US 11,947,038 B2
Wavelength adaptive narrow band optical filter for a LIDAR system
Elliot Smith, Carpinteria, CA (US); and Heiko Leppin, Hergensweiler (DE)
Assigned to Continental Automotive Systems, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Continental Automotive Systems, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/229,507.
Prior Publication US 2020/0200875 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
Int. Cl. G02B 5/20 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/486 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G02B 5/28 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 7/4811 (2013.01) [G01S 7/486 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G02B 5/208 (2013.01); G02B 5/281 (2013.01); G02F 2203/055 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A LIDAR system comprising:
a transmitting portion comprising a transmitter unit constructed and arranged to generate light, and transmitter lens structure for projecting the light so as to illuminate an area in front of the system,
a receiving portion comprising receiver lens structure for receiving light reflected from an object in the area in front of the system, and a photodetector structure for detecting the received light,
an actively tunable narrow band optical filter structure located upstream of the photodetector structure and constructed and arranged to filter out wavelengths of light associated with background radiation prior to being received by the photodetector structure, the filter structure being constructed and arranged to change optical filtering thereof so as to change wavelengths of light permitted to pass there-through,
a photodiode constructed and arranged to detect light passing through the filter structure, and
a control unit associated with the photodiode and the filter structure and constructed and arranged such that based on the light detected by the photodiode, the control unit can cause the filter structure to change the optical filtering thereof so as to compensate for drifting or broadening of a wavelength of the transmitter unit;
wherein the filter structure comprises a transparent substrate, heating structure on one side of the substrate, and a filter on a side of the substrate opposing the one side thereof, and wherein the control unit is constructed and arranged to send a voltage or a current to the heating structure to cause heating of the filter structure, thereby changing the optical filtering of the filter structure.