US 12,422,562 B2
LIDAR system
Edward Joseph Angus, Bozeman, MT (US); and Craig Benko, Bozeman, MT (US)
Assigned to AURORA OPERATIONS, INC., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed by Aurora Operations, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/721,114.
Prior Publication US 2023/0333255 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 17/931 (2020.01); B60W 10/18 (2012.01); B60W 10/20 (2006.01); B60W 50/02 (2012.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 17/931 (2020.01) [B60W 10/18 (2013.01); B60W 10/20 (2013.01); B60W 50/0205 (2013.01); B60W 60/001 (2020.02); G01S 7/4813 (2013.01); G01S 7/4814 (2013.01); G01S 7/4816 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); B60W 2420/408 (2024.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system, comprising:
a window;
a first light emitter comprising a laser source configured to emit a laser beam of a first wavelength;
one or more scanning optics configured to output the laser beam through the window; and
a sensor, comprising:
a second light emitter configured to output a sensor beam having a second wavelength different than the first wavelength;
a first optic coupled to the window, the first optic configured to receive the sensor beam from the second light emitter and direct the sensor beam into the window at a particular angle relative to a surface of the window such that the sensor beam undergoes total internal reflection in the window, wherein the particular angle is determined based at least in part on an index of refraction of the window;
a second optic coupled to the window, the second optic configured to receive the sensor beam directed into the window by the first optic; and
a detector configured to receive the sensor beam from the second optic and to output a signal indicative of a presence of an obscurant on the window based on the sensor beam received from the second optic.