LIDAR transmit/receive system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12066548-B2
Application number	US-202217674537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 29, 2020
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for a vehicle, includes a laser source configured to generate light signals, a transceiver, and a fiber array coupled to the transceiver and including a plurality of output channels. The transceiver is configured to receive one or more light signals from the laser source through a first group of output channels of the fiber array, receive one or more local oscillator (LO) signals through a second group of output channels of the fiber array, transmit the one or more light signals into an environment of the vehicle, receive a first returned light reflected from one or more objects in the environment, and output the first returned light and a first LO signal of the one or more LO signals.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for a vehicle, the LIDAR system comprising:
a laser source configured to generate light signals;
a transceiver; and
a fiber array coupled to the transceiver and comprising a plurality of output channels,
wherein the transceiver is configured to:
receive one or more light signals from the laser source through a first group of output channels of the fiber array, the first group of output channels being associated with a first type of signal,
receive one or more local oscillator (LO) signals from the laser source through a second group of output channels of the fiber array, the second group of output channels being associated with a second type of signal, different from the first type of signal,
transmit the one or more light signals into an environment of the vehicle,
receive a first returned light reflected from one or more objects in the environment, and
output the first returned light and a first LO signal of the one or more LO signals.

2. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first returned light and the first LO signal have the same polarization.

3. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more LO signals are polarized in a particular angle with reference to a plane of the transceiver.

4. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more LO signals are polarized parallel to the plane of the transceiver.

5. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a substrate on which the transceiver is disposed,
wherein the one or more LO signals are polarized in a particular angle with reference to a plane of the semiconductor substrate.

6. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first group of output channels include:
a first transmit (TX) output channel through which at least one of the one or more light signals is received at a first time slot, and
a second TX output channel through which at least one of the one or more light signals is received at a second time slot different from the first time slot.

7. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the second group of output channels include:
a first output channel through which at least one of the one or more LO signals is received at the first time slot, and
a second LO output channel through which at least one of the one or more LO signals is received at the second time slot.

8. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 7 , wherein in the fiber array, the first TX output channel, the second TX output channel, the first LO output channel, and the second LO output channel are disposed in this order.

9. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
receive one or more LO signals through a third group of output channels of the fiber array;
receive a second returned light reflected from the one or more objects in the environment; and
output the second returned light and a second LO signal of the one or more LO signals received through the third group of output channels.

10. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the one or more LO signals received through the second group of output channels have a polarization different than a polarization of the one or more LO signals received through the third group of output channels.

11. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 9 , wherein in the fiber array, the first group of output channels, the second group of output channels and the third group of output channels are disposed in this order.

12. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the transceiver comprises a first waveguide that is polarized in a first angle with reference to a plane of the transceiver, wherein the transceiver comprises a second waveguide that is polarized in a second angle with reference to the plane of the transceiver.

13. The LIDAR system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first waveguide is polarized parallel to the plane of the transceiver, wherein the second waveguide is polarized perpendicular to the plane of the transceiver.

14. A method, comprising:
generating light signals by a laser source;
receiving one or more light signals from the laser source through a first group of output channels of a fiber array, the first group of output channels being associated with a first type of signal;
receiving one or more local oscillator (LO) signals from the laser source through a second group of output channels of the fiber array, the second group of output channels being associated with a second type of signal, different from the first type of signal;
transmitting the one or more light signals into an environment of a vehicle;
receiving a first returned light reflected from one or more objects in the environment; and
outputting the first returned light and a first LO signal of the one or more LO signals.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first returned light and the first LO signal have the same polarization.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein
receiving the one or more light signals from the laser source through the first group of output channels comprises:
receiving at least one of the one or more light signals through a first transmit (TX) output channel of the first group of output channels at a first time slot; and
receiving at least one of the one or more light signals through a second TX output channel of the first group of output channels at a second time slot different from the first time slot, and

receiving the one or more LO signals through the second group of output channels comprises:
receiving at least one of the one or more LO signals through a first LO output channel of the second group of output channels at the first time slot, and
receiving at least one of the one or more LO signals through a second LO output channel of the second group of output channels at the second time slot.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving one or more LO signals through a third group of output channels of the fiber array;
receiving a second returned light reflected from the one or more objects in the environment; and
outputting the second returned light and a second LO signal of the one or more LO signals received through the third group of output channels.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the second returned light and the second LO signal have the same polarization.

19. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the one or more LO signals received through the second group of output channels have a polarization different than a polarization of the one or more LO signals received through the third group of output channels.

20. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, comprising:
a laser source configured to generate light signals;
a transceiver; and
a fiber array coupled to the transceiver and comprising a plurality of Output channels,
wherein the transceiver is configured to:
receive one or more light signals from the laser source through a first group of output channels of the fiber array, the first group of output channels being associated with a first type of signal,
receive one or more local oscillator (LO) signals from the laser source through a second group of output channels of the fiber array, the second group of output channels being associated with a second type of signal, different from the first type of signal,
transmit the one or more light signals into an environment of the v

Assignees

• Aurora Operations Inc

Inventors

• Barber Zeb
• CROUCH Stephen
• Kadlec Emil

Classifications

• G05D1/81

  Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control · CPC title

• G05D1/65

  Following a desired speed profile · CPC title

• G01S7/4912

  Receivers · CPC title

• G01S7/4814

  of transmitters alone · CPC title

• G01S17/34 Primary

  using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal · CPC title