IP Library Granted Patent US 11,714,277
Granted Patent B2
US 11,714,277 · App. 17/017,503 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

Compact galvanometer mirror design

Inventors: Daniel Aaron Mohr (St. Paul, MN); Kevin A. Gomez (Eden Prairie, MN)
Assignee: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G02B26/101G01S7/4817G02B5/09G02B26/124
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,714,277
App. No.
17/017,503
Filed
Sep 10, 2020
Granted
Aug 1, 2023
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2872
USPC
359/199.3
Abstract

Implementations described and claimed herein provide a mechanically-scanning 3-dimensional light detection and ranging (3D LiDAR) system including a galvo mirror assembly, wherein the galvo mirror assembly includes a mirror attached to an armature of a galvanometer to reflect a light signal generated by a light generator and received from a target, at least one permanent magnet, and at least one coil configured to carry a current to move the armature.

Claims (33)

1. A device comprising:

a galvo mirror assembly including a mirror attached to an armature of a galvanometer to reflect a light signal generated by a light generator,

wherein the galvanometer comprising:

at least one permanent magnet, and

at least one coil configured to carry current to move the armature,

wherein the galvo mirror is configured to reflect the light signal generated by the light generator towards a polygonal mirror and the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect light signal from the polygon mirror towards a light detector.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect the light signal from the polygonal mirror towards a lens configured between the galvo mirror and the light detector.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the galvanometer further comprising at least two permanent magnets, each of the two permanent magnets configured in an arc shape around the at least one coil.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the galvo mirror is configured to rotate around an axis that is perpendicular an axis of rotation of the polygonal mirror.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the galvo mirror is configured to rotate in a range of up to sixty (60) degrees.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one coil is a trapezoidal shaped coil.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more turning mirrors configured to reflect a light signal from the light generator on to the galvo mirror assembly.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the light generator is a laser generator.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the polygon mirror is a hexagonal mirror.

10. A galvo mirror assembly, comprising:

a mirror attached to an armature of a galvanometer to reflect a light signal generated by a light generator, wherein the galvanometer comprising:

at least one permanent magnet, and

at least one coil configured to carry current to move the armature,

wherein the galvo mirror is configured to reflect the light signal generated by the light generator towards a polygonal mirror and the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect light signal from the polygon mirror towards a light detector.

11. The galvo mirror assembly of claim 10 , wherein the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect the light signal from the polygonal mirror towards a lens configured between the galvo mirror and the light detector.

12. The galvo mirror assembly of claim 11 , wherein the galvanometer further comprising at least two permanent magnets, each of the two permanent magnets configured in an arc shape around the at least one coil.

13. The galvo mirror assembly of claim 11 , wherein the galvo mirror is configured to rotate around an axis that is perpendicular an axis of rotation of the polygonal mirror.

14. The galvo mirror assembly of claim 10 , wherein the galvo mirror is configured to rotate in a range of up to sixty (60) degrees.

15. The galvo mirror assembly of claim 10 , further comprising one or more turning mirrors configured to reflect a light signal from the light generator on to the galvo mirror assembly.

16. The galvo mirror assembly of claim 10 , wherein the polygon mirror is a hexagonal mirror.

17. A device comprising:

two galvo mirror assemblies, each of the two galvo mirror assemblies including a mirror attached to an armature of a galvanometer, wherein the galvanometer comprising:

at least one permanent magnet, and

at least one coil configured to carry current to move the armature,

wherein the galvo mirror is configured to reflect the light signal generated by the light generator towards a polygonal mirror and the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect light signal from the polygon mirror towards a light detector.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein each of the two galvo mirror assemblies are configured on two sides of a polygonal mirror, wherein the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect the light signal from the polygonal mirror towards a lens configured between the galvo mirror and the light detector.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein each of the two galvo mirror assemblies are configured to rotate the mirror of each of the two respective galvo mirror assemblies around an axis perpendicular an axis of rotation of the polygonal mirror.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein each of the two galvo mirror assemblies further comprising at least two permanent magnets, each of the two permanent magnets configured in an arc shape around the at least one coil.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2026
From: GLAS TRUST COMPANY LLC
To: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 074733/0220 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2026
From: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MICROVISION, INC.
Reel/Frame 075282/0141 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS Recorded Feb 4, 2026
From: GLAS TRUST COMPANY LLC
To: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; LUMINAR LLC
Reel/Frame 074944/0658 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS Recorded Feb 4, 2026
From: GLAS TRUST COMPANY LLC
To: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; LUMINAR LLC
Reel/Frame 074944/0606 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE NAME OF THE FIRST CONVEYING PARTY PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 69312 FRAME: 713. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 27, 2024
From: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC; LUMINAR , LLC; FREEDOM PHOTONICS LLC
To: GLAS TRUST COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 069990/0772 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2024
From: LIMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC; LUMINAR, LLC; FREEDOM PHOTONICS LLC
To: GLAS TRUST COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 069312/0713 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2024
From: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC; LUMINAR , LLC; FREEDOM PHOTONICS LLC
To: GLAS TRUST COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 069312/0669 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2023
From: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC; SEAGATE SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS PTE. LTD
To: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 063116/0289 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2020
From: MOHR, DAN; GOMEZ, KEVIN A.
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 053739/0422 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62898455 · Sep 10, 2019
Related Publication 20210109344A1 · Apr 15, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,326,554