US 11,921,236 B1
Light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor system including seed modulation module
Zeb Barber, Bozeman, MT (US); Randy Ray Reibel, Bozeman, MT (US); and Sean Spillane, Bozeman, MT (US)
Assigned to AURORA OPERATIONS, INC., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Aurora Operations, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/121,967.
Application 18/121,967 is a continuation of application No. 17/888,364, filed on Aug. 15, 2022, granted, now 11,619,716.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 7/4861 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 7/484 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4861 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (lidar) system for a vehicle, comprising:
an input optical path configured to receive a beam from a laser source;
a first optical path and a plurality of second optical paths, respectively branched from the input optical path;
a first optical amplifier coupled to the first optical path and configured to output a local oscillator (LO) signal; and
a plurality of second optical amplifiers respectively coupled to the plurality of second optical paths, one of the plurality of second optical amplifiers being selectively turned on to modulate the beam received through a second optical path and output a modulated optical signal of the beam.