Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device having multiple receivers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10379540-B2
Application number	US-201615295619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2016
Priority date	Oct 17, 2016
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

Described herein is a LIDAR device that may include a transmitter, first and second receivers, and a rotating platform. The transmitter may be configured to emit light having a vertical beam width. The first receiver may be configured to detect light at a first resolution while scanning the environment with a first FOV and the second receiver may be configured to detect light at a second resolution while scanning the environment with a second FOV. In this arrangement, the first resolution may be higher than the second resolution, the first FOV may be at least partially different from the second FOV, and the vertical beam width may encompass at least a vertical extent of the first and second FOVs. Further, the rotating platform may be configured to rotate about an axis such that the transmitter and first and second receivers each move based on the rotation.

First claim

We claim:

1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device comprising:
a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to emit light having a vertical beam width into an environment, the emitted light having wavelengths in a wavelength range;
a first receiver, wherein the first receiver is configured to detect light at a first resolution while scanning the environment with a first field of view (FOV), and wherein the first receiver is configured to detect light having wavelengths in the wavelength range;
a second receiver, wherein the second receiver is configured to detect light at a second resolution while scanning the environment with a second FOV, wherein the second receiver is configured to detect light having wavelengths in the wavelength range, wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution, wherein the first FOV is at least partially different from the second FOV, and wherein the vertical beam width encompasses at least a vertical extent of the first and second FOVs; and
a rotating platform, wherein the rotating platform is configured to rotate about an axis, and wherein the transmitter, the first receiver, and the second receiver are each configured to respectively move relative to the environment based on rotation of the rotating platform.

2. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter being configured to emit light comprises the transmitter being configured to emit a laser beam having the vertical beam width and having a horizontal beam width, and wherein the horizontal beam width is less than the vertical beam width.

3. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , further comprising a stationary platform configured to be coupled to a top side of a vehicle, wherein the top side is opposite to a bottom side on which one or more wheels of the vehicle are positioned.

4. The LIDAR device of claim 3 , wherein, when the stationary platform is coupled to the top side of the vehicle, (i) the first receiver is positioned substantially above the stationary platform relative to the top side of the vehicle, (ii) the second receiver and the transmitter are both positioned substantially above the first receiver relative to the top side of the vehicle, and (iii) the second receiver is positioned substantially adjacent to the transmitter relative to the top side of the vehicle.

5. The LIDAR device of claim 3 , wherein the stationary platform is coupled to the rotary platform via a rotary link, and wherein the rotating platform being configured to rotate about an axis comprises the rotating platform being configured to, when the stationary platform is coupled to the top side of the vehicle, rotate about a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the top side of the vehicle.

6. The LIDAR device of claim 3 , wherein, when the stationary platform is coupled to the top side of the vehicle, the first FOV extends to a first portion of the environment relative to the vehicle and the second FOV extends to a second portion of the environment relative to the vehicle, and wherein the second portion of the environment is substantially closer to the vehicle compared to the first portion of the environment.

7. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , wherein the first receiver comprises:
a photodetector array including two or more photodetectors each configured to convert detected light into an electrical signal;
at least one optical lens arranged to focus light from the environment along an optical path to the photodetector array; and
at least one mirror arranged to fold the optical path between the at least one optical lens and the photodetector array.

8. The LIDAR device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one mirror being arranged to fold the optical path comprises two or more mirrors being arranged to fold the optical path two or more times between the at least one optical lens and the photodetector array.

9. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , wherein the first resolution is a first angular resolution, and wherein the second resolution is a second angular resolution.

10. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dome-shaped housing coupled to the rotating platform, wherein the dome-shaped housing is configured to rotate about the axis based on rotation of the rotating platform, and wherein the transmitter, the first receiver, and the second receiver are disposed within the dome-shaped housing.

11. The LIDAR device of claim 10 ,
wherein the dome-shaped housing has an aperture formed thereon,
wherein the transmitter being configured to emit light into the environment comprises the transmitter being configured to emit light into the environment through the aperture,
wherein the first receiver being configured to detect light comprises the first receiver being configured to detect light that enters the dome-shaped housing from the environment through the aperture, and
wherein the second receiver being configured to detect light comprises the second receiver being configured to detect light that enters the dome-shaped housing from the environment through the aperture.

12. The LIDAR device of claim 10 , wherein the dome-shaped housing is at least partially composed of a non-transparent material.

13. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light source configured to generate light, wherein the transmitter being configured to emit light into the environment comprises the transmitter having an optical arrangement that directs light along an optical path from the light source to the environment.

14. The LIDAR device of claim 13 , wherein the optical arrangement comprises an optical fiber configured to provide the optical path and a diffuser configured to spread the directed light.

15. The LIDAR device of claim 13 , wherein the light source is a fiber laser.

16. The LIDAR device of claim 15 , wherein the fiber laser comprises an optical amplifier disposed between the rotating platform and the first receiver.

17. A vehicle comprising:
one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle;
a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side,
wherein the LIDAR device comprises a transmitter and first and second receivers,
wherein the transmitter is configured to emit light having a vertical beam width into an environment around the vehicle, the emitted light having wavelengths in a wavelength range,
wherein the first receiver is configured to detect light at a first resolution while scanning the environment with a first field of view (FOV), the detected light having wavelengths in the wavelength range,
wherein the second receiver is configured to detect light at a second resolution while scanning the environment with a second FOV, the detected light having wavelengths in the wavelength range,
wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution,
wherein the first FOV is at least partially different from the second FOV, and
wherein the vertical beam width encompasses at least a vertical extent of the first and second FOVs; and

a controller configured to operate the vehicle based at least on scans of the environment by the first and second receivers of the LIDAR device.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 ,
wherein the LIDAR device further comprises a rotating platform configured to rotate about a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the top side of the vehicle, and
wherein the transmitter, the first receiver, and the second receiver are each configured to respectively move relative to the environment based on rotation of the rotating plat

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Droz Pierre-Yves
• Onal Caner
• Mccann William
• Fidric Bernard
• Gutnik Vadim
• Mattos Laila
• Pardhan Rahim

Classifications

• G01S7/4813 Primary

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S17/86

  Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders · CPC title

• G01S13/931 Primary

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S7/4818

  using optical fibres · CPC title