Compact integrated light detection and ranging (lidar) system

Abstract

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system with a sensing system that emits a plurality of outgoing optical beams is disclosed. The sensing system includes a plurality of optical sources to emit a plurality of optical signals, which are combined to form combined optical signals. The sensing system also includes a transmit/receive (TX/RX) subsystem to receive the combined optical signals and distribute each combined optical signal between a plurality of TX/RX units as separate input signals. Each TX/RX unit is configured to emit a respective one of the separate input signals to generate one of the plurality of outgoing optical beams, receive light returned from a target as a return optical beam, and generate a beat frequencies from the return optical beam. The sensing system also includes a signal processing system to determine a target range and velocity from the beat frequencies generated by each of the TX/RX units.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.