US 12,481,029 B2
Split window and baffling
Jason Watson, San Jose, CA (US); David Duff, Portola Valley, CA (US); Justin Andrade, San Jose, CA (US); Blaise Gassend, East Palo Alto, CA (US); Alex Bogatko, Mountain View, CA (US); Alex Rivas, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Michael Brickner, Mountain View, CA (US); Yeh-Jiun Tung, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Hui Son, Hayward, CA (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/645,615.
Prior Publication US 2023/0194669 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 7/48 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 7/4813 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4812 (2013.01); G01S 7/4817 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (lidar) system, comprising:
a housing defining an interior space, wherein the housing comprises at least one optical window;
a rotatable mirror assembly disposed within the interior space, wherein the rotatable mirror assembly comprises a transmit mirror portion and a receive mirror portion;
a transmitter disposed within the interior space, wherein the transmitter is configured to emit emission light into an environment of the lidar system along a transmit path;
a receiver disposed within the interior space, wherein the receiver is configured to detect return light that is received from the environment along a receive path; and
at least one optical baffle configured to minimize stray light in the interior space, wherein the at least one optical baffle comprises:
a static baffle and a rotating baffle coupled to the rotatable mirror assembly; or
a rounded edge or a bolus edge so as to reduce an amount of stray light that can pass around the optical baffle; or
a blade strip configured to optically isolate a receiver portion of the interior space from a transmitter portion of the interior space, wherein the blade strip is configured to approach or come into direct contact with the at least one optical window or a mechanical support member separating a first optical window and a second optical window; or
at least one transverse baffle, wherein the transverse baffle is oriented perpendicular to a static baffle, wherein the transverse baffle is configured to reduce an amount of stray light in the interior space.