Radar system, optical detector, vehicle, and optical detection method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023092146-A1
Application number	US-202217994539-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 28, 2022
Priority date	May 28, 2020
Publication date	Mar 23, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Example radar systems, optical detectors, vehicles, and optical detection methods are provided. An example radar system includes a laser device and an optical detector. The optical detector can include a first polarization scanner and a photosensitive device. The laser device can be configured to emit detection laser. The first polarization scanner can be configured to refract an echo signal of the detection laser, where a refractive index of the first polarization scanner is variable. The photosensitive device can be configured to sense the echo signal refracted by the first polarization scanner.

First claim

1 . A radar system, comprising a laser device and an optical detector, wherein:
the optical detector comprises a first polarization scanner and a photosensitive device; the laser device is configured to emit detection laser; the first polarization scanner is configured to refract an echo signal of the detection laser, wherein a refractive index of the first polarization scanner is variable; and the photosensitive device is configured to sense the echo signal refracted by the first polarization scanner.

2 . The radar system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first polarization scanner comprises a drive circuit and a polarizer, wherein a refractive index of the polarizer is variable; the drive circuit is configured to apply a target drive voltage to the polarizer; and the polarizer is configured to:
when the target drive voltage is applied, generate a first refractive index; and
refract the echo signal of the detection laser by using the first refractive index.

3 . The radar system according to claim 2 , wherein a material of the polarizer is a metamaterial with a variable refractive index, or a surface of the polarizer is covered with the metamaterial with a variable refractive index.

4 . The radar system according to claim 2 , wherein the optical detector further comprises a control chip, configured to:
determine the first refractive index based on a target sub-field of view; and determine the target drive voltage based on the first refractive index.

5 . The radar system according to claim 1 , wherein the first polarization scanner is configured to refract the echo signal of the detection laser to the photosensitive device.

6 . The radar system according to claim 3 , wherein the first polarization scanner further comprises:
a reflector, configured to reflect, to the photosensitive device, the echo signal refracted by the polarizer.

7 . The radar system according to claim 1 , wherein the laser device comprises:
N laser lights, wherein the N laser lights are in a one-to-one correspondence with N sub-fields of view, and each of the N laser lights is configured to emit the detection laser to a corresponding sub-field of view in the N sub-fields of view.

8 . The radar system according to claim 7 , wherein each of the N laser lights comprises an edge emitting laser (EEL) and a quartz fiber, wherein:
the EEL is configured to emit the detection laser to the quartz fiber; and the quartz fiber is configured to optically shape the detection laser to allow the detection laser to be irradiated on a corresponding sub-field of view.

9 . The radar system according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive device comprises an optical lens and a photosensitive chip, wherein:
the optical lens is configured to focus, on the photosensitive chip, the echo signal refracted by the first polarization scanner; and the photosensitive chip is configured to sense the echo signal focused by the optical lens.

10 . The radar system according to claim 7 , wherein the N sub-fields of view are horizontally arranged, and any two of the N sub-fields of view do not overlap.

11 . The radar system according to claim 7 , wherein the N sub-fields of view are horizontally arranged in n1 rows and vertically arranged in n2 columns, wherein N is equal to n1 multiplied by n2, and both n1 and n2 are positive integers greater than or equal to 2, and wherein any two of the N sub-fields of view do not overlap.

12 . A vehicle, comprising a vehicle control system and a radar system, wherein the vehicle control system is configured to determine a target sub-field of view, and the radar system is configured to:
emit detection laser; and sense an echo signal that is of the detection laser and that is in the target sub-field of view, and wherein the radar system comprises a laser device and an optical detector, wherein:
the optical detector comprises a first polarization scanner and a photosensitive device;
the laser device is configured to emit the detection laser;
the first polarization scanner is configured to refract the echo signal of the detection laser, wherein a refractive index of the first polarization scanner is variable; and
the photosensitive device is configured to sense the echo signal refracted by the first polarization scanner.

13 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the vehicle control system is further configured to detect an object and a distance from the object based on the echo signal refracted by the first polarization scanner.

14 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the laser device and the optical detector in the radar system are separately mounted at different locations of the vehicle.

15 . The vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the laser device is mounted on a headlight or a fog lamp of the vehicle, and the optical detector is mounted on a bumper or a windshield of the vehicle.

16 . An optical detection method, applied to a radar system, wherein the radar system comprises a laser device and a first polarization scanner, and the method comprises:
driving the laser to emit detection laser; determining a first refractive index of the first polarization scanner based on a target sub-field of view; and controlling the first polarization scanner to generate the first refractive index.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the controlling the first polarization scanner to generate the first refractive index comprises:
determining a target drive voltage based on the first refractive index; and applying the target drive voltage to the first polarization scanner.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the driving the laser device to emit detection laser comprises:
driving the laser device to send the detection laser to the target sub-field of view.

19 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein:
the first polarization scanner comprises a drive circuit and a polarizer, wherein a refractive index of the polarizer is variable; the drive circuit is configured to apply a target drive voltage to the polarizer; and the polarizer is configured to:
when the target drive voltage is applied, generate a first refractive index; and
refract the echo signal of the detection laser by using the first refractive index.

20 . The vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein a material of the polarizer is a metamaterial with a variable refractive index, or a surface of the polarizer is covered with the metamaterial with a variable refractive index.

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xie Chengzhi
• Yan Lei
• Huang Ke
• Zhao Wen
• Xiong Wei

Classifications

• G02B27/286

  for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another (G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34) · CPC title

• G02B26/06

  for controlling the phase of light (G02B26/08 takes precedence {, measuring optical phase difference G01J9/00}) · CPC title

• G02B5/3033

  in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid · CPC title

• G02B1/002

  made of materials engineered to provide properties not available in nature, e.g. metamaterials · CPC title

• G01S17/89 Primary

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title