Apparatus and method for a beam-directing system using a gated light valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022018939-A1
Application number	US-202117243334-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 28, 2021
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first stage and a second stage. The first stage may include a micro light-directing unit that is operable to receive a light beam from a light source and direct the light beam along one dimension to discrete input locations of a second stage. The second stage may be operable to receive the light beam from the first stage at the discrete input locations along the one dimension and direct the light beam through two dimensions to discrete output locations of the second stage to scan a three-dimensional space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a first stage that comprises a grated-light valve (GLV) that is operable to:
receive a light beam from a light source; and
direct the light beam along one dimension to discrete input locations of a second stage; and
the second stage, operable to:
receive the light beam from the first stage at the discrete input locations along the one dimension; and
direct the light beam through two dimensions to discrete output locations of the second stage to scan a three-dimensional space.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second stage is a fiber-optic bundle comprising a plurality of transmit fiber-optic cables, each transmit fiber-optic cable comprising a transmit-input end and a transmit-output end, wherein:
the transmit-input end of each transmit fiber-optic cable is positioned at one of the discrete input locations; and the transmit-output end of each transmit fiber-optic cable is operable to direct the light beam toward one of the discrete output locations.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the fiber-optic bundle further comprises a plurality of receive fiber-optic cables, each receive fiber-optic cable comprising a receive-input end and a receive-output end, wherein:
the receive-input end of each receive fiber-optic cable is operable to receive a reflected beam from one or more locations in the three-dimensional space; and the receive-output end of each fiber-optic cable is coupled to a receiver.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second stage is a gimbaled mirror that is operable to tilt perpendicular to the one dimension of the discrete input locations.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first stage further comprises a dynamic phase array that is operable to control a phase of a light wave emitted from the light source.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first stage is positioned at a first location inside an autonomous vehicle; and the second stage comprises a plurality of transmit-input ends and a plurality of transmit-output ends, wherein each transmit-output end is positioned at one of a plurality of second locations inside the autonomous vehicle remote from the first location.

7 . A method comprising:
at a first stage that comprises a grated-light valve (GLV):
receiving a light beam from a light source; and
directing the light beam along one dimension to discrete input locations of a second stage; and
at the second stage:
receiving the light beam from the first stage at the discrete input locations along the one dimension; and
directing the light beam through two dimensions to discrete output locations of the second stage to scan a three-dimensional space.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second stage is a fiber-optic bundle that comprises a plurality of transmit fiber-optic cables, each transmit fiber-optic cable comprising a transmit-input end and a transmit-output end, wherein:
the transmit-input end of each transmit fiber-optic cable is positioned at one of the discrete input locations; and the transmit-output end of each transmit fiber-optic cable points toward one of the discrete output locations.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the fiber-optic bundle further comprises a plurality of receive fiber-optic cables, each receive fiber-optic cable comprising a receive-input end and a receive-output end, wherein:
the receive-input end of each receive fiber-optic cable points towards a different location in the three-dimensional space; and the receive-output end of each fiber-optic cable is coupled to a receiver.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second stage is a gimbaled mirror that is operable to tilt perpendicular to the one dimension of the discrete input locations.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first stage further comprises a dynamic phase array that is operable to control a phase of a light wave emitted from the light source.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first stage is positioned at a first location inside an autonomous vehicle, and the second stage is positioned at one or more second locations inside the autonomous vehicle remote from the first location.

13 . An apparatus comprising:
means for receiving at a first stage a light beam from a light source; means for directing the light beam along one dimension to discrete input locations of a second stage; means for receiving the light beam from the first stage at the discrete input locations along the one dimension; and means for directing the light beam through two dimensions to discrete output locations of the second stage to scan a three-dimensional space.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second stage is a fiber-optic bundle comprising a plurality of transmit fiber-optic cables, each transmit fiber-optic cable comprising a transmit-input end and a transmit-output end, wherein:
the transmit-input end of each transmit fiber-optic cable is positioned at one of the discrete input locations; and the transmit-output end of each transmit fiber-optic cable is operable to direct the light beam toward one of the discrete output locations.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the fiber-optic bundle further comprises a plurality of receive fiber-optic cables, each receive fiber-optic cable comprising a receive-input end and a receive-output end, wherein:
the receive-input end of each receive fiber-optic cable is operable to receive a reflected beam from one or more locations in the three-dimensional space; and the receive-output end of each fiber-optic cable is coupled to a receiver.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second stage is a gimbaled mirror that is operable to tilt perpendicular to the one dimension of the discrete input locations.

17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first stage further comprises a dynamic phase array that is operable to control a phase of a light wave emitted from the light source.

18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
the first stage is positioned at a first location inside an autonomous vehicle; and the second stage comprises a plurality of transmit-input ends and a plurality of transmit-output ends, wherein each transmit-output end is positioned at one of a plurality of second locations inside the autonomous vehicle remote from the first location.

Assignees

• Woven Planet North America Inc

Inventors

• Abari Farzad Cyrus Foroughi
• Rolander Nathan
• Clément Romain

Classifications

• G01S7/4812 Primary

  transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G02B6/4298

  coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers · CPC title

• G02B6/06

  the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images · CPC title

• G01S7/4814 Primary

  of transmitters alone · CPC title