IP Library Granted Patent US 12,326,554
Granted Patent B2
US 12,326,554 · App. 18/362,773 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

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 12,326,554
App. No.
18/362,773
Filed
Jul 31, 2023
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
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 attached to an armature of a galvanometer to reflect a light signal generated by a light generator, the galvanometer comprising at least one permanent magnet, 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 one or more objects and the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect light signal reflected from the one or more objects towards a light detector.

Claims (29)

1. A device comprising:

a galvo mirror assembly including a galvo 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 one or more objects and the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect light signal reflected from the one or more objects towards a light detector.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the galvanometer further comprising at least two permanent magnets, each of the two permanent magnets configured in an arc shape around at least one coil.

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

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the armature is configured to rotate along an arc.

5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) attached to the galvo mirror assembly, the PCB including a sensor chip configured to sense a position of the galvo mirror.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the PCB is further configured to communicate the a position of the galvo mirror to a controller.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the armature is attached to a back side of the galvo mirror.

8. The device of claim 2 , wherein each of the two permanent magnets are configured behind a surface of the galvo mirror.

9. A galvo mirror assembly, comprising:

a galvo 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 towards a polygonal mirror.

10. A galvo mirror assembly, comprising:

a galvo 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 one or more objects and the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect light signal reflected from the one or more objects towards a light detector.

11. A device comprising:

two galvo mirror assemblies, each of the two galvo mirror assemblies including a galvo 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 one or more objects and the galvo mirror is further configured to reflect light signal reflected from the one or more objects towards a light detector.

12. The device of claim 11 , 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 at least one coil.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein each of the two permanent magnets are configured behind a surface of the galvo mirror.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein each of the two galvo mirror assemblies further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) attached to the galvo mirror assembly, the PCB including a sensor chip configured to sense a position of the galvo mirror.

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 074944/0606 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2025
From: MOHR, DAN; GOMEZ, KEVIN A.
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 071073/0896 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2025
From: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC; SEAGATE SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS PTE. LTD.
To: LUMINAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071074/0318 →
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 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17017503 · Sep 10, 2020
Provisional Application 62898455 · Sep 10, 2019
Related Publication 20230375826A1 · Nov 23, 2023
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US 20180284237A1 · Campbell et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180372874A1 · Lipson et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190033460A1 · Lipson · 2019 [cited by applicant]
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