US 12,111,400 B2
FMCW LIDAR system with passive amplitude modulation for simultaneous determination of range and velocity
Behsan Behzadi, Menlo Park, CA (US); Mina Rezk, Haymarket, VA (US); Kumar Bhargav Viswanatha, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Esha John, New York, NY (US)
Assigned to Aeva, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Aeva, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/881,431.
Application 17/881,431 is a continuation of application No. 17/512,570, filed on Oct. 27, 2021, granted, now 11,409,000.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/175,414, filed on Apr. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0373691 A1, Nov. 24, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/4865 (2020.01); G01S 7/4911 (2020.01); G01S 7/4913 (2020.01); G01S 7/4915 (2020.01); G01S 17/06 (2006.01); G01S 17/26 (2020.01); G01S 17/32 (2020.01); G01S 17/34 (2020.01); G01S 17/58 (2006.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); G05D 1/249 (2024.01)
CPC G01S 17/931 (2020.01) [G01S 7/4816 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G01S 7/4865 (2013.01); G01S 7/4911 (2013.01); G01S 7/4913 (2013.01); G01S 7/4915 (2013.01); G01S 17/06 (2013.01); G01S 17/26 (2020.01); G01S 17/32 (2013.01); G01S 17/34 (2020.01); G01S 17/58 (2013.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01); G05D 1/0231 (2013.01); G05D 1/249 (2024.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, comprising:
a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) optical source to transmit a light signal;
a passive modulator to modulate the light signal with a low-power mode at a section of a sweep signal to generate a pulsed light signal transmitted towards a target;
a photodetector to receive a return beam from the target based on the pulsed light signal, the return beam including an amplitude modulated (AM) signal portion and a frequency modulated (FM) signal portion; and
a processor coupled to the photodetector configured to:
determine a target range value for the target based on the AM signal portion; and
determine a target velocity value for the target based on the AM signal portion and based on the FM signal portion.