Distributed modular solid-state LIDAR system
A LIDAR system includes a first optical transmitter comprising a plurality of first emitters, where each of the plurality of first emitters is positioned to generate an optical beam with a FOV at a target range when energized. A second optical transmitter includes a plurality of second emitters, where each of the plurality of second emitters is positioned to generate an optical beam with a FOV at the target range when energized. The first and second optical transmitters are positioned relative to each other so the FOVs of at least some of the optical beams generated by the first and second optical transmitter when energized overlap at the target range. An optical receiver includes a plurality of optical detectors, where a respective one of the plurality of optical detectors is positioned to detect a respective optical beam generated by at least one of the first and second optical transmitter and reflected by a target in the FOV at the target range. A controller includes a first and second output being connected to respective control inputs of the first and second optical transmitters, and a third output being connected to a control input of the optical receiver. The controller generates control signals at the first and second outputs that control energizing select ones of the plurality of first and the plurality of second emitters that generate optical beams with the FOVs that overlap at the target range and generating a control signal at the third output that activates selected ones of the plurality of optical detectors to detect optical beams reflected from an object at the target range.
1 . A modular light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system comprising:
a) a first optical transmitter comprising a first and second two-dimensional array of emitters that generate a first and second array of optical beams with interleaved fields-of-view at a target range when energized;
b) a second optical transmitter comprising a first and second two-dimensional array of emitters that generate a first and second array of optical beams with interleaved fields-of-view at the target range when energized, wherein the first and second optical transmitters are positioned so at least some of the optical beams in the first and second array of optical beams generated by the first optical transmitter when energized and at least some of the optical beams in the first and second array of optical beams generated by the second optical transmitter when energized overlap at the target range;
c) an optical receiver comprising a plurality of optical detectors, a respective one of the plurality of optical detectors being positioned to detect a respective optical beam generated by at least one of the first and second optical transmitter and reflected by a target in the field-of-view at the target range; and
d) a controller comprising a first and second output being connected to respective control inputs of the first and second optical transmitters, and a third output being connected to a control input of the optical receiver, the controller generating control signals at the first and second outputs that control energizing select ones of the emitters in the first and second two-dimensional array of emitters in both the first and second optical transmitters that generate the first and second array of optical beams with interleaved fields-of-view at the target range when energized and generating a control signal at the third output that activates selected ones of the plurality of optical detectors to detect optical beams reflected from an object at the target range.
2 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein a relative position of the first and second array of at least one of the first and second optical transmitters is selected to provide a desired angular resolution of the modular light detection and ranging system.
3 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein a wavelength of the first two-dimensional array of emitters is different from a wavelength of the second two-dimensional array of emitters in at least one of the first and second optical transmitters.
4 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the controller controls energizing select ones of the emitters in the first and second two-dimensional arrays of emitters in both the first and second optical transmitters that generate the first and second array of optical beams with interleaved fields-of-view at the target range when energized so that only one of the first and second transmitters generate an optical beam that when reflected off the object at the target range is detected by one of the plurality of optical detector during a particular light detection and ranging measurement.
5 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the controller controls energizing select ones of the emitters in the first and second two-dimensional arrays of emitters in both the first and second optical transmitters that generate the first and second array of optical beams with interleaved fields-of-view at the target range when energized so that cross talk resulting from the optical beams with fields-of-view that overlap at the target range is reduced.
6 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the controller controls energizing select ones of the emitters in the first and second two-dimensional arrays of emitters in both the first and second optical transmitters that generate the first and second array of optical beams with interleaved fields-of-view at the target range when energized so that cross talk resulting from the optical beams with fields-of-view that overlap at the target range is minimized.
7 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the controller controls energizing select ones of the emitters in the first and second two-dimensional arrays of emitters in both the first and second optical transmitters that generate the first and second array of optical beams with interleaved fields-of-view at the target range when energized so that an optical power in an aperture at the target range is less than a predetermined amount.
8 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 7 wherein the predetermined amount is less than a maximum permissible exposure (MPE).
9 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 further comprising:
a) a second optical receiver comprising a plurality of optical detectors, a respective one of the plurality of optical detectors being positioned to detect a respective optical beam generated by at least one of the first and second optical transmitter and reflected by the target in the field-of-view at the target range; and
b) the controller further comprising a fourth output being connected to a control input of the second optical receiver, the controller generating a control signal at the fourth output that activates selected ones of the plurality of optical detectors in the second optical receiver to detect optical beams reflected from the object at the target range,
wherein the controller generates control signals at the third and fourth outputs such that only selected ones of the plurality of optical detectors in either the first optical receiver or the plurality of optical detectors in the second optical receiver detect optical beams reflected from the object at the target range at one time.
10 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the first and second optical transmitters are housed in a single enclosure.
11 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the first and second optical transmitters are housed in physically separate enclosures.
12 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the optical receiver is housed in an enclosure that is physically separate from enclosures housing the first and second optical transmitters.
13 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second optical transmitters and the optical receiver are housed in a same enclosure.
14 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second optical transmitters, the optical receiver, and the controller are housed in a same enclosure.
15 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of optical detectors in the optical receiver comprises a two-dimensional array.
16 . The modular light detection and ranging system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second two-dimensional arrays of at least one of the first and second optical transmitters comprises a VCSEL array.
17 . A method of modular light detection and ranging (LIDAR), the method comprising:
a) generating a plurality of optical beams having a field-of-view (FOV) at a target range when energized with a plurality of first emitters in a first transmitter;
b) generating a plurality of optical beams having a field-of-view at the target range when energized with a plurality of second emitters in a second transmitter;
c) positioning the first and second optical transmitters relative to each other so the fields-of-view of at least some of the optical beams generated by the first and second optical transmitter when energized overlap at the target range;
d) positioning a plurality of optical detectors so that respective ones of the plurality of optical detectors detect respective optical beams generated by at least one of the first and second optical transmitter that are reflected by a target in the field-of-view at the target range; and
e) energizing select ones of the plurality of first and the plurality of second emitters that generate optical beams with fields-of-view that overlap at the target range and activating selected ones of the plurality of optical detectors to detect optical beams reflected from an object at the target range.
18 . The method of modular LIDAR of claim 17 further comprising energizing select ones of the plurality of first and the plurality of second emitters that generate optical beams with the fields-of-view that overlap at the target range so that only one of the first and second transmitters generate an optical beam that when reflected off the object at the target range is detected by one of the plurality of optical detectors during a particular light detection and ranging measurement.
19 . The method of modular LIDAR of claim 17 further comprising energizing select ones of the plurality of first and the plurality of second emitters that generate optical beams with fields-of-view that overlap at the target range so that cross talk resulting from the optical beams with fields-of-view that overlap at the target range is reduced.
20 . The method of modular LIDAR of claim 17 further comprising energizing select ones of the plurality of first and the plurality of second emitters that generate optical beams with fields-of-view that overlap at the target range so that an optical power in a particular eye safety measurement aperture is less than a predetermined amount.
21 . The method of modular LIDAR of claim 17 wherein the plurality of optical beams generated by the first emitters has a first wavelength and the plurality optical beams generated by the second emitters has a second wavelength.
22 . The method of modular LIDAR of claim 17 wherein at least two of the plurality of first emitters generate optical beams at different wavelengths.