitted from one of the light emitting elements passes through at least two of the plurality of microlenses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is a VCSEL. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical system further includes a second telecentric lens, wherein the light emitted from the light emitter passes through the first telecentric lens and is reflected by the object, and wherein the light reflected by the object passes through the second telecentric lens and is received by the light receiver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical system further includes a beam splitter, wherein the light emitted from the light emitter is guided by the beam splitter, passes through the first telecentric lens, and is reflected by the object, and wherein the light reflected by the object passes through the first telecentric lens, is guided by the beam splitter, and is received by the light receiver. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical system is shared by the light emitter and the light receiver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical system includes an angle-of-view changing unit configured to change an angle of view. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical element splits the light emitted from the light emitter into a plurality of split beams, wherein distances between the plurality of split beams that pass through the first telecentric lens and are irradiated onto the object change according to a distance to the object, and wherein a width of each of the plurality of split beams does not change according to the distance to the object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An on-board system comprising: the optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the on-board system determines a likelihood of collision between a vehicle and the object based on the distance information to the object obtained by the optical apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The on-board system according to claim 10, further comprising a control apparatus configured to output a control signal to generate a braking force in the vehicle in a case where it is determined that there is a likelihood of collision between the vehicle and the object. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The on-board system according to claim 10, further comprising an alert apparatus configured to issue an alert to a user of the vehicle in a case where it is determined that there is a likelihood of collision between the vehicle and the object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The on-board system according to claim 10, further comprising a notification apparatus configured to notify an external party of information regarding the collision between the vehicle and the object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A movable apparatus comprising: the optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable apparatus is movable while holding the optical apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The movable apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a determining unit configured to determine a likelihood of collision with the object based on the distance information to the object acquired by the optical apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The movable apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a control unit configured to output a control signal for controlling movement of the movable apparatus in a case where it is determined that there is the likelihood of collision with the object. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The movable apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising an alert unit configured to issue an alert to a user of the movable apparatus in a case where it is determined that there is the likelihood of collision with the object. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The movable apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a notification unit configured to notify an external party of information regarding the collision with the object.