US 12,235,362 B2
Beam scanning methods for improved eye safety in LiDAR systems
Michael G. Moebius, Somerville, MA (US); Steven J. Spector, Lexington, MA (US); Steven J. Byrnes, Watertown, MA (US); Christopher Bessette, Melrose, MA (US); Scott Evan Lennox, Arlington, MA (US); Matthew A. Sinclair, Stoneham, MA (US); and Francis J. Rogomentich, Wilmington, MA (US)
Assigned to The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
Filed by The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 25, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/663,814.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/751,497, filed on Oct. 26, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/751,500, filed on Oct. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0136340 A1, Apr. 30, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 17/89 (2020.01); G01S 7/499 (2006.01); G01S 13/86 (2006.01); G01S 17/26 (2020.01); G01S 17/93 (2020.01); H01S 3/13 (2006.01); G01S 17/00 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/89 (2013.01) [G01S 7/499 (2013.01); G01S 13/865 (2013.01); G01S 13/867 (2013.01); G01S 17/26 (2020.01); G01S 17/93 (2013.01); H01S 3/1305 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A LiDAR system having a field of view, the LiDAR system comprising:
a laser;
an array of optical emitters;
an objective lens optically coupling each optical emitter of the array of optical emitters to a respective unique portion of the field of view;
an optical switching network coupled between the laser and the array of optical emitters;
a controller coupled to the optical switching network and configured to cause the optical switching network to route light from the laser to a sequence of optical emitters of the array of optical emitters according to a dynamically varying temporal pattern; and
an optical receiver coupled to the optical switching network and configured to receive light reflected from the field of view.