Rotating Lidar Systems and Methods

Abstract

Rotating LIDAR systems and methods are disclosed. In one implementation, a rotatable LIDAR system comprises a rotor having a central rotational axis and a plurality of optical component mounting locations about a peripheral region of the rotor, wherein components mounted at the plurality of optical component mounting locations are configured to rotate around the central rotational axis; a scanning light deflector mounted at one of the plurality of optical component mounting locations, the scanning light deflector being configured to vertically scan a field of view as the rotor rotates; a light detector mounted at one of the plurality of optical component mounting locations and configured to receive, while the rotor rotates, reflections of light from objects in the field of view; and a plurality of optical elements mounted at others of the plurality of optical component mounting locations, the scanning light deflector and the plurality of optical elements defining at least one optical pathway having at least one directional change between the scanning light deflector and the light detector.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.