Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device having multiple receivers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11860305-B2
Application number	US-201916453401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Oct 17, 2016
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

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, wherein the emitted light comprises visible light or infrared light;
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) that extends to a first detection distance; and
a second receiver, wherein the second receiver is configured to detect light at a second resolution while scanning the environment with a second FOV that extends to a second detection distance, wherein the vertical beam width encompasses at least a vertical extent of the first and second FOVs, and wherein the first detection distance is greater than the second detection distance.

2. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution.

3. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , wherein the first FOV covers a first range of vertical angles, wherein the second FOV covers a second range of vertical angles, and wherein the second range of vertical angles is different than the first range of vertical angles.

4. 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.

5. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , further comprising a 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.

6. The LIDAR device of claim 5 , wherein, when the platform is coupled to the top side of the vehicle, (i) the first receiver is positioned substantially above the platform relative to the top side of the vehicle and (ii) the second receiver is positioned substantially above the first receiver relative to the top side of the vehicle.

7. The LIDAR device of claim 5 , wherein, when the 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.

8. 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.

9. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , further comprising:
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.

10. The LIDAR device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a housing coupled to the rotating platform, wherein the 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 housing.

11. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing,
wherein the 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 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 housing from the environment through the aperture.

12. The LIDAR device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing, wherein the 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 (i) an optical fiber configured to provide the optical path and (ii) a diffuser configured to spread the directed light.

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

16. 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, wherein the emitted light comprises visible light or infrared light,
wherein the first receiver is configured to detect light at a first resolution while scanning the environment with a first field of view (FOV) that extends to a first detection distance,
wherein the second receiver is configured to detect light at a second resolution while scanning the environment with a second FOV that extends to a second detection distance, and
wherein the vertical beam width encompasses at least a vertical extent of the first and second FOVs, and wherein the first detection distance is greater than the second detection distance; 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.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the first FOV covers a first range of vertical angles, wherein the second FOV covers a second range of vertical angles, and wherein the second range of vertical angles is different than the first range of vertical angles.

19. The vehicle of claim 16 ,
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 platform.

20. A method comprising:
receiving, by a controller from a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device that comprises a transmitter and first and second receivers, scans of an environment around a vehicle,
wherein the transmitter is configured to emit light having a vertical beam width into an environment around the vehicle, wherein the emitted light comprises visible light or infrared light,
wherein the first receiver is configured to detect light at a first resolution while scanning the environment with a first field of view (FOV) that extends to a first detection distance,
wherein the second receiver is configured to detect light at a second resolution while scanning the environment with a second FOV that extends to a second detection distance, and
wherein the vertical beam width encompasses at least a vertical extent of the first and second FOVs, and wherein the first detection distance is grea

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B60W2420/408

  Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar · CPC title

• G05D2111/17

  Coherent light, e.g. laser signals · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S17/86

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