US 12,146,967 B2
Autonomous vehicle LIDAR system using a waveguide array
Stephen C. Crouch, Bozeman, MT (US); Edward Angus, Bozeman, MT (US); and Michelle Milvich, Livingston, MT (US)
Assigned to AURORA OPERATIONS, INC., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed by Aurora Operations, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/568,360.
Application 17/568,360 is a continuation of application No. 17/171,744, filed on Feb. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,249,194.
Application 17/171,744 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/043488, filed on Jul. 25, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/717,200, filed on Aug. 10, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0128703 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 17/931 (2020.01); B60W 10/18 (2012.01); B60W 10/20 (2006.01); B60W 30/09 (2012.01); B60W 30/095 (2012.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/493 (2006.01); G01S 17/32 (2020.01); G01S 17/58 (2006.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); G01S 17/894 (2020.01); G02B 6/26 (2006.01); G02B 26/10 (2006.01); G02B 26/12 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 17/931 (2020.01) [B60W 10/18 (2013.01); B60W 10/20 (2013.01); B60W 30/09 (2013.01); B60W 30/0956 (2013.01); B60W 60/001 (2020.02); G01S 7/4814 (2013.01); G01S 7/4816 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G01S 7/493 (2013.01); G01S 17/32 (2013.01); G01S 17/58 (2013.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01); G01S 17/894 (2020.01); G02B 6/262 (2013.01); G02B 26/101 (2013.01); G02B 26/123 (2013.01); B60W 2420/408 (2024.01); B60W 2554/404 (2020.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, comprising:
a laser source configured to output a beam;
a waveguide array comprising a plurality of waveguides arranged in a first plane, the waveguide array configured to receive the beam from the laser source and to generate a plurality of beams in response to receiving the beam, each beam of the plurality of beams transmitted from a respective waveguide of the waveguide array;
a collimator configured to receive the plurality of beams from the waveguide array and to output a plurality of collimated beams, the plurality of collimated beams having an angular spread in the first plane;
a first scanner configured to receive the plurality of collimated beams and to output, the plurality of collimated beams as a plurality of first scanned beams in a first direction in the first plane and output the plurality of collimated beams as a plurality of second scanned beams in a second direction in the first plane; and
a second scanner configured to output the plurality of first scanned beams between a first angle and a second angle in a second plane different from the first plane and the plurality of second scanned beams between the first angle and the second angle in the second plane, wherein the second scanner is configured to be rotated about a rotation axis that lies in the first plane.