MULTI-RANGE SOLID STATE LIDAR SYSTEM

1 . A system comprising:

a first photodetector having a first field of view;

a second photodetector having a second field of view overlapping the first field of view;

a first light source aimed at the first field of view;

a second light source aimed at the second field of view; and

a first bandpass filter covering the first photodetector and a second bandpass filter covering the second photodetector, the first bandpass filter designed to transmit light in a first bandwidth and the second bandpass filter designed to transmit light in a second bandwidth different than the first bandwidth.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first light source is designed to emit light having a first wavelength in the first bandwidth and the second light source is designed to emit light having a second wavelength in the second bandwidth.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the difference between the center wavelength of a wavelength curve of the second bandpass filter and the center wavelength of a wavelength curve of the first bandpass filter plus the full-width half-maximum of the wavelength curve of the light emitted from the first light source is greater than the full-width half-maximum of the wavelength curve of the first bandpass filter.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second light sources are designed to emit pulsed laser light.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first field of view is wider than second field of view.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first field of view is shorter than second field of view.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit are on a vehicle.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first field of view and the second field of view are aimed in substantially the same direction.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller programmed to emit light simultaneously from the first light source and the second light source.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a casing supporting the first and second photodetectors, the first and second light sources, and the first and second bandpass filters.

11 . A method comprising:

emitting light from a first light source;

emitting light from a second light source;

filtering to a first bandwidth light that is emitted by the first light source and reflected by a reflecting surface;

filtering to a second bandwidth light that is emitted by the second light source and reflected by a reflecting surface, the second bandwidth being different than the first bandwidth;

with a first photodetector, detecting light in the first bandwidth transmitted by the first bandpass filter; and

with a second photodetector, detecting light in the second bandwidth transmitted by the second bandpass filter.

12 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein emitting light from the first light source and emitting light from the second light source are substantially simultaneous.

13 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein emitting light from the first light source includes emitting light at a first wavelength that is within the first bandwidth, and wherein emitting light from the second light source includes emitting light at a second wavelength that is within the second bandwidth.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the difference between the center wavelength of a wavelength curve of the second bandpass filter and the center wavelength of a wavelength curve of the first bandpass filter plus the full-width half-maximum of the wavelength curve of the light emitted from the first light source is greater than the full-width half-maximum of the wavelength curve of the first bandpass filter.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first light source and the second light source emit pulsed laser light.

16 . A system comprising:

a first photodetector having a first field of view;

a second photodetector having a second field of view overlapping the first field of view;

a first light source aimed at the first field of view;

a second light source aimed at the second field of view; and

a controller programmed to:

substantially simultaneously emit a pulse of light from the first light source and the second light source;

during a first time period, activate the first photodetector and deactivate the second photodetector; and

during a second time period, activate the second photodetector and deactivate the first photodetector, the second time period initiating after the first time period.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first time period initiates simultaneously with emission of light from the first and second light sources.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first field of view is wider than second field of view.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the first field of view is shorter than second field of view.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first field of view and the second field of view are aimed in substantially the same direction.

21 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first time period and the second time period overlap.

22 . A method comprising:

emitting light from a first light source into a field of view of a first photodetector and simultaneously emitting light from a second light source into a field of view of a second photodetector, the field of view of the second photodetector overlapping the field of view of the first photodetector;

during a first time period, activating the first photodetector and deactivating the second photodetector with a first photodetector, detecting light in the first bandwidth transmitted by the first bandpass filter; and

with a second photodetector, detecting light in the second bandwidth transmitted by the second bandpass filter.

23 . The method as set forth in claim 22 , wherein the first time period initiates simultaneously with emission of light from the first and second light sources.

24 . The method as set forth in claim 22 , wherein the first time period and the second time period overlap.