US 11,960,006 B2
Wavelength division multiplexed LiDAR
Ehsan Hosseini, Boston, MA (US); Michael Watts, Hingham, MA (US); Christopher Poulton, Cambridge, MA (US); and Diedrik Vermeulen, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to Analog Photonics LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Analog Photonics LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/357,395.
Application 17/357,395 is a continuation of application No. 15/963,032, filed on Apr. 25, 2018, granted, now 11,061,140.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/490,000, filed on Apr. 25, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0318442 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 17/89 (2020.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 17/42 (2006.01); G02B 27/28 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 17/89 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4813 (2013.01); G01S 7/4814 (2013.01); G01S 7/4816 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G01S 17/42 (2013.01); G02B 27/283 (2013.01); G02B 27/286 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a chip-scale wavelength division multiplexed LiDAR comprising:
providing a multiwavelength optical signal;
directing the multiwavelength optical signal via a distribution network to an optical phased array, said optical phased array including emitter elements and phase shifters;
separating the multiwavelength optical signal into its component wavelengths through the effect of at least one reflective grating or transmission grating receiving the multiwavelength optical signal from the emitter elements and emitting individual component wavelengths as individual beams in an individual direction toward a scene according to their wavelength, where said individual beam directions span an emission plane; and
steering the individual beams through the effect of the phase shifters, said individual beams collectively steered about an axis substantially parallel to the emission plane.