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US RE48,666 E1Granted
High definition LiDAR system
AssigneeVelodyne Lidar USA, Inc.
InventorDavid S. Hall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A LiDAR-based 3-D point cloud measuring system includes a base, a housing, a plurality of photon transmitters and photon detectors contained within the housing, a rotary motor that rotates the housing about the base, and a communication component that allows transmission of signals generated by the photon detectors to external components. In several versions of the invention, the system includes a vertically oriented motherboard, thin circuit boards such as ceramic hybrids for selectively mounting emitters and detectors, a conjoined D-shaped lens array, and preferred firing sequences.
Claims30
A LiDAR-based sensor system comprising:
- a base;
- head assembly;
- a rotary component configured to rotate the head assembly with respect to the base, the rotation of the head assembly defining an axis of rotation;
- an electrical motherboard carried in the head assembly, the motherboard defining a plane and being positioned substantially parallel to the axis of rotation;
- a lens positioned on the head assembly on a first side of the motherboard;
- a mirror positioned on the head assembly on a second side of the motherboard;
- a plurality of photon transmitters mounted to a plurality of emitter circuit boards, the plurality of emitter circuit boards being mounted directly to the motherboard;
- and
- a plurality of detectors mounted to a plurality of detector circuit boards, the plurality of detector circuit boards being mounted directly to the motherboard.
6 more elements
A LiDAR-based sensor system comprising:
- a base;
- head assembly;
- a motor configured to rotate the head assembly with respect to the base, the rotation of the head assembly defining an axis of rotation;
- an electrical motherboard carried in the head assembly;
- a plurality of photon transmitters mounted to a plurality of emitter circuit boards, the plurality of emitter circuit boards being mounted to the motherboard;
- a plurality of detectors mounted to a plurality of detector circuit boards, the plurality of detector circuit boards being mounted to the motherboard;
- an emitter mirror supported within the head assembly;
- a detector mirror supported within the head assembly;
- and
- a conjoined D-shaped lens assembly, the lens assembly forming an emitter portion and a detector portion;
- wherein the motherboard is a unitary component for mounting the plurality of emitter circuit boards and the plurality of detector circuit boards, the motherboard being positioned between the emitter mirror and the detector mirror on a first side and the lens assembly on the other side, the motherboard further having an opening to allow light to pass between the lens assembly and either the detector mirror or the emitter mirror;
- whereby light transmitted by one of the plurality of emitters is reflected from the emitter mirror and passes through the emitter portion of the lens assembly, and light received by the detector portion of the lens assembly is reflected by the detector mirror and received by one of the plurality of detectors.
9 more elements
A LiDAR-based sensor system comprising:
- a base;
- a head assembly;
- a rotary component configured to rotate the head assembly with respect to the base around an axis of rotation;
- a motherboard carried in the head assembly;
- a lens carried in the head assembly;
- a plurality of photon transmitters mounted to a plurality of emitter circuit boards configured to emit light pulses, the plurality of emitter circuit boards mounted to the motherboard;
- a mirror carried in the head assembly and positioned to direct the light pulses from the plurality of photon transmitters through the lens;
- a plurality of detectors mounted to a plurality of detector circuit boards to receive reflected light pulses from one or more surfaces in the surrounding environment, the plurality of detector circuit boards mounted to the motherboard, wherein the motherboard, the lens, and the mirror are positioned within the head assembly such that a center of gravity of the head assembly corresponds to the axis of rotation;
- a processor coupled to the plurality of detectors;
- and
- a memory including processor executable code, wherein the processor executable code, upon execution by the processor, configures the processor to control the plurality of detectors such that only a single detector is active at any time.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- rotating a head assembly of a LiDAR-based sensor system with respect to a base of the LiDAR-based sensor system, the LiDAR-based sensor system having a plurality of detectors mounted to the LiDAR-based sensor system and positioned to receive light pulses after reflection from one or more surfaces;
- and
- controlling the plurality of detectors, such that only a single detector is active at any time, wherein the plurality of detectors is mounted to a plurality of detector circuit boards, the plurality of detector circuit boards mounted to a motherboard of the LiDAR-based sensor system.
The method of 26, wherein each transmitter-detector pair comprises multiple transmitters and a single detector, and the method further comprising:
- sequentially transmitting light pulses by the multiple transmitters;
- and
- receiving, by the single detector, return light pulses reflected from one or more surfaces in a sequential manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.