Optical monitoring of scan parameters
Scanning apparatus includes a transmitter, which is configured to emit a beam comprising pulses of light, and a scanner, which is configured to scan the beam along a scan axis over a specified angular range. A scattering line extends across a path of the scanned beam. A receiver is configured to receive the light scattered from the scattering line and to generate an output indicative of an intensity of the scattered light. A controller is coupled to process the output of the receiver so as to monitor operation of the scanner.
1. Scanning apparatus, comprising:
a transmitter, which is configured to emit a beam comprising pulses of light;
a scanner, which is configured to scan the beam along a scan axis over a specified angular range;
a scattering line, which extends across a path of the scanned beam;
a receiver, which is configured to receive the light scattered from the scattering line and to receive the light reflected from a scene beyond the scattering line within the specified angular range, and to generate a monitoring output, within a first time window, indicative of an intensity of the scattered light, and a scene output, within a second time window subsequent to the first time window, indicative of the pulses returned from the scene; and
a controller, which is coupled to process the monitoring output of the receiver so as to monitor operation of the scanner and to process the scene output of the receiver so as to generate a three-dimensional map of the scene.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the scattering line comprises a filament mounted so as to extend across the path of the scanned beam.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , and comprising a transparent optical element positioned in the path of the scanned beam, wherein the scattering line is scribed across the transparent optical element.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate one or more operating parameters of the scanner responsively to the monitoring output of the receiver.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the scanner is configured to scan the beam in mutually-opposing first and second scan directions in alternation along the scan axis, and wherein the controller is configured to calculate a scan offset between the first and second scan directions based on the monitoring output of the receiver.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the scanner is configured to scan the beam in a periodic scan pattern, and wherein the one or more operating parameters calculated by the controller comprise at least one of a frequency, a phase, and an amplitude of the periodic scan pattern.
7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the scattering line is one of at least first and second scattering lines, which extend at different, respective locations across the path of the scanned beam, and wherein the monitoring output of the receiver comprises first and second outputs that are indicative of the intensity of the light scattered from the first and second scattering lines, respectively, and wherein the controller is configured to calculate the one or more operating parameters responsively to a relation between the first and second outputs.
8. A method for scanning, comprising:
scanning a beam comprising pulses of light along a scan axis over a specified angular range;
positioning a scattering line across a path of the scanned beam;
receiving the light scattered from the scattering line and generating a monitoring output, within a first time window, indicative of an intensity of the scattered light;
receiving the light reflected from a scene beyond the scattering line within the specified angular range, and generating a scene output, within a second time window subsequent to the first time window, indicative of the pulses returned from the scene;
processing the monitoring output so as to monitor the scanning; and
processing the scene output so as to generate a three-dimensional map of the scene.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the scattering line comprises a filament mounted so as to extend across the path of the scanned beam.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein positioning the scattering line comprises positioning a transparent optical element in the path of the scanned beam, wherein the scattering line is scribed across the transparent optical element.
11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein receiving the light comprises using a single receiver to sense both the light scattered from the scattering line and the light reflected from the scene.
12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein processing the output comprises calculating one or more operating parameters of the scanning responsively to the monitoring output.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein scanning the beam comprises scanning the beam in mutually-opposing first and second scan directions in alternation along the scan axis, and wherein calculating the one or more operating parameters comprises calculating a scan offset between the first and second scan directions based on the output.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein scanning the beam comprises generating a periodic scan pattern, and wherein calculating the one or more operating parameters comprises calculating at least one of a frequency, a phase, and an amplitude of the periodic scan pattern.
15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein positioning the scattering line comprises extending at least first and second scattering lines in parallel at different, respective locations across the path of the scanned beam in the orientation perpendicular to the scan axis, and wherein generating the monitoring output comprises generating first and second outputs that are indicative of the intensity of the light scattered from the first and second scattering lines, respectively, and wherein calculating the one or more operating parameters comprises computing the one or more operating parameters responsively to a relation between the first and second outputs.