US 12,216,270 B2
Optical distance measurement system using solid state beam steering
David P. Magee, Allen, TX (US); Nirmal C. Warke, Saratoga, CA (US); Stephen Aldridge Shaw, Plano, TX (US); Terry Alan Bartlett, Dallas, TX (US); and Rick Oden, McKinney, TX (US)
Assigned to TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed by Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/382,128.
Application 17/382,128 is a continuation of application No. 15/592,884, filed on May 11, 2017, granted, now 11,106,030.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/334,713, filed on May 11, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0356734 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02B 26/08 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 17/10 (2020.01)
CPC G02B 26/0833 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4815 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G01S 7/484 (2013.01); G01S 17/10 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a solid state device having multiple controllable regions including a first region and a second region;
a first transmitter configured to transmit a first optical signal towards the first region;
a second transmitter configured to transmit a second optical signal towards the second region,
wherein the solid state device is configured to simultaneously steer the first optical signal in a first direction using the first region and steer the second optical signal in a second direction different from the first direction using the second region.