US 12,461,206 B2
LIDAR receiver using a waveguide and an aperture
Pierre-Yves Droz, Los Altos, CA (US); David Neil Hutchison, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Ralph Hamilton Shepard, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on May 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/317,171.
Application 18/317,171 is a continuation of application No. 16/895,191, filed on Jun. 8, 2020, granted, now 11,686,823.
Application 16/895,191 is a continuation of application No. 15/665,796, filed on Aug. 1, 2017, granted, now 10,698,088, issued on Jun. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0280450 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01C 3/08 (2006.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/4863 (2020.01); G01S 17/42 (2006.01); G02B 6/42 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 7/4816 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4863 (2013.01); G01S 17/42 (2013.01); G02B 6/003 (2013.01); G02B 6/0055 (2013.01); G02B 6/4214 (2013.01); G02B 6/4298 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a waveguide configured to guide light by total internal reflection or frustrated total internal reflection, wherein the waveguide has a first side configured to receive incident light into the waveguide, a second side extending from the first side, and a structure configured to direct the received incident light toward the second side;
a light detector array optically coupled to the waveguide, wherein the light detector array is configured to output a signal based on the received incident light; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to determine a distance to an object based on the signal output from the light detector array.