US 12,461,243 B2
Lidar with switchable local oscillator signals
Sen Lin, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Andrew Steil Michaels, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to AURORA OPERATIONS, INC., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed by Aurora Operations, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/404,620.
Application 18/404,620 is a continuation of application No. 17/750,247, filed on May 20, 2022, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2024/0219574 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 7/4863 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/931 (2020.01) [G01S 7/484 (2013.01); G01S 7/4863 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor comprising:
a light source configured to emit a light beam, wherein at least a portion of the light beam forms a first local oscillator signal and a second local oscillator signal;
a plurality of LIDAR pixels; and
a local oscillator module coupled to the plurality of LIDAR pixels, the local oscillator module configured to receive a first local oscillator (LOS) signal and a second local oscillator (LOP) signal, the local oscillator module comprising a plurality of LOS output ports and a plurality of LOP output ports, wherein the LOS output ports are individually alternating with the LOP output ports, wherein an adjacent pair of a LOS output port of the plurality of LOS output ports and a LOP output port of the plurality of LOP output ports are configured to simultaneously output the LOS signal and the different LOP signal from the local oscillator module to a particular LIDAR pixel.