Method and system for refractive beam-steering

1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system comprising:

a first scanner that receives a beam transmitted along an optical axis and projects the beam as a plurality of scan lines in a first plane between a first angle and a second angle, wherein the first angle and the second angle are defined with respect to the optical axis;

a motor that is coupled to the first scanner;

one or more processors that are configured to:

generate rotation information based on one or more components of a particular waveform; and

transmit a signal to the motor, the signal causing the motor to rotate the first scanner based on the rotation information.

2. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the particular waveform is a triangular waveform or a sawtooth waveform.

3. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of scan lines includes a first scan line and a second scan line that are projected in the first plane, and

wherein the first scan line is evenly or nearly evenly spaced apart from the second scan line.

4. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more components of the particular waveform comprise one or more Fourier component waveforms of the particular waveform.

5. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 4 , wherein a first Fourier component waveform of the one or more Fourier component waveforms has an amplitude that is greater than an amplitude of a second Fourier component waveform of the one or more Fourier component waveforms.

6. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first Fourier component waveform has a frequency that is less than a frequency of the second Fourier component waveform.

7. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rotation information comprises at least one of an angular frequency, a frequency, a phase, or an amplitude.

8. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine one or more parameters associated with the first scanner; and

generate the rotation information based on the one or more parameters and the one or more components.

9. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the one or more parameters comprises at least one of an angle, an index of refraction, or a dimension.

10. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a second scanner that (i) is positioned along the optical axis, (ii) receives, from the first scanner, the plurality of scan lines projected in the first plane, and (iii) projects the plurality of scan lines as a second plurality of scan lines in a second plane between a third angle and a fourth angle, wherein the third angle and the fourth angle are defined with respect to the optical axis;

wherein the motor is mechanically coupled to the second scanner;

wherein the signal causes the motor to rotate the second scanner based on the rotation information.

11. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 10 , wherein a difference between the third angle and the fourth angle is greater than an absolute difference between the first angle and the second angle.

12. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first scanner comprises one or more Risley prisms.

13. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a second scanner that (i) is positioned along the optical axis, (ii) receives the plurality of scan lines projected in the first plane, and (iii) projects the plurality of scan lines as a third plurality of scan lines in a third plane.

14. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the second scanner includes a polygon scanner.

15. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first scanner controls actuation of the beam along a first axis and the second scanner controls actuation of the beam along a second axis.

16. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first axis is orthogonal to the second axis.

17. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a receiver that receives a returned signal responsive to projecting the beam as a plurality of scan lines in the first plane; wherein the one or more processors operate a vehicle based on the returned signal.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a beam transmitted along an optical axis;

generating, based on one or more components of a particular waveform, a first scan pattern and a second scan pattern;

projecting, based on the first scan pattern, the beam as a plurality of scan lines in a first plane;

receiving the plurality of scan lines projected in the first plane; and

projecting, based on the second scan pattern, the plurality of scan lines as a second plurality of scan lines in a second plane, the first plane is orthogonal to the second plane.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

receiving a returned signal responsive projecting the beam as a plurality of scan lines in the first plane; and

operating a vehicle based on the returned signal.

20. An autonomous vehicle control system comprising one or more processors configured to:

determine a plurality of Fourier component waveforms of a triangular waveform;

determine a value of a parameter of one or more optical components based on a value of a first parameter of the plurality of Fourier component waveforms;

determine an angular frequency and relative phase of one or more optical components based on a value of a second parameter of the Fourier component waveforms;

rotate the one or more optical components based on the angular frequency and relative phase of each of the one or more optical components to cause the one or more optical components to receive a beam transmitted along an optical axis and project the beam as a plurality of scan lines in a first plane between a first angle and a second angle based on the triangular waveform, each of the first and second angles are with respect to the optical axis;

receive a plurality of electrical signals responsive to projecting the beam as a plurality of scan lines in the first plane; and

control operation of an autonomous vehicle using the plurality of electrical signals.