US 12,242,001 B2
Scanning lidar with flood illumination for near-field detection
Mark Armstrong McCord, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Cepton Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Cepton Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/205,792.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/994,105, filed on Mar. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0302543 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. G01S 7/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/483 (2006.01); G01S 17/10 (2020.01); G01S 17/93 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 7/4817 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4813 (2013.01); G01S 7/483 (2013.01); G01S 17/10 (2013.01); G01S 17/93 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A LiDAR sensor comprising:
a first lens defining a first optical axis;
a first laser source disposed substantially at a focal plane of the first lens, and configured to emit a plurality of first light pulses to be collimated by the first lens and directed toward a field of view of the LiDAR sensor;
a flood illumination source configured to emit a plurality of second light pulses as diverging light rays directed toward the field of view of the LiDAR sensor;
a second lens defining a second optical axis substantially parallel to the first optical axis, the second lens configured to:
receive and focus a portion of any one of the plurality of first light pulses that is reflected off of one or more objects in the field of view onto a focal plane of the second lens; and
receive and focus a portion of any one of the plurality of second light pulses that is reflected off of the one or more objects in the field of view onto the focal plane of the second lens;
a detector disposed substantially at the focal plane of the second lens, the detector configured to detect (i) the portion of any one of the plurality of first light pulses that is reflected off of the one or more objects, and (ii) the portion of any one of the plurality of second light pulses that is reflected off of the one or more objects; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the first laser source, the flood illumination source, and the detector, the processor configured to construct a three-dimensional image of the one or more objects based on the portion of any one of the plurality of first light pulses, emitted by the first laser source and reflected off the one or more objects in the field of view, and the portion of any one of the plurality of second light pulses, emitted by the flood illumination source and reflected off the one or more objects in the field of view, detected by the detector.