US 12,072,422 B2
Light detection and ranging (lidar) devices having vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) emitters
David Schleuning, Piedmont, CA (US); James Dunphy, San Jose, CA (US); Augusto Tazzoli, San Jose, CA (US); and Matthew Last, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/513,973.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/107,929, filed on Oct. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0137230 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); H01S 5/183 (2006.01); H01S 5/42 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 17/931 (2020.01) [G01S 7/4815 (2013.01); H01S 5/183 (2013.01); H01S 5/423 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (lidar) device comprising:
an array of individually addressable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) configured to emit light pulses into an environment surrounding the lidar device,
wherein the individually addressable VCSELs in the array have at least two different form factors,
wherein individually addressable VCSELs in a first set of individually addressable VCSELs in the array have a first form factor,
wherein individually addressable VCSELs in a second set of individually addressable VCSELs in the array have a second form factor,
wherein the first form factor includes a first VCSEL diameter,
wherein the second form factor includes a second VCSEL diameter,
wherein the first VCSEL diameter is greater than the second VCSEL diameter, and
wherein the individually addressable VCSELs in the first set of individually addressable VCSELs are configured to emit light pulses having a higher power than light pulses emitted by the individually addressable VCSELs in the second set of individually addressable VCSELs;
a firing circuit configured to selectively fire the individually addressable VCSELs in the array;
a controller configured to control the firing circuit using a control signal; and
a plurality of detectors, wherein each detector in the plurality of detectors is configured to detect reflections of the light pulses that are emitted by one or more individually addressable VCSELs in the array and reflected by one or more objects in the environment surrounding the lidar device.