Lidar sensor for detecting an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11073614-B2
Application number	US-201715848179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A LIDAR sensor for detecting an object within a sampling space, includes a sampling unit that includes a magnetic channel, a guide element, and a movable component that is situated within the magnetic channel and is movable along the guide element under control of a control method that uses a linear drive.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A LIDAR sensor for detecting an object within a sampling space, the LIDAR sensor comprising:
a sampling unit that includes:
a channel; and
a movable component that includes a first reflective optical element, is situated within the channel, and is movable, under a magnetic force, so that the first reflective optical element shifts as whole within the channel from being entirely at a first position at one end of the channel to being entirely at a second position that is at an opposite end of the channel or revolves around an axis that is external to the first reflective optical element.

2. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , wherein portions of the sampling unit are semicircular.

3. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , wherein the channel is semicircular.

4. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a detector for receiving light, wherein the first reflective optical element is configured to deflect onto the detector light that has been reflected from the object within the sampling space.

5. The LIDAR sensor of claim 4 , wherein the detector is situated on a side of the sampling unit facing the sampling space.

6. The LIDAR sensor of claim 4 , further comprising:
a light source for emitting light into the sampling space, wherein the movable component includes at least one second reflective optical element configured to deflect the light that is emitted from the light source into the sampling space.

7. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light source for emitting light into the sampling space.

8. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a refractive element situated on a side of the sampling unit facing the sampling space.

9. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical filter situated on a side of the sampling unit facing the sampling space.

10. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light source for emitting light into the sampling space, wherein the first reflective optical element is configured to deflect the light that is emitted from the light source into the sampling space.

11. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , wherein the movable component is movable so that the first reflective optical element shifts as a whole within the channel from being entirely at the first position at the one end of the channel to being entirely at a second position that is at the opposite end of the channel.

12. The LIDAR sensor of claim 1 , wherein the movable component is movable so that the first reflective optical element revolves around the axis that is external to the first reflective optical element.

13. A LIDAR sensor for detecting an object within a sampling space, the LIDAR sensor comprising:
a sampling unit that includes:
a channel;
a guide; and
a movable component that is situated within the channel and is movable, under control of a magnetic force generated by the sampling unit, such that an entirety of the movable component shifts linearly along the guide between two opposite ends of the guide;

wherein, at each of the two opposite ends of the guide, the sampling unit includes a respective magnetic spring that is configured to produce a magnetic force that opposes the magnetic force by which the movable component is moved towards the respective end of the guide, so that the movable component cannot reach either of the two opposite ends of the guide.

14. The LIDAR sensor of claim 13 , wherein the guide is designed as a magnetic bearing.

15. The LIDAR sensor of claim 14 , wherein the sampling unit also includes at least one permanent magnet.

16. The LIDAR sensor of claim 13 , wherein the movable component is movable along the guide with oscillation.

17. The LIDAR sensor of claim 13 , wherein the movable component is movable along the guide with resonant oscillation.

18. The LIDAR sensor of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic springs are arranged on the guide.

19. The LIDAR sensor of claim 13 , wherein each of the guide and the movable component includes a permanent magnet.

20. The LIDAR sensor of claim 13 , wherein the guide includes a plurality of permanent magnets arranged so that respective positions of north and south poles of the magnets alternate between each pair of immediately adjacent ones of the plurality of magnets.

21. The LIDAR sensor of claim 13 , wherein the guide includes a plurality of permanent magnets arranged so that respective positions of north and south poles of the magnets alternate, in a direction of movement of the movable component, between each pair of immediately adjacent ones of the plurality of magnets.

22. A method for controlling a LIDAR sensor for detecting an object within a sampling space, the LIDAR sensor including a sampling unit, the method comprising:
controlling, with a linear drive, movement of a movable component of the sampling unit within a magnetic channel and along a guide such that an entirety of the movable component shifts linearly along the guide between two opposite ends of the guide, wherein, at each of the two opposite ends of the guide, the sampling unit includes a respective magnetic spring that produces a magnetic force that opposes a magnetic force by which the movable component is moved towards the respective end of the guide, so that the movable component cannot reach either of the two opposite ends of the guide.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the guide is designed as a magnetic bearing, the method further comprising:
controlling the magnetic bearing with a bearing controller.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
determining, with the bearing controller, a position of the movable component on the guide.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Holleczek Annemarie
• Sparbert Jan

Classifications

• G01S17/42 Primary

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) · CPC title

• G01S7/4911

  Transmitters · CPC title

• G01S7/4811 Primary

  common to transmitter and receiver · CPC title

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G01S17/02

  Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves (G01S17/66 takes precedence) · CPC title